John Legend
Template:Infobox musical artist 2 John Legend (born John Stephens on 28 December 1978) is an American R&B singer, songwriter, and pianist. His debut studio album, the platinum-selling Get Lifted, was released in late 2004, and features collaborations with rapper and producer Kanye West as well as Snoop Dogg. Get Lifted produced two singles: "Used to Love U" (US top 100, UK top 30) and "Ordinary People" (US and UK top 30). Legend has won five Grammy Awards. Prior to the release of his debut album, Legend's career gained momentum through a series of successful collaborations with multiple established artists. Notably, Legend sang the hooks for hits by Slum Village ("Selfish", also featuring Kanye West), Jay-Z ("Encore"), and Dilated Peoples ("This Way", also featuring Kanye West); played piano on Lauryn Hill's "Everything is Everything"; and sang background vocals on Alicia Keys' "You Don't Know My Name" and Fort Minor's "High Road."
Biography
Legend was born in Springfield, Ohio. His career began at the age of 3, when his grandmother began teaching him to play gospel piano. By the time he was 7 years old, Legend was singing with the church choir and taking lessons in classical music. Legend attended Springfield North High School, graduating as Salutatorian at 16. He was also prom king and president of the student council.
Legend attended the University of Pennsylvania (Class of 1999), where he studied English with an emphasis on African American literature and culture. While at Penn, he helmed Counterparts, a coed jazz and pop a cappella group as President (1997-1998) and Musical Director (1998-1999). Legend's lead vocals on the group's recording of Joan Osbourne's "One of Us" propelled the song to critical acclaim,[1] landing it a coveted spot on the track list of the 1998 Best of Collegiate a Cappella compilation CD.
Oddly enough, his first job after graduating from Penn was not in the music business -- Legend began working for the Boston Consulting Group in Boston and then New York City. Before becoming a mainstream artist, Legend hit the nightclub circuit in New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., performing as an independent artist and distributing live LPs such as John Stephens and Live at SOB's.
It was John Legend's roommate and former Penn classmate, Devon Harris, professionally known as Devo Springsteen, who introduced Legend to his cousin and then up-and-coming hip hop artist Kanye West. Since that meeting, Legend and West have worked closely together, with West signing Legend as the first artist to join his new label, G.O.O.D. Music. Legend sang many of the melodic hooks on West’s demo, which would eventually become the Grammy Award winning album The College Dropout; in turn, West provided rhythm tracks for Legend’s demo, which would evolve into Get Lifted. Recently, Legend contributed to fellow G.O.O.D artist Common's LP, Be, and provided vocals for "High Road" on the album The Rising Tied by Fort Minor (Mike Shinoda).
Recent endeavors
Legend performed during the pregame show of Super Bowl XL in Detroit.[2] He also performed during the halftime show at the 2006 NBA All-Star Game,[3] and he performed "God Bless America" during the 7th inning stretch at the 2006 Major League Baseball All Star Game in Pittsburgh, PA.[4] also he performed at the Grammy Awards.
He is also featured in the Black Eyed Peas song, "Like That". The song "Ordinary People" was originally meant to be for a Black Eyed Peas project, but Legend decided to keep it for himself and recorded the song after he had been signed to Columbia Records.
Legend appears on the soundtrack to the film The Second Chance with the song, "Refuge".
Template:Sound sample box align rightTemplate:Sample box end The first single from his second album, Once Again, was "Save Room". The album was released October 24 2006, and boasts production from Kanye West, Raphael Saadiq, and will.i.am.
In an interview with MTV.com, Legend said the new album would contain his favorite song that he has written to date, entitled "Again." He said he actually came up with the idea for the song and wrote some of it while sitting on a subway. He stated that the song was also the inspiration for the album's title.[citation needed]
The video for his latest single, "P.D.A. (We Just Don't Care)", features Alexandre Rodrigues and Alice Braga from the critically acclaimed film, City of God.
Legend recently launched the Show Me Campaign[5], through which his fans are encouraged to donate funds toward improving the living situations and prospects of victims of extreme poverty in Mbola, Tanzania. Legend, in early 2008, is currently touring with Prof. Jeff Sachsof Columbia University's Earth Institute, to promote sustainable development as a pragmatic, realizable goal.
John Legend is also working with Michael Jackson for his next album.
Legend appears in a recent commercial for a Lexus SUV, in which Legend is shown listening to Nina Simone's "Backlash Blues" (recorded live in Paris, 1968, on The Great Show LP) and describing his experience with the music. He is also notable for performing closing music in many of Apple Computer CEO Steve Jobs' keynote presentations.
On 7 July 2007, Legend participated in the Live Earth concert in London, performing "Ordinary People". On July 8, 2007, he participated in the Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland, with India.Arie. On July 11, 2007, he participated in the Jazz Open Festival in Stuttgart, Germany, with Amy Winehouse.
On July 26 2007, he hosted a John Legend Network Members Only Party and Concert called "The Kings & Queens Bash" at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, PA. There were 500 participants in attendance and he introduced the acts from his new label, Homeschool Records to his John Legend Network fans: Estelle, his brother, Vaughn Anthony Stephens, Lucy Woodward and The James Gang. Nikki Jean, a local Philadelphia artist also performed. A highlight was John Legend's rendition of the hit song Ordinary People which he performed with jazz harmonicist Frédéric Yonnet. The John Legend Network facilated a contest where a fan could win a chance to sing "King & Queen" with John Legend (the duet that John Legend recorded with Mary J. Blige) and the winner was Dorothy Saintus of Crest Hill, Illinois, where she and John Legend performed the duet live in front of everyone there.
He appeared on the season finale of Curb Your Enthusiasm, singing a cover of You Don't Know Me.
Legend returned to his hometown on Christmas Eve 2007 for a Coming Home Christmas Benefit Concert in the auditorium of North High School. The performance featured several local talent from Springfield, including Legend's younger brother Vaughn Stephens, who helped organize the concert. The performance also featured a tribute to Jason Collier, and proceeds went to a scholarship fund set up in his name for local high schoolers.[6]
In January, 2008, he sang in a video for Barack Obama produced by Will.I.Am called Yes We Can.[1]
Discography
Studio albums
- Get Lifted
- Released: December 28 2004
- Chart positions: 4 U.S., 12 UK
- U.S. sales: 2 million
- RIAA certification: Platinum
- Worldwide sales: 3 million
- Once Again
- Released: October 24 2006
- Chart positions: 3 U.S., 10 UK
- U.S. Sales: 1.6 million
- RIAA certification: Platinum
- Worldwide sales: 2.5 million[7]
- Third Studio Album
- Released: 2008
Live albums
- 2001: Live at Jimmy's Uptown
- 2002: Live at SOB's
- 2003: Solo Sessions Vol. 1: Live at the Knitting Factory
- 2006: John Legend: Live at the House of Blues
- 2007: John Legend: Live at the Tin Angel
- 2008: John Legend: Live from Philadelphia exclusively at Target
- U.S. Sales: 70,158[8]
Novelty albums
- 2007: John Legend: Sounds of the Season
Singles
| Year | Song | Chart positions[9] | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Hot 100 | U.S. R&B | UK | Italy | Dutch Top 40 | |||
| 2004 | "Used to Love U" | 74 | 32 | 29 | 36 | – | Get Lifted |
| 2005 | "Ordinary People" | 24 | 4 | 27 | 30 | 20 | |
| "Number One" (featuring Kanye West) | – | 86 | 62 | – | - | ||
| "So High" (featuring Lauryn Hill) | – | 53 | 118 | – | - | ||
| 2006 | "Save Room" | 61 | 17 | – | 6 | 11 | Once Again |
| "Heaven" | 112 | 26 | – | – | – | ||
| 2007 | "P.D.A. (We Just Don't Care)"[10] | – | – | 196 | – | 18 | |
| "Stereo" | – | 47 | – | – | 17 | ||
| "Another Again" | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| "Each Day Gets Better" | - | - | - | - | – | ||
Guest appearances
| Year | Song | Artist | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | "Lucifer" | Jay-Z | The Black Album |
| "Encore" | Jay-Z | The Black Album | |
| "Swing By My Way" | Will.i.am | Must B 21 | |
| "Summer Kiss" | Gerald Veasley | Velvet | |
| 2004 | "Hey Girl" | Estelle | The 18th Day |
| "Freedom" | Estelle | The 18th Day | |
| "This Way" | Dilated Peoples | Neighborhood Watch | |
| "U Know" | White Boy | No Gray Area | |
| "So Soulful" | Consequence | Take 'Em to the Cleaners | |
| "Getting Out the Game" | Consequence | Take 'Em to the Cleaners | |
| "Selfish" | Slum Village | Detroit Deli | |
| "Around My Way" | Talib Kweli | The Beautiful Struggle | |
| 2005 | "It's Alright" | Kanye West | The College Dropout bonus CD |
| "Faithful" | Common | Be | |
| "They Say" | Common | Be | |
| "Grown Man Pt. 2" | Young Gunz | Brothers From Another | |
| "I've Been Waiting On You" | Miri Ben-Ari | The Hip-Hop Violinist | |
| "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" | John Legend | Hitch Soundtrack | |
| "Like That" | Black Eyed Peas | Like That Single | |
| "Love Won't Let Me Wait" | Luther Vandross | So Amazing | |
| "Touch" | Ray Charles | Genius & Friends | |
| "Hello, It's Me" | John Legend | iTunes Exclusive | |
| "Please Don't Stop" | Richard Bona | Tiki | |
| "High Road" | Fort Minor | The Rising Tied | |
| "Home" | Kanye West | Freshmen Adjustment | |
| 2006 | "Please Baby Don't" | Sergio Mendes | Timeless |
| "Sing You Sinners" | Tony Bennett | Duets: An American Classic | |
| "Finally" | Fergie | The Dutchess | |
| "Do U Wanna Ride" | Jay-Z | Kingdom Come | |
| "King & Queen" | Mary J. Blige | Reflections - A Retrospective | |
| "Tōkage (遠影)" | Chemistry (band) | Tōkage (遠影) | |
| 2007 | "Feel This Way" | Consequence | Don't Quit Your Day Job |
| "Loneliness" | Keyshia Cole | Just Like You | |
| "Where We Were Wrong" | Keyshia Cole | Just Like You | |
| "Ghetto Rich" | Rich Boy | Rich Boy | |
| "Eternity" | Big & Rich | Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace | |
| "Celebrate" | Cassidy | B.A.R.S. The Barry Adrian Reese Story | |
| "Wait a Minute (Just a Touch)" | Estelle | Shine |
Other appearances
- 1998: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - Lauryn Hill ("Everything is Everything") (pianist)
- 2003: Elephunk - Black Eyed Peas ("The Boogie That Be") (as a lead vocalist and co-writer)
- 2003: "You Don't Know My Name" - Alicia Keys (vocals & Pianist)
- 2003: Be - Common - ("They Say") (vocals)
- 2004: "If I Ain't Got You" (Kanye West Remix) - Alicia Keys (as a co-writer, pianist and vocalist)
- 2004: "I Want You - Janet Jackson (as a co-writer and pianist)
- 2004: The College Dropout - Kanye West ("Graduation", "Jesus Walks", "Never Let Me Down" featuring Jay-Z and J Ivy, "Slow Jamz", "Family Business","Last Call") (as a pianist and cameo appearances in the videos for "Slow Jamz" and "The New Workout Plan")
- 2004: The Beautiful Struggle - Talib Kweli ("I Try" featuring Mary J. Blige) (as a co-writer, pianist and vocalist)
- 2004: "Around My Way" - Talib Kweli (lead vocalist and pianist)
- 2004: "Overnight Celebrity" - Twista (pianist)
- 2005: Late Registration - Kanye West ("Hey Mama", "Celebration")
- 2006: Listennn... the Album - DJ Khaled ("Grammy Family")
- 2006: "Young Man" - Blacksmith: The Movement (background vocals)
- 2006: The Dutchess - Fergie ("Finally" -Pianist)
- 2007: Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace - Big & Rich ("Eternity (Intro)")
- 2007: Graduation - Kanye West ("Good Life", "The Glory")
- 2007: B.A.R.S. - The Barry Adrian Reese Story - Cassidy ("Celebrate")
- 2007: I AM - Chrisette Michele ("Love is You" -Pianist)
- 2007: August Rush Soundtrack - John Legend ("Someday")
Mixtape appearances
- 2003: I'm Good - Kanye West ("Intro" featuring John Legend)
- 2003: "Got Nowhere" (remix) - Kanye West
- 2003: "Last Night" featuring John Legend - Kanye West
- 2003: Get Well Soon - Kanye West ("Home" featuring John Legend - uncredited)
- 2004: "Used to Love U" (remix) featuring Naledge - John Legend
- 2006: "Do What I Gotta Do" - John Legend [The Good Life Mixtape]
- 2006: "Back In the Day" - The Last Poets featuring John Legend [The Good Life Mixtape]
- 2006: "So High (Cloud 9 remix)" - John Legend featuring Lauryn Hill [The Good Life Mixtape]
- 2006: "All Falls Down (Live)" - Kanye West featuring John Legend [The Good Life Mixtape]
Awards
- American Music Awards
- 2005, Favorite Male R&B/Soul Artist: (nominated)
- BET Awards
- 2007, Best Male R&B Artist (nominated)
- 2005, Best New Artist
- 2005, Best Male R&B Artist: (nominated)
- 2005, Video of the Year: "Ordinary People" (nominated)
- Grammy Awards
- 2007, Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: "Heaven"
- 2007, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: "Family Affair"
- 2007, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: "Save Room" (nominated)
- 2006, Best New Artist
- 2006, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: "So High" (nominated)
- 2006, Best R&B Album: Get Lifted
- 2006, Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance: "Stay With You" (nominated)
- 2006, Best R&B Male Vocal Performance: Ordinary People
- 2006, Best R&B Song: "Ordinary People" (nominated)
- 2006, Song of the Year: "Ordinary People" (nominated)
- 2006, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: "They Say" (nominated)
- MOBO Awards
- 2005, Best Video: "Ordinary People" (nominated)
- 2005, Best R&B Act
- 2005, Best Album: Get Lifted (nominated)
- MTV Video Music Awards
- 2005, Best Male Video: "Ordinary People" (nominated)
- 2005, Best New Artist: "Ordinary People" (nominated)
- 2005, Best R&B Video: "Ordinary People" (nominated)
- Soul Train Awards
- 2007, Best R&B/Soul Single Male: "Save Room"
- 2007, Best R&B/Soul Album Male: Once Again (Nominated)
- 2006, Best R&B/Soul Single Male: "Ordinary People"
- 2006, Best R&B/Soul Album Male: Get Lifted
- 2005, Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist: "Used to Love U" (nominated)
- Vibe Awards
- 2005, Best R&B Song: "Ordinary People" (nominated)
- 2005, Album of the Year: Get Lifted (nominated)
- 2005, Artist of the Year: (nominated)
- 2005, R&B Voice of the Year: (nominated)
Philanthropy
After reading Professor Jeffrey Sachs' book, "The End of Poverty", John Legend was inspired to visit Ghana to learn more about making life better for others. This is when he started The Show Me Campaign in 2007. With this campaign, Legend is calling on his fans to help him in his initiative for those who reside in Bossaso Village and few other non-profit organizations that the campaign partners with.
In 2007, John Legend became the spokesman for GQ Magazine's THE GENTLEMEN'S FUND™, an initiative to raise support and awareness for five cornerstones essential to men: opportunity, health, education, environment, and justice.
In May 2007, John Legend partnered with Tide to raise awareness about the need of families in St. Bernard's Parish- one of the most devastated areas hit by Hurricane Katrina. He spent a day folding laundry at The Tide Clean Start mobile laundromat and visited homes that Tide is helping to rebuild in that community.
In October 2007, John Legend got involved with the Gap's (PROJECT) Red Campaign called (2 WEEKS). The T-shirt features a compelling message about the direct impact that you can make on a person's life with your purchase. Gap's contribution to the Global Fund from the sale of each (2 WEEKS) t-shirt is equivalent to the average cost of 2 weeks of antiretroviral medicine in Africa, which enables people living with HIV to lead healthy, normal lives.
References
- ^ REVIEW: UPenn Counterparts - Housekeeping
- ^ For The Record: Quick News On R. Kelly, Jamie Foxx, Green Day, Hilary Duff, Diddy, Tommy Lee & More - MTV News
- ^ John Legend and Carrie Underwood Set for All-Star Halftime Show - NBA
- ^ Musical performers announced for Major League Baseball All-Star Week - Major League Baseball
- ^ Show Me Campaign
- ^ John Legend home for Christmas concert
- ^ Graff, Gary (November 16 2007). Legend Tapping Kanye, Pharrell for New Album. Billboard. Accessed November 18 2007.
- ^ Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 2/3/08 | Hip Hop News > HipHopDX.com
- ^ Artist Chart History. Billboard. Accessed November 18 2007.
- ^ http://www.hmv.co.uk/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;-1;-1;-1&sku=602764 "P.D.A. (We Just Don't Care)" single confirmation.