Jill Scott
Encyclopedia
Jill Scott is an American
soul
and R&B
singer-songwriter
, poet
, and actress. In 2007, Scott made her cinematic debut in the films Hounddog (as Big Mama Thornton
) and in Tyler Perry
's feature film, Why Did I Get Married?
That year, her third studio album, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3
, was released on September 25, 2007. She has won three Grammy Award
s. She also appeared in the lead role of the BBC/HBO series The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
.
in a North Philadelphia
neighborhood, raised by her mother, Joyce Scott, and her grandmother. She indicated in an interview with Jet Magazine that she had a happy childhood and was "very much a loved child". Scott was raised as a Jehovah's Witness
and attended the Philadelphia High School for Girls
. After graduating, she attended Temple University
while simultaneously working two jobs. She studied secondary education for three years and had planned to become a high school English teacher, but after spending time as a teacher's aide, disillusionment with the teaching profession set in causing her to drop out of school.
Prior to breaking through the music industry, Scott worked at a variety of jobs, including a number of retail positions and stints at a construction site and an ice cream parlor. She remains close to her mother and grandmother who is nicknamed Blue Babe. Scott has resided in Mount Laurel Township
, New Jersey
and currently resides in California
.
artist, appearing at live poetry readings to perform her work. She was eventually discovered by Amir "?uestlove" Thompson of The Roots
. ?uestlove invited her to join the band in the studio. The collaboration resulted in a co-writing credit for Scott on the song, "You Got Me." In 2000, Erykah Badu
and The Roots won a Grammy for best rap performance by a duo or group for "You Got Me", and Scott debuted as an artist during a Roots live show, singing as original artist/singer of the song. Subsequently, Scott collaborated with Eric Benet
, Will Smith
, and Common
, and broadened her performing experience by touring Canada
in a production of the Broadway musical Rent
.
Scott was the first artist signed to Steve McKeever's 'Hidden Beach Recordings' label. Her debut album, Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1
was released in 2000. She experienced some notice and chart success with the single "A Long Walk", eventually earning a Grammy nomination in early 2003 for Best Female Vocal Performance. Scott lost that award, but won a 2005 Grammy for Best Urban/Alternative R&B Performance for "Cross My Mind." The live album, Experience: Jill Scott 826+, was released November 2001. Scott's second full-length album, Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2
, followed in 2004.
Scott continues to write poetry; a compilation volume of her poems, The Moments, The Minutes, The Hours, was published and released by St. Martin's Press in April 2005. In early 2007, Scott was featured on the George Benson
& Al Jarreau
collaboration "God Bless The Child
", which earned Scott her second Grammy award, Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance, at the 2007 Grammy Awards ceremony. Scott shared the win with Benson & Jarreau. In 2006, Scott was prominently featured on hip-hop artist Lupe Fiasco
's single "Daydreaming," which won a 2008 Grammy for Best Urban/Alternative Performance and also appeared on a new Scott collection called Collaborations on January 30, 2007.
The Collaborations collection served as "an appetizer" for her next studio album, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3
released September 25, 2007. A clip of the title track was released on a bonus disc from Hidden Beach Records and included with Collaborations. The lead single "Hate on Me", gained airplay in May 2007 with a video released in mid-July. In advance of the album's release, Hidden Beach released a 17-minute album sampler through their forums. Interspersed between the dozen songs previewed on the sampler was a personal explanation from Jill for the inspiration behind some of her songs.
In 2008, Scott released her second live album, Live In Paris+, which consists of 8 songs recorded during her set list of the "Big Beautiful Tour" in Europe. The bonus DVD contains the same concert, plus some live cuts from The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3
. In the same year, "Whenever You're Around", a single from The Real Thing which features George Duke
, was a moderate hit on urban radio.
. The album embarks Jill on a flurry of emotional poetry as both her career and personal life have skyrocketed with success in Hollywood and the birth of her first child.
In an interview with HitQuarters
, producer and album collaborator JR Hutson
commented on Scott's approach to the record by saying, "She’s now in charge of a lot of different things and with it comes a lot of trials and tribulations, and I think her goal is to just give people a very realistic glimpse of where she is in her life right now."
In 2011, following a recently settled, tumultuous legal battle with previous label Hidden Beach—which found her countersuing the label's claim that she exited halfway through a six-album deal last year—Jill Scott signed a distribution deal with Warner Brothers Records. Jill plans to release her fourth studio album, The Light of the Sun, June 21, 2011.
Dance auditions for Jill's buzz single from the album, "Shame", were held in Philadelphia on March 17, 2011. West Philly native Eve, who is featured on the song, will appear in the video, as will Black Thought
, Mos Def
, Pharaohe Monch, Peedi Crakk and Ms. Jade, says the video's director, Devin Hampton. "So in Love
" featuring Anthony Hamilton
will be released as the first official single from the album. The song debuted at number 43 on Billboards Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart, making it the highest debut of her career on that chart.
Before she releases her fourth studio album, former record label Hidden Beach Recordings
is releasing an 11 song compilation entitled "The Original Jill Scott from the Vault, Vol. 1" She also has a cover of Bill Withers' Lovely Day
.
, which also includes a joint performance with Erykah Badu
, is featured in Dave Chappelle's 2006 concert film, Dave Chappelle's Block Party
. UK
dance duo Goldtrix
covered Scott's song "It's Love", re-naming it "It's Love (Trippin')" with singer Andrea Brown
taking over vocal duties. The song became a top ten hit in the UK, peaking at number six. "It's Love (Trippin')" was also covered by South West Beats (Featuring Claudia Patrice) in 2008. The song "Golden" is featured in a R&B themed radio station in the Rockstar Games video game Grand Theft Auto IV
. She recently appeared on Pharoahe Monch's 2011 release W.A.R. (We Are Renegades). Also Jill is one of the featured artists in Kirk Franklin's video "I Smile" released in 2011.
, R&B
, spoken word
, and hip hop
among other genres to create a distinct style that many refer to as neo soul
. Her vocal capabilities are so rich that a reviewer on Pop Matter, referring to Scott's vocal ability (1st soprano), stated 'Scott draws on her upper register, recalling the artistry of the late "songbird" Minnie Riperton
and Deniece Williams
'. The same reviewer in another article stated, 'The song evokes the artistry of Minnie Riperton as Scott sings in the upper register that makes its only appearances on Who is Jill Scott? on the teasing "I Think It's Better" and "Show Me." Scott has "a very rare facility to hit notes in the sixth octave as displayed on songs such as 'Gimme' where she hits a D6 with full vibrato, and on 'Spring Summer Feeling' where she hits a C7 in the background".
In 2004, Scott expanded her resume by appearing in several episodes of season four of UPN's Girlfriends
, playing Donna, a love interest to main character, William Dent (Reggie Hayes). She also appeared in the Showtime movie Cavedwellers, starring Kevin Bacon
and Kyra Sedgwick
.
In 2007, Scott appeared in Hounddog (as Big Mama Thornton
) and in Tyler Perry
's movie, Why Did I Get Married?
In 2008, Scott appeared as Precious Ramotswe in Anthony Minghella
's film adaption of Alexander McCall Smith
's series of books The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
playing a detective. Scott then filmed additional episodes for the series in Botswana
in late 2008, co-funded by the BBC
and HBO that were broadcast as a seven-part series on BBC1 in March 2009; and on HBO, which debuted March 29, 2009. BBC and HBO are contemplating whether to produce a second round of episodes of the series.
In 2010 she voiced Storm of the X-Men on the BET series Black Panther.
On March 24, 2010, Scott guest-starred in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
. She reprised her role as Sheila in Why Did I Get Married Too?
(2010). The movie was shot in August 2009 and received an April 2, 2010 release.
In 2010, Scott starred in the Lifetime Movie, "Sins of the Mother", as Nona, an alcoholic mother confronted by her estranged daughter who she neglected. At the 42nd NAACP Image Awards, Jill Scott was awarded Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
for her role in "Sins of the Mother".
Jill Scott performed at BET Awards 2011 on June 26, 2011.
On June 20, 2008, at a concert in New York's Carnegie Hall
, Scott shared a long on-stage kiss with her drummer, Lil' John Roberts; the couple then told the audience that they were engaged. They expected their first child on April 25, 2009 but the baby boy, Jett Hamilton Roberts, arrived five days earlier. On June 23, 2009, Scott announced that she and Roberts had broken up, with Scott breaking the news to Essence
. Despite the break-up, Scott hopes for both parents to have an active part in their child's upbringing, stating that "We definitely love our son and we are co-parenting and working on being friends. It is what it is. I have a lot of support, so I want for nothing as far as that's concerned." During her 2010 tour with Maxwell
, Scott has introduced her music band and Roberts is no longer a member. He is now a member of Mo'Nique's band on The Mo'Nique Show
.
expenses. The Blues Babe Foundation offers financial assistance to students between the ages of sixteen to twenty-one, and targets students residing in Philadelphia, Camden
, and the greater Delaware Valley
. Scott donated USD$
100,000 to help start the foundation. The foundation was named after Scott's grandmother, known as "Blue Babe".
On the foundation's website, it defines its mission statement as one where it "seeks to provide financial support and mentoring for those students who have shown the aptitude and commitment to their education, but whose families may not have the resources to ensure completion of their undergraduate degrees".
In Spring 2003, the Blues Babe Foundation made a donation of more than $60,000 to the graduating class of the Creative Arts School in Camden
, New Jersey
. Any student who maintained a 3.2 GPA received a yearly stipend for the next three years that was put toward his or her college education.
At the Essence Music Festival in July 2006, Scott spoke out about how women of color are portrayed in the lyrics of rap songs, and in rap music videos. Scott criticized the content for being "dirty, inappropriate, inadequate, unhealthy, and polluted" and urged the listening audience to "demand more".
Scott was a columnist in the April issue of Essence magazine and she expressed her point of view about Black men who marry Caucasian women. In the column Scott says "We reflect on this awful past and recall that if a Black man even looked at a White woman, he would have been lynched, beaten, jailed or shot to death. These harsh truths lead to what we really feel when we see a seemingly together brother with a Caucasian woman and their children. That feeling is betrayed." The column has sparked controversy on the internet.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
and R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, and actress. In 2007, Scott made her cinematic debut in the films Hounddog (as Big Mama Thornton
Big Mama Thornton
Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton was an American rhythm and blues singer and songwriter. She was the first to record the hit song "Hound Dog" in 1952. The song was #1 on the Billboard R&B charts for seven weeks in 1953. The B-side was "They Call Me Big Mama," and the single sold almost two million...
) and in Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry is an American actor, director, playwright, entrepreneur, screenwriter, producer, author, and songwriter. Perry wrote and produced many stage plays during the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2005, he released his first film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman...
's feature film, Why Did I Get Married?
Why Did I Get Married?
Why Did I Get Married? is a 2007 comedy-drama film adaptation written, produced, directed, and starring Tyler Perry, which was inspired by the play of the same name. The film stars Janet Jackson, Jill Scott, Malik Yoba, Sharon Leal, Tasha Smith, Michael Jai White, Richard T. Jones, and Keesha Sharp...
That year, her third studio album, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3
The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3
The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 is the third studio album by American recording artist Jill Scott. It was released in the United States on September 25, 2007 by Hidden Beach Recordings to positive reviews from music critics. On certain editions of the album, recordings of live performances...
, was released on September 25, 2007. She has won three Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s. She also appeared in the lead role of the BBC/HBO series The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (TV series)
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is a television comedy-drama series, produced by the BBC in conjunction with HBO, and based on the novels of the same name by Alexander McCall Smith. The novels focus on the story of a detective agency opened by Mma Ramotswe and her courtship with the mechanic Mr....
.
Early life
Scott grew up an only childOnly child
An only child is a person with no siblings, either biological or adopted. In a family with multiple offspring, first-borns, may be briefly considered only children and have a similar early family environment, but the term only child is generally applied only to those individuals who never have...
in a North Philadelphia
North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
North Philadelphia, nicknamed North Philly, is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is immediately north of Center City...
neighborhood, raised by her mother, Joyce Scott, and her grandmother. She indicated in an interview with Jet Magazine that she had a happy childhood and was "very much a loved child". Scott was raised as a Jehovah's Witness
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
and attended the Philadelphia High School for Girls
Philadelphia High School for Girls
The Philadelphia High School for Girls, also known as Girls' High, is a public university-preparatory magnet high school for girls in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. As its name suggests, the school's enrollment is all female....
. After graduating, she attended Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
while simultaneously working two jobs. She studied secondary education for three years and had planned to become a high school English teacher, but after spending time as a teacher's aide, disillusionment with the teaching profession set in causing her to drop out of school.
Prior to breaking through the music industry, Scott worked at a variety of jobs, including a number of retail positions and stints at a construction site and an ice cream parlor. She remains close to her mother and grandmother who is nicknamed Blue Babe. Scott has resided in Mount Laurel Township
Mount Laurel Township, New Jersey
Mount Laurel Township is a Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States, and is an edge city "suburb" of Philadelphia. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 40,221...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and currently resides in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
2000-2009: Words and Sounds albums
Jill Scott began her performing career as a spoken wordSpoken word
Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
artist, appearing at live poetry readings to perform her work. She was eventually discovered by Amir "?uestlove" Thompson of The Roots
The Roots
The Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...
. ?uestlove invited her to join the band in the studio. The collaboration resulted in a co-writing credit for Scott on the song, "You Got Me." In 2000, Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu
Erica Abi Wright , better known by her stage name Erykah Badu , is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz. She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre, and for her eccentric, cerebral musical...
and The Roots won a Grammy for best rap performance by a duo or group for "You Got Me", and Scott debuted as an artist during a Roots live show, singing as original artist/singer of the song. Subsequently, Scott collaborated with Eric Benet
Eric Benét
Eric Benét, is an American singer. His duet with Tamia, "Spend My Life With You" was a number one song for three weeks on the US Billboard R&B chart and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2000....
, Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
, and Common
Common (rapper)
Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. , better known by his stage name Common , is an American hip-hop artist and actor....
, and broadened her performing experience by touring Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in a production of the Broadway musical Rent
Rent (musical)
Rent is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème...
.
Scott was the first artist signed to Steve McKeever's 'Hidden Beach Recordings' label. Her debut album, Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1
Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1
Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 is the debut album by American R&B-soul singer–songwriter Jill Scott, released in the United States on July 18, 2000 by Hidden Beach Recordings to positive acclaim...
was released in 2000. She experienced some notice and chart success with the single "A Long Walk", eventually earning a Grammy nomination in early 2003 for Best Female Vocal Performance. Scott lost that award, but won a 2005 Grammy for Best Urban/Alternative R&B Performance for "Cross My Mind." The live album, Experience: Jill Scott 826+, was released November 2001. Scott's second full-length album, Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2
Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2
Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2 is the second studio album by American R&B-soul singer–songwriter Jill Scott, released in the United States on August 31, 2004, by Hidden Beach Recordings...
, followed in 2004.
Scott continues to write poetry; a compilation volume of her poems, The Moments, The Minutes, The Hours, was published and released by St. Martin's Press in April 2005. In early 2007, Scott was featured on the George Benson
George Benson
George Benson is a ten Grammy Award winning American musician, whose production career began at the age of twenty-one as a jazz guitarist....
& Al Jarreau
Al Jarreau
Alwin "Al" Lopez Jarreau is a seven-time Grammy Award winning jazz singer.- Background :Jarreau was born in Milwaukee, the fifth of six children. His web site refers to Reservoir, Inc., the name of the street where he lived. His father was a Seventh-Day Adventist Church minister and singer, and...
collaboration "God Bless The Child
God Bless the Child (Billie Holiday song)
"God Bless the Child" is a song written by Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog, Jr. in 1939, first recorded on May 9, 1941 under the Okeh label.Holiday's version of the song was honored with the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in...
", which earned Scott her second Grammy award, Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance, at the 2007 Grammy Awards ceremony. Scott shared the win with Benson & Jarreau. In 2006, Scott was prominently featured on hip-hop artist Lupe Fiasco
Lupe Fiasco
Wasalu Muhammad Jaco , better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco , is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur, Lupe is the CEO of 1st and 15th Entertainment. He rose to fame in 2006 following the success of his critically acclaimed debut album, Lupe Fiasco's Food...
's single "Daydreaming," which won a 2008 Grammy for Best Urban/Alternative Performance and also appeared on a new Scott collection called Collaborations on January 30, 2007.
The Collaborations collection served as "an appetizer" for her next studio album, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3
The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3
The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 is the third studio album by American recording artist Jill Scott. It was released in the United States on September 25, 2007 by Hidden Beach Recordings to positive reviews from music critics. On certain editions of the album, recordings of live performances...
released September 25, 2007. A clip of the title track was released on a bonus disc from Hidden Beach Records and included with Collaborations. The lead single "Hate on Me", gained airplay in May 2007 with a video released in mid-July. In advance of the album's release, Hidden Beach released a 17-minute album sampler through their forums. Interspersed between the dozen songs previewed on the sampler was a personal explanation from Jill for the inspiration behind some of her songs.
In 2008, Scott released her second live album, Live In Paris+, which consists of 8 songs recorded during her set list of the "Big Beautiful Tour" in Europe. The bonus DVD contains the same concert, plus some live cuts from The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3
The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3
The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 is the third studio album by American recording artist Jill Scott. It was released in the United States on September 25, 2007 by Hidden Beach Recordings to positive reviews from music critics. On certain editions of the album, recordings of live performances...
. In the same year, "Whenever You're Around", a single from The Real Thing which features George Duke
George Duke
George Duke is a multi-faceted American musician, known as a keyboard pioneer, composer, singer and producer in both jazz and popular mainstream musical genres. He has worked with numerous acclaimed artists as arranger, music director, writer and co-writer, record producer and professor of music...
, was a moderate hit on urban radio.
2010-present: The Light of the Sun
Following up 2007's Grammy nominated Gold certified album The Real Thing, Jill is currently about to release her fourth studio album titled The Light of the SunThe Light of the Sun
The Light of the Sun is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Jill Scott, released June 21, 2011, on Blues Babe Records and Warner Bros. Records. It is her first release by the label, following her four-year hiatus from recording music and departure from former label Hidden Beach...
. The album embarks Jill on a flurry of emotional poetry as both her career and personal life have skyrocketed with success in Hollywood and the birth of her first child.
In an interview with HitQuarters
HitQuarters
HitQuarters is an international music industry publication and contact database founded in 1999. It is noted for in-depth interviews with industry figures, with past subjects including Simon Cowell, Martin Kierszenbaum, Jason Flom, Diane Warren, Peter Edge, Ron Fair and RedOne, as well as its A&R...
, producer and album collaborator JR Hutson
JR Hutson
JR Hutson is an American soul and R&B producer and songwriter, who has worked with artists including Jill Scott and Musiq Soulchild.-Biography:...
commented on Scott's approach to the record by saying, "She’s now in charge of a lot of different things and with it comes a lot of trials and tribulations, and I think her goal is to just give people a very realistic glimpse of where she is in her life right now."
In 2011, following a recently settled, tumultuous legal battle with previous label Hidden Beach—which found her countersuing the label's claim that she exited halfway through a six-album deal last year—Jill Scott signed a distribution deal with Warner Brothers Records. Jill plans to release her fourth studio album, The Light of the Sun, June 21, 2011.
Dance auditions for Jill's buzz single from the album, "Shame", were held in Philadelphia on March 17, 2011. West Philly native Eve, who is featured on the song, will appear in the video, as will Black Thought
Black Thought
Tariq Trotter , better known as Black Thought, is an American hip-hop artist who is the lead MC of the Philadelphia-based hip hop group The Roots and occasional actor...
, Mos Def
Mos Def
Dante Terrell Smith is an American actor and Emcee known by the stage names Mos Def and Yasiin Bey. He started his hip hop career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. With Talib Kweli, he formed the duo Black Star, which...
, Pharaohe Monch, Peedi Crakk and Ms. Jade, says the video's director, Devin Hampton. "So in Love
So in Love (Jill Scott song)
"So in Love" is a song by American R&B/soul artist Jill Scott, taken from her fourth studio album The Light of the Sun . The song features Anthony Hamilton...
" featuring Anthony Hamilton
Anthony Hamilton (musician)
Anthony Hamilton is an American R&B, and soul singer-songwriter, and record producer who rose to fame with his platinum-selling second studio album Comin' from Where I'm From , which featured the singles "Comin' from Where I'm From" and "Charlene."-Life and career:Hamilton was born in Charlotte,...
will be released as the first official single from the album. The song debuted at number 43 on Billboards Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart, making it the highest debut of her career on that chart.
Before she releases her fourth studio album, former record label Hidden Beach Recordings
Hidden Beach Recordings
Hidden Beach is an American independent record label specializing in Urban Alternative, R&B, Soul, Inspirational and Contemporary Jazz music genres...
is releasing an 11 song compilation entitled "The Original Jill Scott from the Vault, Vol. 1" She also has a cover of Bill Withers' Lovely Day
Lovely Day (song)
"Lovely Day" is a song by American soul and R&B singer Bill Withers. Published in 1977 , the song was written by Withers and Skip Scarborough and appears on Withers' 1978 album Menagerie....
.
Other appearances and song-writing
Her live performance in 2004 with members of The RootsThe Roots
The Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...
, which also includes a joint performance with Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu
Erica Abi Wright , better known by her stage name Erykah Badu , is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz. She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre, and for her eccentric, cerebral musical...
, is featured in Dave Chappelle's 2006 concert film, Dave Chappelle's Block Party
Dave Chappelle's Block Party
A compilation of "music from and inspired by" the film was released on March 14, 2006.The album was released by Geffen Records, and produced by Corey Smyth for Blacksmith Music Corp and Questlove.#Dead Prez - "Hip Hop"#Black Star - "Definition"...
. UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
dance duo Goldtrix
Goldtrix
Goldtrix is a British house music duo from London, England, consisting of producers Daniel Goldstein and Matrix. Goldtrix is a play on the artists names: Goldstein + Matrix....
covered Scott's song "It's Love", re-naming it "It's Love (Trippin')" with singer Andrea Brown
Andrea Brown
Andrea Brown is an African American female singer from Boston, Massachusetts. She is also the cousin of singer Bobby Brown....
taking over vocal duties. The song became a top ten hit in the UK, peaking at number six. "It's Love (Trippin')" was also covered by South West Beats (Featuring Claudia Patrice) in 2008. The song "Golden" is featured in a R&B themed radio station in the Rockstar Games video game Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV is a 2008 open world action video game published by Rockstar Games, and developed by British games developer Rockstar North. It has been released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles, and for the Windows operating system...
. She recently appeared on Pharoahe Monch's 2011 release W.A.R. (We Are Renegades). Also Jill is one of the featured artists in Kirk Franklin's video "I Smile" released in 2011.
Vocal profile
Scott is a vocalist who infused jazzJazz
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...
, R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
, spoken word
Spoken word
Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
, and hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
among other genres to create a distinct style that many refer to as 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...
. Her vocal capabilities are so rich that a reviewer on Pop Matter, referring to Scott's vocal ability (1st soprano), stated 'Scott draws on her upper register, recalling the artistry of the late "songbird" Minnie Riperton
Minnie Riperton
Minnie Julia Riperton was an American singer-songwriter best known for her 1975 single "Lovin' You". She was married to songwriter and music producer Richard Rudolph from 1972 until her death in the summer of 1979. They had two children - music engineer Marc Rudolph and actress/comedienne Maya...
and Deniece Williams
Deniece Williams
June Deniece Chandler known by her stage name Deniece Williams is an American Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and record producer who achieved success in the 1970s and 1980s...
'. The same reviewer in another article stated, 'The song evokes the artistry of Minnie Riperton as Scott sings in the upper register that makes its only appearances on Who is Jill Scott? on the teasing "I Think It's Better" and "Show Me." Scott has "a very rare facility to hit notes in the sixth octave as displayed on songs such as 'Gimme' where she hits a D6 with full vibrato, and on 'Spring Summer Feeling' where she hits a C7 in the background".
Film and television
On the advice of her good friend, director Ozzie Jones, she began pursuing a career in acting in 2000. She joined a fellowship at a theater company in Philadelphia. For two years, she took small, menial jobs in exchange for acting lessons.In 2004, Scott expanded her resume by appearing in several episodes of season four of UPN's Girlfriends
Girlfriends
Girlfriends is an American comedy-drama sitcom that premiered on September 11, 2000, on UPN and aired on UPN's successor network, The CW, before being cancelled in 2008...
, playing Donna, a love interest to main character, William Dent (Reggie Hayes). She also appeared in the Showtime movie Cavedwellers, starring Kevin Bacon
Kevin Bacon
Kevin Norwood Bacon is an American film and theater actor whose notable roles include Animal House, Diner, Footloose, Flatliners, Wild Things, A Few Good Men, JFK, Apollo 13, Mystic River, The Woodsman, Trapped, Friday the 13th, Hollow Man, Tremors, Death Sentence, Frost/Nixon, Crazy, Stupid, Love....
and Kyra Sedgwick
Kyra Sedgwick
Kyra Minturn Sedgwick is an American actress.Sedgwick is best known for her starring role as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson on the TNT crime drama The Closer. Sedgwick's role in the series won her a Golden Globe Award in 2007 and an Emmy Award in 2010...
.
In 2007, Scott appeared in Hounddog (as Big Mama Thornton
Big Mama Thornton
Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton was an American rhythm and blues singer and songwriter. She was the first to record the hit song "Hound Dog" in 1952. The song was #1 on the Billboard R&B charts for seven weeks in 1953. The B-side was "They Call Me Big Mama," and the single sold almost two million...
) and in Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry is an American actor, director, playwright, entrepreneur, screenwriter, producer, author, and songwriter. Perry wrote and produced many stage plays during the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2005, he released his first film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman...
's movie, Why Did I Get Married?
Why Did I Get Married?
Why Did I Get Married? is a 2007 comedy-drama film adaptation written, produced, directed, and starring Tyler Perry, which was inspired by the play of the same name. The film stars Janet Jackson, Jill Scott, Malik Yoba, Sharon Leal, Tasha Smith, Michael Jai White, Richard T. Jones, and Keesha Sharp...
In 2008, Scott appeared as Precious Ramotswe in Anthony Minghella
Anthony Minghella
Anthony Minghella, CBE was an English film director, playwright and screenwriter. He was Chairman of the Board of Governors at the British Film Institute between 2003 and 2007....
's film adaption of Alexander McCall Smith
Alexander McCall Smith
Alexander "Sandy" McCall Smith, CBE, FRSE, is a Rhodesian-born Scottish writer and Emeritus Professor of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh. In the late 20th century, McCall Smith became a respected expert on medical law and bioethics and served on British and international committees...
's series of books The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is a series of twelve novels by Scottish author Alexander McCall Smith. The agency is located in Gaborone, capital of Botswana. Its founder is a Motswana woman, Mma Precious Ramotswe, who features as the stories' protagonist and main detective...
playing a detective. Scott then filmed additional episodes for the series in Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
in late 2008, co-funded by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and HBO that were broadcast as a seven-part series on BBC1 in March 2009; and on HBO, which debuted March 29, 2009. BBC and HBO are contemplating whether to produce a second round of episodes of the series.
In 2010 she voiced Storm of the X-Men on the BET series Black Panther.
On March 24, 2010, Scott guest-starred in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced...
. She reprised her role as Sheila in Why Did I Get Married Too?
Why Did I Get Married Too?
Why Did I Get Married Too? is a 2010 American comedy-drama film produced by Lionsgate and Tyler Perry Studios and stars Janet Jackson, Tyler Perry, and Tasha Smith...
(2010). The movie was shot in August 2009 and received an April 2, 2010 release.
In 2010, Scott starred in the Lifetime Movie, "Sins of the Mother", as Nona, an alcoholic mother confronted by her estranged daughter who she neglected. At the 42nd NAACP Image Awards, Jill Scott was awarded Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
The NAACP Image Award winners for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special:*Most Wins: Cicely Tyson, Halle Berry, Angela Bassett, Alfre Woodard- 2 wins*Most Nominations:-Stats:...
for her role in "Sins of the Mother".
Jill Scott performed at BET Awards 2011 on June 26, 2011.
Personal life
Scott and longtime boyfriend Lyzel Williams, a graphic artist and DJ, married in 2001 in a private Hawaiian ceremony during a vacation. The couple dated for seven years before they wed. Scott wrote and recorded the song "He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat)" about Williams. After six years of marriage, Scott and Williams divorced in 2007.On June 20, 2008, at a concert in New York's Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
, Scott shared a long on-stage kiss with her drummer, Lil' John Roberts; the couple then told the audience that they were engaged. They expected their first child on April 25, 2009 but the baby boy, Jett Hamilton Roberts, arrived five days earlier. On June 23, 2009, Scott announced that she and Roberts had broken up, with Scott breaking the news to Essence
Essence (magazine)
Essence is a monthly magazine for African-American women between the ages of 18 and 49. The magazine covers fashion, lifestyle and beauty with an intimate girlfriend-to-girlfriend tone.-History:...
. Despite the break-up, Scott hopes for both parents to have an active part in their child's upbringing, stating that "We definitely love our son and we are co-parenting and working on being friends. It is what it is. I have a lot of support, so I want for nothing as far as that's concerned." During her 2010 tour with Maxwell
Maxwell (musician)
Maxwell , is an American R&B, funk and neo soul musician. He played an important role in the development of the soul sub-genre, neo-soul.-Early life:...
, Scott has introduced her music band and Roberts is no longer a member. He is now a member of Mo'Nique's band on The Mo'Nique Show
The Mo'Nique Show
The Mo'Nique Show is an American talk show hosted by comedienne actress Mo'Nique. Aired on BET, the series began October 5, 2009. She is the first African American woman to host her own late night show. The show's second and final season premiered on Monday, October 4, 2010.On July 18, 2011, BET...
.
Charity work and advocacy
Scott has established the Blues Babe Foundation, a program founded to help young minority students pay for universityUniversity
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
expenses. The Blues Babe Foundation offers financial assistance to students between the ages of sixteen to twenty-one, and targets students residing in Philadelphia, Camden
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
, and the greater Delaware Valley
Delaware Valley
The Delaware Valley is a term used to refer to the valley where the Delaware River flows, along with the surrounding communities. This includes the metropolitan area centered on the city of Philadelphia. Such educational institutions as Delaware Valley Regional High School in Alexandria Township...
. Scott donated USD$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
100,000 to help start the foundation. The foundation was named after Scott's grandmother, known as "Blue Babe".
On the foundation's website, it defines its mission statement as one where it "seeks to provide financial support and mentoring for those students who have shown the aptitude and commitment to their education, but whose families may not have the resources to ensure completion of their undergraduate degrees".
In Spring 2003, the Blues Babe Foundation made a donation of more than $60,000 to the graduating class of the Creative Arts School in Camden
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. Any student who maintained a 3.2 GPA received a yearly stipend for the next three years that was put toward his or her college education.
At the Essence Music Festival in July 2006, Scott spoke out about how women of color are portrayed in the lyrics of rap songs, and in rap music videos. Scott criticized the content for being "dirty, inappropriate, inadequate, unhealthy, and polluted" and urged the listening audience to "demand more".
Scott was a columnist in the April issue of Essence magazine and she expressed her point of view about Black men who marry Caucasian women. In the column Scott says "We reflect on this awful past and recall that if a Black man even looked at a White woman, he would have been lynched, beaten, jailed or shot to death. These harsh truths lead to what we really feel when we see a seemingly together brother with a Caucasian woman and their children. That feeling is betrayed." The column has sparked controversy on the internet.
Discography
Studio albums- Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 is the debut album by American R&B-soul singer–songwriter Jill Scott, released in the United States on July 18, 2000 by Hidden Beach Recordings to positive acclaim...
(2000) - Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2 is the second studio album by American R&B-soul singer–songwriter Jill Scott, released in the United States on August 31, 2004, by Hidden Beach Recordings...
(2004) - The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 is the third studio album by American recording artist Jill Scott. It was released in the United States on September 25, 2007 by Hidden Beach Recordings to positive reviews from music critics. On certain editions of the album, recordings of live performances...
(2007) - The Light of the SunThe Light of the SunThe Light of the Sun is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Jill Scott, released June 21, 2011, on Blues Babe Records and Warner Bros. Records. It is her first release by the label, following her four-year hiatus from recording music and departure from former label Hidden Beach...
(2011)
Tours
- Words And Sounds TourWords And Sounds TourWords and Sounds Tour was an American concert tour by R&B/neo soul singer, Jill Scott in 2001. The Words and Sounds tour kicked off on January 27, in Atlanta, GA through the end of February....
(2001) - Buzz TourBuzz TourThe Buzz Tour was a mini concert tour in 2004 by American R&B/soul singer Jill Scott, in support of her Platinum selling studio album, Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2...
(2004) - Big Beautiful TourBig Beautiful TourThe Big Beautiful Tour was a concert tour in 2005 by American R&B/soul singer, Jill Scott, in support of her album Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2. The tour kicked off February 9, in Sacramento, CA and ended on March 26, in Upper Darby, PA. Scott's performance received rave reviews from...
(2005) - Sugar Water Festival TourSugar Water Festival Tour-Tour dates:...
(2005) - The Real Thing TourThe Real Thing Tour-Tour dates:Festivals and other miscellaneous performances-Broadcasts and recordings:The tour was recorded for a concert special on the U.S. based TV One. The special, Jill Scott: The Real Thing Tour , was filmed in Scott's hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Liacouras Center...
(2008) - Maxwell & Jill Scott: The TourMaxwell & Jill Scott: The TourMaxwell & Jill Scott: The Tour is a co-headlining concert tour by American recording artists Maxwell and Jill Scott. Heavily playing in the United States, the tour supported Maxwell's fourth studio album BLACKsummers'night. Erykah Badu became a featured performer on select dates...
(2010) - Summer Block PartySummer Block PartySummer Block Party is a concert tour by American R&B/soul artist, Jill Scott. Primarily visiting the United States, the tour supported her fourth studio album, The Light of the Sun. The 17-city trek began July 26th in Boston and ended August in Houston. The tour was hosted by Doug E...
(2011)
External links
- Jill Scott — official website
- Jill Scott on MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Jill Scott discography at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
- Blues Babe Foundation website (organization she founded)