You Oughta Know : John Legend

Before the public ever got a taste of what he could do on his own, John Legend was a stealth star; a go-to session guy for Lauryn Hill, Janet Jackson and Jay-Z. Steeped in the ultra-fertile Philly music scene, the singer-pianist served as the music director of a local church ensemble before moving to NYC and singing hooks on Kanye West tracks. GET LIFTED, his impressive debut, is the first release from West's new label - as valuable an endorsement as you can get these days. Like his boss, Legend cooks up cutting edge joints with a decidedly classic feel by fusing hip-hop, gospel and R&B.