Rapper Johnathan "Dred" Scott was born to two actors/dancers who met while touring with productions; his mother was the first African-American female dancer to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show. Scott received some training in jazz as a child, but was excited enough by the hip-hop innovations of Run-D.M.C. to pursue that direction instead. His music blends jazz, funk, and hip-hop, along with social consciousness and a sense of humor. His debut album, Breakin' Combs, was released in 1994. The album achieved moderate success thanks to the underground singles "Check the Vibe" and "Back in the Day," the former featuring R&B singer and future wife Adriana Evans. In 1995, Evans and Scott wrote and recorded her pioneering self-titled debut, officially released in 1997. The album featured Scott's hip-hop-centric production backing Evans' jazz-influenced vocals; combined with live instrumentation, it was a significant departure from the R&B of the day. The two have since collaborated on subsequent Evans' albums El Camino, Nomadic, Kismet, and Walking with the Night. ~ Vincent Thomas