Bilal

Bilal Sayeed Oliver, better known as Bilal, is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and producer. Born on August 23, 1979, he grew up in a religiously mixed household with a Christian mother and Muslim father. Bilal's interest in music and singing developed during his time attending church with his mother and exploring jazz clubs with his father. After studying at the Philadelphia High School for Creative Performing Arts, he moved to New York City to study jazz at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music.

During his time at the New School, Bilal met Robert Glasper and they became best friends. They worked together on Bilal's demo which caught the attention of Aaron Comess from the Spin Doctors. This led to a record deal with Interscope Records. In 2001, Bilal released his debut album "1st Born Second" featuring contributions from renowned producers such as Dr. Dre and J Dilla.

The album showcased Bilal's range and ability to sing in a freeform style while incorporating elements of soul, jazz, hip-hop, rock, electronic music, and blues. Despite being labeled as "neo-soul," Bilal constantly pushed boundaries throughout his career to expand his musical horizons.