Bilal emerged as part of the Soulquarians neo-soul movement and instantly found an identity among such musicianship-minded peers as D'Angelo, Talib Kweli, Erykah Badu, and the Roots. But the Philadelphia native has never been a throwback artist. Since his early work with J Dilla, there's always been something mystical about his music, with a focus on feel rather than hooks—sometimes he can say it all with just a few wordless turns of his falsetto. This playlist shows why his pliable voice is a favorite of everyone from Kanye to Beyonce to Kendrick Lamar.