Al B. Sure! facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Al B. Sure!
Al B. Sure! in 2012
Background information
Birth name	Albert Joseph Brown III
Born	(1968-06-04) June 4, 1968 (age 57) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Origin	Mount Vernon, New York, U.S.
Genres	R&B new jack swing hip hop urban
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter rapper record producer radio presenter
Years active	1986–present
Labels	Uptown Warner Bros. Hidden Beach
Associated acts	Heavy D. Jodeci Quincy Jones Tevin Campbell Usher

Albert Joseph Brown III (born 1968), known professionally as Al B. Sure!, is a famous American singer, songwriter, and music producer. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts and grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Al B. Sure! became a big star in a music style called new jack swing.

Early Life and Music Career

Al B. Sure!'s parents were Albert Joseph Brown II and Cassandra Brown. His dad was a nuclear medical technician, and his mom was an accountant. When he was in high school, Al B. Sure! was a talented football quarterback at Mount Vernon High School. He even turned down a sports scholarship to the University of Iowa to follow his dream of making music.

In 1987, a legendary music producer named Quincy Jones chose Al B. Sure! as the first winner of the Sony Innovators Talent Search. This was a big start to his career. He also sang with famous artists like Barry White, El DeBarge, and James Ingram on a special recording.

First Album Success

Al B. Sure!'s first album, In Effect Mode, came out in 1988. It was a huge hit, selling over three million copies! The album stayed at the top of the Billboard R&B music chart for seven weeks. It included popular songs like "Nite and Day" and "Off on Your Own (Girl)", which both reached number one on the R&B charts.

He was nominated for many awards, including the Grammy Awards and American Music Awards (AMAs). He won an AMA for Best New R&B Artist. He also won a Soul Train Award for Best New Artist and several New York Music Awards.

Helping Other Artists

Al B. Sure! wasn't just a singer; he also helped other musicians become famous. As a writer and producer, he introduced groups like Jodeci and young R&B singer Tevin Campbell to the music world. He also helped artists like Faith Evans, Dave Hollister, Case, and Usher get their start.

In 2009, Al B. Sure! released a new album called Honey, I'm Home. His first song from that album, "I Love It (Papi Aye, Aye, Aye)," quickly became popular on the radio.

Other Work and Activities

Al B. Sure! has done many different things besides music. In 1991, he acted in a TV show pilot called Private Times with Martin Lawrence.

In 1993, he sang on the title song of David Bowie's album Black Tie White Noise. He even performed the song live with David Bowie on The Tonight Show.

In 2000, Al B. Sure! started a TV production company. He helped produce a comedy special for HBO starring Jamie Foxx. He also hosted a romantic music radio show called The Secret Garden, where he played music and interviewed celebrity guests.

Al B. Sure! has also been involved in community work. He received a special honor from the city of Oakland, California, for helping to fix up parts of the city. October 19 was even named "Al B. Sure! Day" in Oakland. He has also worked as a DJ on radio stations in Los Angeles. Today, he hosts a daily morning radio show on iHeart Radio.

Since 2019, Al B. Sure! has been the host of a national radio show called Love and R&B. This show plays slow jams and is heard on many radio stations across the country.

In 2010, he appeared on a TV reality show called The Ultimate Merger. The show was produced by Donald Trump.

In 2023, Al B. Sure! and Al Sharpton started an organization called Health Equity in Transplantation. This group helps people in underserved communities by supporting blood tests to find organ rejection early. Al B. Sure! is the Executive Chairman of this important organization.

He was also featured in a documentary about Sean "Diddy" Combs called Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy. In this documentary, he spoke about the death of Kim Porter and his relationship with Diddy.

Personal Life

Al B. Sure! has three sons. His oldest son, Albert Joseph Brown IV, is also known as Al B. Sure Jr. He appeared on the MTV show Rock the Cradle. His second son, Devin Brown, is a hip hop singer known as Devin LOUD. Al B. Sure! also has a son named Quincy Brown with Kim Porter. Quincy was later adopted by Sean "Diddy" Combs. In 1991, Al B. Sure! co-wrote a song called "Forever My Lady" for Kim and their son. The group Jodeci performed this song.

In 2022, it was shared that Al B. Sure! had been very sick with several illnesses, including kidney failure. He was in a coma for a while. He received a liver transplant and has been recovering well in 2023.

Discography

Studio Albums

Compilation Albums

Singles

Featured Singles

Writing and Producing Credits

See also

In Spanish: Al B. Sure! para niños