Maxwell (musician)
Gerald Maxwell Rivera[4][5][6][7] (born May 23, 1973), known mononymously as Maxwell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to prominence following the release of his debut studio album Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite (1996), which received widespread acclaim, and spawned the singles "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)" and "Sumthin' Sumthin'".[8] The album has since been cited by music critics for helping form the "neo soul" movement that gained popularity during the late 1990s.[9]
Maxwell | |
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.jpg) Maxwell in 1998 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Gerald Maxwell Rivera |
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| Born | May 23, 1973 (age 49) Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1990–present |
| Labels | Columbia |
| Website | musze |
Following the success of his debut album, Maxwell released the albums Embrya (1998), and Now (2001), both of which were certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA),[10] with the latter reaching number one on the Billboard 200 chart.
After taking a hiatus from music, he returned in 2009 with his fourth studio album BLACKsummers'night, which became his second album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 chart. BLACKsummers'night was nominated for six Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year for "Pretty Wings", and won Best R&B Album and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (for "Pretty Wings"). His fifth studio album blackSUMMERS'night (2016), spawned the single "Lake by the Ocean", and was released to critical acclaim.
He has won three Grammy Awards, six Soul Train Music Awards and two NAACP Image Awards. Maxwell was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and Congressional Black Caucus in 2019 for "his innovative contributions to the music industry as a singer, songwriter, and producer".[11]