USG (Urban Sound Gallery) is a collective of producers and singers, but renowned house producer Ron Trent, who handled the songwriting and production choirs for the project's debut recording, is the project's undisputed leader. Trent first rose to prominence in the early '90s with the dance hit "Altered States" (at the age of 15), before spending several years collaborating with recording partner Chez Damier, running two separate record labels (Balance and Prescription), and eventually forming USG by the end of the decade -- introducing the public to his new project with such singles as "NcameU," "Ebony Angel," and "Introduce My Love." 1999 saw the release of USG's debut recording, African Blues, the first full-length album by Trent, which was co-produced by Anthony Nicholson. The album combined vocals (both sung and spoken), instrumental passages, as well as live percussion and keyboards to create a self-described "organic" feel, as such varied artists as Pat Metheny, Soul II Soul, and Larry Heard served as influences. The album was programmed to play through as a single large piece of music and spawned such singles as "World, Sound, Power," "Coconut Jam," "Sunpower," and "Afrodrama Therapy." ~ Greg Prato