Al B. Sure!
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| Al B. Sure | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Albert Jason Brown III |
| Born | June 4, 1968 |
| Origin | Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Genres | Urban, New Jack Swing, Quiet Storm, R&B |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter, record producer, musician, disc jockey |
| Instruments | Vocals, keyboard |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Labels | Warner Bros. Records, Hidden Beach Records |
| Associated acts | Quincy Jones, Heavy D. |
Albert Jason Brown III (born June 4, 1968, Boston, Massachusetts) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He grew up in Leonia, New Jersey and Mount Vernon, New York.[1] During the late 1980s under the stage name Al B. Sure!, he enjoyed a brief run as one of New Jack Swing's most popular romantic singers[2] and producers.
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[edit] Music career
Brown was a star football quarterback at Mount Vernon High School in New York, who rejected an athletic scholarship to the University of Iowa to pursue a music career. In 1987, Quincy Jones selected Brown as the first winner of the Sony Innovators Talent Search. Subsequently, Brown went on to work with Jones on several projects, most notably the platinum single "Secret Garden" from Jones' double platinum album, Back on the Block. On this recording, Brown was one of a quartet with Barry White, El DeBarge, and James Ingram.
His debut album from 1988, In Effect Mode, sold more than two million copies, topping the Billboard R&B chart for seven straight weeks. The album included his single "Nite and Day", which topped the R&B chart and reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. He received numerous Grammy and American Music Award (AMA) nominations, and won an AMA for Best New R&B Artist. He also received several Soul Train Award nominations, and won the award for Best New Artist. He also won several New York Music Awards. In addition, his 900 phone line was third in generating revenue, following those for New Kids on the Block and Run-DMC.
As a writer and producer, Brown introduced the multi-platinum group Jodeci and teen R&B performer Tevin Campbell (also one of Quincy Jones's former protégés), as well as Faith Evans, Dave Hollister, Case, and Usher to the music industry.
In 2009, Brown signed with Hidden Beach Recordings. His first single, "I Love It (Papi Aye, Aye, Aye)" entered the Radio & Records Urban AC chart at #33 in one week. The album Honey I'm Home was released on June 23, 2009.
[edit] Other work
In 1991, Sure co-starred with Martin Lawrence in a television pilot titled Private Times. Other cast members included ER's Michael Michele and The Five Heartbeats' Michael Wright. Sure's various talk show appearances include The Oprah Winfrey Show, Late Night with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Good Morning America, The Arsenio Hall Show, Rolanda, and Donahue. Sure's television and acting performances include Showtime at the Apollo, Soul Train and The Soul Train Music Awards, the Grammys, the American Music Awards, Will Smith's Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and ABC's Magic Johnson Special from Hawaii. He also hosted MTV Jams.
In 2000, Sure's ABS Entertainment launched a television development division, and he served as co-executive producer of the HBO Comedy Special starring Jamie Foxx, filmed at the Paramount Theater in Oakland, California.
Recently, Sure teamed with the ABC Radio Network to produce a romantic nighttime show, The Secret Garden, hosted by him and featuring a blend of music and celebrity guests.
He participated in the Bless the Children Foundation celebrity auction along with NFL stars Charles Woodson and Anthony Dorsett. Sure was presented with the key to the city of Oakland by city council member Laurence E. Reid in recognition of the work of Sure's ABS Ken-Struk-Shen in refurbishing parts of the city. Reid proclaimed October 19 "Al B Sure! Day."
Sure was a DJ on the Los Angeles radio station KHHT, and played old school and R&B. He was one of 590 Clear Channel employees released in April 2009.
One of his three sons, known as Lil B. Sure! was featured on MTV series Rock the Cradle.
In 2010, Sure appeared as one of the 12 contestants on the TV One reality television dating game show The Ultimate Merger.[3] The series is produced by Donald Trump and stars former Apprentice contestant Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth, whom Sure has dated previously.[4]
[edit] Personal life
Sure has three sons: Quincy Brown (June 4, 1991), with Kimberly Porter (Who also made an appearance on Keeping Up with the Kardashians), Albert Brown IV (who is an aspiring singer with the stage name "Lil B. Sure!"); and Devin, who resides in Atlanta, Georgia. He also has a goddaughter, Paige Hurd.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | U.S. R&B | |||
| 1988 | In Effect Mode
|
20 | 1 |
|
| 1990 | Private Times...and the Whole 9!
|
20 | 4 |
|
| 1992 | Sexy Versus
|
41 | 2 | |
| 2009 | Honey I’m Home
|
85 | – | |
[edit] Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Hot 100 | U.S. R&B | U.S. Adult | U.S. Dance Singles | |||
| 1988 | "Nite and Day" | 7 | 1 | 19 | 1 | In Effect Mode |
| 1989 | "Off on Your Own (Girl)" | 45 | 1 | – | 8 | |
| "Killing Me Softly" | 80 | 14 | – | – | ||
| "Rescue Me" | – | 3 | – | 33 | ||
| "If I'm Not Your Lover" | – | 2 | – | – | ||
| "Somebody for Me” (Heavy D & The Boyz featuring Al B. Sure!) | – | 8 | – | 7 | Big Tyme | |
| 1990 | "The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)” (Quincy Jones featuring Al B. Sure!, Barry White, James Ingram & El DeBarge) | 31 | 1 | 26 | – | Back on the Block |
| "Misunderstanding" | 42 | 1 | – | 19 | Private Times...and the Whole 9! | |
| "Had Enuf" | – | 28 | – | – | ||
| 1991 | "No Matter What You Do" (featuring Diana Ross) | – | 4 | – | – | |
| 1992 | "Right Now" | 47 | 1 | – | 11 | Sexy Versus |
| "U & I" | – | – | – | – | ||
| "Natalie" | – | 56 | – | – | ||
| 1993 | "I Don't Wanna Cry" | – | 83 | – | – | |
| "Black Tie White Noise" (David Bowie featuring Al B. Sure!) | – | – | – | – | Black Tie White Noise | |
| 2009 | "I Love It (Papi Aye, Aye, Aye)" | – | 72 | – | – | Honey I'm Home |
[edit] References
- ^ Holden, Stephen. "The Pop Life", The New York Times, October 31, 1990. Accessed March 30, 2011. "The singer, who lives in northern New Jersey, was born in Boston, lived in Leonia, N.J., for several years, then moved to Goshen, N.Y., and went to high school in Mount Vernon, N.Y."
- ^ Huey, Steve. "Biography: Al B. Sure!". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p50835. Retrieved 10 April 2010.
- ^ "Al B. Sure Among Competitors for Omarosa's Love.", BlackAmericaWeb.com, June 17, 2010. Retrieved July 14, 2010.
- ^ Bland, Bridget (June 14, 2010). "Omarosa Says New Reality Show Isn't Run-of-the-Mill 'Love' Fare". AOL Black Voices. http://www.bvnewswire.com/2010/06/14/omarosa-new-realty-show-love-ultimate-merger/. Retrieved July 14, 2010.
- ^ "Al B.Sure!". Soulsystem.it. http://www.soulsystem.it/artist.asp?artist=514. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
- ^ Billboard 200 Billboard.com
- ^ "Al B. Sure! -| Official Site | www.AlBSure.net - Home". Honeyimhome2009.com. http://www.honeyimhome2009.com/. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
- ^ "Hidden Beach - Al B. Sure! :: Honey I'm Home :: Full Album :: Honey I'm Home [CD ALBUM] - AUTOGRAPHED - 30 Available". Shop.hiddenbeach.com. http://shop.hiddenbeach.com/index.php?target=products&product_id=30499. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
- ^ "AL B. SURE! - Honey I'm Home - In stores June 23". Hiddenbeach.com. http://hiddenbeach.com/albsure/. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
[edit] External links
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Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Al B. Sure! |
- American male singers
- 1969 births
- African-American people
- Living people
- American radio personalities
- American record producers
- American rhythm and blues keyboardists
- American rhythm and blues singers
- American rhythm and blues singer-songwriters
- Songwriters from Massachusetts
- American soul singers
- Reality television participants
- Musicians from Boston, Massachusetts
- People from Leonia, New Jersey
