Jill Scott: Through the Years
The road from struggling singer to critically acclaimed actress is no easy feat. But then again everyone is not Jill Scott. From starring in 'Why Did I Get Married' and Lifetime's 'Sins of the Mother' to racking up multiple Grammy Awards, the 37-year-old North Philadelphia native has made a name for herself as an entertainer to watch. Black Voices takes a look at Jill Scott: Through the Years.
Jill Scott: Through the Years
An only child, Scott was born in North Philadelphia. She was raised by her mother and grandmother, and her hometown earned her the early nickname "Jilly from Philly."
Jill Scott: Through the Years
Scott made her rounds as a regular at Philly's popular Tuesday night music and spoken word showcase, Black Lily at the Five Spot. There, she was discovered by The Roots drummer Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, who tapped Scott to co-write the group's Grammy Award-winning song 'You Got Me,' with additional vocals from her friend Erykah Badu.
Jill Scott: Through the Years
Before making the jump to music, Scott attended Temple University for three years before dropping out. Poet Sonia Sanchez was the first Presidential Fellow at Temple, where she began working in 1977 and taught as the Laura Carnell Chair until retiring in 1999. Here, the two women, who share this Temple connection, pose for pictures at a 2005 fundraiser for Scott's Blues Babe Foundation at Saks Fifth Avenue in Philadelphia.
Jill Scott: Through the Years
Scott was the first artist signed to Hidden Beach Recordings. Her 2000 debut album, 'Who is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1,' was nominated for best R&B album in 2001 and included three hit songs: 'A Long Walk, 'Gettin' in the Way' and 'He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat).'
Jill Scott: Through the Years
Scott paid tribute to Michael Jackson at the King of Pop's 2001 30th anniversary celebration show in New York. Most don't know about her performance because It was not part of the CBS televised portion. But she performed Jackson's part of the Scarecrow from 'The Wiz' on the song 'Ease on Down the Road.' Monica played Dorothy, Al Jarreau played the Tin Man and Deborah Cox took on the role of the Cowardly Lion.
Jill Scott: Through the Years
In 2005, Scott published her first book, 'The Moments, The Minutes, The Hours,' a compilation of her poems. From breakup poems to love sonnets, Scott showed her fans that she has more to offer than Grammy-nominated singles.
Jill Scott: Through the Years
Shortly after releasing her debut, Scott tied the knot with her boyfriend of seven years, Lyzel Williams. The couple, who married in 2001 during a vacation in Hawaii, divorced in 2007 after six years of marriage. Scott famously penned the ballad 'He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat)' about her relationship with the graphic artist and DJ.
Jill Scott: Through the Years
Three years after releasing her live album, 'Experience Jill Scott 826+,' Scott released her second studio LP, 'Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol.2.' The introspective record, which featured Scott's childhood picture as the cover, became her first number-one album. It also featured the hit song 'Golden,' which has been featured on several television shows, films and even commercials.
Jill Scott: Through the Years
Though her 2000 debut earned Scott four Grammy nominations, it wasn't until 2005 that the 'Golden' singer won her first Grammy for best urban/alternative R&B performance for 'Cross My Mind.' The song was featured on her sophomore album, 'Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol.2.'
Jill Scott: Through the Years
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Comments: (71)
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By: cole on 3/01/2011 10:01PM
I thought she should have kept her daily television show. But she didn't ask for my opinion.
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By: levram on 3/02/2011 12:23AM
She didn't need to ask your opinion. She made her millions without your opinion and she'll pull this one off too.Either you are for her or against her. If you have a suggestion that will help her out offer it.
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By: Jh on 3/02/2011 2:07AM
Duh...it has only been two months. She is still on ABC. Why is it that people who don't know a damn thing about business always have ignorant responses. BRAVO was the same way in the beginning and so many other networks. When the only place Oprah's fans can get her is on her network there will be a shift. Hell, people are still trying to figure out what channel to turn to for OWN. Patience silly people.
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By: Eugene on 3/02/2011 9:56AM
It is still way too early in the game to call OWN a failure. I think once her daytime television show comes to an end not only can she focus more on making OWN a success, but she can import the key "behind the scenes people" that helped make her talk show a hit over to OWN to make it a success as well.
Let's see where OWN stands 6 months from now before trying to predict the fate of the network.
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By: David on 3/03/2011 9:17AM
Other than her "girlfriend" Gail I don't think there is another black face on her network. The success or failure of Oprah's all white racially segregated network is a non story for black people. She's discriminating the same way white racist Jews did with the three major TV networks. But nobody black wants to speak out about it. If it fails it's no lost to black people..because we are not on it.
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By: david on 3/04/2011 1:30PM
Most people do not understand the business behind running a television channel. Especially a cable channel. The idea that in 2 months the network is supposed to be a raving success is not how things work. The network had a strong opening, which is good, but any new network knows it takes several years to assess if it has an ability to draw in many viewers for the long term. Networks go through a series upgrades and program changes as they see they need to.
Given 3 to 5 years is the appropriate time to know where OWN is headed. Now that’s coming from someone who understands the business of entertainment.
The only reason why this is news at all is because it’s Oprah.
Now as for the racial aspect of it, let’s keep it real. Most of Oprah’s viewers were white. While creating the network it was her expressed intent to draw her audience from her talk show over to the network. She didn’t make a decision and say well I need to specifically decisions based on race or another. That would be a bad business move.
Diversity for the sake of pacifying African Americans does not mean good business. Yet she does have an African American at the helm of the network that turned MTV and VH1 into successful networks as well as Gail and Lisa Ling as other examples onscreen.
Yet I must harp on the fact that she created a network with a specific purpose to share her larger vision of the world with those who follow her. She wants inspirational, self-help, and other series that help to lift and inspire her viewer-ship. Simply having more black faces is not going to do that. That’s a fact. It’s about having the right programs that draw in the viewer to the channel with the right host regardless of race that can compliment the networks vision.
So while I as an African American champion the cause of diversity I also know that constantly counting how many black faces appear on this or that is not the road to Jericho.
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By: Gary on 4/03/2012 10:52PM
Wow leveram, you come from a place of fear, eh? Cole never said Oprah needed to ask her opinion. She also never denied Oprah made millions without her opinion.
It sounds like you're part of the Oprah team and you're coming from a place of terror because this doesn't seem to be working out. I like Oprah but your comments speak for themself.
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By: Youth Code on 3/01/2011 10:18PM
Its still brand new and really don't have a set schedule yet. A lot of the programming so far are fillers with Oprahs friends. I remember working at Comcast when the Food Networl first aired. Talk about a snooze fest and angry customers. Now, we can't get enough of it.
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By: levram on 3/02/2011 12:17AM
I agree,Oprah is truly the eighth wonder of the world. Don't be so quick to turn on her. This is new for her and they need time to work out the cranks. The major thing is that she has her own network. It's like buying a new house it's ok if it takes you a few years to furnish it exactly the way you want you still own the house. Look at the big picture folks and let's watch the network.
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By: ooozzzzz on 3/01/2011 10:46PM
Oprah's not losing her golden touch, she just needs to expand her touch to reach more male, younger and older viewers.
The problem with Oprah's OWN network is that all her TV shows are an off-shoot reflection similiar to her daytime talk show topics which attracts her long time fans but does not cause interest in attracting brand new fans who likes the variety/ different types of TV programs with action, drama, violence and all the other dynamics that attract those fans and Oprah's TV programs offer none of that.
And in Oprah's case, she wants to be different and not use any of those different genres on her network and right now that's costing her viewers.
Her shows have a fluff "Martha Stewart" softness type quality to it, is based soley on what her female audience who watch her daytime talk show likes and many of her TV slots are about her, her personal and business life, a few "Lifetime network" type movies and many of her employees talk shows (Gayle King, Dr. Phil & Dr. Oz).
Oprah is going to have to comes to grips with the real world reality of understanding that she will have to consider expanding her demographic and widen her age group beyond her daytime talk show fan base of 25 to 54 to include more mainstream programming which will especially bring the younger viewer, male viewers and older viewers to her network.
She running her network like her daytime talk show (strictly for her fans) and it's not working. There are too many choices out there that offer more variety for people to grab the remote and change the channel.
Oprah, you need to re-evaluate your standards.
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