R&B/Soul or Rap Album of the Year

• Erykah Badu Live
  Live (Erykah Badu album)
  Live is a live concert album by American R&B singer Erykah Badu, released in 1997 . Apparent throughout Live is the raw emotion that Badu shows when performing...
  
  - 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...
  
  
• It's Dark and Hell Is Hot
  It's Dark and Hell Is Hot
  It's Dark and Hell is Hot is the debut album of American rapper DMX, released May 19, 1998 on Ruff Ryders Entertainment and Def Jam Recordings. The album featured four singles with music videos, "Get at Me Dog", "Stop Being Greedy", "How's It Goin' Down" and the "Ruff Ryders Anthem"...
  
  - DMX
  DMX (rapper)
  Earl Simmons , better known by his stage name DMX, is a multiplatinum American rapper and actor who rose to fame in the late 1990s. His stage name pays tribute to the Oberheim DMX drum machine, an instrument he used when he made his own rap beats in the 80's...
  
  
• The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
  The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
  The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is the debut solo album by American musician Lauryn Hill, released August 25, 1998, on Columbia Records. Recording sessions for the album took place from late 1997 to June 1998, and were held primarily at Tuff Gong Studios in Jamaica...
  
  - Lauryn Hill
  Lauryn Hill
  Lauryn Noelle Hill is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress.Early in her career, she established her reputation as a member of the Fugees. In 1998, she launched her solo career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album, The Miseducation of...
  
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• Hard Kock Life, Volume 2
  Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life
  Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life is the third studio album by American rapper Jay-Z, released on September 29, 1998, on Roc-A-Fella Records in the United States. The album propelled Jay-Z into superstar status and cemented him as a household name in the post Biggie/Tupac era of hip hop. This album also...
  
   - Jay-Z
  Jay-Z
  Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
  
  

• Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz
  Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz
  Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz were an American rap duo consisting of Sean "Lord Tariq" Hamilton and Peter "Peter Gunz" Pankey. They are best known for their song "Deja Vu " which went to #9 on the U.S...
  
  
• Mya
  Mya
  -A person:* Bo Mya , Chief Commander of the Karen National Union* Mýa , American R&B singer-songwriter and actress** Mýa , a 1998 album by Mýa-A code:* Burmese language, ISO 639-3 code is mya* Moruya Airport's IATA code...
  
  
• Kelly Price
  Kelly Price
  Kelly Price is an American R&B and soul singer, formerly on the Def Soul label.-Life and music career:Kelly Cherelle Price was born in Queens, New York. She was first discovered by Mariah Carey in February 1992 and subsequently introduced to Sony Columbia's then CEO Tommy Mottola...
  
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• Trin-i-tee 5:7
  Trin-i-tee 5:7
  Trin-I-Tee 5:7 is a gospel duo from New Orleans, Louisiana in the United States. The group was marketed as a gospel alternative to R&B girl groups such as Destiny's Child and TLC. Trin-i-tee 5:7 has sold over 2.5 million albums....
  
  

• "Dangerous" - Busta Rhymes
  Busta Rhymes
  Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...
  
  
• "Doo Wop (That Thing)
  Doo Wop (That Thing)
  "Doo Wop " is the debut single from American R&B/Hip-Hop artist Lauryn Hill. The song is taken from debut album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Written and produced by Hill, the song was released as the album's lead single in October 1998. It was Hill's first and only Billboard Hot 100...
  
  " - Lauryn Hill
  Lauryn Hill
  Lauryn Noelle Hill is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress.Early in her career, she established her reputation as a member of the Fugees. In 1998, she launched her solo career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album, The Miseducation of...
  
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• "Still Not a Player
  Still Not a Player
  "Still Not a Player" is a hip-hop song, written and performed by Puerto Rican-American rapper Big Punisher , produced by Knobody and featuring singer Joe. It was featured on his 1998 debut album Capital Punishment....
  
  " - Big Punisher featuring Fat Joe
  Fat Joe
  Joseph Antonio Cartagena , better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper, CEO of Terror Squad Entertainment, and member of musical groups D.I.T.C. and Terror Squad....
  
  
• "Gettin' Jiggy With It" - 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...
  
  

• "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here
  Nobody's Supposed to Be Here
  "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here" is a single written by Montell Jordan and Anthony "Shep" Crawford. Canadian R&B singer Deborah Cox released the song in 1998 from her second album One Wish.-Chart performance:...
  
  " - Deborah Cox
  Deborah Cox
  Deborah Cox is a Canadian R&B singer-songwriter and actress. Her 1998 song "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here" held the record for longest-running number one single on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart , a record held for nearly eight years. She has achieved ten number-one hits on...
  
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• "Doo Wop (That Thing)
  Doo Wop (That Thing)
  "Doo Wop " is the debut single from American R&B/Hip-Hop artist Lauryn Hill. The song is taken from debut album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Written and produced by Hill, the song was released as the album's lead single in October 1998. It was Hill's first and only Billboard Hot 100...
  
  " - Lauryn Hill
  Lauryn Hill
  Lauryn Noelle Hill is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress.Early in her career, she established her reputation as a member of the Fugees. In 1998, she launched her solo career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album, The Miseducation of...
  
  
• "I Get Lonely
  I Get Lonely
  "I Get Lonely" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson from her sixth studio album, The Velvet Rope . Released as the album's third single in late February 1998, it became a top five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, as well as Jackson's twelfth U.S. R&B chart-topper...
  
  " - Janet Jackson
  Janet Jackson
  Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
  
   featuring Blackstreet
  Blackstreet
  Blackstreet is an American R&B group founded in 1991 by Thomas Taliaferro and Teddy Riley, the inventor of New Jack Swing known for his work as a member of Guy. Chauncey Hannibal and Levi Little were signed under production and management contracts with Thomas Taliaferro and were merged into what...
  
  
• "Friend of Mine" - Kelly Price
  Kelly Price
  Kelly Price is an American R&B and soul singer, formerly on the Def Soul label.-Life and music career:Kelly Cherelle Price was born in Queens, New York. She was first discovered by Mariah Carey in February 1992 and subsequently introduced to Sony Columbia's then CEO Tommy Mottola...
  
  

Best R&B/Soul Single, Male

• "They Don't Know
  They Don't Know (Jon B song)
  "They Don't Know" is a single by R&B singer Jon B released in 1998. Jon B also performed the song in an episode of the sitcom, Sister, Sister, where he guest starred as himself...
  
  " - Jon B.
  Jon B.
  Jon B. is a Grammy nominated American R&B singer and songwriter.-Early life:...
  
  
• "Lean on Me" - Kirk Franklin
  Kirk Franklin
  Kirk Dwayne Franklin is an American Gospel music musician, choir director, and author, and is most notably known for leading urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, God's Property and One Nation Crew .- Early years :...
  
   featuring R. Kelly
  R. Kelly
  Robert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...
  
  , Mary J. Blige
  Mary J. Blige
  Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
  
  , Bono
  Bono
  Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
  
  , Crystal Lewis
  Crystal Lewis
  Crystal Lewis is an American contemporary Christian/Gospel vocalist, songwriter and author.-Early years:Lewis grew up singing in her father's church...
  
   and the Family
• "Half on a Baby
  R. Kelly discography
  The discography of R. Kelly, an American R&B singer, consists of 14 studio albums, 2 compilation albums, 3 collaborative albums, and 46 singles. R. Kelly debuted with the group Public Announcement in 1992 with the album Born Into the '90s that included two singles that reached #1 on the Billboard...
  
  " - R. Kelly
  R. Kelly
  Robert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...
  
  
• "Anytime
  Anytime (Brian McKnight album)
  Anytime is a 1997 album by Brian McKnight. This was the last record McKnight recorded with Mercury Records before moving to Motown. In fact, Anytime would be re-released on Motown after he signed with the label...
  
  " - Brian McKnight
  Brian McKnight
  Brian McKnight is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, producer, and R&B/Pop musician. He is a multi-instrumentalist who plays nine instruments: piano, guitar, bass guitar, drums, percussions, trombone, tuba, flugelhorn and trumpet....
  
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• "The Boy Is Mine
  The Boy Is Mine
  "The Boy Is Mine" is a duet by American recording artists Brandy and Monica. It was written by LaShawn Daniels, Fred Jerkins III, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins and Brandy with co-production by Darkchild and Dallas Austin, and released as the lead single from both singers' second albums during the...
  
  " - Brandy
  Brandy Norwood
  Brandy Rayana Norwood , known professionally as Brandy, is an American singer-songwriter, producer, actress, and dancer. In 2009, she introduced her rap alter-ego Bran'Nu....
  
   & Monica
• "All My Life
  All My Life (K-Ci and JoJo song)
  "All My Life" is a song recorded by American R&B duo K-Ci & JoJo. The track was produced and written by Joel "JoJo" Hailey and Rory Bennett for K-Ci & JoJo's debut studio album, Love Always . The song was released physically as from January 6, 1998 as the third single from the album through MCA...
  
  " - K-Ci & JoJo
• "Too Close
  Too Close
  "Too Close" is a 1998 song by R&B group Next, and featuring uncredited vocals from Vee of Koffee Brown. It was the second single released from their debut album Rated Next. The song reached number one on the U.S. Hot 100 and R&B charts and has gone Platinum making it their biggest and best known...
  
  " - Next
  Next (group)
  Next is an American R&B musical group, popular during the late 1990s. They are best known for their hit singles "Too Close" and "Wifey".-History:...
  
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• "Stay" - The Temptations
  The Temptations
  The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
  
  

• Never Say Never - Brandy
  Brandy Norwood
  Brandy Rayana Norwood , known professionally as Brandy, is an American singer-songwriter, producer, actress, and dancer. In 2009, she introduced her rap alter-ego Bran'Nu....
  
  
• The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
  The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
  The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is the debut solo album by American musician Lauryn Hill, released August 25, 1998, on Columbia Records. Recording sessions for the album took place from late 1997 to June 1998, and were held primarily at Tuff Gong Studios in Jamaica...
  
  - Lauryn Hill
  Lauryn Hill
  Lauryn Noelle Hill is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress.Early in her career, she established her reputation as a member of the Fugees. In 1998, she launched her solo career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album, The Miseducation of...
  
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• Mýa
  Mýa (album)
  *AllMusicStephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic calls Mýa, "a smooth, sultry collection of well-crafted contemporary urban soul that is actually richer than the average urban record the late '90s", citing "part of its success lies with the teenage Mýa, who has a voice that is at once innocent and...
  
  - Mýa
  Mya
  -A person:* Bo Mya , Chief Commander of the Karen National Union* Mýa , American R&B singer-songwriter and actress** Mýa , a 1998 album by Mýa-A code:* Burmese language, ISO 639-3 code is mya* Moruya Airport's IATA code...
  
  
• Soul of a Woman
  Soul of a Woman
  Soul of a Woman was the debut album of Kelly Price. The album debuted at number fifteen on the Billboard 200. The album's most popular single and Price's biggest hit so far was "Friend of Mine", which tells the story of a woman whose husband cheated on her with her best friend. The single earned...
  
  - Kelly Price
  Kelly Price
  Kelly Price is an American R&B and soul singer, formerly on the Def Soul label.-Life and music career:Kelly Cherelle Price was born in Queens, New York. She was first discovered by Mariah Carey in February 1992 and subsequently introduced to Sony Columbia's then CEO Tommy Mottola...
  
  

Best R&B/Soul Album, Male

• Hard Knock Life, Volume 2 - Jay-Z
  Jay-Z
  Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
  
  
• R.
  R. (album)
  -Commercial performance:R. debuted at #2 on the Billboard top 100 with 1st weeks sales of 741,000 coppies in the 1st week.in the second week the album fell to #3 with 567,000 coppies.the album was eventually rewarded a 8x plantium award with more than 8 million copies sold in the United States to...
  
  - R. Kelly
  R. Kelly
  Robert Sylvester Kelly , better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. A native of Chicago, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play...
  
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• Embrya
  Embrya
  Embyra is the second studio album by R&B and neo soul musician Maxwell, released June 30, 1998 on Columbia Records. As with his previous album, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite, Maxwell collaborated with Stuart Matthewman, a long-time cohort of Sade...
  
  - 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:...
  
  
• Big Willie Style
  Big Willie Style
  Big Willie Style is the first solo studio album recorded by Will Smith, after spending most of his career as the latter half of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince...
  
  - 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...
  
  

• Enter the Dru
  Enter the Dru
  -Album:-Singles:"—" denotes releases that did not chart.-Personnel:Information taken from Allmusic.*a&r – Matthew Schwartz*arranging – Nokio the N-Tity, Guy Roche...
  
  - Dru Hill
  Dru Hill
  Dru Hill is an American singing group, most popular during the late 1990s, whose repertoire included R&B, soul, and gospel music. Founded in Baltimore, Maryland, and active since 1992, Dru Hill recorded seven Top 40 hits, and is best known for the R&B #1 hits "In My Bed", "Never Make a Promise", ...
  
  
• Levert, Sweat, Gill
  LSG
  LSG was an urban R&B musical supergroup, composed of R&B artists Gerald Levert from Cleveland, Ohio, Keith Sweat from Harlem, NY and Johnny Gill from Washington DC. The group's name "LSG" is derived from the first letter in the last name of each artist .In 1997, LSG released their début album...
  
  - LSG
  LSG
  LSG was an urban R&B musical supergroup, composed of R&B artists Gerald Levert from Cleveland, Ohio, Keith Sweat from Harlem, NY and Johnny Gill from Washington DC. The group's name "LSG" is derived from the first letter in the last name of each artist .In 1997, LSG released their début album...
  
  
• Aquemini
  Aquemini
  Aquemini is the third studio album by hip hop duo OutKast, released September 29, 1998 on LaFace Records. The title is a portmanteau of the two performers' Zodiac signs: Aquarius and Gemini...
  
  - Outkast
  OutKast
  Outkast is an American hip hop duo based in East Point, Georgia, consisting of Atlanta native André "André 3000" Benjamin and Savannah, Georgia-born Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. They were originally known as Two Shades Deep but later changed the group's name to OutKast...
  
  
• Phoenix Rising - The Temptations
  The Temptations
  The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
  
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Best Jazz Album

• "In the World from Natchez to New York" - Olu Dara
  Olu Dara
  Olu Dara Jones is an American cornetist, guitarist and singer.-History:...
  
  
• "From the Redwoods to the Rockies" - Russ Freeman and Craig Chaquico
  Craig Chaquico
  Craig Chaquico is an American guitarist of Portuguese and Native American descent. He has had over thirty years of success in a variety of genres: in the 1970s with the post-Summer of Love Jefferson Starship, in that band's 1980s incarnation, Starship, and in the 1990s and 2000s as a...
  
  
• "Gershwin's World" - Herbie Hancock
  Herbie Hancock
  Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
  
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• "A Go Go" - John Scofield
  John Scofield
  John Scofield , often referred to as "Sco," is an American jazz guitarist and composer, who has played and collaborated with Miles Davis, Dave Liebman, Joe Henderson, Charles Mingus, Joey Defrancesco, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell, Pat Martino, Mavis Staples, Phil Lesh, Billy Cobham,...
  
  

Best Gospel Album

• "He's a Keepa" - Ronnie Bryant and the Christian Community Choir
• "The Nu Nation Project" - Kirk Franklin
  Kirk Franklin
  Kirk Dwayne Franklin is an American Gospel music musician, choir director, and author, and is most notably known for leading urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, God's Property and One Nation Crew .- Early years :...
  
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• "Pages of Life Chapter I & II" - Fred Hammond
  Fred Hammond
  Fred Hammond is a gospel music singer, bass guitar player, and record producer.-Musical career:Hammond has been active both as a member of the gospel performing group Commissioned, and as a solo artist...
  
  
• "Love Alive V: 25th Anniversary Reunion" - Walter Hawkins
  Walter Hawkins
  Walter Hawkins was an American gospel music singer, and a pastor. Hawkins was consecrated to the bishopic in 1992. He died at his home in Ripon, California, from pancreatic cancer....
  
  and the Love Center Choir