Lumidee

Having launched her vocal and rap pursuits at age twelve, Lumidee—born Lumidee Cedeño—saw her earliest recordings reach listeners upon turning nineteen. Once she completed school, the Spanish Harlem native teamed with producer DJ Tedsmooth to cut the single “Never Leave You (Uh-Oooh)” for his independent Straight Face imprint. She later explained that her vocal performance came across off-key because he initially supplied a different instrumental before layering in the reggae-rooted Diwali rhythm. Even so, the track caught on widely enough to earn “Hottest Song” honors at New York’s Hot 97, prompting a rush of offers from major labels. Universal secured the deal and issued her debut full-length, Almost Famous, in 2003. Two years afterward, TVT put out her sophomore effort, Unexpected, which arrived preceded by her rendition of Patrick Swayze’s “She’s Like the Wind.”