Bilal (musician)
Encyclopedia
Bilal Sayeed Oliver better known by his stage name
Bilal, is an American
neo soul
/jazz
singer-songwriter, musician
and producer
. He is also a core member of the loose collective, the Soulquarians
. Bilal started out by singing in small clubs until he began classical training in jazz and big-band arrangements at the Mannes Music Conservatory in New York. With this formal training, the singer/songwriter learned to sing opera in seven languages.
Bilal is a member of the Soulquarians
collective, along with Common, Erykah Badu, Mos Def, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Q Tip, and D’Angelo.
. His interest in jazz
music was fostered by his father, who took him to the city’s clubs. Singing eventually became more than an interest. Bilal attended Mannes College in New York City, where he received voice training, as well as training in jazz and big-band arrangements.
By 1999 Motown recording artist, Grenique released her debut Black Butterfly, an was the first major album to feature Bilal’s vocals; he contributed to three songs. The following year, he established a deep connection to hip-hop by appearing on Common’s album, Like Water for Chocolate
and Guru
’s Guru's Jazzmatazz, Vol. 3: Streetsoul. These recordings led him into the Soulquarians
, a rotating collective of collaborators who included Common, Jay Dee, the Roots' Ahmir Thompson, D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, Mos Def, Q-Tip, and Raphael Saadiq within its ranks.
, which featured contributions from the Soulquarians
as well as high profile producers such as Dr. Dre
. The album, while critically lauded, failed to achieve any significant mainstream success, and received limited promotion (although the single "Soul Sista" became fairly popular on late night alternative radio). Despite this, Bilal managed to gain a sizable following and high attendance at his live shows, as well as much acclaim and respect from his peers, many whom noted his range and ability to sing in a freeform style, and his classically trained falsetto.
In 2002, Bilal contributed to the critically acclaimed Red Hot + Riot, a compilation CD created by the Red Hot Organization
in tribute to the music and work of Nigerian musician, Fela Kuti
, that raised money for various charities devoted to raising AIDS awareness and fighting the disease. He collaborated with fellow hip-hop artists Dead Prez
, Talib Kweli
, and Jorge Ben to remake the famous song by Fela Kuti, "Shuffering and Shmiling," for the CD.
In the following years Bilal continued to appear on projects by other artists both high profile and avant garde, while recording and developing his follow-up set to be released on Interscope Records
and featuring contributions primarily from producers Dr. Dre
and J Dilla
(as heard by Dilla himself). These plans proved to be changeable and the final result, Love for Sale, was an album that appeared to be built around Bilal's own musicianship, with many of the tracks produced and written by the artist himself except "Something to hold onto" was produced by grammy award producer Nottz
. However, near the album's completion, Interscope delayed the release date, then shelved the album indefinitely, hinting that it saw little commercial potential in it since it had already leaked online in its entirety. Online, many fans and music critics expressed their sadness that what they viewed as a carefully crafted album would be kept from a proper release. Bilal signed to Plug Research
in 2009. In May 2010, Bilal visited Billboard
's Mashup Monday and performed "All Matter
" from his soon to be released new album, well as a cover tune of Soft Cell
's 80's hit, "Tainted Love
". On August 24, it was reported, Bilal kicking off a US road tour in support of Airtight's Revenge. His third album Airtight's Revenge
was released September 14, 2010. Bilal has said in interviews that the album's inspiration came from the struggles of dealing with the fallout from Love for Sale. Bilal continues to tour in 2010.
Singles
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
Bilal, is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
neo soul
Neo soul
The term neo soul was originally coined by Kedar Massenburg of Motown Records in the late 1990s as a marketing category following the commercial breakthroughs of artists such as D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and Maxwell...
/jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
singer-songwriter, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
. He is also a core member of the loose collective, the Soulquarians
Soulquarians
The Soulquarians is a neo soul and hip hop-informed musical collective with members from Philadelphia, New York, Detroit, Richmond, Brooklyn, Chicago, Dallas, and Oakland. The collective formed during the late 1990s, continuing into the early 2000s, and produced several well-received albums...
. Bilal started out by singing in small clubs until he began classical training in jazz and big-band arrangements at the Mannes Music Conservatory in New York. With this formal training, the singer/songwriter learned to sing opera in seven languages.
Bilal is a member of the Soulquarians
Soulquarians
The Soulquarians is a neo soul and hip hop-informed musical collective with members from Philadelphia, New York, Detroit, Richmond, Brooklyn, Chicago, Dallas, and Oakland. The collective formed during the late 1990s, continuing into the early 2000s, and produced several well-received albums...
collective, along with Common, Erykah Badu, Mos Def, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Q Tip, and D’Angelo.
Early life
Bilal was born Bilal Sayeed Oliver in northwest Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. His interest in jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
music was fostered by his father, who took him to the city’s clubs. Singing eventually became more than an interest. Bilal attended Mannes College in New York City, where he received voice training, as well as training in jazz and big-band arrangements.
By 1999 Motown recording artist, Grenique released her debut Black Butterfly, an was the first major album to feature Bilal’s vocals; he contributed to three songs. The following year, he established a deep connection to hip-hop by appearing on Common’s album, Like Water for Chocolate
Like Water for Chocolate
Like Water for Chocolate is a popular novel published in 1989 by first-time Mexican novelist Laura Esquivel.The novel follows the story of a young girl named Tita who longs her entire life to marry her lover, Pedro, but can never have him because of her mother's upholding of the family tradition...
and Guru
Guru (rapper)
Keith Edward Elam , better known by his stage name Guru, was an American emcee and member of the hip-hop duo Gang Starr, along with DJ Premier. He was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts...
’s Guru's Jazzmatazz, Vol. 3: Streetsoul. These recordings led him into the Soulquarians
Soulquarians
The Soulquarians is a neo soul and hip hop-informed musical collective with members from Philadelphia, New York, Detroit, Richmond, Brooklyn, Chicago, Dallas, and Oakland. The collective formed during the late 1990s, continuing into the early 2000s, and produced several well-received albums...
, a rotating collective of collaborators who included Common, Jay Dee, the Roots' Ahmir Thompson, D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, Mos Def, Q-Tip, and Raphael Saadiq within its ranks.
Music career
In 2001, he released his debut album 1st Born Second1st Born Second
1st Born Second is the debut album of American neo soul musician Bilal, released July 17, 2001 on Interscope Records. Production for the album was handled primarily by Bilal and Aaron Comess. Bilal's mononymous stage name also serves as an acronym for "Beloved, Intelligent, Lustful and Livin' It"...
, which featured contributions from the Soulquarians
Soulquarians
The Soulquarians is a neo soul and hip hop-informed musical collective with members from Philadelphia, New York, Detroit, Richmond, Brooklyn, Chicago, Dallas, and Oakland. The collective formed during the late 1990s, continuing into the early 2000s, and produced several well-received albums...
as well as high profile producers such as Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
. The album, while critically lauded, failed to achieve any significant mainstream success, and received limited promotion (although the single "Soul Sista" became fairly popular on late night alternative radio). Despite this, Bilal managed to gain a sizable following and high attendance at his live shows, as well as much acclaim and respect from his peers, many whom noted his range and ability to sing in a freeform style, and his classically trained falsetto.
In 2002, Bilal contributed to the critically acclaimed Red Hot + Riot, a compilation CD created by the Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
in tribute to the music and work of Nigerian musician, Fela Kuti
Fela Kuti
Fela Anikulapo Kuti , or simply Fela , was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, pioneer of Afrobeat music, human rights activist, and political maverick.-Biography:...
, that raised money for various charities devoted to raising AIDS awareness and fighting the disease. He collaborated with fellow hip-hop artists Dead Prez
Dead Prez
Dead Prez stylized as dead prez is a hip hop duo from the United States, composed of stic.man and M-1, formed in 1996 in New York City, New York. They are known for their confrontational style, combined with socialist lyrics focused on both militant social justice and Pan-Africanism...
, Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli Greene , better known as Talib Kweli, is an American hip-hop artist and poet from Brooklyn, New York. His first name in Arabic means "student" or "seeker" ; his in Swahili means "true"...
, and Jorge Ben to remake the famous song by Fela Kuti, "Shuffering and Shmiling," for the CD.
In the following years Bilal continued to appear on projects by other artists both high profile and avant garde, while recording and developing his follow-up set to be released on Interscope Records
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
and featuring contributions primarily from producers Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
and J Dilla
J Dilla
James Dewitt Yancey , better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan...
(as heard by Dilla himself). These plans proved to be changeable and the final result, Love for Sale, was an album that appeared to be built around Bilal's own musicianship, with many of the tracks produced and written by the artist himself except "Something to hold onto" was produced by grammy award producer Nottz
Nottz
Dominick Lamb better known by his stage name, Nottz is a music producer, writer and rapper from Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. He sometimes extends his executive name to Nottz Raw.-History:...
. However, near the album's completion, Interscope delayed the release date, then shelved the album indefinitely, hinting that it saw little commercial potential in it since it had already leaked online in its entirety. Online, many fans and music critics expressed their sadness that what they viewed as a carefully crafted album would be kept from a proper release. Bilal signed to Plug Research
Plug Research
Plug Research is an independent record label, based in Los Angeles, California, USA.-Artists:*Damon Aaron*Adventure Time*AmmonContact*Bilal*David Thomas Broughton*Calamalka*Camping*Chessie*Daedelus*Dntel*Thomas Fehlmann*Flying Lotus*Headset...
in 2009. In May 2010, Bilal visited Billboard
Billboard
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's Mashup Monday and performed "All Matter
All Matter
"All Matter" is a song by American recording soul/jazz artist Bilal. The song was produced by the singer, along with Steve McKie, from his album Airtight's Revenge as well as Robert Glasper's Double-Booked. The song was nominated at the 52nd Grammy Awards for Best Urban/Alternative...
" from his soon to be released new album, well as a cover tune of Soft Cell
Soft Cell
Soft Cell are an English synthpop duo who came to prominence in the early 1980s. They consist of vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball. The duo is most widely known for their 1981 worldwide hit version of "Tainted Love" and platinum debut Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret...
's 80's hit, "Tainted Love
Tainted Love
"Tainted Love" is a song composed by Ed Cobb, formerly of The Four Preps, which was originally recorded by Gloria Jones in 1965. It attained worldwide fame after being covered by Soft Cell in 1981, reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart, and has since been covered by numerous groups and...
". On August 24, it was reported, Bilal kicking off a US road tour in support of Airtight's Revenge. His third album Airtight's Revenge
Airtight's Revenge
Airtight's Revenge is the second studio album by American recording artist Bilal, released September 6, 2010, on independent record label Plug Research. Production for the album took place during 2007 to 2010 and was handled by Bilal, Steve McKie, Nottz, Shafiq Husayn, Conley "Tone" Whitfield, and...
was released September 14, 2010. Bilal has said in interviews that the album's inspiration came from the struggles of dealing with the fallout from Love for Sale. Bilal continues to tour in 2010.
Discography
Studio albums- 1st Born Second1st Born Second1st Born Second is the debut album of American neo soul musician Bilal, released July 17, 2001 on Interscope Records. Production for the album was handled primarily by Bilal and Aaron Comess. Bilal's mononymous stage name also serves as an acronym for "Beloved, Intelligent, Lustful and Livin' It"...
(2001) - Love for Sale (2006)
- Airtight's RevengeAirtight's RevengeAirtight's Revenge is the second studio album by American recording artist Bilal, released September 6, 2010, on independent record label Plug Research. Production for the album took place during 2007 to 2010 and was handled by Bilal, Steve McKie, Nottz, Shafiq Husayn, Conley "Tone" Whitfield, and...
(2010)
Singles
- "Love It"; #61 R&B
- "Soul SistaSoul Sista (Bilal song)"Soul Sista" was the first official single released in 2000 by American R&B/neo soul singer Bilal. The song was in support of his debut studio album, 1st Born Second released under Interscope Records. The song was a top 20 R&B hit peaking at #18 on Billboards R&B Singles chart and charting #71 on...
"; #71 US, #18 R&B - "Fast Lane; #41 R&B
- "Restart"
- "Little OneLittle One (Bilal song)"Little One" is a song by American soul/jazz artist Bilal. The song is the second single from his album Airtight's Revenge. The song earned him a second Grammy Award nomination for Best Urban/Alternative Performance.-Background:...
" - "Levels"
Appearances
External links
- Bilal Online Official site
- Obnoxious Listener's Review of Bilal
- Bilal Fan Group SoulRnB.com
- Bilal 2011 Video Interview Soulinterviews.com