Jodeci

Jodeci is an American R&B group formed by two sets of brothers: Cedric and Joel Hailey, known as K-Ci and JoJo, and Donald and Dalvin DeGrate, known as DeVante Swing and Mr. Dalvin. Coming up in the early 1990s, the North Carolina natives broke through as teenagers with their debut and its title ballad, «Forever My Lady», quickly establishing a sound and image that set them apart from their contemporaries.

Billed as the bad boys of R&B, Jodeci paired raw, gospel-inflected vocal power with a streetwise attitude and a distinctive visual style of dark shades and coordinated leather outfits, presenting a rougher, more urban counterpoint to the polished image of peers like Boyz II Men. Songs such as «Cry for You», «Feenin'», and «Come & Talk to Me» showcased their blend of hip-hop swagger and soulful, emotionally raw balladry, helping to push R&B in a grittier, more contemporary direction during the decade.

DeVante Swing and Mr. Dalvin also handled much of the group's production, and DeVante went on to found the Swing Mob collective, a launching pad for major talents in R&B and hip-hop production. Jodeci's influence extended well beyond their own catalog, shaping the sound of 1990s R&B and leaving a lasting mark on the genre's evolution toward a harder-edged, hip-hop-influenced style.