Bilal (musician)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Bilal Oliver


Img_capt = Photo by Jalylah Burrell
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Background = group_or_band
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Born = birth date and age|1979|8|12
Origin = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died =
Genre = Neo soul
Years_active = 1995 - present
Label = Universal Records
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URL = [http://www.myspace.com/bilaloliver]
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Bilal Sayeed Oliver (born August 1979), also known by the stage name of just Bilal, is an American "neo soul" and jazz singer, who is also a member of the loose collective, the Soulquarians.

Career

In 2001, he released his debut album "1st Born Second", which featured contributions from the Soulquarians as well as high profile producers such as Dr. Dre. The album, while critically lauded, failed to achieve any significant mainstream success, and received limited promotion (although the single "Soul Sista" became fairly popular on late night alternative radio). Despite this, Bilal managed to gain a sizable following and high attendance at his live shows, as well as much acclaim and respect from his peers, many whom noted his range and ability to sing in a freeform style, and his classically trained falsetto.

In the following years Bilal continued to appear on projects by other artists both high profile and avant garde, while recording and developing his follow-up set to be released on Interscope Records and featuring contributions primarily from producers Dr. Dre and J Dilla (as heard by Dilla himself). These plans proved to be changeable and the final result, "Love For Sale", was an album that appeared to be built around Bilal's own musicianship, with many of the tracks produced and written by the artist himself. However, near the album's completion, Interscope delayed the release date, then shelved the album indefinitely, hinting that it saw little commercial potential in it since it had already leaked online in its entirety. Online, many fans and music critics expressed their sadness that what they viewed as a carefully crafted album would be kept from a proper release. Though he continues to tour, Bilal's label situation is presently unknown.

Discography

Albums

*"1st Born Second" (2001), Interscope - # 31 US
*"Love for Sale" (2006) - unreleased (though a 2XLP vinyl release is available in Europe)

ingles

*"Fast Lane"; # 41 R&B, # 27 R&R-Urban, # 7 Germany Black Singles
*"Love It"; # 61 R&B
*"Soul Sista"; # 71 US, # 18 R&B

Appearances

* Common and Jill Scott, on "Funky For You" from "Like Water for Chocolate"
* Common on "Nag Champa (Afrodesiac For The World)" from "Like Water for Chocolate"
* Common, on "The 6th Sense" from "Like Water for Chocolate"
* Common and John Legend, on "Faithful" from "Be"
* Common, on "It's Your World/Pop's Reprise" from "Be"
* Common, on "Black Maybe" from "Finding Forever"
* Guru and J Dilla, on "Certified" from ""
* Hezekiah, on track "Looking Up"
* Jadakiss and Dr. Dre, on the single "Fast Lane"
* Clipse and Pharell Williams, on "Nightmares" from "Hell Hath No Fury"
* He had a duet with Beyoncé named "Everything I Do", a soundtrack of The Fighting Temptations.
* Common on "Play Your Cards Right" from "Smokin' Aces" soundtrack.
* Timbo King & The Last Poets on "Trust Factor" on the Maccabeez mixtape"Spookz Who Kicked Down The Door"
* Ghostface Killah & Prodigy of Mobb Deep on "Trials of Life" off an unknown DJ Green Lantern mixtape.
* Talib Kweli on "Waitin' for the DJ" & "Talkin' to You" off "Quality"
* Jermaine Dupri on "Supafly" off "Instructions"
* Da Ranjahz & Ras Kass on "Da Dopest"
* Jaguar Wright on "I Can't Wait" off "Deanials Delusions and Decisions"
* Tweet on "Best Friend" off "Southern Hummingbird"
* Musiq on "Dontstop/Her" off "Soulstar"
* Sa-Ra on "Sweet Sour You" off "The Hollywood Recordings"
* Jay-Z on "Fallin'" off "American Gangster"
* Erykah Badu on "The Healer","My People","Soldier","Twinkle" & "Master Teacher" off "New Amerykah Part One (4th World War)"
* Boney James's "Better With Time", from "Pure"
* The Game (rapper) on "Cali Sunshine" off L.A.X.
*Solange on Cosmic Journey off of her second album SoL-Angel And The Hadley St. Dreams
* M.O.P. on "Get Rich"

External links

* [http://www.bilal-the-man.com/home.html Bilal Online] Official site
* [http://www.obnoxiouslisteners.com/album/1st-born-second-bilal/ Obnoxious Listener's Review of Bilal]
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