R&B singer/songwriter/producer Al B. Sure! was born on June 4th, 1968 in Boston, Massachusetts but grew up in Leonia, New Jersey and Mt. Vernon, New York. Between 1988 and 2009 he released four albums produced mostly by
Kyle West. In 1988 he teamed up with the rapper
Slick Rick for his single
If I’m Not Your Lover, included in his debut album
In Effect Mode that went on to sell more than two million copies. In the same album, were included his crossover quiet storm mega hit
Nite And Day / Off On Your Own (Girl) his biggest ever hit (#7 in the U.S. pop charts and #1 in the U.S. R&B charts, nominated for Grammy for Best Vocal R&B Male Performance) and his cover of
Killing Me Softly (which
Lori Lieberman first recorded in 1971 but
Roberta Flack made it an all time classic in 1973.) In 1989
Quincy Jones chose him to sing along with
Barry White,
El DeBarge and
James Ingram on the smooth soul suite
The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite) that was included in his double platinum album
Back On The Block. In 1990 he teamed up with
Diana Ross for his single
No Matter What You Do that was included in his second album
Private Times...And The Whole 9!, in which he also covered the classic
Eagles’ 1976 hit Hotel California. As songwriter and producer, Al B. Sure! introduced
Jodeci,
Tevin Campbell,
Faith Evans,
Dave Hollister, Case and
Usher. In 1993 he was featured in
David Bowie’s
Black Tie White Noise single, included in his same-titled album. In 1994 he covered
I’m Still In Love With You (a glorious hit for
Al Green in 1972) for the soundtrack of
Above The Rim. He has, as well, contributed backing vocals in recordings of
Heavy D. & The Boyz,
Starpoint, Jeremy Jordan and
Chubb Rock, among others.