Jill Scott (singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jill Scott
Scott in 2012
Background information
Birth name	Jill Heather Scott
Born	(1972-04-04) April 4, 1972 (age 53) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Genres	R&B soul neo soul hip hop spoken word jazz
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter model poet actress
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1981–present
Labels	Hidden Beach (2000–2010) Blues Babe/Warner Bros.(2011–2013) Atlantic (2014–present)

Jill Heather Scott (born April 4, 1972) is an American singer, songwriter, poet, and actress. She is famous for her powerful voice and creative mix of musical styles. Her first album in 2000, Who Is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds Vol. 1, was a huge success.

Scott is also a talented actress. She appeared in the movies Hounddog and Why Did I Get Married? in 2007. From 2008 to 2009, she starred in the TV series The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. She also played the villain Lady Eve in the superhero show Black Lightning.

Early Life and School

Jill Scott was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was raised by her mother and grandmother in a neighborhood in North Philadelphia. Scott has said she had a happy childhood and was a "very much a loved child."

After high school, Scott went to Temple University. She studied to become a high school English teacher and worked two jobs at the same time. After three years, she decided teaching wasn't for her and left college to follow her creative dreams.

Music Career

Getting Started

Scott performing in Hamburg, Germany, in 2000

Scott started her career as a spoken word artist, performing her own poetry. She was discovered by Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson from the famous band the Roots. He invited her to work with them in the studio.

This led to Scott co-writing the song "You Got Me". The song, performed by The Roots and Erykah Badu, won a Grammy Award. Scott began performing the song live with the band, which helped launch her career as a singer. She also toured Canada in a production of the musical Rent.

Words and Sounds Albums (2000–2009)

Scott was the first artist signed to the Hidden Beach Recordings record label. Her first album, Who Is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds Vol. 1, came out in 2000. The single "A Long Walk" became very popular and earned her a Grammy nomination.

In 2005, she won her first Grammy Award for the song "Cross My Mind." She released two more successful albums in this series: Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2 (2004) and The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 (2007).

During this time, Scott also published a book of her poetry called The Moments, The Minutes, The Hours.

New Music and Tours (2010–2012)

In 2011, Scott took more control of her music by starting her own record label, Blues Babe Records. She released her fourth album, The Light of the Sun. It went straight to number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, which was a first for her.

The album's most popular single, "So in Love" featuring Anthony Hamilton, was a huge hit. To support the album, she went on a popular tour called the Summer Block Party.

Later Albums and Performances

Scott released her fifth album, Woman, in 2015. It also debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, showing her lasting popularity.

In May 2020, Scott took part in a famous online music event called a "Verzuz battle" with singer Erykah Badu. The two friends played their hit songs for over 700,000 viewers on Instagram Live. Famous people like Michelle Obama and Janet Jackson tuned in to watch.

Musical Style

Jill Scott is known for her unique musical style, often called neo soul. She blends different types of music, including jazz, R&B, spoken word, and hip hop.

She is a soprano singer, which means she can sing very high notes. Reviewers have compared her vocal skills to legendary singers like Minnie Riperton. Her music often tells stories about everyday life, love, and community, which helps fans connect with her songs.

Acting Career

Scott began acting in 2000. In 2004, she had a role in the TV show Girlfriends. Her first movie roles were in 2007 in Hounddog and Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?.

From 2008 to 2009, she played the main character, Precious Ramotswe, in the HBO and BBC series The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. She also played Sheila in the sequel Why Did I Get Married Too? (2010).

More recently, she played the villain Lady Eve in the superhero series Black Lightning from 2018 to 2020. Since 2019, she has starred in the TV show First Wives Club on the BET+ streaming service.

Personal Life

Scott married her long-time boyfriend, Lyzel Williams, in 2001. The song "He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat)" was written about him. They divorced in 2007.

In 2008, Scott announced her engagement to her drummer, Li'l John Roberts. They have a son who was born in 2009. The couple later separated.

Scott has lived in New Jersey and California, and now lives in Tennessee.

Charity Work

In 2003, Scott started the Blues Babe Foundation. The foundation helps young minority students from the Philadelphia area pay for college. She named it after her grandmother, who was called "Blue Babe."

Scott has also spoken out about the need for positive and healthy messages in music.

Discography

Studio albums

• Who Is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds Vol. 1 (2000)
• Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2 (2004)
• The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 (2007)
• The Light of the Sun (2011)
• Woman (2015)

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Jill Scott para niños