Joe
Joe is an accomplished vocalist of smooth and sultry R&B productions with occasional hip-hop beats, and his extensive background in gospel music has
allowed him to produce his albums as well as sing on them. A native of Georgia, Joe later moved to Opelika, Alabama; since he was the son of two
preachers, he spent much time in church singing, playing guitar, and even directing the choir. Influenced early on by gospel stars like the Winans,
Commissioned, and Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Joe grew to love soul legends Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye plus contemporary stars Bobby Brown and Keith Sweat.
Ginuwine
Ginuwine was one of R&B's preeminent love men during the '90s heyday of hip-hop soul. Initially teamed with Timbaland, the most innovative producer of the late '90s, Ginuwine's sultry, seductive crooning earned him a substantial female following and made him a regular presence on the R&B charts, even after the futuristic production he favored was eclipsed by the more organic, retro-leaning neo-soul movement. Ginuwine was born in Washington, D.C., on October 15, 1970, with the unlikely name of Elgin Baylor Lumpkin (after D.C.-born Basketball Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor). As a youngster, Lumpkin's interest in music was ignited by Prince and Michael Jackson, especially the latter's legendary moonwalking performance on the Motown 25th anniversary special. At the mere age of 12, he began performing at parties and bars with the local hip-hop group the Finesse Five. He later worked as a Michael Jackson impressionist and sang with another local outfit, Physical Wonder; in the meantime, he earned a paralegal degree from a local community college, in case music didn't work out. In 1996, he adopted the name Ginuwine and was discovered by Jodeci. In New York, he met up with young producer Timbaland and cut the track "Pony," whose slow, halting groove and impassioned vocals helped Ginuwine land a deal with Sony's 550 Music imprint.
Mýa
With her natural mix of effervescence, charisma, and command, Mýa is among a small class of contemporary pop-R&B artists who shot to fame in the late '90s and continues to thrive decades later. In 1998, the singer, songwriter, dancer, and actress scored a Top Ten pop hit with her debut single, "It's All About Me," and she was soon a featured artist on another major hit, Pras' "Ghetto Supastar." She returned to the Top Ten with "Case of the Ex" and earned platinum certifications for her first two albums, Mýa and Fear of Flying, by the time she topped the Hot 100 with "Lady Marmalade," her Grammy-winning 2001 collaboration with Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, and P!nk. After two more albums, including the Top Ten 2003 release Moodring, Mýa went independent as she divided her work between recording, acting, philanthropy, teaching, and even competing on Dancing with the Stars. Her self-released projects are highlighted by Smoove Jones, a 2016 full-length nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best R&B album. Mýa continues to juggle numerous pursuits while issuing singles such as 2021's "Worth It" (under her hip-hop alias Mýa Lan$ky) and the '80s-influenced 2025 slow jam "Face to Face."
