20 Black artists who deserve a documentary

Stevie Wonder is truly one of the greatest musicians of all time — from getting his first record deal at age 11, to being the youngest artist reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and releasing 23 studio albums. He has the type of career and longevity that artists dream of. He’s also philanthropic and a political activist who was crucial in making Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday a federal holiday. For someone who is known as one of the greatest songwriters ever, it's long overdue for Wonder to tell his own story and how he navigated the industry.

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis got their starts in the music industry as members of The Time. However, their fame really rose to prominence as an in-demand songwriting and production duo. Jam and Lewis were key figures in elevating Janet Jackson’s artistry with their work on albums like Control, Rhythm Nation, and janet . In addition to Jackson, they’ve written and produced for artists such as Alexander O’Neal, New Edition, Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey, Usher, and many more. A documentary with Jam and Lewis about their careers would be inspiring, in addition to hearing from other producers that were influenced by them.

When people think of how gospel music has changed over the years, Kirk Franklin has been prominent in elevating the genre’s landscape since the ‘90s. Franklin brought life to the contemporary gospel sound because he embraced elements of hip-hop and R&B, which in turn connected his music with younger audiences. His 1997 hit single “Stomp” featured Salt from rap group Salt-n-Pepa, and it became a major hit not only on the gospel charts, but R&B and pop. Not to mention, the music video was in heavy rotation on MTV. Franklin's music has inspired other gospel acts such as Mary Mary and Kierra Sheard.

The Isley Brothers is one of the most influential groups in music history. With a career that spans over six decades, they’ve released songs such as “Twist & Shout,” “Groove With You,” “Harvest for the World,” and “Summer Breeze.” Not only has their massive discography made them a best-selling group, but they are heavily appreciated by newer generations of artists as well. It’s evident in how much The Isley Brothers are sampled across the hip-hop, R&B, and pop worlds. They’ve been sampled by artists such as The Notorious B.I.G., Ice Cube, Gwen Stefani, Erykah Badu, and Kendrick Lamar — proving just how much they continue to influence the culture.

While Los Angeles and New York have always been two major cities in the music industry, Atlanta also became a major hub back in the ‘90s. That was partially due to the genius of Babyface and his longtime collaborator, L.A. Reid. Babyface and Reid were members of R&B group The Deele, and later helped launch the careers of artists such as Toni Braxton, TLC, and Usher. Although Babyface has a solid singing career himself, he's also written and produced some of the biggest songs for other R&B artists. To this day, he continues to work with the new generation of artists looking to make their marks in the industry. 

Over the years, R&B has developed subgenres, one of which is New Jack Swing. Created by singer/songwriter/producer Teddy Riley, it was all about he how fused R&B and hip-hop during the '80s and '90s. He helped usher in that sound for artists such as Bobby Brown, Keith Sweat, Blackstreet, Heavy D & The Boyz, and Michael Jackson. He also helped discover The Neptunes, and history shows how their career has elevated over time. Riley's documentary would need stories from artists that he worked with personally and whom he influenced.

Plenty of female rappers in hip-hop today were inspired by Lil’ Kim. She changed the game with not only her lyrical content, but how female rappers were perceived by the public. She brought a certain energy that exuded confidence, sexuality, liberation, and empowerment that encouraged her fans and kept the media on watch. Kim was also very influential in the fashion world, thanks to her frequent work with legendary stylist Misa Hylton. Without Kim’s influence, there wouldn’t be artists such as Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion.

Missy Elliott is a multihyphenate in the hip-hop world. She was once a member of the girl group Sista and then joined longtime friend Timbaland as a songwriting and production team. In addition to her own rap catalog, Elliott has written and produced songs for artists such as Aaliyah, Beyoncé, Tweet, Mariah Carey, Mya, and Monica. It's no wonder she became the first female MC inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Besides all of her accolades, Elliott continues to be a visionary who is always ahead of the curve.

Queen Latifah has one of the most interesting careers that isn’t always talked about enough. Whether people got to know her from her music with songs like “Ladies First” and “U.N.I.T.Y.,” starring in the hit sitcom Living Single, hosting her own talk show, landing cosmetic endorsements, or being the first female rapper with an Oscar nomination, the trajectory of Latifah’s career should be studied. Although she started in music, her talent goes way beyond that, and her longevity is inspiring. 

Jamie Foxx is the epitome of having every talent slated for a performer. Foxx is an actor, comedian, impersonator, singer, and musician. Whether fans have followed him since his work on In Living Color, his Academy Award-winning role in the Ray Charles biopic, or his hit songs such as “Unpredictable” or “Blame It,” Foxx is the ultimate entertainer.

In 2021, Mary J. Blige released a documentary that focused on the makings of her My Life album. However, with a career that spans over 30 years, fans would be interested to hear about all major facets of Blige’s life. Not only does she still release music and perform across the globe, but she’s also stepped into the acting world, allowing her to earn Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations.

Diddy is known as one of the richest hip-hop stars of all time. He makes the Forbes list every year. But how he’s been able to use his hip-hop status to venture into other businesses is a blueprint for other artists to follow. Besides creating his own music and jumpstarting the careers of other artists, he founded a record label, launched a fashion line, created a TV network, and partnered with companies in the beverage industry. Diddy is the epitome of an artist who used music as a starting platform, and while it is still the center of his success, it helped him to get into other endeavors.

Salaam Remi is a producer whose work isn’t always appreciated enough, even though he got his start in the music industry by working on a Kurtis Blow record, which is quite the milestone. Throughout his career, Remi has produced hit songs for artists such as The Fugees, Nas, Jazmine Sullivan, Nelly Furtado, and Amy Winehouse. 

Rapahel Saadiq first rose to fame as the lead vocalist of Tony! Toni! Tone! before forming another group Lucy Pearl. He went to have a solo career and started producing and songwriting for other artists such as D’Angelo, Total, Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, and Solange. Saadiq also worked as a composer on TV shows like Underground and Insecure. He's always kept a low profile, which could help with the anticipation of hearing him tell his life story. 

Charlie Wilson started his career as the lead singer of The Gap Band. The group is well known for hit songs like "Yearning For Your Love," "You Dropped a Bomb on Me," and "Outstanding." However, once Wilson truly went solo in the early 2000s, his career trajectory expanded even more. He’s constantly embraced by the hip-hop community as he’s collaborated with artists such as Snoop Dogg, UGK, Kanye West, Amine, and Tyler, The Creator.

Usher started in the industry as a teenager and has been in the industry for nearly three decades now. Throughout his career, he's known for having stellar showmanship and pristine vocals with hit songs such as "You Make Me Wanna," "You Don't Have to Call," and "Confessions." There are a few songwriters and producers that helped Usher elevate his sound such as Diddy, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox, and The Neptunes. Even with a near 30-year career, Usher continues to prove his status as a top-tier vocalist and performer. 

Erykah Badu is one of the pioneers of the neo-soul sound. Throughout her career, she's been known for her hit songs such as "On & On," "Tyrone," and "Love of My Life (An Ode To Hip Hop)." In addition to her music career, she's an actor, DJ, certified doula, and fashion icon. One thing that always stands out about Badu is her style. She always gives a cool, eccentric, and outlandish vibe that works for her. 

Pharrell Williams is often lauded as a producer who elevated hip-hop in the '90s and 2000s. As one-half of the production duo The Neptunes, Pharrell has created hit songs for artists such as Snoop Dogg, Usher, Nelly, Britney Spears, N.O.R.E., Justin Timberlake, and the list goes on. It's no wonder that he holds a few Grammy Award trophies for Producer of the Year. His documentary would have to include how he was discovered by Teddy Riley, as well as stories from artists that he's worked with over the years. 

When fans think of that classic West Coast sound, Snoop Dogg always comes to mind. Although he started his music career in 1993, throughout the years, he's catapulted himself into a cultural icon. Nowadays, he's more than the gangsta rap pioneer who ushered in the G-funk sound on songs such as "Gin and Juice" and "Doggy Dogg World." Besides his music, he's ventured into other avenues as an actor, investor, TV host, and an entrepreneur. 

OutKast helped pioneer the southern hip-hop movement in Atlanta. When the duo came about in the '90s, cities like New York and Los Angeles were the dominant hubs for artists in the music industry. So it was only right when the duo won for Best New Rap Group at the 1995 Source Awards, and Andre 3000 made it known that, "The South got something to say." Throughout their career, Outkast has been known for hit songs such as "Player's Ball," "So Fresh, So Clean," "Ms. Jackson," and "Hey Ya."