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RTÉ News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Rap Battle: How Gilbert O'Sullivan changed hip hop forever
Gilbert O'Sullivan's song 'Alone Again (Naturally)' was released in Ireland and the UK in early 1972. At the same time, though, on the other side of the Atlantic in New York (and, it should be said, completely disconnected from Gilbert O'Sullivan) there was a new musical movement taking shape. Eventually developing into what we now know as hip hop, the genre was initially referred to by some as 'disco rap' – which does tell you a lot about its origins. Because much of the scene developed out of DJs taking popular disco and funk records and messing around with them on turntables – slowing them down, speeding them up, looping parts of them, mixing different records together. And, in doing so, they creating something that sounded totally different. And because disco wasn't very lyrics-heavy, there were also big gaps in these creations, which ended up being filled by the likes of beat boxers and then rappers. And this all started out as an underground movement – it would be individual DJs crafting these things, often on the fly at block parties and night clubs, and they were constantly developing new sounds and finding new techniques that would give different results. This scene continues to develop over the course of the 70s and, as mixing and recording technology improves, it allows for the sound to become more elaborate. That means you go from a DJ blending two records together on their turntable to pieces of music that perhaps contain a beat from one song, some strings from another, a hook or a refrain from somewhere else altogether, a small snippet of backing singers from another song – and all looped. And then a rapper adds their original vocals on top of that. And in a lot of ways you can argue that this practice of taking existing music and re-working it is quite similar, in spirit at least, to the folk tradition that was also thriving in New York at the time. That also saw artists borrowing tunes and even lyrics from traditional and new songs, incorporating them into something new, or putting a twist on them, and making their own song out of it. But then money comes along, and things start to change... Yes – because all of this "borrowing" of beats and music is fine when you're talking about what is essentially an informal and fairly niche movement like this. In the early days artists probably didn't even know their music was being used like this and, even if they did, it's not like anyone was making much of a profit off it. But as hip hop develops into a fully-fledged genre through the 70s and into the 80s, record labels start to take notice, and money starts to be made, things start to change. For example, The Sugarhill Gang's 'Rapper's Delight', which came out in 1979, is seen by many to be the first mainstream hit from the genre. But the music from that song is basically two existing tracks mixed together – Chic's 'Good Times' and Love De-Luxe's 'Here Comes That Sound Again'. And The Sugarhill Gang's management initially released the song without crediting anyone else - until Nile Rodgers happened to hear an early version in a nightclub, threatened to sue, and got his name added to the credits. Though in that case at least the music was actually an interpolation rather than a sample – in other words they recorded new music that sounded the same, rather than just playing the original and rapping over it. And that idea of copying other people's compositions isn't new – so there was some kind of precedent there for dealing with it when it happens. But in the 70s and even into the 80s, actually sampling from another song is still new, people didn't really know how it should be dealt with. Because it goes without saying that, if someone copies another song's tune entirely, there's a copyright issue there. But if they take a two second long fragment of a song and loop it – to the point that it's not even recognisable – does that count as copyright infringement too? What if it's one of 20 such samples in a song? What happens then? So the arrival of sample-heavy hip hop creates this kind of no-man's land where other people's work is being used left, right and centre – entire songs are often built up of existing pieces of music that are cobbled together – but the creators of those pieces aren't getting credited, or compensated in any way. The Beastie Boy's 1989 album 'Paul's Boutique', for example takes samples from 105 songs – with one track alone having samples from 24 other songs. Most of those were used without permission. So where does Gilbert O'Sullivan come into this? In 1990, a rapper called Biz Markie is working on his third studio album – and one of the songs he plans to put on it is called 'Alone Again'. And in it, he loops the piano part from the intro of the Gilbert O'Sullivan song of a similar name and then, in between rap verses, he sings 'alone again, naturally' in the chorus. So it's very clear where he got the inspiration for his track from – and, in fairness, his label did write to Gilbert O'Sullivan to ask for his blessing in using the sample from his song. O'Sullivan told them he wanted to hear the song before he will give it his blessing, so they sent it to him. He then listened to it, decides he doesn't want his sample to be used, and turns down their request. But despite that Biz Markie decides to leaves the track – and its sample - on the album, which is released in 1991. Maybe he thought that would be the end of it – his 'Alone Again' song follows a very similar template to the big hit on his previous album 'Just a Friend', which was based on a song called 'Got What I Need' by Freddie Scott. Scott wasn't credited on that track and that didn't seem to result in any lawsuits. But O'Sullivan clearly had a different attitude to Scott - and sues Biz Markie's record label. The court rules in O'Sullivan's favour – saying the unauthorised use of song samples constitutes copyright infringement. The label is ordered to pay $250,000 – and forced to halt sales of the album, which is obviously costly too. And what really goes against Biz Markie is the fact that he asked for permission first – and when that wasn't given, he went ahead and used it anyway. So he couldn't really pretend to be ignorant of the need to get the original artist's approval. He also seemed to get a particularly hardline judge in Kevin Thomas Duffy. He quoted the Bible in his ruling – and even referred the case to the criminal courts, because he saw Markie as a thief... though no criminal case ever took place. Gilbert O'Sullivan's case wasn't the first attempt by an artist or record label to go the legal route to resolve a row around sampling – there would have been plenty of cases settled out of court, some cases would have been tied up in the courts at the time. But O'Sullivan's is the first one to secure a ruling. And so it became the industry precedent – and it set the bar for everything that came after it. So what impact did it have on the music industry? Well one immediate impact it had was the name of Biz Markie's next album – which he called 'All Samples Cleared'. But more significantly it really had a chilling effect on the practice of building songs out of countless samples – because suddenly there was a significant price to be paid if you did so without permission. And as it had been officially deemed copyright infringement, the copyright holders would have a right to be compensated for any use, and they have the right to refuse. If you look at that Beastie Boys album 'Paul's Boutique', with 104 songs sampled – some of those samples were approved but many weren't, and it's estimated that it would have added millions of dollars to the cost of the production if they had to pay for each of them. Realistically, that album never would have been made if the ruling had come a few years earlier. And you see the style of hip hop production shifting very quickly – from that sample-heavy example of 'Paul's Boutique' in 1989, to a much lighter approach by the likes of Dr Dre with 'The Chronic' in 1992. He tended to use only a handful of samples, often from artists he knew were okay with their stuff being reworked, and then he'd add in his own instrumentation around that. And that kind of became the new template for hip hop – which continues all the way through to today. And even though the ruling was made more than 30 years ago, there are other ways that it's continuing to shape the music industry. How? Well two consequences – one perhaps intended, the other probably unintended. The intended one is that we're now seeing more people being given a credit on modern pop and hip hop songs. Beyoncé got a lot of criticism for the fact that her Renaissance album had a total of 104 writers credited across its 16 tracks... one song in particular, 'Alien Superstar', has 24 writers credited. And part of that is because Beyoncé collaborates with a lot of writers and artists. But part of it is because she also uses lots of samples in her songs and now, when you use a song sample, the creators of that song get a credit on your song. So you might have cases now where an artist uses three samples in a song, each one from a song with two writers. And that means you have to add six names to your writing credits. Among the 'Alien Superstar' credits, for example, are Richard and Christopher Fairbrass. Most people won't know who they are – but they probably will know some of their music. Because Richard and Christopher Fairbrass are better known as Right Said Fred, and their song 'I'm Too Sexy' was the inspiration for the chorus of that particular Beyoncé song. So they both got a writing credit (and a few quid too). The other unintended consequence of the Biz Markie ruling is that pursuing writing credits has kind of become a sub-industry in its own right. There are now a number of companies who's whole business model is to buy up the rights to the music of niche or obscure, older artists. They then hunt down cases where their songs were sampled without permission, and file lawsuits looking for compensation. And sometimes the samples are so small, or they've been so heavily reworked, that they're nearly unidentifiable – so they use special software to analyse songs to find potential samples. In other cases it takes them getting the stems from the original recordings so they can listen to the various tracks in isolation and identify what the parts are made from. And, surprise surprise, Paul's Boutique is one of the albums that's been targeted by these types of companies. And it may not even matter how long ago the sample was used without permission - because as long as new versions and special editions of an album keeps getting released, the statute of limitations on a case keeps getting reset.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Baba Sehgal to Bohemia and Honey Singh: Tracing the Rise of Indian Rap Royalty
Before rap became a chart-topping fixture in Indian pop culture, it was the voice of rebellion echoing through the streets of the Bronx in the 1970s. Rooted in resistance, rhythm, and raw honesty, rap emerged as a storytelling tool for marginalized Black youth in America. It was poetry laid over beats, a soundtrack to survival. At the heart of it was DJ Kool Herc, a Jamaican immigrant whose iconic 'breakbeat' technique—looping instrumental segments—ignited the birth of hip-hop at New York block parties. When The Sugarhill Gang dropped Rapper's Delight in 1979, rap went mainstream. As its influence spread, echoes reached Indian shores in the early 1990s. Initially, Indian rap was more imitation than innovation. But it didn't take long for local voices to reshape it in their own image. 03:35 Dil Dhadke: Baba Sehgal India's First Verse: From Ashok Kumar to Baba Sehgal Though often overlooked, Ashok Kumar's Rail Gaadi (1968) is seen by many as India's first flirtation with rap—a spoken-word rhythm piece recited more than sung. But it was Baba Sehgal who gave rap a desi identity. His 1992 hit " Thanda Thanda Pani" mixed Hinglish lyrics, comic timing, and a distinct Indian flavor that made rap relatable to the masses. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Memperdagangkan CFD Emas dengan salah satu spread terendah? IC Markets Mendaftar Undo His music videos weren't just catchy—they were unapologetically local, laying the groundwork for future artists. While critics debated his 'authenticity,' Sehgal had cracked the mainstream. He didn't copy the West—he carved a niche. As he later said, 'I was doing something new. I wasn't trying to be anyone else.' Bollywood Joins the Beat By the late '90s and early 2000s, Bollywood began to toy with rap. Artists like Bali Brahmbhatt brought in hip-hop elements, but the big bang came with the arrival of Bohemia, Yo Yo Honey Singh , Badshah , and Raftaar. Bohemia, often dubbed the pioneer of Punjabi rap, brought depth and realism, reflecting the migrant experience. His tracks were introspective and raw. Meanwhile, Honey Singh turned rap into a party phenomenon with high-octane anthems that dominated dance floors, car stereos, and weddings. Badshah and Raftaar added further polish, fusing rap seamlessly into Bollywood. Yet the soul of the genre was often diluted. Baba Sehgal famously remarked: 'Bollywood has no rap. I feel that singing a few lines in a film song and the makers promoting it doesn't make it a rap song. Rap means rhythm and poetry, and it has a definite beginning and end... I feel doing a song on alcohol, women, and many other things is not rap; this is just like a gimmick.' Gully Boy: India's Hip-Hop Earthquake Then came Gully Boy (2019), a cinematic explosion that changed everything. Directed by Zoya Akhtar and inspired by real-life Mumbai rappers Divine and Naezy, the film captured the soul of Indian street rap. With Ranveer Singh playing a Dharavi-born rapper, the movie painted a poignant portrait of dreams, defiance, and identity. The film's anthem, Apna Time Aayega, became a generational slogan. It was more than a hit—it was a declaration. The film won critical acclaim and became India's official Oscar entry, legitimizing Indian rap like never before. Honey Singh Reflects on Past Mistakes & 'Glorifying Satanic Powers' In His Music: 'Meri Zindagi...' The Rise of the Independent Rhymes Post- Gully Boy , the indie rap scene exploded. Artists like Divine, Emiway Bantai, Seedhe Maut, Prabh Deep, and KR$NA now command huge fanbases without Bollywood backing. Their music speaks of caste, capitalism, politics, poverty, and pride—delivered in languages like Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, and Bengali. Streaming platforms and social media gave Indian rappers freedom. No labels, no gatekeepers—just beats, bars, and belief. The Nana Patekar Surprise In a quirky twist, Nana Patekar, in an exclusive conversation with ETimes, revealed that rapper Badshah told him he might've kickstarted Bollywood's rap trend. Recalling the Love Rap from the 1994 film Krantiveer , Nana said: I met Badshah recently, and he said I started the rap trend with that song from 'Krantiveer.' It was a lovely song, 'Love Rap,' featuring Bindu ji. We had so much fun shooting it. The choreographer eventually surrendered, saying, 'I can't teach Nana Patekar anything.' (Laughs) He told me, 'Jo karna hai karo; this is the frame.' My steps were entirely improvised. Even Bindu ji was instructed to manage whatever I did, and she did it brilliantly. From Rhymes to Revolution Indian rap today is a mirror of the country itself: multilingual, passionate, rebellious, and full of hustle. What started in the Bronx has bloomed in the bylanes of Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, and beyond. And as Gully Boy reminded us: Apna time aayega? No— it's already here.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why the Evergreen Sound of New York City Hip Hop Will Always Stay True
You simply can't get a party started today without a ready dose of New York hip-hop. The pithy candor of Ice Spice promises an intense, caption-rich anthem. Cash Cobain pushes boundaries with his progressive, nocturnal ballads, and Joey Bada$$ keeps a myriad of international die-hards rocking to his witticisms. Game, bravado, and lyricism get the woofers shaking in a New York minute. What's to thank for this forever bash? Imagine the coolest birthday party: a summer soiree that supplies a phenomenal gift. When the folks at 1520 Sedgewick Ave, in the Western stretches of the Bronx, spent their loose subway fare to party in the first-floor rec room, no one knew they'd kickstart a cultural makeover. Never-ending drum fills pounded from speakers as tall as Dr. J. while an afroed youngster (MC Coke La Rock) enchanted the room with a volley of sure-shot zingers. It's August 11, 1973, and DJ Kool Herc channels the city's nettled energy with a medley of sounds—funk, soul, and Latin bongos—doubled up for maximum groove via two turntables. It was a necessary assault on the senses birthed from dead-zoned blocks filled with disillusioned youth. The sound gave voice to that generation, which hustled from the bricks with a world-sopping hunger. More from Rolling Stone Just the Start: Alex Warren's Real Climb to Hitmaker Status David Shaw and Tarriona 'Tank' Ball Bring the Heat to New Orleans' Musicians on Musicians Event Making Music and Memories in Myrtle Beach Grandmaster Caz, lead MC of the mighty Cold Crush Brothers, lived within walking distance from Sedgewick and couldn't escape chatter about Herc's innovative party. He got a rise from hearing breathless tales about grungy drums pulled from old records dominating the mood and couldn't wait to add his agile lyrics and rhymes to the mix. From his black-and-white composition books to an unforgettable 'Rapper's Delight' verse, Caz brought timeless New York swagger to the forefront. The music met the wordsmith. One of New York hip-hop's famous features in the Eighties were the scathing cadence honed in neighborhood battles where the competition was severe. Plus, the constant boom-bap of blaring ghetto blasters kept the youth on edge. The sounds—banged on various lunchroom tables in New York City high schools—made MCs revel in the dissident joy of being tough, smart-mouthed, and wordy in a town made for larger-than-life slick talkers. Before his galactic debut, Big Daddy Kane mastered his craft in a high school cafeteria, later graced by luminaries like Busta Rhymes. And on Follow the Leader, his infallible sophomore LP, Rakim kept heads nodding and speakers blowing, proclaiming that 'competition is none.' In 1987, the famous battle between Bronx sovereign KRS-One and Queens scrapper MC Shan produced some of rap's most unforgettable disses, anticipating today's timeline-commanding beefs between Kendrick Lamar and Drake. New York not only proved that diss records can be straight-up bangers but also showed how cockiness and competitive drive can keep hip-hop both fun and reviving. That spirit hasn't always prevailed in the Rotten Apple—as the Nineties flourished, platinum singles seemed more beneficial than poignant verses, even as Biggie and Jay-Z became household names. Bad Boy Records pumped out hit after saccharine hit, making New York appear trite and overly materialistic. Still, classics by Gang Starr, Mobb Deep, and Wu kept soulful production and innovative lyrics at the forefront, restoring that vital, faithful appeal. The Diplomats revitalized New York in the early 2000s with emblematic mixtapes conveying their humorous Harlem quirks. And in the 2010s, A$AP Mob blessed the city with a burst of woozy geniality, showing that anyone could tap into their new Gotham mood. Recent Grammy recipients Rapsody and Doechii devoutly display their NY-influenced bona fides. Meanwhile, local icons Nas, Billy Woods, and Ghostface Killah continue dropping heat, securing the Big Apple as an undeniable hot spot. Approximately 50 years in, amidst the concrete slabs and tenements, it feels like only the sky's the limit. { pmcCnx({ settings: { plugins: { pmcAtlasMG: { iabPlcmt: 1, }, pmcCnx: { singleAutoPlay: 'auto' } } }, playerId: "ac5f547a-22e1-4877-8050-448c6e0f365c", mediaId: "ba4b409b-b58f-46fb-9144-d65e44f77333", }).render("connatix_player_ba4b409b-b58f-46fb-9144-d65e44f77333_3"); }); Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
Boston Globe
02-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Angie Stone, hip-hop pioneer-turned-neo-soul singer, dies at 63
A prolific songwriter with a sultry alto voice, Ms. Stone specialized in songs that combined laid-back tempos with layered instrumentation and vocals. Advertisement "Angie Stone will stand proud alongside Lauryn Hill as a songwriter, producer and singer with all the props in place to become a grande dame of the R&B world in the next decade," Billboard magazine wrote in 1999. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Ms. Stone (left), performing "America the Beautiful" with Alicia Keys during the NBA All-Star game in Philadelphia in 2002. DAN LOH/Associated Press By then, Ms. Stone was an industry veteran — not only as a singer, but as a songwriter for, and collaborator with, some of her era's biggest acts. She first emerged as a member of the Sequence, which she formed in 1978 with Cheryl Cook and Gwendolyn Chisolm. It was the first female group signed to Sugar Hill Records, the label that put rap on the map with the single "Rapper's Delight" (1979) by the Sugarhill Gang. The trio lasted only a few years, but in that time, it released several seminal rap singles, including 'Funk You Up' (1979) and 1981′s 'Funky Sound (Tear the Roof Off),' which have been sampled by Ice Cube, En Vogue, Dr. Dre, and other artists. Ms. Stone then spent more than a decade as a songwriter, backup singer, and band member for prominent acts such as Mary J. Blige, Lenny Kravitz, and D'Angelo. She was busy, and successful, but she found the anonymity of working behind the scenes frustrating. "I knew it wasn't my talent, because everybody wanted a piece of me for something," she told the Los Angeles Times in 2000. "After a while, I started to feel used. I thought, 'If I'm good enough to help Mary, and to do this and that, what is the problem?'" Advertisement Part of the issue was timing. Ms. Stone had been a member of two R&B acts — Vertical Hold and Devox — in the early 1990s, but their sound was considered out of sync with the mainstream. It was only after breakout hits by the likes of Hill and Badu later in the decade that Ms. Stone received the attention she thought she deserved. 'I really think that I was ahead of my time,' she told the Associated Press in 1999. 'My music caught up to time, or time caught up to my music.' Angela Laverne Brown was born Dec. 18, 1961, in Columbia, S.C. She started singing at an early age at her church, where her father, Bobby Williams, a lawyer's assistant, was part of a gospel quartet. Her mother, Iona (Brown) Williams, was a hospital technician. In 1979, Ms. Stone, Cook, and Chisolm sneaked backstage at a concert in Columbia where Sylvia Robinson, a founder of Sugar Hill Records, was seated. They auditioned then and there, and Robinson, impressed, said she would sign them to her label. They moved to New York and began recording. Ms. Stone's marriage to Rodney Stone, who performed under the stage name Lil' Rodney C with the rap group Funky Four Plus One, ended in divorce. She leaves her daughter from that marriage, Diamond Stone; a son from her relationship with D'Angelo, Michael D'Angelo Archer II; and two grandchildren. Ms. Stone had Type 2 diabetes, and she spoke openly about her efforts to lose weight. In 2006, she appeared on the television show 'Celebrity Fit Club,' losing 18 pounds over the course of the season. Advertisement She branched out into acting in the 2000s, with roles in "The Hot Chick" (2002), with Rob Schneider; "The Fighting Temptations" (2003), with Cuba Gooding Jr.; and "Ride Along" (2014), with Kevin Hart and Ice Cube. Onstage, she appeared as the prison matron Mama Morton in the Broadway production of "Chicago" in 2003. She also had small roles in several TV series, including "Girlfriends," starring Tracee Ellis Ross, for which she sang the opening theme. Ms. Stone recorded 10 studio albums, most recently 'Love Language' (2023). Among the 11 tracks is 'Old Thang Back,' which features her son, who performs under the name Swayvo Twain. This article originally appeared in
New York Times
02-03-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Angie Stone, Hip-Hop Pioneer Turned Neo-Soul Singer, Dies at 63
Angie Stone, a hip-hop pioneer in the late 1970s with the Sequence, one of the first all-female rap groups, who later switched gears as a solo R&B star with hits like 'No More Rain (In This Cloud)' and 'Wish I Didn't Miss You,' died on Saturday in Montgomery, Ala. She was 63. Her agent, Deborah Champagne, said she died in a hospital after being involved in a car crash following a performance. Alongside musicians like Erykah Badu, Macy Gray and Lauryn Hill, Ms. Stone was part of the neo-soul movement of the late 1990s and 2000s, which blended traditional soul with contemporary R&B, pop and jazz fusion. Her first album, 'Black Diamond' (1999), was certified gold, as was her sophomore effort, 'Mahogany Soul' (2001). A prolific songwriter with a sultry alto voice, Ms. Stone specialized in songs that combined laid-back tempos with layered instrumentation and vocals. 'Angie Stone will stand proud alongside Lauryn Hill as a songwriter, producer and singer with all the props in place to become a grande dame of the R&B world in the next decade,' Billboard magazine wrote in 1999. By then, Ms. Stone was an industry veteran — not only as a singer, but also as a songwriter for, and collaborator with, some of her era's biggest acts. She first emerged as a member of the Sequence, which she formed in 1978 with Cheryl Cook and Gwendolyn Chisolm. It was the first female group signed to Sugar Hill Records, the label that put rap on the map with the single 'Rapper's Delight' (1979) by the Sugarhill Gang. The trio lasted only a few years, but in that time it released several seminal rap singles, including 'Funk You Up' (1979) and 'Funky Sound (Tear the Roof Off)' (1981), which have been sampled by Ice Cube, En Vogue, Dr. Dre and other artists. Ms. Stone then spent more than a decade as a songwriter, backup singer and band member for prominent acts like Mary J. Blige, Lenny Kravitz and D'Angelo. She was busy, and successful, but she found the anonymity of working behind the scenes frustrating. 'I knew it wasn't my talent, because everybody wanted a piece of me for something,' she told The Los Angeles Times in 2000. 'After a while, I started to feel used. I thought, 'If I'm good enough to help Mary, and to do this and that, what is the problem?'' Part of the issue was timing. Ms. Stone had been a member of two R&B acts, Vertical Hold and Devox, in the early 1990s, but their sound was considered out of sync with the mainstream. It was only after breakout hits by the likes of Ms. Hill and Ms. Badu later that decade that Ms. Stone received the attention she thought she deserved. 'I really think that I was ahead of my time," she told The Associated Press in 1999. 'My music caught up to time, or time caught up to my music.' Angela Laverne Brown was born on Dec. 18, 1961, in Columbia, S.C. She started singing at an early age at her church, where her father, Bobby Williams, a lawyer's assistant, was part of a gospel quartet. Her mother, Iona (Brown) Williams, was a hospital technician. In 1979, Ms. Stone, Ms. Cook and Ms. Chisolm sneaked backstage at a concert in Columbia where Sylvia Robinson, a founder of Sugar Hill Records, was seated. They auditioned then and there, and Ms. Robinson, impressed, said she would sign them to her label. They moved to New York and began recording. Ms. Stone's marriage to Rodney Stone, who performed under the stage name Lil' Rodney C with the rap group Funky Four Plus One, ended in divorce. She is survived by her daughter from that marriage, Diamond Stone; a son from her relationship with D'Angelo, Michael D'Angelo Archer II; and two grandchildren. Ms. Stone had Type 2 diabetes, and she spoke openly about her efforts to lose weight. In 2006, she appeared on the television show 'Celebrity Fit Club,' losing 18 pounds over the course of the season. She branched out into acting in the 2000s, with roles in 'The Hot Chick' (2002), with Rob Schneider; 'The Fighting Temptations' (2003), with Cuba Gooding Jr.; and 'Ride Along' (2014), with Kevin Hart and Ice Cube. Onstage, she appeared as the prison matron Mama Morton in the Broadway production of 'Chicago' in 2003. She also had small roles in several TV series, including 'Girlfriends,' starring Tracee Ellis Ross, for which she sang the opening theme. Ms. Stone recorded 10 studio albums, most recently 'Love Language' (2023). Among the 11 tracks is 'Old Thang Back,' which features her son, who performs under the name Swayvo Twain.
