Anthony Hamilton

Anthony Hamilton crafts some of the most emotionally resonant material in contemporary R&B, his delivery marked equally by raw texture and refined elegance. After spending much of the 1990s cutting two albums that never reached the public, the vocalist finally secured a long-sought commercial breakthrough during the following decade with Comin' from Where I'm From (2003), an effort that received platinum certification along with five Grammy nominations. His singing style and straightforward approach drew frequent parallels to Bill Withers and Bobby Womack, yet it took a partnership with fellow soul icon Al Green to deliver Hamilton's initial Grammy victory on the 2008 duet "You've Got the Love I Need." Rather than persisting solely with earthy retro soul, he broadened his sonic palette throughout the 2010s, extending his streak of Grammy-nominated Top Ten R&B/hip-hop albums through Back to Love (2011) and What I'm Feelin' (2016), two of his most warmly embraced projects to date. Following roughly fifteen years affiliated with So So Def/Arista and RCA, Hamilton launched his independent imprint via Love Is the New Black (2021).

A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, he began performing at age ten within his local church choir. During his teenage years he advanced by taking solo spots at nightclubs and talent competitions. In 1993, still in his early twenties, Hamilton relocated to New York City and secured a deal with André Harrell's Uptown Records, a key hub for new jack swing that also housed Jodeci and Mary J. Blige. Uptown prepared to release his debut album by 1995, yet the label folded before the project could appear. He subsequently transferred to MCA, the parent company, which finally issued that first album, XTC, in 1996. Only the single "Nobody Else" emerged from it, reaching number 63 on Billboard's R&B/hip-hop chart before the record faded from sight. Another period of transition ensued when Hamilton joined Soulife, a fledgling operation founded by longtime Charlotte associates. There he recorded material for a prospective solo album while also penning tracks for Donell Jones and Sunshine Anderson. In 2000 he accepted an offer to supply backup vocals on D'Angelo's Voodoo tour, which took him across the globe. Upon his return he learned that Soulife had likewise collapsed.

With yet another album left unreleased, Hamilton spent the ensuing two years placing compositions and providing background vocals for artists such as 2Pac and Eve. A prominent featured turn on the Nappy Roots single "Po' Folks" in 2002 finally brought wider recognition, earning a nomination for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 2003 Grammy Awards. A subsequent performance at a Grammy luncheon led to an introduction to producer Jermaine Dupri, who signed Hamilton to So So Def. Issued on So So Def/Arista in 2003 and technically his fourth album, Comin' from Where I'm From included the Southern soul ballad "Charlene," co-written and produced by Mark Batson, which climbed to number three on the R&B/hip-hop chart. Several Soulife recordings resurfaced in polished form as the 2005 album Soulife, while Ain't Nobody Worryin' arrived later that year, marking Hamilton's third consecutive Top Ten R&B release. Southern Comfort followed in 2007 as another collection of previously unreleased material.

The proper studio album The Point of It All appeared near the close of 2008. Its visibility was eclipsed by Hamilton's contribution to Al Green's "You've Got the Love I Need," which captured the 2009 Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance, only for the album itself to earn a subsequent nomination for Best Traditional R&B Album, with two individual tracks also nominated in separate categories. Back to Love arrived in 2011, containing three songs co-written with Babyface, and likewise reached the R&B Top Ten. Home for the Holidays filled the 2014 holiday season, though several years passed before Hamilton issued another original studio album. In the interim he expanded his roster of notable guest appearances, joining tracks by Big K.R.I.T., Nas, and Rick Ross. He also teamed with Marsha Ambrosius on a Grammy-nominated rendition of Stevie Wonder's "As" for The Best Man Holiday soundtrack and contributed to the Django Unchained soundtrack.

Hamilton concluded his major-label tenure in 2016 with What I'm Feelin', a reunion with Mark Batson that became his sixth straight Top Ten R&B/hip-hop album and debuted at number two, his career-high placement on the chart. A later collaboration with Shirley Caesar on "It's Alright, It's OK" received a Grammy nomination for Best Gospel Performance/Song. At the next ceremony in 2018, the title track "What I'm Feelin'" was nominated for Best Traditional R&B Performance. Additional Hamilton-assisted recordings appeared by decade's end from Gorillaz, Boosie Badazz, E-40, and Amanda Black. Entering the 2020s as an independent artist, Hamilton issued the 2020 single "Mercy" featuring Tamika Mallory to inaugurate his My Music Box label. That track appeared among the selections on the 2021 album Love Is the New Black.