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Edward Theodore Riley is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer credited with the creation of the New Jack Swing genre. Riley credits Barry Michael Cooper with giving the genre its name.

He fusion of hip hop and R&B in his work gave him the opportunity to work with artists including Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown, Keith Sweat, Samantha Mumba, Doug E. Fresh, Today, Heavy D & the Boyz, Hi-Five, Men of Vizion and Profyle, as well as his spearheaded groups Guy and Blackstreet.

Biography[]

Born in Harlem, Riley grew up in the St. Nicholas projects. He began playing various instruments at a young age. When he turned eight, he began playing piano for the Little Flower Baptist Church. Later, he began playing in bands around New York. After meeting Kool and the Gang member Royal Bayyan, Riley was introduced to the arts of record production and songwriting. Hooking up with Gene Griffin in the mid '80s, Riley's many talents resulted in platinum hits for Guy -- the singing trio that included Riley and brothers Aaron Hall and Damion Hall. One of Riley's early production was Deja's 1988 Virgin LP, We Belong Together.

In 1987, Riley, Aaron Hall, and Timmy Gatling formed the R&B group Guy. Managed by Gene Griffin, Riley's work with Guy pioneered the "new jack swing" style of R&B. Riley infused his own blend of hip-hop beats, R&B progressions and the gospel vocal stylings of Hall to create the archetypal new jack swing sound on Guy's eponymous debut. In 1989, Riley produced Big Daddy Kane's "I Get the Job Done", as well as other work for the Jacksons, the Winans and James Ingram. In that year, he helped produce the debut album of his rap-band, Wrecks-N-Effect. He also created the highly successful remix of Jane Child's "Don't Wanna Fall in Love", which became a crossover pop smash.

After the release and tour of Guy's second album, The Future, Riley co-produced half of Michael Jackson's Dangerous album on the recommendation of Jackson's long-time producer Quincy Jones. After the disbandment of Guy in 1992, Riley moved to production, performance on and promotion of Wreckx-N-Effect's second album Hard or Smooth.

Riley's consistency and drum ideas had some influence on modern-day R&B, which since him contained more samples and rapping segments as well as singing, a practice which in part was reminiscent of the Jackson family. Along with neo soul-style singers such as Marvin Gaye, he has had a seminal influence on gospel and R&B music, which became more open to using rap and sound effects in their recordings

Discography[]

Singles[]

  • 90's Girl
  • 2300 Jackson Street
  • All My Love (Queen Pen song)
  • Baby Be Mine (Blackstreet song)
  • Be Happy (Mary J. Blige song)
  • Before I Let You Go
  • Blood on the Dance Floor
  • Blowin' Up (Don't Stop the Music)
  • Booti Call
  • The Boys (Girls' Generation song)
  • Breaking News (song)
  • Can I live?
  • Can't Let Her Get Away
  • The City Is Mine
  • D-O-G Me Out
  • Dancin' (Guy song)
  • Dangerous
  • Demon (Jay Park song)
  • Do Thangz
  • Don't Leave Me (Blackstreet song)
  • Fix (Blackstreet song)
  • Get Away (Bobby Brown song)
  • Get Ready (Mase song)
  • Ghosts
  • Girlfriend/Boyfriend
  • Go See the Doctor
  • Heaven Can Wait
  • Hollywood Tonight
  • House Keeper (song)
  • How Ya Like Me Now (song)
  • I Like (Guy song)
  • I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)
  • I Want Her
  • I Want You Back (Pure Soul song)
  • I'm Looking for the One (To Be with Me)
  • In the Closet
  • Is It Good to You (Heavy D & the Boyz song)
  • It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be
  • It's in the Mornin'
  • Jam (Michael Jackson song)
  • Joy (Blackstreet song)
  • Just Got Paid (Johnny Kemp song)
  • Let's Chill
  • Liar (Profyle song)
  • Love in the 90z
  • Make It Last Forever (song)
  • Monster (Michael Jackson song)
  • My Love (Mary J. Blige song)
  • Never Let You Go (New Kids on the Block song)
  • No Diggity
  • Now That We Found Love
  • Remember the Time
  • Right Here (SWV song)
  • 'Round and 'Round (Merry Go 'Round of Love)
  • Rump Shaker (song)
  • Something in Common
  • Stutter (Joe song)
  • Take Me There (Blackstreet and Mya song)
  • Teddy's Jam
  • Teeth (Lady Gaga song)
  • That's the Way Love Is (Bobby Brown song)
  • This Is Your Night (Heavy D & the Boyz song)
  • Those Gurlz
  • Tonight's the Night (Blackstreet song)
  • Wild Wild West (Kool Moe Dee song)

With Kids at Work[]

  • Kids at Work (1984)

With Guy[]

  • Guy (1988)
  • The Future (1990)
  • Guy III (2000)

With Blackstreet[]

  • Blackstreet (1994)
  • Another Level (1996)
  • Finally (1999)
  • Level II (2003)
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