''Bonafide'' is the debut album by

Jon B. Jonathan David Buck (born November 11, 1974) is an American R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer. His debut album, '' Bonafide'' (1995), went platinum. Early life Born in Providence, Rhode Island, United States and raised in Altadena, ...

It was released on May 23, 1995, on the

Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...

subsidiary

550 Music 550 Music (originally known as Sony 550 Music) was a unit of Sony Music Entertainment, which operated through Sony Music's Epic Records division while in activity. Launched in 1992, the "550" name was inspired by the address of the Sony building, ...

. The album was the first recording released on

Tracey Edmonds Tracey Elaine Edmonds (née McQuarn; born February 18, 1967) is an American businesswoman, television producer and personality. She is the CEO of Edmonds Entertainment Group Inc and Alrightnow.com and is a former host of the television show ''Ex ...

' record label Yab Yum Records, which 550 Music distributed. It includes the

Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

-nominated first single " Someone to Love" featuring Babyface. The song was originally featured on the

soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...

to the 1995

Will Smith Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968), also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor and rapper. He began his Will Smith filmography, acting career starring as Will Smith (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), a ...

and

Martin Lawrence Martin Fitzgerald LawrenceStated in interview on ''Inside the Actors Studio'' (born April 16, 1965) is an American comedian and actor. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor. He got his start playin ...

action-comedy '' Bad Boys''. Also included is the second single " Pretty Girl" and the final single "Isn't It Scary". ''Bonafide'' was a favorite of rapper

Tupac Shakur Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the Li ...

. The two met each other by way of a mutual friend on the set of Shakur's video " How Do U Want It", which prompted them to work together. The end result was the collaboration "

Are U Still Down "Are U Still Down" is a song co-written and performed by American contemporary R&B singer Jon B, issued as a single from his second studio album ''Cool Relax''. It was commissioned as a double single with " They Don't Know" in some markets, incl ...

", which appeared on Jon's following album ''

Cool Relax ''Cool Relax'' is the second studio album by Jon B. It was released by Tracey Edmonds' label Yab Yum Records and distributed by Epic Records subsidiary 550 Mus ...

''. The album was certified Gold.

Track listing

All songs written by Jonathan Buck, except where noted. #"Bonafide" – 4:26 #"Simple Melody" (featuring

Bootsy Collins William Earl "Bootsy" Collins (born October 26, 1951) is an American bass guitarist and singer. Rising to prominence with James Brown in the early 1970s, and later with Parliament-Funkadelic, Collins established himself as one of the leading n ...

) (Jonathan Buck, William Collins) – 3:58 #"Love Is Candi" – 4:40 #"Mystery 4 Two" – 4:58 #" Someone to Love" (featuring Babyface) (Kenneth Edmonds) – 4:35 #"Time After Time" – 5:47 #"Overflow" – 5:00 #" Pretty Girl" (Edmonds) – 4:18 #"Pants Off" – 4:38 #"Isn't It Scary" – 5:08 #"Burning 4 You" – 5:52 #"Gone Before Light" – 6:15 #"Love Don't Do" – 6:45

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes and CD Universe. * Jon B. – lead and backing vocals, drums, drum programming,

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

, keyboards, bass * Babyface – backing vocals, drum programming,

keyboards Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

, guitar * Deon Estus – bass * Reggie Hamilton – guitar * Ricardo Silveria – guitar * Musiic K. Galloway – backing vocals * Deborah Buck, Donald Buck, Kevin Buck – strings * Tyrone Griffin – trumpet * Randy Walker – MIDI programming *

, Michael McQuarn –

executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights o ...

* Brad Gilderman, Marty Ogden, Ricky Delena –

recording engineer An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization, dynamics processing and audio effects, mixing, reproduction, ...

Dave Way Dave Way is an American producer, mixer and audio engineer based in Los Angeles, California, United States. He has worked with Fiona Apple, Sheryl Crow, Kesha, Pink, Christina Aguilera, Macy Gray, Ringo Starr, Shakira, Phoebe Bridgers, John Doe, Sa ...

, Tom Russo, Jon Gass, Mick Guzauski – mixing * Herb Powers, Jr. – mastering * George Holz –

photography Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employed ...

Charts

Certifications

References

1995 debut albums 550 Music albums Albums produced by Babyface (musician) Jon B. albums {{1990s-R&B-album-stub