Born and raised in Philadelphia, R&B singer and songwriter Sterling Simms received intensive performance training from his grandfather, himself a working musician, who introduced the youngster to classic soul figures such as Sam Cooke and arranged his first recording session at the age of six. Drawing further inspiration from new jack swing acts including Teddy Riley, New Edition, and Boyz II Men, Simms relocated to Atlanta at fourteen to launch a professional singing career. While employed at a car wash he connected with several emerging producers; once those colleagues launched their own imprint and secured a Sony distribution deal, Simms joined the roster. Corporate restructuring later prompted Sony to dissolve the imprint, leaving Simms disillusioned enough to return to Philadelphia. Renewed motivation arrived when he reconnected with longtime acquaintance Kenny Gamble, the influential ’70s Philly soul auteur and producer, who granted him complimentary studio time.
Back in Atlanta, Simms established the songwriting collective Knightwritahz alongside fellow writers, finding greater ease contributing behind the scenes than pursuing front-line artistry. Through the company he supplied material for R&B vocalists such as Mario and Tyrese. A 2004 encounter with producer Teddy Bishop reignited his desire to perform, and subsequent breaks followed quickly. He first secured a deal with the independent label One Recordings; the resulting demo reached Island Def Jam chairman Antonio “L.A.” Reid, who signed Simms to Def Jam. The association yielded a featured appearance on Jay-Z’s 2006 comeback album Kingdom Come, while his own single “Jump Off,” which included rapper Sean Paul of YoungBloodZ, began receiving consistent urban-radio airplay.
