You bob your head to their beats, pay to see the artists in concert and grew up on their musical influence. We love them for what they do behind-the-scenes of your favorite songs and artists.

They might not be in the spotlight of the music industry, but have shined off-stage with their talent. In celebration of Black Music Month, here are a few music moguls who have made a name for themselves in the background of the music industry.

via Facebook

Bernard Belle

As the brother of R&B singer Regina Belle, producer and songwriter Bernard Belle got his start as an R&B guitarist behind the group The Manhattans. After his beginnings, Belle went on to produce and write music with Teddy Riley in the mid to late 1980s, credited with co-writing Michael Jackson’s “Remember The Time” and soon became one of the production pioneers of the New Jack Swing music era of the 1990s, producing and writing for Al B. Sure, Whitney Houston, Patti Labelle and many others.

Source: WENN

Everyone knows that Kandi Burruss is a hitmaker. Being able to purchase her first home at 19 years old, it’s clear that this woman has been thinking business for a long time. Despite what some of her Real Houswives’ cast mates and even former group members would have us believe about her, Kandi has more than proven she’s not one to sleep on. In addition to writing bangers, she was also the first African American woman to be named songwriter of the year by the prestigious American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers (ASCAP) in 2000. Her accolades are numerous but we’re sure that you really don’t know ’bout Kandi like you should. So in an effort to be informed, check out the hits Kandi’s made over the years. We’re sure there will be some surprises.

For the last few men of the moment, we brought you regular ’round-the-way guys that you could reach out and touch yourselves. But this time we’re switching it up with a little celebrity sexaaay by way of singer, songwriter, and rapper Kevin McCall.

We’re sure you remember this chocolaty goodness from Chris Brown’s “Strip” video, and though we tried to get him to take it all off when he came to our office, we found out his personality is just as enticing as those abs of his. Who knew?

Check out our  intimate chat with the LA man of many talents as he talks about digging cocky women and wanting people to pay more attention to his vocals than his physique.

MORE MAN OF THE MOMENT

• Episode 1: Todd Anthony
• Episode 2: Sneak Peek: Eyan Edwards 
• Episode 3: Eyan Edwards 
• Episode 4: Sneak Peek: Gideon Emmanuel
• Episode 5: Gideon Emmanuel
• Episode 6: Sneak Peek: Jarvis
• Episode 7: Jarvis

urbaninformer.com

Some people have all the talent: they’re blessed enough to have their own singing careers and they write huge hits for some of their peers. Color me jealous!  Here’s a SHORT list of some of the songs I deemed noteworthy (and trust me, I could have gone on for pages and pages). What are some of your favorite songs written by singers for other singers? Let us know…

Depending on what hairstyle she is wearing when you see her, Kandi Burruss can look like a completely different person thanks to some chic and questionable hair moves. We know from watching her on Real Housewives of Atlanta that she loves to change up her color, and if she can’t flip it, curl it, or spike it, then the look won’t last long (reminds me of the game, Bop It!). She’s a beautiful lady with a pretty good and positive spirit, so we’re going to keep that in mind as we go through her hot hair looks and her hot mess hairstyles too. Let us know what you think of her hair game in the comments way down below.

If I was to ask you what you know about Kalenna Harper, one of the singers from the trio of Diddy-Dirty Money, you would probably say you know her from the group and that group alone. But the singer-songwriter has been around for a good minute, writing songs for some big folks in the music industry since 2004, including powerhouse singers like Aretha Franklin, Fantasia, Christina Aguilera, and more. Her writing skills are actually what helped her find her way into Diddy-Dirty Money.

I got a call at 4 a.m. (*in my Diddy voice*), and he was like, ‘YOOO, I know this ain’t proper protocol, but I had to talk with you first before anyone. I want you to be in my group.’ The rest is history!

Now Harper is hoping to have some of the same success she had with her Diddy-led group, but as a solo artist. She’s dropped a new single today called “Go to Work,” which is very feisty and “tough,” along with its accompanying video, so she’s NOT playing games! Learn a little bit more about the writer-singer-philanthropist extraordinaire, her love lessons and fashion inspiration below.

My happiest time was…

• My wedding, having my son, and winning best group at the BET awards in 2011.

Be sure to check out Kalenna’s new single and video, “Go to Work,” which dropped today! You can find it below. Let us know what you think in the comments! Oh yeah, and just a warning, the lyrics can get kind of profane at times, just a heads up.

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24Wired.TV sat down with singer songwriter Jazzy to talk about what motivates and inspires her to create music. Good things come to those who work hard.

Ever met someone at a networking event, cocktail party or conference and just been blown away by how well they do what they do and how much the love their jobs? Our sibling site 24Wired.tv has a new series called the Creator’s Suite that profiles those folks. You’ll get an intimate look into the brains of these creative super achievers with this engaging series. Good things come to those who work.

First up, singer/songwriter Jazzy! Check her out and tell us what you think!

We lost a legend. Songwriter, novelist, activist and poet Gil Scott-Heron passed away yesterday afternoon in New York Hospital. He was 62 years old. A master of spoken word, Scott-Heron spoke about issues of racism, poverty and social injustice, laying the groundwork for the socially conscious lyrics associated with true Hip Hop. Many have called him the godfather of the genre.

Born in Chicago in 1949, Scott-Heron was raised by his mother and grandmother in Jackson, Tennessee. He had an affinity for music and listened to the radio attempting to pick out harmonies so he could try and play them by ear. Later in college, Scott-Heron discovered the work of Langston Hughes. He wrote his most famous poem “The Revolution Will Not be Televised” in 1968 at the age of 19. By 23, he had published a book of poems, two novels and had recorded three albums.

Although he frequently delivered messages against drug use and the affects they have the community, Scott-Heron was arrested in 2001 for possession of cocaine and took a lengthy hiatus from the limelight until 2009 when he released his solo recording, “I’m New Here” at age 60.

To honor the man who did so much for our social awareness and music as we know it today, let’s look at some of Scott-Heron’s most memorable works.

(Reuters) — Ray Charles is a music publisher’s dream. Not only did he write songs that stand the test of time, but his interpretations of other songwriters’ tunes could turn them into royalty-generating goldmines. Charles wrote classics like “What’d I Say?” and made other songwriters’ tunes into hits as well. His version of “Georgia On My Mind,” written by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrel, went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960, even though it had been recorded by plenty of well-known performers before then.

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