Jill Scott

Jill Scott, born Jill Heather Scott on April 4, 1972, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, poet and actress recognized as one of the leading voices of the Neo Soul movement. Before launching her music career, she performed as a spoken-word poet, appearing on Def Poetry Jam, and co-wrote The Roots' 1999 hit «You Got Me» after being invited into the studio by drummer Questlove.

Her debut album Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 established her signature style: jazzy, soulful arrangements paired with intimate, poetic lyricism, heard on tracks like «A Long Walk» and «The Way». Alongside artists such as Musiq Soulchild, she helped carry forward the legacy of Philadelphia soul into a new era, fusing classic Gamble and Huff-style musicality with hip hop-informed rhythm and conversational storytelling.

Over a career spanning multiple acclaimed albums, Scott has continued to explore themes of love, empowerment and everyday Black life with warmth and directness, on songs ranging from the upbeat «Golden» to more vulnerable material. She has also built a parallel career as an actress and remains one of the most respected and influential figures to emerge from the Neo Soul era.