Anthony Hamilton

With the mighty D'Angelo missing in action for much of the past five years, it seems only fitting that Anthony Hamilton has quietly assumed his critical and commercial spot as the crown prince of neo-soul. A backup singer for D'Angelo's "Voodoo Tour" in 2000, Hamilton finally broke out on his own in 2003 with the patient beats and sea breeze vibes of "Charlene." The rest of these tracks show his other sides, from sending a velvety hook over the Dirty South rap of Nappy Roots to following the funky strut of "Sista Big Bones."