The '90s is a decade of triumph and turbulence, as R&B and hip-hop go well beyond crossover to dominate the charts and define mainstream American music, while artists find ways to impact society in ways both serious and playful.
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The 1970s arrived on waves of social unrest, with songs that spoke to both protest and affirmation; as the music industry flourished, the '70s grew into a golden age for R&B, bringing social consciousness to the dance floor.
The Boys are an R&B group made up of brothers Khiry, Hakeem, Tajh, and Bilal Abdulsamad.
Featuring portraits of influential TV pioneers from Diahann Carroll and Nat King Cole to Arsenio Hall and RuPaul, who helped change the game, and change the world.
Stetsasonic rose to stardom as ``Hip-Hop's First Band``; the seven-member band chronicle their musical journey.
In the late 1990s, Blaque rocked the music industry with a wave of hits, led by their platinum-certified single, ``808``; their journey includes setbacks, including the losses of mentor Left Eye and fellow group member Natina Reed.
Donald Lawrence's legacy as an important figure in contemporary gospel music; his success came with its share of struggles, from criticism for infusing secular music into faith-based music to his battle with cancer.
A journey through Chuckii Booker's rise to fame in the late 80s as one of R&B's top crooners and how after just a few years, the pressures of stardom led Chuckii to abandon his solo career.
In the late 70s, Bobby Caldwell's ``What You Won't Do For Love'' captivated audiences; but In 2016, his life was turned upside down after a prescription antibiotic caused devastating side effects.
Unsung Presents Best In Black: Television features stories of pioneering TV shows, from ``The Jeffersons'' and ``A Different World'' to ``Insecure'' and ``In Living Color,'' that helped change the game, and change the world.
Featuring portraits of trailblazing comedians, from Redd Foxx and Richard Pryor to Bernie Mac and Mo'Nique, who helped change the game -- and change the world.
Stories of groundbreaking films, from ``In the Heat of the Night`` and ``Shaft`` to ``The Color Purple`` and ``Get Out,`` that helped change the game -- and the world.
Portraits of pioneering figures in film, from Lena Horne and Sidney Poitier to Spike Lee and Ava DuVernay, who helped change the game -- and the world.
Warryn Campbell is joined by Mary Mary, DJ Quik, Mario, Shanice and more to celebrate and share the story of his life and hits.
Jean Carne began her career in the late '60s as a trained musician and singer whose voice bolstered an impressive five-octave range; Jean Carne talks about the ups and downs of her five-decade career.
Through the '60s and '70s, songwriters, including Burning Spear, Peter Tosh, and Bob Marley, put Jamaican music on the map; this episode showcases several classic songs while telling the stories of artists who put their lives on the line.
Hip-hop was a man's world until women took what was theirs; with artists like Roxanne Shante, MC Lyte and Salt N Pepa leading the way, female emcees helped set a course for hip-hop that resonates to this day.
Tony Terry comes onto the music scene with a captivating voice and look that make him a standout in R&B; after the release of his third album, disagreements with management and a secret drug addiction threaten to derail his career and life.
With artists like Erykah Badu, D'Angelo and India Arie leading the way, neo soul mixed conscious lyrics and live instruments with funk, jazz, hip-hop, and African rhythms to spark a new wave of music through the 1990s and 2000s decades.
The 2000s usher in not just a decade but a millennium, and the excitement and sense of opportunity that greet their arrival are reflected in the music and an historic election in the years that follow.
The '90s is a decade of triumph and turbulence, as R&B and hip-hop go well beyond crossover to dominate the charts and define mainstream American music, while artists find ways to impact society in ways both serious and playful.
Das EFX gain popularity in the early '90s for their animated flow that birthed a new sound in hip-hop called the iggity flow; with No. 1 hits ``They Want EFX`` and ``Mic Checka,`` Das EFX secure platinum success and a career that spans three decades.
P.M. Dawn topped the charts in the early '90s with hits ``Set Adrift on Memory Bliss`` and ``I'd Die Without You,`` which explored the boundaries of hip-hop; surviving member Eternal shares on the group's success and honors the life of brother Prince Be.
Pete Rock is the first producer to be honored on ``Unsung Presents: The Hitmakers``; the stories behind some of his top productions, including ``T.R.O.Y.,`` with CL Smooth, Run-DMC's ``Down with the King,`` ``The World Is Yours'' by Nas, and others.
Monie Love made her own lane as a rap star in the late '80s and early '90s with a unique style and socially-conscious lyrics; Monie tells her amazing story, which started as a dream and ended up changing the world of hip-hop.
Soul for Real bursts onto the R&B scene in the mid-'90s with a soulful sound that had a youthful twist; exploring Soul for Real's journey, from friends, family, and the four brothers who lived it.
The 1970s arrived on waves of social unrest, with songs that spoke to both protest and affirmation; as the music industry flourished, the '70s grew into a golden age for R&B, bringing social consciousness to the dance floor.
The '80s were a decade of innovation and breakthroughs -- musically, politically and culturally -- by any means necessary, as the grittier sounds of early hip-hop were rising from the streets.
The Jones Girls, a trio of sisters with some of the silkiest harmonies in the history of soul; Shirley Jones opens up about the journey she shared with her sisters in their rise to soul fame and how she is still carrying on the legacy today.
Syleena Johnson is a singer and storyteller who started young and is still going strong.
Known as the ``James Brown of Rap,`` Mystikal helped put New Orleans rap on the map.
Singer Keith Washington burst onto the '90s R&B scene with a sensual, smooth style that was undeniable.
Leela James is a powerhouse singer-songwriter with a mission to bring the soul back into R&B music; in this episode, Leela opens up about her long journey to the top, the challenges along the way and her joy of juggling motherhood and music today.
Morris Day's stylish personality made him popular in the funk and R&B music scene in the early '80s; Morris shares the highs and lows of his career, and how Prince was both friend and foe.
Friends and family celebrate the life and career of music legend Al Jarreau, known as the Acrobat of Scat, who became the first singer to net Grammys for jazz, R&B and pop.
For five decades and counting Betty Wright has brought the ``real`` to R&B, with a powerful voice and sassy delivery that produced over ten top twenty hits.
With her 1983 breakthrough hit ``Let The Music Play,`` ``Shannon``, was at the helm of a genre defining dance sound that blended dance, Latin and hip hop.
A homegrown product of Brooklyn, New York, Skyy, scored top hits a decade apart, from 'Call Me' to 'Real Love', while dazzling fans with futuristic looks and dance moves.
Singer Christopher Williams emerges during the late 1980s with a string of new jack swing hits and a pretty-boy look, but his career is derailed by scandals and arrests.
Roxanne Shante uses her fierce battle rap skills, honed during street battles with local MC's for money, to become rap's first female star MC with the release of her 1984 hit, ``Roxanne's Revenge.``
Their debut album produces four top singles and Dru Hill seems destined for superstardom, but clashes with their label and each other all but derails their career.
The 2000s usher in not just a decade but a millennium, and the excitement and sense of opportunity that greet their arrival are reflected in the music and an historic election in the years that follow.
The '90s is a decade of triumph and turbulence, as R&B and hip-hop go well beyond crossover to dominate the charts and define mainstream American music, while artists find ways to impact society in ways both serious and playful.
Kenny Lattimore helps spark an R&B revival in the mid 1990s with a smooth sound and a look to match; however, a rocky divorce from singer Chante Moore eventually overshadows his career.
R&B singer Glenn Jones lights up the airwaves in the 1980s and 1990s with love ballads that make women swoon; later, he battles financial woes and a health crisis that imperils is life.
With 12 No. 1 Billboard Dance Chart hits, Crystal Waters becomes one of the most influential voices in dance music; when dance music fades out in the late 1990s, she has to revive her career and reputation on her own.
Made up of five brothers and three sisters of Polynesian descent, The Jets rise to success in the mid 1980s putting a surprising twist on the Minneapolis sound.
Sultry R&B singer Adina Howard becomes a star in the mid-1990s with the chart-topping hit, ``Freak Like Me,`` but after making unsavory comments about the head of her record label, she is all but blackballed from the industry.
Mentored by Dr. Dre, R&B singer Michel'le takes the music scene by storm with her debut album; however, her mentorship and romantic attachments prove costly; after years of silence, Michel'le opens up about life as a survivor of domestic violence.
Mentored by Dr. Dre, R&B singer Michel'le takes the music scene by storm with her debut album; however, her mentorship and romantic attachments prove costly; after years of silence, Michel'le opens up about life as a survivor of domestic violence.
Singer Will Downing's 30-year career includes chart-topping singles; at the height of his career, a paralyzing bout with an autoimmune disease threatens his life; now, Downing reveals the hard-earned achievements and costs of a ``soul`` survivor.
The R&B group 702 shoots to stardom in the mid 1990s with top-10 hits and platinum album success; the members recall how personnel changes and jealousies led to the group's disbanding in 2003.
No episode description is available yet.
Singer Regina Belle combines the voice of an angel with the down-home spirit of a Jersey girl to score hit after hit in the 1990s; her faith and fortitude are tested by a battle with brain cancer.
Digable Planets change hip-hop in the mid 1990s with a fresh sound and style; the trio is stopped in its tracks after only two albums due to the pressure to commercialize as well as internal struggles.
Hip-hop artist Special Ed explodes onto the rap scene in the late 1980s with a unique flow and good looks to match; then, disputes with Special Ed's label lead to legal battles that deal a devastating blow to his career.
The Lost Boyz turned their experiences growing up on the hard streets of Queens into back-to-back gold albums; then tragedy struck, when one member was shot to death, and another got caught up in a robbery spree that put him in prison for decades.
Canadian-born R&B singer Deborah Cox becomes a star when her breakthrough hit, ``Nobody's Supposed to Be Here,`` tops the R&B charts for 14 weeks in 1998.
Canadian-born R&B singer Deborah Cox becomes a star when her breakthrough hit, ``Nobody's Supposed to Be Here,`` tops the R&B charts for 14 weeks in 1998.
The Boys are an R&B group made up of brothers Khiry, Hakeem, Tajh, and Bilal Abdulsamad.
The R&B group Silk is best known for its hit single, ``Freak Me.``
Switch, the multi-talented, multi-instrumental Midwestern powerhouse band bursts onto the black music scene as newcomers to the legendary Motown roster in the mid-'70s.
Marvin Sapp spreads the Gospel through song for over three decades; dominating the gospel charts in the 2000s with seven Top 10 hits.
Dave Hollister becomes a hit-making R&B star after his time with Blackstreet, but secretly battles addictions to drugs and women that unsettles his career.
Born and raised in the Bronx, Fat Joe takes a journey from street gangster to music mogul, and helps put Latino rappers on the map.
Former member of Shalamar, Howard Hewett, is a trendsetter, sex symbol and owner of one of the most legendary voices in R&B.
The profile of sultry R&B singer Chante Moore.
All four original members of Xscape open up on what broke them apart.
Rick James' family and friends discuss the man behind the frame.
Features the story of The Emotions.
Featuring the story of Hi-Five.
The godfather of hip-hop;the beauty and suffering of African Americans through music.
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam's scene in the mid-80's.
No episode description is available yet.
Group Confunkshun's first album `` Organized Con Funk Shun`` and last album ``Burning Love.``
R&B singer, Angela Bofill; ``This Time I'll Be Sweeter.``
Lead voice on ``My Girl``, ``Ain't Too Proud to Beg``; center of ``The Temptations``; drug overdose at age 50.
``Jack and Jill``; ``The Other Woman``; ``You Can't Change That``; musician Ray Parker, Jr's journey.
R & B group, The Sylvers; ``Boogie Fever`` and ``Hot Line.``
R&B diva Angela Winbush.
The story of singer Tammi Terrell.
The story of the legendary Teddy Pendergrass.
Girl group Klymaxx succeeds in breaking into the boys-only world of R&B in the mid '80s only to fall from grace before achieving superstar success.
The Debarge Family was poised for success before changing musical trends, family squabbles and deadly addictions led to their end.
Rick James' family and friends discuss the man behind the frame.
Featuring the story of Hi-Five.
Tony Terry comes onto the music scene with a captivating voice and look that make him a standout in R&B; after the release of his third album, disagreements with management and a secret drug addiction threaten to derail his career and life.
Friends and family celebrate the life and career of music legend Al Jarreau, known as the Acrobat of Scat, who became the first singer to net Grammys for jazz, R&B and pop.
R&B diva Angela Winbush.
For five decades and counting Betty Wright has brought the ``real`` to R&B, with a powerful voice and sassy delivery that produced over ten top twenty hits.
In the late 1990s, Blaque rocked the music industry with a wave of hits, led by their platinum-certified single, ``808``; their journey includes setbacks, including the losses of mentor Left Eye and fellow group member Natina Reed.
The profile of sultry R&B singer Chante Moore.
Their debut album produces four top singles and Dru Hill seems destined for superstardom, but clashes with their label and each other all but derails their career.
Kenny Lattimore helps spark an R&B revival in the mid 1990s with a smooth sound and a look to match; however, a rocky divorce from singer Chante Moore eventually overshadows his career.
Girl group Klymaxx succeeds in breaking into the boys-only world of R&B in the mid '80s only to fall from grace before achieving superstar success.
Switch, the multi-talented, multi-instrumental Midwestern powerhouse band bursts onto the black music scene as newcomers to the legendary Motown roster in the mid-'70s.
The story of the legendary Teddy Pendergrass.
The Debarge Family was poised for success before changing musical trends, family squabbles and deadly addictions led to their end.
Features the story of The Emotions.
The Jones Girls, a trio of sisters with some of the silkiest harmonies in the history of soul; Shirley Jones opens up about the journey she shared with her sisters in their rise to soul fame and how she is still carrying on the legacy today.
The godfather of hip-hop;the beauty and suffering of African Americans through music.
All four original members of Xscape open up on what broke them apart.
R & B group, The Sylvers; "Boogie Fever" and "Hot Line."
No episode description is available yet.
No episode description is available yet.
No episode description is available yet.
No episode description is available yet.
No episode description is available yet.
No episode description is available yet.
No episode description is available yet.
No episode description is available yet.
Dave Hollister becomes a hit-making R&B star after his time with Blackstreet, but secretly battles addictions to drugs and women that unsettle his career.
Marvin Sapp spreads the Gospel through song for over three decades, dominating the gospel charts in the 2000s with seven Top 10 hits.
No episode description is available yet.
No episode description is available yet.
Das EFX gained popularity in the early '90s for their animated flow that birthed a new sound in hip-hop called the iggity flow; with No. 1 hits "They Want EFX" and "Mic Checka," Das EFX secured platinum success and a career that spans three decades.
R&B singer Glenn Jones lights up the airwaves in the 1980s and 1990s with love ballads that make women swoon; later, he battles financial woes and a health crisis that imperils his life.
P.M. Dawn topped the charts in the early '90s with hits "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" and "I'd Die Without You," which explored the boundaries of hip-hop; surviving member Eternal shares on the group's success and honors the life of brother Prince Be.
A homegrown product of Brooklyn, New York, Skyy, scored top hits a decade apart, from 'Call Me' to 'Real Love', while dazzling fans with futuristic looks and dance moves.
No episode description is available yet.
No episode description is available yet.
The R&B group 702 shoots to stardom in the mid 1990s with top-10 hits and platinum album success; the members recall how personnel changes and jealousies led to the group's disbanding in 2003.
Singer Christopher Williams emerges during the late 1980s with a string of new jack swing hits and a pretty-boy look, but his career is derailed by scandals and arrests.
Unsung Presents Best In Black: Television features stories of pioneering TV shows, from "The Jeffersons" and "A Different World" to "Insecure" and "In Living Color," that helped change the game, and change the world.
Stories of groundbreaking films, from "In the Heat of the Night" and "Shaft" to "The Color Purple" and "Get Out," that helped change the game -- and the world.
Featuring portraits of influential TV pioneers from Diahann Carroll and Nat King Cole to Arsenio Hall and RuPaul, who helped change the game, and change the world.
Featuring portraits of trailblazing comedians, from Redd Foxx and Richard Pryor to Bernie Mac and Mo'Nique, who helped change the game -- and change the world.
Portraits of pioneering figures in film, from Lena Horne and Sidney Poitier to Spike Lee and Ava DuVernay, who helped change the game -- and the world.
Made up of five brothers and three sisters of Polynesian descent, The Jets rise to success in the mid 1980s putting a surprising twist on the Minneapolis sound.
No episode description is available yet.
Lead voice on "My Girl", "Ain't Too Proud to Beg"; center of "The Temptations"; drug overdose at age 50.
The story of singer Tammi Terrell.
Morris Day's stylish personality made him popular in the funk and R&B music scene in the early '80s; Morris shares the highs and lows of his career, and how Prince was both friend and foe.
"Jack and Jill"; "The Other Woman"; "You Can't Change That"; musician Ray Parker, Jr's journey.
Former member of Shalamar, Howard Hewett, is a trendsetter, sex symbol and owner of one of the most legendary voices in R&B.
Singer Will Downing's 30-year career includes chart-topping singles; at the height of his career, a paralyzing bout with an autoimmune disease threatens his life; now, Downing reveals the hard-earned achievements and costs of a "soul" survivor.
The '80s were a decade of innovation and breakthroughs -- musically, politically and culturally -- by any means necessary, as the grittier sounds of early hip-hop were rising from the streets.
Soul for Real bursts onto the R&B scene in the mid-'90s with a soulful sound that had a youthful twist; exploring Soul for Real's journey, from friends, family, and the four brothers who lived it.
No episode description is available yet.
No episode description is available yet.
No episode description is available yet.
Donald Lawrence's legacy as an important figure in contemporary gospel music; his success came with its share of struggles, from criticism for infusing secular music into faith-based music to his battle with cancer.
Syleena Johnson is a singer and storyteller who started young and is still going strong.
No episode description is available yet.
No episode description is available yet.
No episode description is available yet.
Digable Planets change hip-hop in the mid 1990s with a fresh sound and style; the trio is stopped in its tracks after only two albums due to the pressure to commercialize as well as internal struggles.
With her 1983 breakthrough hit "Let The Music Play," "Shannon", was at the helm of a genre defining dance sound that blended dance, Latin and hip hop.
R&B singer, Angela Bofill: "This Time I'll Be Sweeter."
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam's scene in the mid-80's.
With 12 No. 1 Billboard Dance Chart hits, Crystal Waters becomes one of the most influential voices in dance music; when dance music fades out in the late 1990s, she has to revive her career and reputation on her own.
With artists like Erykah Badu, D'Angelo and India Arie leading the way, neo soul mixed conscious lyrics and live instruments with funk, jazz, hip-hop, and African rhythms to spark a new wave of music through the 1990s and 2000s decades.
No episode description is available yet.
No episode description is available yet.
Leela James is a powerhouse singer-songwriter with a mission to bring the soul back into R&B music; in this episode, Leela opens up about her long journey to the top, the challenges along the way and her joy of juggling motherhood and music today.
In the late 70s, Bobby Caldwell's "What You Won't Do For Love" captivated audiences; but in 2016, his life was turned upside down after a prescription antibiotic caused devastating side effects.
Stetsasonic rose to stardom as "Hip-Hop's First Band"; the seven-member band chronicles their musical journey.
Known as the "James Brown of Rap," Mystikal helped put New Orleans rap on the map.
Jean Carne began her career in the late '60s as a trained musician and singer whose voice bolstered an impressive five-octave range; Jean Carne talks about the ups and downs of her five-decade career.
Singer Keith Washington burst onto the '90s R&B scene with a sensual, smooth style that was undeniable.
Warryn Campbell is joined by Mary Mary, DJ Quik, Mario, Shanice and more to celebrate and share the story of his life and hits.
Monie Love made her own lane as a rap star in the late '80s and early '90s with a unique style and socially-conscious lyrics; Monie tells her amazing story, which started as a dream and ended up changing the world of hip-hop.
Group Confunkshun's first album "Organized Con Funk Shun" and last album "Burning Love."
Pete Rock is the first producer to be honored on "Unsung Presents: The Hitmakers"; the stories behind some of his top productions, including "T.R.O.Y.," with CL Smooth, Run-DMC's "Down with the King," "The World Is Yours" by Nas, and others.
Roxanne Shante uses her fierce battle rap skills, honed during street battles with local MC's for money, to become rap's first female star MC with the release of her 1984 hit, "Roxanne's Revenge."
Hip-hop was a man's world until women took what was theirs; with artists like Roxanne Shante, MC Lyte and Salt N Pepa leading the way, female emcees helped set a course for hip-hop that resonates to this day.
