The Greatest R and B/Funk Groups, and Singers

1. Maurice White

Soundtrack | The Adventures of Pluto Nash

Maurice was born in Memphis on December 19, 1941, but moved to Chicago as a teenager. His father, Verdine, was a doctor. For many years, they lived in the South Shore section on the South Side. He attended Crane Junior College and the Chicago Conservatory of Music. It was while he was at the ...

2. Earth Wind & Fire

Soundtrack | Ready Player One

Earth Wind & Fire is known for Ready Player One (2018), Doctor Strange (2016) and Polar (2019).

3. James Brown

Actor | The Blues Brothers

James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 - December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer, and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honorific nicknames "Godfather of Soul", "Mr. Dynamite", and ...

4. Frankie Beverly

Soundtrack | Get Rich or Die Tryin'

Frankie Beverly was born on December 6, 1946 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He is a composer and actor, known for Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005), Keanu (2016) and Bringing Down the House (2003).

5. Michael Jackson

Soundtrack | Michael Jackson: Thriller

Michael Joseph Jackson was born on August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana, and entertained audiences nearly his entire life. His father, Joe Jackson (no relation to Joe Jackson, also a musician), had been a guitarist, but was forced to give up his musical ambitions following his marriage to Michael's ...

6. Marlon Jackson

Actor | Nell

Marlon Jackson was born on March 12, 1957 in Gary, Indiana, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Nell (1994), Cronies (2015) and The Jacksons: Can You Feel It (1981). He has been married to Carol Parker since August 16, 1975. They have three children.

7. Jermaine Jackson

Soundtrack | Fighting

Jermaine Jackson is an American singer from Gary, Indiana, and a member of the Jackson family which has been active in show-business for generations. Jermaine himself has been active as a singer since his childhood. He was both the second vocalist and the bass guitarist of the pop band "The Jackson...

8. Tito Jackson

Soundtrack | An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn

Tito Jackson was born on October 15, 1953 in Gary, Indiana, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (1997), Glastonbury 2017 (2017) and The Jacksons: Can You Feel It (1981). He was previously married to Dee Dee Jackson.

9. Jackie Jackson

Soundtrack | The Running Man

Jackie Jackson was born on May 4, 1951 in Gary, Indiana, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for The Running Man (1987), My Stepmother Is an Alien (1988) and Drumline (2002). He has been married to Emily Besselink since 2012. They have two children. He was previously married to Victoria Triggs ...

10. Randy Jackson

Soundtrack | This Is 40

Randy Jackson was born on October 31, 1961 in Gary, Indiana, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for This Is 40 (2012), Happy Feet Two (2011) and Moonwalker (1988). He was previously married to Alejandra Genevieve Oaiaza and Eliza Shaffy.

11. Janet Jackson

Soundtrack | Poetic Justice

Janet Damita Jo Jackson was born on May 16, 1966 in Gary, Indiana, to Katherine Jackson (née Katherine Esther Scruse) and Joe Jackson, a musician. She is the youngest of ten children. Before her birth, her brothers formed a band later called The Jackson 5. She lived at home with her sisters, while ...

12. Ray Charles

Actor | The Blues Brothers

A tragic fate may have given this visionary a heightened sensitivity, perception, awareness, even expansion to his obvious musical gifts that he may have never touched upon had he not suffered from his physical affliction. Whatever it was, Ray Charles revolutionized American music and was ...

13. Bobby Brown

Soundtrack | Ghostbusters II

Bobby Brown was born on February 5, 1969 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Ghostbusters II (1989), A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996) and Wild Hogs (2007). He has been married to Alicia Etheredge-Brown since June 18, 2012. They have three children. He was ...

14. Ralph E. Tresvant

Producer | The New Edition Story

Ralph Tresvant was born on May 16, 1968 in Roxbury, Massachusetts to Patricia and Ralph, Sr. He has an older sister named LaTonya and a younger brother named Andre. Ralph married his childhood sweetheart Shelly in 1993. They have two girls Na'Quelle and Mariah. While in junior high school, Ralph ...

15. Teddy Pendergrass

Soundtrack | The Nutty Professor

Teddy Pendergrass was born on March 26, 1950 in Kingstree, South Carolina, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for The Nutty Professor (1996), Undercover Brother (2002) and 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002). He was married to Joan Pendergrass and Karen Still. He died on January 13, 2010 in Bryn ...

16. Johnny Gill

Soundtrack | New Jack City

Born in Washington, D.C., Johnny Gill was discovered by singer Stacy Lattisaw after singing in his family's group Wings of Faith from the age of five. His solo career began in 1983 with the Top 30 R&B single "Super Love." In 1988, he joined New Edition, replacing Bobby Brown. In 1989 he sang on two...

17. Gladys Knight

Actress | Hollywood Homicide

Gladys Knight was born on May 28, 1944 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. She is an actress and composer, known for Hollywood Homicide (2003), The Butler (2013) and Licence to Kill (1989). She has been married to William McDowell since April 12, 2001. She was previously married to Les Brown, Barry Hankerson...

18. Mary J. Blige

Soundtrack | Mudbound

Mary J. Blige was born on January 11, 1971 in The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. She is a music artist and actress, known for Mudbound (2017), Rock of Ages (2012) and The Help (2011). She was previously married to Kendu Isaacs.

19. Jill Scott

Actress | Why Did I Get Married?

Three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, New York Times best-selling poet, and critically acclaimed actor are only a few titles held by Jill Scott. Before having the #1 album in the country with "The Light of The Sun", performing at The White House, being named People Magazine's Top TV ...

20. Morris Day

Actor | Purple Rain

Morris Day was born on December 13, 1957 in Springfield, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Purple Rain (1984), The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990) and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001). He is married to Lorena Day. He was previously married to Judith Jones.

21. The Time

Soundtrack | Bringing Down the House

The Time is known for Bringing Down the House (2003), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001) and Purple Rain (1984).

22. George Clinton

Composer | Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus

George Clinton was born on July 22, 1941 in Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus (2017), Kuso (2017) and Good Burger (1997). He has been married to Stephanie Lynn Goshorn since September 25, 1990.

23. Bootsy Collins

Soundtrack | Undercover Brother

Bootsy Collins was born on October 26, 1951 in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Undercover Brother (2002), Cloverfield (2008) and Free Guy (2021). He has been married to Patti Collins since December 24, 1996.

24. Cameo

Soundtrack | Juice

Cameo is known for Juice (1992), Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017) and 10 Things I Hate About You (1999).

25. Boyz II Men

Soundtrack | The Wall

Boyz II Men is known for The Wall (2017), Long Shot (2019) and Lethal Weapon 3 (1992).

26. Jodeci

Soundtrack | Sex Tape

Jodeci is known for Sex Tape (2014), Think Like a Man (2012) and Fried Green Tomatoes (1991).

27. The Temptations

Soundtrack | Ready Player One

The Temptations are an American vocal group who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top 10 hit single "Cloud Nine" in October 1968, pioneered psychedelic soul, and was ...

28. Rick James

Soundtrack | Colors

Rick James was born on February 1, 1948 in Buffalo, New York, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for Colors (1988), The Happytime Murders (2018) and Blue Streak (1999). He was married to Tanya Hijazi. He died on August 6, 2004 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

29. Kool & The Gang

Soundtrack | The Nice Guys

Kool & the Gang are an American band formed in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1964 by brothers Robert "Kool" Bell and Ronald Bell, with Dennis "D.T." Thomas, Robert Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown, and Ricky West. They have undergone numerous changes in personnel and have explored many musical ...

30. Angie Stone

Actress | The Hot Chick

Angie Stone was born on December 18, 1961 in Columbia, South Carolina, USA. She is an actress and director, known for The Hot Chick (2002), Ride Along (2014) and The Fighting Temptations (2003).

31. Faith Evans

Soundtrack | Girls Trip

Faith Evans was born on June 10, 1973 in Lakeland, Florida, USA. She is a music artist and actress, known for Girls Trip (2017), Puff Daddy Feat. Faith Evans & 112: I'll Be Missing You (1997) and The Fast and the Furious (2001). She has been married to Stevie J since July 17, 2018. She was ...

32. Patti LaBelle

Soundtrack | Miami Vice

Patti LaBelle was born Patricia Louise Holte on May 24, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Patti began her career in the early 1960s as lead singer of the band Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles. A decade later the group changed their name to Labelle and recorded the hit song "Lady Marmalade". Patti...

33. Smokey Robinson

Soundtrack | Big Time

Multi-talented performer/writer/producer Smokey Robinson's career, and life, is inextricably tied up with Motown Records' founder Berry Gordy (his first two children are named Tamla, for the Gordy-owned label Smokey recorded for, and Berry, for Gordy himself). He and Gordy have had a professional ...

34. Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds

Soundtrack | Ghostbusters II

Kenneth Brian Edmonds better known by his stage name Babyface, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has written and produced over 26 number-one R&B hits throughout his career and has won 12 Grammy Awards. He was ranked number 20 on NME's 50 of The Greatest Producers Ever list.

35. Toni Braxton

Soundtrack | The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure

Toni Braxton was born on October 7, 1966 in Severn, Maryland, USA. She is a music artist and producer, known for The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure (2012), Boomerang (1992) and Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart (2016). She was previously married to Keri Lewis.

36. Tionne 'T-Boz' Watkins

Producer | ATL

Tionne Tenese Watkins was born on April 26, 1970 in Des Moines, Iowa. She is also known as "T-Boz" in the R&B/Hip-Hop group, TLC. Born to parents of both African American and Native American descent. As a child she was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia (1 in 12 people of African American descent ...

37. Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes

Soundtrack | Captain Marvel

Controversial, flamboyant, and spontaneous are probably the best words to describe Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes. Born in Philadelphia, and raised throughout the world as the daughter of a U.S. Army serviceman, Lisa Lopes became one of the most important trendsetters in the 1990s music scene. After ...

38. Rozonda 'Chilli' Thomas

Actress | Marshall

Rozonda Ocelean Thomas was born February 27, 1971 in Columbus, Georgia, to Ava Thomas and Abdul Ali. She has one son with producer Dallas Austin - they named him Tron. She is a very close friend of fellow member Tionne 'T-boz' Watkins' of TLC. The death of fellow band member Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes ...

39. Luther Vandross

Soundtrack | The Goonies

Designated the "heartbeat" of R&B during the 1980s and 1990s, Luther Vandross led a productive singing and songwriting life before to this preeminence. The soul balladeer's strong commitment to the art of music continued on its Grammy-winning course, even after an acute stroke in 2003 left him ...

40. Aretha Franklin

Actress | The Blues Brothers

Grammy-winning Queen of Soul and the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Aretha Louise Franklin was born in Memphis, Tennessee, to Barbara Vernice (Siggers) and C. L. Franklin, a Baptist minister, who preached at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit for over thirty ...

41. Barry White

Soundtrack | Baby Driver

Barry White first made his mark in the music business in the 1960s as a session musician, even serving for a spell as an A&R man for a small, independent Los Angeles record label. He first hit it big in 1973 with a series of albums and singles emphasizing lush orchestrations and elaborate ...

42. Prince

Soundtrack | Under the Cherry Moon

Prince Rogers Nelson was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Mattie Shaw, a jazz singer and social worker, and John L. Nelson, a lyricist and pianist. His father's stage name was "Prince Rogers". His parents were both from African-American families from Louisiana. They separated during his youth, ...

43. Freddie Jackson

Soundtrack | Top Five

Freddie Jackson was born on October 2, 1956 in Harlem, New York, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Top Five (2014), All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989) and King of New York (1990).

44. Anita Baker

Soundtrack | Blockers

Anita was born January 26, 1958 in Toledo, Ohio and grew up in Detroit, Michigan. She began singing in church choir when she was 12 and at 16 sang in a local group along with high school friends. In 1975 she successfully auditioned for the group Chapter 8, having been approached by bass player ...

45. The Isley Brothers

Soundtrack | Okja

The Isley Brothers is known for Okja (2017), Thunder Force (2021) and Rush Hour (1998).

46. Brandy Norwood

Actress | I Still Know What You Did Last Summer

Brandy Norwood is an African-American singer-songwriter and actress from McComb, Mississippi. She is known for her roles in Moesha, Osmosis Jones and Cinderella. She has released many R&B albums and singles since the 1990s. She is known as "The Vocal Bible". She gave birth to a daughter named ...

47. El DeBarge

Soundtrack | Short Circuit

El DeBarge was born on June 4, 1961 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Short Circuit (1986), Snake Eyes (1998) and The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005). He is married to Monique DeBarge. They have one child. He was previously married to Tracey Ferguson.

48. Curtis Mayfield

Soundtrack | Armageddon

Rhythm and blues performer/songwriter credited with defining 1960's Chicago sound in hits like "It's All Right" and "Gypsy Woman." His style influenced other artists from pop to hip hop. Has been a quadriplegic ever since he was struck by lighting rig during outdoor concert in New York, 1990. ...

49. Sly Stone

Soundtrack | Stealth

Sly Stone was born on March 15, 1943 in Dallas, Texas, USA. He is a composer and actor, known for Stealth (2005), A Knight's Tale (2001) and Zodiac (2007). He was previously married to Kathy Silva.

50. Roger Troutman

Soundtrack | Venom

Roger Troutman was born on November 29, 1951 in Dayton, Ohio, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for Venom (2018), Iron Man 2 (2010) and Pixels (2015). He died on April 25, 1999 in Dayton, Ohio, USA.

51. Al B. Sure!

Soundtrack | New Jack City

Al B. Sure!, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, social activist, radio host and former Motown Records executive. Born in Boston, MA and raised in $ Earnin' Mount Vernon, New York. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Brown was one of new jack swing's pioneers and most ...

52. James Ingram

Soundtrack | Junior

As a sophomore at the University of Akron, he left town to come to Los Angeles with his band, Revelation Funk. The band broke up shortly after arriving in L.A. Shortly afterward, Ingram started working with Ray Charles as a piano player.

After Quincy Jones heard James Ingram's voice on "Just Once," ...

53. Stevie Wonder

Soundtrack | Wild Wild West

Born Stevland Hardaway Judkins in Saginaw, Michigan, United States, to Calvin Judkins and Lula Mae Hardaway. Due to being born six weeks premature, Stevie Wonder was born with a condition called retinopathy of prematurity, which made him blind. Stevie Wonder, even with this disability, made his ...

54. Usher

Actor | The Faculty

Usher Raymond IV was born in Dallas, Texas, to Jonetta Patton (née O'Neal) and Usher Raymond III. He began singing when he was six years old, joining the local church choir at the behest of his mother who acted as choir director. Jonetta, a single mom, raised Usher and his younger brother, James, ...

55. The Four Tops

Soundtrack | Four Brothers

The Four Tops is known for Four Brothers (2005), Fantastic Four (2015) and Don't Look Up (2021).

56. Lauryn Hill

Soundtrack | Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit

Lauryn Hill, a native of South Orange, New Jersey, first came to attention with the multi-talented Fugees. Their first album, "Blunted On Reality", went virtually unnoticed by the public; their real breakthrough came with the sophomore album, "The Score", which featured "Killing Me Softly". That ...

57. Angela Bofill

Self | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Angela Bofill was born on May 2, 1954 in West Bronx, New York City, USA. She is an actress, known for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962), Soul Train (1971) and Unsung (2008). She was previously married to Rick Vincent.

58. Jennifer Hudson

Soundtrack | Dreamgirls

Jennifer Kate Hudson was born on September 12, 1981 in Chicago, Illinois to Darnell Donerson (née Hudson) & Samuel Simpson. She is an Academy Award-winning actress, Grammy Award-winning recording artist and best-selling author. This bright, beautiful and booming-voiced talent is a perfect example ...

59. Whitney Houston

Soundtrack | The Bodyguard

Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born into a musical family on 9 August 1963, in Newark, New Jersey, the daughter of gospel star Cissy Houston (née Emily Lee Drinkard) and John Russell Houston, Jr., and cousin of singing star Dionne Warwick.

She began singing in the choir at her church, The New Hope ...

60. Aaliyah

Soundtrack | Romeo Must Die

Talented. Beautiful. Modest. These three words described R&B singer-turned-actress Aaliyah perfectly.

Aaliyah Dana Haughton was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Diane (Hankerson) and Michael Haughton. Her uncle was music manager Barry Hankerson and her brother is director Rashad Haughton. Aaliyah was ...

61. Alicia Keys

Soundtrack | The Secret Life of Bees

Alicia Keys was born in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, to Terria Joseph (née Teresa M. Augello), a paralegal who was also an occasional actress, and Craig Cook, a flight attendant. Her father is African-American and her mother, who is Caucasian, is of Italian and English/Irish/Scottish ancestry. Alicia...

62. Tina Turner

Soundtrack | Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome

With almost fifty years in the music business, Tina Turner became one of the most commercially successful international female rock stars. Her sultry, powerful voice, her incredible legs, her time-tested beauty and her unforgettable story all contributed to her legendary status.

Born to a ...

63. Ashanti

Actress | Coach Carter

Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas is an African-American R&B singer and actress from Glen Cove, New York. She acted in films and shows such as The Muppets' Wizard of Oz, Resident Evil: Extinction, Coach Carter, John Tucker Must Die, Bride and Prejudice, Malcolm X and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She has ...

64. Teena Marie

Soundtrack | Top Gun

Teena Marie was born on March 5, 1956 in Santa Monica, California, USA. She was an actress and composer, known for Top Gun (1986), The Goonies (1985) and Maid in Manhattan (2002). She died on December 26, 2010 in Pasadena, California, USA.

65. Michael McDonald

Soundtrack | The 40 Year Old Virgin

Michael McDonald was born on February 12, 1952 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), No Way Out (1987) and Twister (1996). He has been married to Amy Holland since May 21, 1983. They have two children.

66. Beyoncé

Soundtrack | Dreamgirls

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles was born on September 4, 1981 in Houston, Texas. Her mom, Tina Knowles designs their glittering costumes & her dad, Mathew Knowles manages Destiny's Child. Solange, her sister (they're 4 years apart) has released her debut album. She dances with her big sister during DC-3 ...

67. Nick Ashford

Soundtrack | The Bodyguard

Nick Ashford was born on May 4, 1941 in Fairfield, South Carolina, USA. He was a composer and actor, known for The Bodyguard (1992), Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and Crazy Rich Asians (2018). He was married to Valerie Simpson. He died on August 22, 2011 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.

68. Valerie Simpson

Soundtrack | The Bodyguard

Valerie Simpson was born on August 26, 1945 in The Bronx, New York, USA. She is a composer and actress, known for The Bodyguard (1992), Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and Crazy Rich Asians (2018). She was previously married to Nick Ashford.

69. Chaka Khan

Actress | The Blues Brothers

Chaka Khan was born on March 23, 1953 in Great Lakes, Illinois, USA. She is a music artist and actress, known for The Blues Brothers (1980), Mission: Impossible III (2006) and Hollywood Homicide (2003). She has been married to Doug Rasheed since 2001. She was previously married to Richard Holland ...

70. Raphael Saadiq

Soundtrack | Mudbound

Raphael Saadiq was born on May 14, 1966 in Oakland, California, USA. He is a composer and actor, known for Mudbound (2017), Insecure (2016) and Abduction (2011).

71. The Gap Band

Soundtrack | Boss Level

The Gap Band are a funk, soul and rhythm and blues group from Tulsa, Oklahoma. The band is fronted by the three Wilson brothers: Charlie, Robert, and Ronnie. The Wilson brothers are the sons of a Pentecostal minister and began their music careers singing in their father's church. The Wilson ...

72. Charlie Wilson

Soundtrack | Boss Level

Charlie Wilson was born on January 29, 1953 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Boss Level (2020), Ghosted (2023) and Boomerang (1992). He is married to Mahin.

73. Bill Withers

Soundtrack | The Bodyguard

Singer, songwriter and guitarist Bill Withers was born on July 4, 1938 in the small coal-mining town of Slab Fork, West Virginia and was raised in the nearby town of Beckley. He was the youngest of six children of Mattie (Galloway), a maid, and William Withers, a miner. His father died when Withers...

74. Ray Parker Jr.

Soundtrack | Ghostbusters

Guitarist/songwriter/producer Ray Parker Jr. had hits as Raydio (the million-selling "Jack and Jill," "You Can't Change That"), Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio ("Two Places at the Same Time," "A Woman Needs Love [Just Like You Do]"), and Ray Parker Jr. (the number one R&B and pop gold single "Ghostbusters"...

75. Ricky Bell

Actor | Girls Trip

Ricky Bell was born on September 18, 1967 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Girls Trip (2017), Tropic Thunder (2008) and 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002). He has been married to Amy Correa Bell since September 18, 2004.

76. Michael Bivins

Soundtrack | Mo' Money

Michael Bivins was born on August 10, 1968 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Mo' Money (1992), Girls Trip (2017) and Tropic Thunder (2008).

77. Ronnie DeVoe

Soundtrack | Mo' Money

Former member of 1980s teen pop group, New Edition. After the group broke up, De Voe joined fellow band-mates Michael Bivins and Ricky Bell to form the group, Bell Biv DeVoe in the early 1990s. That group scored number one hits, such as "Do Me", "I Thought It Was Me" and "Gangsta".

78. George Benson

Soundtrack | Michael

George Benson was born on March 22, 1943 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He is a music artist and actor, known for Michael (1996), Hit and Run (2012) and All That Jazz (1979). He has been married to Johnnie Lee since 1962. They have six children.

79. Jeffrey Osborne

Soundtrack | Spaceballs

Jeffrey Osborne was born on March 9, 1948 in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Spaceballs (1987), Undercover Brother (2002) and Love & Mercy (2014). He has been married to Sherri Osborne since 1983. They have four children.

80. Sade

Soundtrack | A Wrinkle in Time

Sade was born on January 16, 1959 in Ibadan, Nigeria. She is a music artist and composer, known for A Wrinkle in Time (2018), True Lies (1994) and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010). She was previously married to Carlos Scola.

81. Keith Sweat

Soundtrack | Blue Streak

Keith Sweat is a Harlem-born R&B singer/songwriter who released his debut album, 'Make It Last Forever', at the end of 1987. The album sold over three million copies, spawning the hits "I Want Her" (#1 R&B, #5 pop), "Something Just Ain't Right" (#3 R&B), "Make It Last Forever" (#2 R&B), and "Don't ...

82. Montell Jordan

Soundtrack | Everest

Montell Jordan was born on December 3, 1968 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Everest (2015), This Means War (2012) and Multiplicity (1996). He has been married to Kristin Jordan since June 1994. They have four children.

83. Peabo Bryson

Soundtrack | Aladdin

Peabo Bryson was born on April 13, 1951 in Greenville, South Carolina, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Aladdin (1992), Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Friday After Next (2002). He has been married to Tanya Boniface since July 20, 2010. They have one child.

84. Betty Wright

Soundtrack | Speed 2: Cruise Control

Soul and R&B singer Betty Wright was born December 21, 1953 in Miami, Florida. She started out as a member of her family's own gospel group The Echoes of Joy and began working as a backup vocalist for other singers at age thirteen. She recorded her 1968 debut album "My First Time Around" when she ...

85. Cherrelle

Soundtrack | Straight Outta Compton

Cherrelle was born in 1958 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is an actress, known for Straight Outta Compton (2015), The Dream Team (1989) and Cherrelle: Everything I Miss at Home (1988).

86. Alexander O'Neal

Soundtrack | Black Mirror

Alexander O'Neal was born on November 15, 1953 in Natchez, Mississippi, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Black Mirror (2011), Fatale (2020) and Alexander O'Neal: Criticize (1987). He is married to Cynthia O'Neal.

87. Howard Hewett

Soundtrack | Bulletproof

Howard Hewett was born on October 1, 1955 in Akron, Ohio, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Bulletproof (1996), The Santa Clause (1994) and The Meteor Man (1993). He has been married to Angie since 1998. They have one child. He was previously married to Nia Peeples, Rainey Riley and Mari ...

88. Jody Watley

Actress | Mystery Men

She's an innovative music maker, a style-forging pioneer: since the mid-90s, Grammy-winning multi-talented Jody Watley has led the way as an entrepreneur working in the independent music world as one of the few already-established female best-selling artists to produce, create and own her ...

89. Jeffrey Daniel

Moonwalker

Jeffrey Daniel was born on August 24, 1957 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Moonwalker (1988), Michael Jackson: Bad (1987) and Michael Jackson: Smooth Criminal (1988). He was previously married to Stephanie Mills.

90. Eddie Levert

Soundtrack | Dragged Across Concrete

Eddie Levert was born on June 16, 1942 in Bessemer, Alabama, USA. He is an actor, known for Dragged Across Concrete (2018), Brawl in Cell Block 99 (2017) and Coming to America (1988). He is married to Raquel Capelton. They have one child. He was previously married to Martha Levert.

91. Gerald Levert

Soundtrack | Crank

Gerald Levert was born on July 13, 1966 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a composer and actor, known for Crank (2006), Coming to America (1988) and The Fast and the Furious (2001). He died on November 10, 2006 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

92. Miles Jaye

Soundtrack | Demain c'est dimanche

93. Pebbles

Soundtrack | Beverly Hills Cop II

Pebbles was born on August 29, 1964 in San Francisco, California, USA. She is an actress and composer, known for Beverly Hills Cop II (1987), Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) and License to Drive (1988). She has been married to Excel Sharieff since 2012. She was previously married to Otis Nixon...

94. Al Jarreau

Soundtrack | Moonlighting

Al Jarreau was born on March 12, 1940 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for Moonlighting (1985), Dick Tracy (1990) and Out of Africa (1985). He was married to Susan Player and Phyllis Hall. He died on February 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

95. John Legend

Soundtrack | La La Land

John Roger Stephens, known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer. He began his musical career by working behind the scenes, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's "Everything Is Everything", and making uncredited guest appearances on Jay-Z's "Encore" ...

96. Chanté Moore

Actress | The Fan

Chanté Moore was born on February 17, 1967 in San Francisco, California, USA. She is an actress and composer, known for The Fan (1996), Romeo Must Die (2000) and Beverly Hills Cop III (1994). She has been married to Stephen Hill since October 22, 2022. She was previously married to Kenny Lattimore, ...

97. Teddy Riley

Soundtrack | Juice

Teddy Riley was born on October 8, 1966 in New York City, New York, USA. He is a composer and actor, known for Juice (1992), Money Train (1995) and New Jack City (1991).

98. Lionel Richie

Soundtrack | The Color Purple

Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, and television judge. He rose to fame in the 1970s as a songwriter and the co-lead singer of funk band the Commodores; writing and recording the hit singles "Easy", "Sail On", "Three Times a Lady" and "Still",...

99. The Commodores

Soundtrack | Ant-Man

The Commodores is known for Ant-Man (2015), Super 8 (2011) and Baby Driver (2017).

100. Donna Summer

Soundtrack | Thank God It's Friday

Donna Summer rocketed to international super-stardom in the mid-1970s when her groundbreaking merger of R&B, soul, pop, funk, rock, disco and avant-garde electronica catapulted underground dance music out of the clubs of Europe to the pinnacles of sales and radio charts around the world.

Maintaining...