Raphael Saadiq

Raphael Saadiq is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer whose influence on R&B and soul music spans more than three decades. Growing up in Oakland, California, Saadiq began playing bass guitar at age six, inspired by the sounds of Motown, and sang gospel music in church from an early age. His early talent led to a position in Sheila E.'s backing band, which supported Prince on the Parade world tour, an experience that developed his musicianship and stage presence before launching his own career. Upon returning to Oakland, Saadiq co-founded the R&B trio Tony! Toni! Toné! with his brother D'Wayne Wiggins and cousin Timothy Christian Riley. The group released four albums, each achieving gold, platinum, or multi-platinum status, and produced crossover hits including "Feels Good," "If I Had No Loot," and "Anniversary," establishing Saadiq as a significant figure in contemporary soul.

After Tony! Toni! Toné! disbanded, Saadiq focused on collaborations that helped define the neo-soul era. He co-wrote and co-produced D'Angelo's track "Untitled (How Does It Feel?)" from the album "Voodoo," which won a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. Saadiq also formed the supergroup Lucy Pearl with Dawn Robinson of En Vogue and Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest, before launching his solo career with "Instant Vintage," which received multiple Grammy nominations including Best R&B Album. His subsequent solo albums, "The Way I See It" and "Stone Rollin'," both reached the Top 20 on the Billboard 200 and showcased his ability to blend classic soul with contemporary R&B.

As a producer and collaborator, Saadiq has contributed to recordings by artists such as Erykah Badu, Stevie Wonder, Beyoncé, Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott, TLC, and John Legend. He served as executive producer and co-writer on Solange's album "A Seat at the Table," co-writing eight songs including "Cranes in the Sky." Saadiq also composed music for HBO's series "Insecure" and collaborated with Beyoncé on her albums "Renaissance" and "Cowboy Carter," the latter of which won Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards. He was named to Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People list in recognition of his impact on music and culture.

Saadiq's fifth solo album, "Jimmy Lee," is a concept record inspired by his older brother's struggle with addiction and death. The album addresses themes of addiction, mass incarceration, family trauma, and mortality within African-American life, drawing comparisons to Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and earning critical acclaim. "Jimmy Lee" features contributions from Kendrick Lamar and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, highlighting Saadiq's ability to address personal and social issues through music. His work on the film "Mudbound," co-writing the Mary J. Blige song "Mighty River," earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song, reflecting his influence across music, film, and television. Fender collaborated with Saadiq to produce a limited-edition signature Telecaster guitar, recognizing his contributions as a musician and guitarist. Saadiq also co-wrote the song "I Lied To You" for Ryan Coogler's film "Sinners" and has performed a one-man show, "No Bandwidth: One Man, One Night, Three Decades of Hits," presenting his catalog to audiences in an intimate format.