Roots of Lauryn Hill

Michael Eugene Archer, better known by his stage name D'Angelo, was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. Widely regarded as a pioneer of the neo-soul movement, Billboard named him one of the greatest R&B artists, while Rolling Stone ranked him as one of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. In 2025, he was inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.

Julian Ricardo Marley is a British-Jamaican reggae musician, songwriter, record producer, and humanitarian. He is the son of reggae music icon Bob Marley, and Lucy Pounder. In 2024, he received a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album for his collaboration album with Antaeus, Colors of Royal (2023).

Diana Adelaide Rocha De Brito, known professionally as IAMDDB, is an Angolan-Portuguese rapper and singer based in Manchester, United Kingdom. IAMDDB has released three EPs and three mixtapes as of 2021 and was listed number three on BBC Sound of 2018.

Tierra Helena Whack is an American rapper and singer. She originally performed under the stage name "Dizzle Dizz" as a teenager but reverted to her birth name in 2017. Her debut mixtape, Whack World, was released in May 2018 and received widespread critical acclaim. Her song "Mumbo Jumbo" was nominated for Best Music Video at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards. Whack has since collaborated with artists including Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Tyler, the Creator, Chief Keef, and Melanie Martinez.

Fantasia Monique Barrino-Taylor, also known mononymously as Fantasia, is an American singer and actress. She rose to prominence in 2004 with her performance of the Porgy and Bess standard "Summertime" during the third season of American Idol, becoming that season's winner. Following her victory, Barrino became the second artist after Lauryn Hill to have their first commercial single debut atop the Billboard Hot 100 with her 2004 song, "I Believe". It went on to become the best-selling single in the United States that year.

David Axelrod was an American composer, arranger, and producer. After starting out as a staff producer for record companies specializing in jazz, Axelrod became known by the mid-1960s in soul and jazz circles for his recording skills. In 1968, Axelrod embarked on a solo career and released several albums during the 1970s that showcased his characteristic sound, which combined heavily microphoned drums and baroque orchestration, and avant garde themes ranging from the environment to heightened mental awareness.

O'Shea Jackson, known professionally as Ice Cube, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor, and film producer. His efforts on N.W.A's 1989 album Straight Outta Compton contributed to gangsta rap's popularity, and his political rap solo albums AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (1990), Death Certificate (1991), and The Predator (1992) were all critically and commercially successful. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of N.W.A in 2016.

Dangerously in Love is the debut solo studio album by the American singer and songwriter Beyoncé. It was released on June 20, 2003, by Columbia Records and Music World Entertainment. The album features guest appearances by Beyoncé's then-boyfriend Jay-Z, as well as Missy Elliott, Sean Paul, Big Boi of Outkast, Sleepy Brown, and Luther Vandross, with international editions including vocals from Vanness Wu and IAM. Musically, the album is a mixture of uptempo tracks and ballads, all of which are primarily R&B songs, while also incorporating elements of soul, hip-hop, and Arabic music.