Two of the most underrated accomplished singers and songwriters to come from R&B Donell Jones and Joe.
Will take the VERZUZ stage Tonight at 9 p.m. EDT/6 p.m. PDT.
Fans can stream the event live via Apple Music and Complex.
Donell stated; “For me, it’s not really a VERZUZ. It’s a celebration. We’re not going to do what the other guys did where it’s beefing back and forth. We’re grown-ass men. We both have two great catalogs. We’re going to treat it as such.”
This R&B Bridgez Celebrates the Two R&B Musical Legends!
Born May 22, 1973 in Chicago, IL, Donell Jones started singing at the age of 8.
Donell wrote his first song at the age of 12 and at the age of 14 he received an electric guitar as a gift from his mother.
Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, he knew his love for music very early.
With his father being a musician and even playing drums for Hall & Oates, there was no doubt Donell would be able to follow in his footsteps.
As he grew older, however, music became more than just a passing interest. He even credits music for “saving his life.”
Growing up on Chicago‘s notorious Southside, Donell found himself caught up in the lure of the streets. “I was in a gang,” he explained pensively. “You see guys with nice things, and you want to have those too. But then I got into music, and it kept me inside.”
With his roots in music firmly planted, Donell overcame the southside streets of Chicago’s gang life to pursue his dream.
Donell hooked up with Untouchables Entertainment President, Edward “Eddie F” Ferrell when he sang for him at the Black Radio Exclusive conference.
At the time Donell Jones was a member of a group.
The group had high aspirations for their talent showcase at the conference, however, no one showed up.
Determined to get noticed, Donell and the group started singing for anyone who listened.
Eddie F saw great potential in the group that day.
Shortly after that meeting the group was signed to Untouchables/LaFace and recorded a single.
But their dream was never realized because the group disbanded.
Not willing to give up on the music business, Donell Jones proved his skills as a writer and producer.
Donell Jones wrote one of Usher’s first top ten hits, “Think of You.”
He also wrote and produced for several other artists.
Soon after he went to work on his debut album.
Growing up in the rural South, Joe Thomas was in a dramatically different zone than the one he currently occupies.
The son of two preachers, music played an important role in Joe’s life early on.
“My father is a reverend, and he encouraged me to go after my dreams,” Joe once stated. “So by the time I was 16, I was already doing talent showcases and other local things.”
He often went on the road with his father, a traveling evangelist.
Joe regularly carried a guitar with him and would play a piano whenever he came across one.
Even though his parents were poor, they instilled a strong set of values in their children. “I’ve been blessed to have the right foundation, the right fabric,” Joe stated during his debut era. “My parents were always focused on their kids doing the right thing and making sure we did something with our lives. I credit my success to my parents.”
Joe got his initial musical training in church, developing his singing and his proficiency with the guitar there.
As a musician and singer of his parents’ church, the Georgia native’s early musical influences include gospel greats such as The Winans, Commissioned and Vanessa Bell Armstrong (with whom he’d later also work with).
He eventually discovered secular acts like Bobby Brown and Keith Sweat and after playing in local bands, set his sites on a career in music.
After finishing high school, Joe moved to New Jersey, where he began doing demo work in studios.
When he started making inroads in the mid-1990s, his background provided Joe with a different perspective, one that made his earnest, respectful and mature brand of R&B distinctive.
It was respectful toward women and focused on making a true, emotional connection with a woman rather than simply a physical one. “The importance of manners was something that was always stressed in our family, being the son of two preachers,” he explained. “So was being loyal, faithful and committed. It was part of my parents’ message, especially my mother.”
His melodic and instrument-playing skills would serve him well – it enabled him to produce his own three-song demo, which eventually lead to a label deal.
Donell Jones released his first single in the summer of 1996, entitled “In the Hood.”
The album was released in June of 1996, entitled “My Heart,” released through LaFace Records.
Although Donell himself wrote the majority of it, it also received assistance from Eddie Ferrell’s Untouchables Entertainment production team, including Mookie, Marks Sparks, Kenny Tonge, and Darin Whittington.
A modest commercial record peaked at #30 on the Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums but did not make it to the top portion of the Billboard 200.
The album’s initial two hits, “In the Hood” and an ode to Stevie Wonder’s hit song from 1976, “Knocks Me Off My Feet,” were top thirty singles according to the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs as well as being on the New Zealand singles chart.
In 1999, Donell Jones had a major hit when he released his sophomore album “Where I Wanna Be.”
It was boosted by the popular song “U Know What’s Up,” which was ranked at the #7 spot at the top of the Billboard Hot 100.
“U Know What’s Up” was a huge hit across the globe that climbed into the top ten on music charts across Belgium (Flanders) as well as The Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom.
In the United Kingdom, “U Know What’s Up” came out and peaked at second place in the UK Singles Chart, where it continued for two weeks.
“Where I Wanna Be” was ranked at the top of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States.
The title song was Donell‘s personal favorite, and it’s an intimate look at what can sometimes happen in love relationships. “There are a lot of cats out there who get in relationships at a young age,” he explained “And, years pass, and they don’t really have that chance to get out and be a bachelor. And they want out, so, I think guys could find some comfort in that.”
The album released three additional singles that included “Shorty (Got Her Eyes On Me)” and “Where I Wanna Be,” the latter came in at #2 on the Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and was later designated platinum for the sales of over a million copies.
In 2000, Donell Jones released the track “I’ll Go” for the romance film “Love and Basketball” soundtrack, which brought him the Black Reel Award nomination for the Best Original or modified Song.
He was also honored with one American Music Award in the Best Soul/R&B New Artist category in the following year.
Donell Jones joined forces with his usual group of collaborators, Eddie F., Sheldon Goode, Jamie Hawkins, G-Wise Kyle West, and Darren Lighty, to create the third studio album “Life Goes On.”
It was released in June 2002.
The album debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 and #3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, being his highest-charting album yet.
A consistent seller, the album was granted gold certification.
Donell Jones released his fourth album, “Journey of a Gemini” was released in 2006 and was his first album that featured an array of collaborators that included producers from Tim & Bob, Sean Garrett, Ryan Leslie, Tank, Mike City, and The Underdogs.
The album became Donell Jones the highest-charting album on his Billboard top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, where it was ranked at the top while also making it into the top 20 spots on the Billboard 200 chart.
In 1993 Joe released his debut album “Everything.”
It wasn’t a burden for him to write, arrange, produce, and sing on “Everything.” “It wasn’t difficult for me to do everything, because making music is what I love doing,” Joe stated.
“I want to bring back the romance to R&B,” stated a 24 year-old Joe in 1997; “I’m trying to set a standard lifestyle and pattern that can be respected. I talk about relationships from a female and male perspective – how they work, the good times and the bad times – I talk about it all. I want people to get that good feeling that they would get if they went to an O’Jays concert.”
Between 1997 and 2002, Joe would release three more albums. “All That I Am” (1997), his debut for Jive, and “Better Days” (2002) sold well, but it was 2000’s “My Name Is Joe” that catapulted his career to new heights.
The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 and the singles “I Wanna Know” and the remix for “Stutter” featuring Mystikal both went to the top five on the singles chart (#1 and #4, respectively).
Though the release of “Better Days” was met with decent sales, it didn’t compare to “My Name Is Joe.” “It did fairly good numbers, but I came off of selling three million records with “My Name Is Joe.”
Every artist knows the fickle side of the industry, but only a few can weather the storm.
It was Joe’s love for creating music that got him through the downswings of the business. “I just stay in on course and continue to work. Music has to continue to inspire and I can’t stop. It’s important to me to make my voice and my music heard and felt passionately.”
By the 2000s, Joe had become one of R&B’s most accomplished and popular singers.
Such singles as “All The Things (Your Man Won’t Do),” “All That I Am,” “No One Comes Close” and “I Wanna Know” established Joe as a bona fide hitmaker who sold more than 10 million albums worldwide.
Moreover, his work with Mariah Carey (“Thank God I Found You”), Big Pun (“Still Not A Player”) and G-Unit (“Wanna Get To Know You”), showed that Joe is a much sought-after collaborator with some of music’s biggest and best artists.
As Joe became an R&B superstar, his status around the world also grew.
He developed loyal fans throughout the globe and regularly performs in Japan, Australia, Europe and Africa, in addition to North America.
In 2009, Donell Jones dropped “The Lost Files,” a collection of songs not released between the years 1996-2004 through his record label Candyman.
“Lyrics,” was his fifth album, released in September of 2010.
“Lyrics” released two singles, including “Love Like This,” which made it to the top five on the Billboard Adult R&B Songs.
Donell Jones sixth album “Forever” was released in July 2013.
Reaching #8 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums.
The title track peaked at #14 in Billboard’s Adult R&B Songs.
In 2016, Donell Jones premiered the single “Never Let Her Go” in collaboration with the rapper David Banner.
In support of the track, the singer promoted the single in the spring of 2017.
In 2018 Donell Jones recorded the track, provided vocals, and co-wrote “23” for Jacquees.
In 2019, Donell Jones collaborated with Jon B. on the duet “Understand.”
Followed by a free album entitled “100% Free,” in 2021.
In addition to writing, arranging and producing his own work, Donell has written and produced songs for 702 (“Can We Get Together”), Silk, Brownstone and contributed vocal arrangements on Madonna‘s 1994 album, “Bedtime Stories.”
In 2015 Joe dazzled the world last fall with his rendition of “Hello” from global superstar, Adele.’
Joe‘s rendition garnered more than 5 million views in less than a week and it reminded the masses that Joe is not just a singer, but an artist.
Joe’s unprecedented career as singer, songwriter and artist has yielded over 15 million units sold worldwide.
Joe‘s last two albums were “Bridges” in 2014 and “My Name Is Joe Thomas” in 2016.
“My Name Is Joe Thomas” debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and spawned the single “So I Can Have You Back.”
That was Joe‘s fourth #1 single on the Adult R&B Songs chart.
Joe is currently at work on his forthcoming thirteenth album.
We’ve followed Donell‘s journey throughout most of his career and here are some of our favorite quotes;
UrbanBridgez: What would you personally like to see change with the current state of R&B music?
Donell Jones: Some of the things I would liked to see change is and I’m not knocking anybody when I say this. But I don’t think there is enough love for the music. I think mostly everybody is talking about how much money they got and who they wanna bang out. And I think that those songs are very easy to write. You know it doesn’t take alot of thought. I wanna do something meaningful, put something out there that people can actually get something from. Like if you’re in a relationship and something is going wrong. Just make songs that people can actually sit back and listen to and get some type of guidance from.UrbanBridgez: “Wish You Were Here,” “He Won’t Hurt You” and “I Hope it’s You” are my all time favorite Donell Jones songs, what are your top 5 favorite songs from yourself?
Donell Jones: Wow man that’s great thanks. I would have to say my top 5 would be “Where I Wanna Be,” “Waiting on You,” “Think About It,” “Where You Are (Is Where I Wanna Be Part II)” and “I’m Gonna Be.”UrbanBridgez: What artists or producers that you haven’t worked with yet, would you like to?
Donell Jones: Man I gotta say Dr. Dre! Just his sound and every track that he does, yeah Dr. Dre would be the one producer I would love to work with.UrbanBridgez: What’s your method of writing a song?
Donell Jones: I don’t really have one. Sometimes I come up with the lyrics and then do the track, other times I come up with the track and later add the lyrics. It’s just different each time around, sometimes something has to happen and I’ll come up with something. Some days I’m lazy and don’t feel like doing anything.UrbanBridgez: You mentioned starting your own label, what was your motivation behind that & what’s the name of it?
Donell Jones: It’s called Candyman Music! The motivation behind it was basically just not being a priority for the other labels I was at. I think my most successful album was “Where I Wanna Be,” and I still think that could of did alot better than it did. Just never really being a priority to my label and I don’t think I ever was. So that was my motivation for starting my own label.UrbanBridgez: What’s your best memory of Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes?
Donell Jones: Oh wow, it was one time me and her did this show together in London for an awards show. Man it was just a really great performance, we had a good time and there was just so much energy on the stage, that would have to be my best memory of her.UrbanBridgez: What’s your opinion of the current state of R&B;?
Donell Jones: I think with the release of Usher’s last album which was just so incredible, it’s bringing R&B; back to the front with great music. I think to keep it going something else has to come out and seal the deal. I think this time around I got it and my album can be that for R&B.; My problem is just making people aware of the album and it’s coming then when it’s released, the fact that it’s in stores.UrbanBridgez: Have you ever heard a song recorded by another artist that you wished you had recorded?
Donell Jones: I don’t think that has really happened, but I’ll tell you something close that’s funny. A lot of songs I turned down for this album (Journey of a Gemini) submitted by producers I’m starting to hear some of them on the radio by other artists and it’s funny because I’m like damn I wish I would of recorded that song after all.UrbanBridgez: Do you still keep in contact with Eddie F.?
Donell Jones: Oh yeah, no doubt! Eddie is my boy, I mean he is the one that brought me out, the one that believed in me. We’re always in contact, man that’s like my big brother.
UB spoke with Joe for the releae of his album “Bridges” in 2014.
Joe dishes on the album title, R&B, Kelly Rowland, Brandy, his favorite songs he’s recorded and more!
UrbanBridgez.com: With this being your 11th album, how has JOE the artist & songwriter evolved since the first album?
JOE: You know what it is it’s funny, I’m kind of going back a little bit. I touched on Hip-Hop for awhile, me and my hood friends. We did a lot of nice records for people like Mystikal and G-Unit. That was really nice in the 90’s and plus I had some big records like All The Things Your Man Won’t Do and I Wanna Know. So really it’s just trying to go back and get that again. To create that magic in music again. I went a little bit old school with the sound of it. I want to incorporate more live instrumentation’s into what R&B is. Hopefully that will inspire some kids to want to pick up an instrument and learn how to play as well as sing and dance and things they love to do. So that’s the evolution, to actually go back a little.UrbanBridgez.com: What made you follow-up your last release so quickly?
JOE: I had to keep moving, because I had just went through a business situation and got a new partner. So that was a major change for me and a lot of the things that I did on the last album was still locked down with that business deal I did, before I did this one. But I wanted to keep the momentum going with Love & Sex and I didn’t want to lose anything. But I had to switch up the music a little bit, the lyrics were fine because they’re mine. So I had to switch everything up and grab Kelly Rowland for the next album. I just had to keep going, I couldn’t just stop or I felt I would lose a lot of momentum. So I just had to put out another record right away.UrbanBridgez.com: The new album has a lot of feel good music with an old school vibe to it, was that the direction you set out to go with this album or did it just end up that way?
JOE: Yes it was definitely an old school direction I wanted to go with. Like with my last album the title was Doubleback: Evolution of R&B and one of the things I said the most about that album was I had to go back and grab something from the old school. Like from the Stevie Wonders, Michael Jackson’s, Marvin Gaye’s, etc. Because they made music you can actually feel. So I’m trying to recreate some of that magic to introduce to a new audience not necessary my audience. Just so they can feel R&B a little bit to know where this thing really started from & this is what it sounded and felt like back then.UrbanBridgez.com: What one song on Bridges that you feel is one that should be heard by every JOE fan that will immediately make them run out & get the album?
JOE: Let’s see…that’s a real good question. As a body of work, I feel like once they get that they’ll understand a lot more who the artist JOE is. But I think the one song is a song called “If You Lose Her,” my next single. It’s a real story teller, it’s a real heart-felt song. The video really enhances with telling that story. (watch below)UrbanBridgez.com: You have all live musicians on the new album, is that a hard thing to accomplish or easier than recorded production?
JOE: It’s pretty easy, it’s a lot of guys stepping their game up. A lot of musicians, girls and guys are coming to the table with some good really good talent. I’m actually fortunate to be in the position where they actually want to work with me. That’s the blessing I have, once people know you’re serious about this music and want to make the best quality music, they want to work with you. I’ve been very fortunate and blessed, specially working on this last album working with this young producer who’s getting a lot of props DOA. He produced the entire album and is just a phenomenal producer. An exceptional guy when it comes to music, he just knows how to put it together. With me writing and creating melodies and doing my silky thing. I think it’s a musical marriage that’s going to continue for a long time, because we’re just going to continue to create.UrbanBridgez.com: Of course we at UrbanBridgez love the album title, what made you pick Bridges?
JOE: It’s kind of funny because I don’t believe in burning bridges, but I had to step out of a situation last year and I looked at it as moving forward. This is exactly what relationships are, they’re bridges. You build a bridge and you want to build the best bridge possible. I talk about relationships a lot and it’s just a metaphor for relationships with this album.UrbanBridgez.com: This is a true to R&B album indeed, what are your thoughts on R&B music overall right now?
JOE: It’s going more Hip-Hop than it use to be. That’s just not in the sound of it, it’s the swag of the R&B industry. Specially with the young artists that are out now. I think it’s so important not to lose the essence of what it really is. The soul, the passion, the love, if you’re a group the blending and harmonizing together. That’s a lost art in itself. So understanding what R&B is and what the soul of R&B is, I think that’s what’s missing a little bit. I do see potential in artists that will have longevity. We have young Chris Brown who reminds me of Michael Jackson, he has strong potential to be around for quite some time. Trey Songz is like a little young Marvin Gaye, so to speak. So you have the artists that have their thing going a little bit. Also Miguel, who’s like a little young Prince. So they remind me of some of that essence of what that R&B was. As long as they keep in mind to continue to build, expand and grow and be who you are and be better.UrbanBridgez.com: You and Kelly Rowland mesh very well together, how did that collaboration come about?
JOE: What a wonderful girl and beautiful spirit. I’ve been knowing Destiny’s Child for some time now. Kelly and I are big fans of each other’s and this song just happen to be just perfect. It was just the perfect JOE: opportunity for us to get down and she so graciously agreed to do it. She’s a humble spirit, so it’s so easy to work with her. Just a genuine person to be around, so it was fun. I knew her voice would match up perfectly to it. As well as her energy when it came to the video.UrbanBridgez.com: Us Brandy fans really want you guys to collaborate again, this time with an actual duet. Have you two discussed possibly working together again?
JOE: You know that girl is amazing. I always talk about Brandy, for some reason I just can’t seem to get a song with her. I’ll tell you, when we do it’s going to be magic. She has one of the most beautiful tones. I’m going to put her on the top of the list as one of the most beautiful tones out of all of the female singers in the game right now. The girls voice is ridiculous. I would love to do another record with her. I’m doing another record after this called Date Night, she will be one of the first artists that I’m going to call.UrbanBridgez.com: Out of your catalog, name 3 of your favorite songs you’ve ever recorded and why?
JOE: I Wanna Know, because it was one of them songs that was so simple, I didn’t think it was going to be that big. Stutter, that one kind of came out of nowhere. It was me always wanting an up-tempo top 10 record. I never wanted to be an artist that just sang a ballad at the concerts. So I wanted people to be familiar with my up-tempo records as well. So Stutter gave me that. And I’ll have to say No One Else Comes Close, is a song I made for the Backstreet Boys that I also recorded myself. That no matter what, it’s one of them classics that I can always do on a guitar at any occasion and it’s a nice crowd pleaser.UrbanBridgez.com: Share with us one of the first artists that you were a fan of and how they inspired you?
JOE: I’ll say Bobby Brown when he became a solo artist and his Don’t Be Cruel album was a big inspiration. He was young, a dancer and he appealed to teenagers like myself. I was into that whole entertainment thing back in the day performing. I did a lot of shows back in the day, I had a lot of bands and I use to do a lot of cover songs. Of course some Bobby Brown, he was one of the hottest guys out at the time. So yeah, he was one of the guys who really inspired me to be an artist. Singing was Stevie Wonder and a lot of the gospel singers, but as far as a performer…of course Michael Jackson but Bobby Brown was the guy at the time.UrbanBridgez.com: Anything else you want to share with fans before we wrap-up?
JOE: I’m excited about the album and want to thank everybody for the support. Those that do have it, those that don’t make sure you go get a copy. I know you’re going to love it. I got a song on there with 50 Cent for those street heads, it’s called Mary Jane. I also did Big Rich Town with him which is the theme song for his show on Starz called Power.
