After touring alongside the likes of
Nelly in support of his debut album throughout 2005, Lyfe returned to the studio in 2006 to release his second album
The Phoenix. Named after his son - who, in turn, is named after the mythical Greek firebird -
The Phoenix deals heavily with themes of change and rebirth. The album produced a number of notable songs, including the bulletproof street-tough anthem
"Slow Down" (which features close friend and
G-Unit member
Young Buck), the heartfelt ballad
"Let’s Stay Together", and the tastefully executed
"S.E.X.", which skillfully discusses the sensitive topic of teenage promiscuity.
Eager to follow up the
RIAA Gold-certified success of
The Phoenix, Jennings dropped his most recent album
Lyfe Change in April 2008. The album debuted respectably at #4 on the
Billboard 200, selling close to 80,000 copies in its first week of availability. Two singles have so far been released from the album,
"Cops Up" and
"Never Never Land".
From Discogs:Born: 1978, Toledo, Ohio
From Lastfm:Lyfe Jennings (born Chester Jennings in Toledo, Ohio) is an African American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, record producer, and instrumentalist. He plays the guitar, bass, and piano which he integrates into his music.
Jennings began singing at a young age in a Toledo church choir. He later joined a group called The Dotsons with two of his cousins and his older brother, Jay. The group separated in the early 1990s, and Jennings rediscovered music and started a music program at an Ohio prison where he was serving a ten-year sentence on an arson-related charge. He has cited Erykah Badu's 1997 album Baduizm as one of the reasons for his rediscovery. Jennings was released from prison in December 2002 and started to pursue a solo career in music. In January 2003, he performed in Harlem at the Showtime at The Apollo. The same year, he also independently released his first EP, What Is Love. To further pursue his career, Jennings moved to New York City where he performed at rapper Nelly's concert at Radio City Music Hall, at an NAACP convention where he performed an original song called "Thank God for the NAACP", and at the Cafeteria in Chelsea, Manhattan during the blackout on August 14. He signed with Columbia Records and released his debut album Lyfe 268-192 (268-192 was his inmate number) in August 2004. His first single was Stick Up Kid, which didn't see much sucess until after the album was released. The album featured his hit single "Must Be Nice". Jennings' second album The Phoenix was released in August 2006. The first single, "S.E.X.", feautures Jennings' protégé, singer LaLa Brown.
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From Wikipedia:Lyfe Jennings (born Chester Bamsu Jennings on June 3, 1973) is a platinum-selling American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, record producer, and instrumentalist. He plays the guitar, bass, and piano which he integrates into his music. The New York Times referred to him as a "socially minded R&B singer".
His love for music led him to join a group that included two of his cousins and his older brother. After splitting, Lyfe continued his interest in music. As stated in the songs "Ghetto Superman" and "More Than A Girl" from The Phoenix, Lyfe lost his father at a young age. Lyfe went to prison for ten years at the age of 19.