Al B. Sure!
{{Short description|American singer (born 1968)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Al B. Sure!
| image = Al B Sure! (6920727511).jpg
| caption = Al B. Sure! in 2012
| birth_name = Albert Joseph Brown III
| alias =
| birth_date = {{Birthdate and age| June 4, 1968}}
| birth_place = Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
| death_date =
| origin = Mount Vernon, New York, U.S.
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- Singer
- songwriter
- rapper
- record producer
- radio presenter
}}
| years_active = 1986–present
| label = {{flatlist|
}}
| website = {{Official URL}}
| current_members =
| past_member_of = D.P.G.C.
}}
Albert Joseph Brown III (born June 4, 1968),{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nOPNEAAAQBAJ&dq=Al+B.+Sure!+1968&pg=PA380 | title=Hip Hop around the World: An Encyclopedia [2 volumes] | isbn=978-0-313-35759-6 | last1=Goldsmith | first1=Melissa Ursula Dawn | last2=Fonseca | first2=Anthony J. | date= 2018 | publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing USA }} known professionally as Al B. Sure!, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, radio host and former record executive. He was born in Boston and raised in Mount Vernon, New York.{{cite news|author=Holden, Stephen|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE7D6113DF932A05753C1A966958260|title=The Pop Life|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 31, 1990|accessdate=March 30, 2011|quote=The singer, who lives in northern New Jersey, was born in Boston, lived in Leonia, N.J., for several years, then moved to Goshen, N.Y., and went to high school in Mount Vernon, N.Y.}} During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Brown was one of new jack swing's most popular performers.{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/al-b-sure%21-mn0000607773/biography|title=Biography: Al B. Sure! |last=Huey |first=Steve |publisher=AllMusic|access-date=April 10, 2010}}
Early life and music career
Brown is the son of Albert Joseph Brown II, a nuclear medicine technologist, and Cassandra Brown, an accountant.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20119030,00.html|title=Al B. Sure!, a Singer Who Has Polished His Image by Smoothing the Rough Edge of Rhythm & Blues|date=December 12, 1988|volume=30|issue=24|magazine=People|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090604044040/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20119030,00.html|archive-date=June 4, 2009}} Brown was a star football quarterback at Mount Vernon High School in New York, who rejected an athletic scholarship to the University of Iowa to pursue a music career. In 1987, Quincy Jones selected Brown as the first winner of the Sony Innovators Talent Search. He went on to work with Jones on several projects, most notably the platinum 1990 single "The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)" from Jones' double-platinum-certified album Back on the Block. On this recording, Brown was one of a quartet with Barry White, El DeBarge, and James Ingram.
Brown's 1988 debut album In Effect Mode sold more than three million copies, topping the Billboard R&B chart for seven straight weeks. It included the single "Nite and Day", which topped the R&B chart and reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Off on Your Own (Girl)", which also topped the R&B chart. He received numerous Grammy and American Music Award (AMA) nominations, and won an AMA for Best New R&B Artist. He also received several Soul Train Award nominations, and won the award for Best New Artist. Brown also won several New York Music Awards. In addition, his 1-900 phone line was third in generating revenue, following those for New Kids on the Block and Run-D.M.C.
As a writer and producer, Brown helped introduce to the music industry such multi-platinum acts as Jodeci and teen R&B performer Tevin Campbell (who was also one of Prince's and Quincy Jones' former protégés), as well as Faith Evans, Dave Hollister, Case.
In 2009, Brown signed with Hidden Beach Recordings. His first single for the label, "I Love It (Papi Aye, Aye, Aye)," entered the Radio & Records Urban AC chart at No. 33. The album Honey, I'm Home was released on June 23, 2009.
Other work
In 1991, Brown co-starred with Martin Lawrence in a television pilot titled Private Times.
In 1993, Brown provided vocals to the title track of the David Bowie album Black Tie White Noise. He performed the song live with Bowie on The Tonight Show the same year.
In 2000, Brown's ABS Entertainment launched a television development division, and he served as co-executive producer of an HBO Comedy Special starring Jamie Foxx, filmed at the Paramount Theater in Oakland, California. Then, Brown teamed with the ABC Radio Network to produce and host a romantically themed nighttime music program, The Secret Garden, featuring a blend of music and celebrity guests.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}
Brown participated in Bless the Children Foundation's celebrity auction along with NFL stars Charles Woodson and Anthony Dorsett. He was presented with the key to the city of Oakland by city council member Laurence E. Reid in recognition of the participation of Brown's ABS Ken-Struk-Shen in refurbishing parts of the city. Reid proclaimed October 19 Al B. Sure! Day. Brown was a DJ on the Los Angeles radio station KHHT, and played old-school hip hop and R&B. He currently hosts a daily morning-radio show on iHeart Radio.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}
In July 2019, Brown became the new host of Urban One's nationally syndicated evening quiet storm/slow jams program Love and R&B, replacing the previous host, John Monds. The show, syndicated through Urban One subsidiary Reach Media and based in Dallas, Texas, is heard on urban adult contemporary format radio stations such as WZAK in Cleveland, WMMJ in Washington, KZMJ in Dallas, and WDMK in Detroit among others.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}
In 2010, Brown appeared as one of the 12 contestants on the TV One reality television dating game show The Ultimate Merger.{{cite web|url=http://www.blackamericaweb.com/?q=articles/entertainment/blak_music_month/19534|title=Al B. Sure! Among Competitors for Omarosa's Love|website=BlackAmericaWeb.com|date=June 17, 2010|accessdate=July 14, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620231852/http://www.blackamericaweb.com/?q=articles/entertainment/blak_music_month/19534|archive-date=June 20, 2010}} The series was produced by Donald Trump and starred former Apprentice contestant Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth, whom Brown dated previously.{{cite web |url=http://www.bvnewswire.com/2010/06/14/omarosa-new-realty-show-love-ultimate-merger/ |title=Omarosa Says New Reality Show Isn't Run-of-the-Mill 'Love' Fare |author=Bland, Bridget |date=June 14, 2010 |publisher=AOL Black Voices |access-date=July 14, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722034435/http://www.bvnewswire.com/2010/06/14/omarosa-new-realty-show-love-ultimate-merger/ |archive-date=July 22, 2010 |url-status=dead }}
In 2023, Brown and Al Sharpton founded a health equity organization called Health Equity in Transplantation following a March decision made by a private Medicare administrative contractor on behalf of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Coverage (CMS). The organization seeks to support underserved communities by supporting blood testing for early detection of organ rejection. Brown serves as the Executive Chairman.{{cite web | url=https://thehill.com/homenews/race-politics/4330786-al-sharpton-al-b-sure-launch-new-health-equity-coalition/damp/?nxs-test=damp | title=Al Sharpton, al B. Sure! Launch new health equity coalition | date=November 28, 2023 }}
Brown was featured in the Peacock documentary, Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy which was his first time speaking on camera about Kim Porter's death and relationship with Sean "Diddy" Combs.{{Cite web |last=Dolak |first=Kevin |date=2025-01-14 |title='Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy' Documentary Reveals New Details From Al B. Sure! and Alleged Gang Rape Victim |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/diddy-the-making-of-a-bad-boy-documentary-al-b-sure-gang-rape-victim-1236108173/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Fekadu |first=Mesfin |date=2025-01-09 |title=Diddy Doc Producer on Getting Al B. Sure!, Close Friends to Speak for Peacock Exposé |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/diddy-the-making-of-a-bad-boy-docuseries-al-b-sure-1236105233/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}
Personal life
Al B. Sure! has three sons.{{Cite web|last=Carvajal|first=Edduin|date=August 20, 2018|title=Remember '80s singer Al B Sure? He has a grown up son who is also an artist|url=https://news.amomama.com/101254-remember-80s-singer-al-b-sure-he-a-grown.html|access-date=January 16, 2021|website=news.amomama.com|language=en}} His eldest son Albert Joseph Brown IV, as Al B. Sure Jr, was featured on the MTV series Rock the Cradle. His second son Devin Brown is a hip hop singer and goes by the name of Devin LOUD.{{Cite web|date=March 19, 2020|title=Devin Loud|url=https://themefam.com/devin-loud/|access-date=January 16, 2021|website=Themefam|language=en-US}} While publicly dating Niki Haris in 1991, he had a son by Porter, Quincy Brown who was later allegedly adopted by Combs. In that same year, he co-wrote a song called "Forever My Lady" in honor of Kim and his son. The song was performed by Jodeci and produced by Al B. Sure! and Jodeci-member DeVante Swing.
In 2022, it was revealed that Al had suffered from multiple illnesses including renal failure. He eventually was intubated and fell into a coma. He received a liver transplant, and has been recovering during 2023.{{cite web | url =https://www.essence.com/lifestyle/al-b-sure-opens-up-about-health-scare/ | title =Al B. Sure! Opens Up About Health Scare Post Two-Month Long Coma | last =Ayoola | first =Elizabeth | date =December 19, 2022 | website =essence.com | publisher =Essence Magazine | access-date =September 27, 2023 | quote =The artist, also known as, Albert Joseph Brown III, collapsed while working on new music and fell into a coma, and began suffering from multiple illnesses, like renal failure — when one or both of your kidneys can no longer function independently. His health had taken such a turn for the worst that doctors considered putting him in hospice. }}
Discography
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable"
!rowspan="2"|Year !rowspan="2"|Album details !colspan="2"|Peak chart positions !rowspan="2"|Certifications |
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="30"| US ! width="30"| US R&B |
1988
|align="center"|20 |align="center"|1 |
|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=al+b+sure%21&ti=&lab=&genre=&format=&date_option=release&from=&to=&award=&type=&category=&adv=SEARCH#search_section |title=Al B Sure! Certifications |work=Recording Industry Association of America |accessdate=November 28, 2023}} |
| 1990
|Private Times...and the Whole 9!
|align="center"|20 |align="center"|4 | |
1992
|align="center"|41 |align="center"|2 | |
2009
|align="center"|85 |align="center"|16 | |
=Compilation albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| Year
!Album details |
|---|
| 2003
| align="left"| The Very Best of Al B. Sure!
|
=Singles=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Single ! colspan="7"| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="30"| US ! width="30"| US ! width="30"| US ! width="30"| US ! width="30"| NLD ! width="30"| NZ ! width="30"| UK |
| rowspan="4"| 1988
| align="left"| "Nite and Day" | 7 | 1 | 19 | — | 71 | — | 44 | align="left" rowspan="5"| In Effect Mode |
| align="left"| "Off on Your Own (Girl)"
| 45 | 1 | — | 25 | — | — | 70 |
| align="left"| "Rescue Me"
| — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
| align="left"| "Killing Me Softly"
| 80 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| rowspan="1"| 1989
| align="left"| "If I'm Not Your Lover" (featuring Slick Rick) | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | 54 |
| rowspan="1"| 1990
| align="left"| "Missunderstanding" | 42 | 1 | — | — | — | 30 | — | align="left" rowspan="3"| Private Times... and the Whole 9! |
| rowspan="2"| 1991
| align="left"| "No Matter What You Do" (with Diana Ross) | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| align="left"| "Had Enuf?"
| — | 28 | — | — | — | — | — |
| rowspan="2"| 1992
| align="left"| "Right Now" | 47 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | align="left" rowspan="3"| Sexy Versus |
| align="left"| "Natalie"
| — | 56 | — | — | — | — | — |
| | 1993
| align="left"| "I Don't Wanna Cry" | — | 83 | — | — | — | — | — |
| | 1994
| align="left"| "I'm Still in Love with You" | — | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | align="left" rowspan="1"| Above the Rim |
| | 2009
| align="left"| "I Love It (Papi Aye Aye Aye)" | — | 72 | — | — | — | — | — | align="left" rowspan="1"| Honey I'm Home |
| colspan="15" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
=Featured singles=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Title ! rowspan="2"| Artist ! colspan="5"| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="30"| US ! width="30"| US ! width="30"| US A/C ! width="30"| NLD ! width="30"| UK |
| 1990
| align="left"| "The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)" | Quincy Jones w/ | 31 | 1 | 26 | 13 | 67 | align="left"| Back on the Block |
| 1993
| align="left"| "Black Tie White Noise" | — | — | — | — | 36 | align="left"| Black Tie White Noise |
| colspan="15" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
=Writing and producing credits=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Song ! scope="col" | Artist ! scope="col" | Credit |
|---|
| rowspan=2| 1991
| Jodeci | Writer & producer |
| Come and Talk to Me
| Jodeci | Writer & producer |
| rowspan=2| 1992
| Writer & producer |
| "Confused"
| Writer |
| 1996
| Loungin | Writer |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Wikiquote}}
- {{Official website}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Al B. Sure!}}
Category:African-American male actors
Category:Warner Records artists
Category:African-American radio personalities
Category:African-American record producers
Category:African-American songwriters
Category:Radio personalities from Boston
Category:American rhythm and blues keyboardists
Category:American rhythm and blues singer-songwriters
Category:Record producers from Massachusetts
Category:American soul singers
Category:New jack swing musicians
Category:Participants in American reality television series
Category:Rappers from New York (state)
Category:People from Leonia, New Jersey
Category:Singer-songwriters from New Jersey
Category:American contemporary R&B singers
Category:21st-century African-American musicians
Category:20th-century African-American musicians
Category:American male singer-songwriters