Debbie Deb

While employed at a Peaches record store in Miami, Florida, early freestyle vocalist Debbie Deb was spotted by producer Tony "Pretty Tony" Butler, already known for "Fix It in the Mix." The two soon teamed up for a pair of key singles, "When I Hear Music" and "Lookout Weekend," the latter peaking at number 26 on Billboard's dance singles sales chart. Jam Packed next brought in a slimmer young woman to serve as the public face and recording artist in Debbie's stead. The genuine Debbie Deb stepped away from music, trained as a hairstylist, and settled in Philadelphia. She stayed out of the studio until the mid-'90s, when Pandisc—which had acquired the rights to her earlier singles—located her and prompted a return. After issuing She's Back in 1995 she released new material only intermittently, though she kept performing into the 2010s on multi-artist freestyle package tours. The Black Eyed Peas, Janet Jackson, Pitbull, and Kelis have all sampled or covered her recordings.