Case

by Greg Prato
A native New Yorker, Case got his start in the music biz in the '90s, singing backup on albums by several renowned R&B artists (such as Usher). Signed to the Def Jam label in the mid-'90s, Case issued his self-titled debut in 1996, followed by Personal Conversation in 1999 and Open Letter in 2001. On the latter release, Case wrote each song with a different person in mind ("A Song for Skye" was written for his daughter, while the tracks "Love of My Life" and "Shine" were inspired by the great Stevie Wonder). Case was joined by such big-name producers as Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, and Tim & Bob. In addition to his own albums, Case has appeared on the soundtracks for the movies Rush Hour, Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, and The Best Man (for the latter he teamed up with Tyrese, Ginuwine, and RL of Next for the track "Best Man I Can Be").