50 Mind Blowing R&B Music Facts

1. Rihanna released a forgotten debut mixtape back in 2005.

17-year-old aspiring singer Rihanna introduced herself to the music industry with a little-known mixtape called 'This Is Rihanna'. The 12-track project, which was released before her debut album 'Music Of The Sun', included a mix of Hip-Hop and R&B songs. However unfortunately the project didn't catapult her to fame in a similar way to Drake's 'So Far Gone' or Frank Ocean's 'Nostalgia, Ultra'.

2. When Rihanna auditioned for JAY-Z he got her to sign a 6 album record deal with Def Jam on the spot.

Picture: Barcroft Media

3. When Craig David played '7 Days' to a label, they offered him an album contract the same day.

4. Before he was famous, Ne-Yo wrote Mario's hit song 'Let Me Love You'.

5. Justin Timberlake, Aaliyah, Beyonce and Usher all started on US TV show 'Star Search.'

6. Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopez's casket is engraved with her verse from hit TLC song 'Waterfalls'.

Picture: Getty

7. Rihanna's hit single 'Umbrella' was written with Britney Spears in mind, but her label rejected it.

8. Britney spears' 'Hit Me Baby One More Time' was originally offered to TLC, who turned the song down.

9. Sting receives 100% of the royalties from Diddy and Faith Hills 'I'll Be Missing You'.

The song samples the Police track that Sting wrote 'Every Breathe You Take' - because Diddy never asked permission to use it, Sting receives 100% of the publishing royalists - it is one of the best-selling singles of all time.

10. Kelly Rowland has sold over 27 million records as a solo artist.

11. Aaliyah and Missy Elliott once had a bet on who would wear a dress first as neither wore dresses.

(Aaliyah lost!) Picture: Getty

12. John Legend plays the piano on Lauryn Hill's 'Everything Is Everything'.

13. Jhené Aiko's musical career started contributing vocals to several B2K releases in 2002.

14. Aaliyah was originally cast as Jessica Alba's 'Honey', but passed away before filming began.

15. TLC's Left Eye co-wrote and rapped on Spice Girl Mel C’s 'Never Be the Same Again.'

16. R Kelly wrote Michael Jackson's 'You Are Not Alone'.

Michael Jackson

17. The majority of songs on Alicia Keys' 2001 album 'Songs In A Minor' are NOT in A Minor.

18. At Aaliyah's funeral 22 white doves were released to symbolize each year of Aaliyah's life.

Picture: Getty

19. TLC were originally named '2nd Nature.'

20. Between 1997 - 1999 Usher appeared in four episodes of 'Moesha'.

Picture: Facebook

21. Cee Lo Green sang on TLC's 'Waterfalls'.

TLC Cee Lo Green 'Waterfalls'

22. Amerie's label refused to release '1 Thing', so she leaked it herself, getting it radio airplay.

23. 'The Element Of Freedom' was Alicia's first non No.1 album in the US, and her first No. 1 in the UK.

Alicia Keys - The Element of Freedom

24. A 13-year-old Lauryn Hill was booed performing at the Apollo’s Amateur Night in 1987.

25. Usher lived with P Diddy in New York when he was starting out in the industry.

Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images

26. Mary J's name 'The Queen of Hip-hop Soul' was born from Diddy calling her 'The Queen Of Ghetto Love'

Singer Mary J. Blige attends the premiere of 'Notorious' in New York.

27. Nelly's 2001 single 'Ride With Me' features vocals from his brother 'City Spud'.

Nelly Ride Wit Me

28. TLC's 1994 album 'CrazySexyCool' was certified diamond by the RIAA, a first for a female group.

Picture: Getty

29. Destiny's Child was originally called 'Girls Tyme'.

Destiny's Child (original line up) attend Maxwell Party, 1998. Beyonce Knowles, aged sixteen. Picture: PA

30. L.A Ried offered Chris Brown a recording contract on the day they met, but he turned the offer down.

Singer Chris Brown.

31. In 02' Whitney Houston said in 10 years she'd be "Retired... Looking at my daughter grow up."

She died in 2012. Photo by Lionel Hahn/AbacaUsa.com Date: 10/02/2007

32. Aaliyah kept 'Rock The Boat' for 2 years before release, as her label thought it was too sexual.

33. Chris brown Signed to Jive Records at the young age of 15.

A very young looking Chris Brown way back in 2005.

34. Before she was in Destiny's Child Michelle Williams was a back up singer for Monica.

Michelle Williams

35. Brandy and Snoop Dogg are first cousins.

Picture: Getty

36. Mary J Blige is the only artist to have won Grammys in the R&B, Rap, Pop, and Gospel fields.

37. Part 2 of Destiny's Child's 'Independent Women' was originally the actual song and part 1 the remix.

38. Mariah Carey's godmother is R&B icon Patti LaBell.

Picture: Getty

39. Ne-Yo was contracted to work on Michael Jackson's new album, but MJ passed away before they met.

Picture: Getty

40. Dame Dash and Aaliyah were one of music’s hottest couples before her untimely death in 2001.

Picture: Getty

41. 'The Cosby Show' gave Alicia Keys her first acting gig at just four-years-old.

42. Destiny's Child shot the 'Bills Bills Bills' video in a hair salon as a tribute to Bey's mum.

(Tina Knowles use to let the girls rehearse in the hair salon she owned.) Picture: Getty.

43. Ne-Yo’s former stage name was 'GoGo'.

Ne-Yo arrives at the Millenium Stadium.

44. How did Trey Songz get his stage name? From producers labelling his tracks 'Trey's songs.' Simple.

Trey Songz Never Again

45. In 2014 Beyoncé was named the highest paid black musician in history by Forbes.

46. It's heavily rumoured that Mariah Carey's song 'Obsessed' is about Eminem.

47. 'Why are you so obsessed with me?' is a reference to the movie Mean Girls, Mariah's favourite film.

48. Lauryn Hill attended Columbia University in 1993, before dropping out to pursue a music career.

49. The Janet Jackson song 'I Want You' was co-written by John Legend and produced by Kanye West.

Janet Jackson performs at the Fox Theatre

50. In 2003, The Neptunes produced 43% of songs on US radio, and 20% on British radio.

(via http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/05/12/1084289744331.html)