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Grok 8: Essential Nu Soul Albums Pt. 2 Grok 8: Nu Soul Pt. 2 In case you missed it, click here to check out the artists and albums featured in part one.5. {^R+++489611} (2000)
If you don't know, you better listen to this record. Jilly from Philly tells you exactly who she is on eighteen sublime cuts that are sassy, sexy, sometimes silly, but always entertaining. Shes an amazing vocalist: operatically agile, but at once jazzy and soul-stirring. Her poetry is smart, humorous and fun.

Everyone who listens to this album falls in love with {$Jill Scott} the artist, but they also fall head over heels for Jill Scott, the person.Jill Scott – {@T++3748118}

6. {$Alicia Keys} – {^R+++536232} (2001)
Alicia Keys is often ignored in conversations about nu soul artists because she is young and beautiful and sells so many damn records! But when the 20 year-old New Yorker first opened her mouth on her debut Songs in A Minor, she sounded like a 30 or 40 something year-old soul diva. Her musicality, her songwriting and that voice... Who was this kid?

I will admit, {^R+++667520} may be a more soulful album, but Songs... is essential because of {@T++4864772}, her spot on cover of Prince’s {@T++4864768} and the Grammy-winning classic {@T++4890700}.Alicia Keys – "Fallin"

7. {$India.Arie} – {^R+++525268} (2001)
India.Arie's debut album was famously nominated for seven Grammy Awards – more than any other artist that year – but, she didn’t win a single trophy. (Keys' Songs in A Minor beat Acoustic Soul in several categories.) The nominations demonstrated that this was clearly one of the best albums of the year, and it is certainly one of the best neo soul collections in history.

India's acoustic guitar lends an earthy, almost folky slant to the album. The lyrics are incredibly positive and uplifting. Her smoky alto is warm and inviting. This is a great album, and some would argue that, pound for pound, Acoustic Soul may be stronger than the essential Songs in A Minor!India.Arie - {@T++4667384}

8. {$Anthony Hamilton} – {^R+++651210} (2003)
Charlotte, North Carolina’s own Anthony Hamilton was signed to six different record labels before scoring his break through Comin' From Where I'm From on the So So Def imprint. Perhaps the pain and heartache that accompanied those earlier efforts inspired the emotional compositions on Comin’ From.

Whatever it was, this album introduced Hamilton to the world as a soft spoken soul storyteller who weaves carefully crafted working class fables of love, and loss. Stand outs include the title track, the tasty {@T++6552881} and a genuine tear-jerker in, {@T++6552883}.Anthony Hamilton – “Charlene”