Zhané

Their debut recording chance arrived through a featured slot on the star-studded Roll Wit tha Flava collection, where they delivered the defining R&B party anthem of the decade, "Hey, Mr. DJ." Jean Norris, a Rhode Island native, and Renee Neufville, who grew up in Brooklyn, first crossed paths while pursuing music studies at Philadelphia's Temple University. An introduction to Naughty by Nature's Kay Gee prompted an immediate studio session for the compilation. Upon its release as a single, "Hey, Mr. DJ." climbed to number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and secured the duo a Motown contract in 1994. Their introductory full-length, Pronounced Jah-Nay, yielded two further Top 40 entries in "Groove Thang" and "Sending My Love" while attaining gold status before the year closed. Throughout 1995 and 1996 the pair contributed guest appearances to Busta Rhymes and De La Soul tracks, supplied original material to the NFL Jams and NBA 50th Anniversary anthologies, and placed songs on the Higher Learning and A Low Down Dirty Shame soundtracks—the latter's "Shame" marking their fourth Top 40 success. Norris and Neufville resurfaced in April 1997 with Saturday Night, jointly shaped by Kay Gee, Eddie F., and the artists themselves; the album settled just shy of the Top 40. Two years afterward the duo disbanded. Baylor pursued solo work and performed with Free Day alongside husband Marcus Baylor while also teaming with Elisabeth Withers, Eric Roberson, and SWV. Neufville entered Roy Hargrove's RH Factor and recorded alongside Leela James, Terrence Howard, and Pete Rock.