Teddy Riley

For the jazz trumpeter and bandleader, see Teddy Riley (trumpeter).
Not to be confused with Terry Riley.

Teddy Riley
Riley in 2017
Riley in 2017
Background information
Birth nameEdward Theodore Riley[1]
Also known as
  • Lil Man
  • Street
  • Swingbeat
  • The Finisher
  • Jam[1]
Born (1967-10-08) October 8, 1967 (age 57)
Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Years active1984–present
Labels
Member of
Formerly of
Websiteteddyriley.com

Edward Theodore Riley (born October 8, 1967) is an American musician credited with the creation of the R&B and hip hop fusion genre, new jack swing. He is the founder and lead vocalist of the musical group Blackstreet, as well as its predecessor, Guy. The genre also gained popularity from artists who utilized Riley's production and songwriting, namely Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown, Heavy D & the Boyz, Keith Sweat, Hi-Five, and the Jackson 5, among others.[2]

With Blackstreet and Guy, Riley has released four and three commercially successful studio albums, respectively. He has produced three Billboard Hot 100-number one singles: "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)" by Hi-Five, "Stutter" by Joe, and "No Diggity" (featuring Dr. Dre and Queen Pen) by his group, Blackstreet. His other productions include the singles "Remember the Time" (1992) by Michael Jackson, "My Prerogative" (1988) by Bobby Brown, and "Right Here (Human Nature Remix)" (1992) by SWV. Beginning with his work on the extended play Teddy Riley, the First Expansion In Asia (2011), Riley has since worked on releases in the Eastern pop market, having produced the singles "Call Me Baby" for Exo in 2015, "The Boys" for Girls' Generation in 2011, and "Mamacita" for Super Junior in 2014.[3]

Riley, a two-time Grammy Award winner, is recognized for his influence on the production of contemporary R&B, leading to further usage of samples, sound effects, and rapping segments as well as singing—a practice which in part was reminiscent of the Jackson family. He is also credited with popularizing modern use of the talk box vocoder, and discovering fellow Virginia-based musician Pharrell Williams in 1991.[4][5]

  1. ^ a b Hogan, Ed. "Teddy Riley: Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
  2. ^ Hogan, Paul. "Teddy Riley biography" Allmusic Retrieved on September 19, 2009
  3. ^ "TEddy Riley". Grammy Awards. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  4. ^ Murphy, Keith (April 3, 2020). "Teddy Riley Breaks Down Iconic Songs That Made Him The King Of New Jack Swing, Plans To Battle Babyface". Vibe. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  5. ^ "Teddy Riley Recalls Discovering the Neptunes; Details Pharrell's "Rump Shaker" Contribution". December 3, 2020.