Inspired by what he calls “jheri curl soul” music, R&B singer Maxwell became a driving force in the late-’90s neo-soul movement. • A disciple of early-’80s R&B, the Brooklyn native taught himself to play multiple instruments and began composing music at 17. • By 1991, Maxwell had broken into the New York City nightclub circuit. In between performances, he was writing and recording hundreds of songs to develop his catalog. • Two years after signing to Columbia Records, Maxwell released his 1996 debut album, Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite. The LP lived on the Billboard 200 for over a year and eventually went double platinum. • Maxwell earned mixed reviews with his 1998 sophomore effort, Embrya, a groove-heavy neo-soul album that struck some critics as unfocused. • His third and fourth albums, 2001’s Now and 2009’s BLACKsummers'night, both peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. • The singer returned after a seven-year absence with 2016’s blackSUMMERS'night, the second installment of a planned trilogy. • Maxwell’s lyrical prowess and deep understanding of song composition afforded him the unique luxury of creative control that many of his label-affiliated peers did not have.