Led by producer/vocalist/songwriter DJ Jazzie B, Soul II Soul was one of the most innovative dance/R&B outfits of the late ’80s, creating a seductive, deep R&B that borrowed from Philly soul, disco, reggae, and ’80s hip-hop. Originally featuring Jazzie B, producer/arranger Nellee Hooper and instrumentalist Philip Daddae Harvey, the musical collective came together in the late ’80s. Two singles, Fairplay and Feel Free, began to attract attention both in clubs and in the press.

Featuring the vocals of Caron Wheeler, Soul II Soul’s third single Keep on Movin’, reached the U.K. Top Ten in March 1989. Released in the summer of 1989, Back to Life also featured Wheeler and became their first number 1 hit. Soul II Soul released their debut album, Club Classics, Vol. One, shortly afterward. Wheeler left the group before the recording of the group’s second album, Vol. 2: 1990 — A New Decade. The album featured lead vocalists Victoria Wilson-James, Lamya, Marcia Lewis, and Kym Mazelle. It peaked at number one in the U.K. Throughout 1991-1996, the group featured new female vocalists including Melissa Bell, Charlotte Kelly, and Penny Ford.

Since 2007, Soul II Soul has reunited with the lineup of Jazzie B and Caron Wheeler. Wheeler took a departure from the group after their reunion tour in 2010, with Charlotte taking her place as lead vocalist. In 2013, Charlotte left the group and Wheeler rejoined the group. In December 2016, Soul II Soul released their second live album Origins, which features Wheeler and Jazzie B as the lineup. In 2017, Kelly rejoined the group and alternated lead vocals alongside Wheeler. In 2019, Nadine Caesar began touring with the group as a featured lead vocalist.