Two brothers with Gospel backgrounds who grew up in North Carolina, K-Ci (Cedric) and JoJo (Joel) Hailey got their first taste of fame as half of the R&B group Jodeci. After three successful group albums, they went solo and released Love Always in 1997. Their soulful slow-jams were an instant hit, leading to It's Real (1998), and X (2000). The duo have also collaborated with several hip-hop superstars, including Tupac, E-40, and Gang Starr.