Soul II Soul Vinyl Records
Avowing a positive and multicultural philosophy with their "funky dred" logo and the catch phrase "A happy face, a thumpin' bass, for a lovin' race," Soul II Soul started spreading the similar ideals of London sound system culture across the globe at the end of the 1980s. At a time when the highly mechanized sound of new jack swing was dominating contemporary R&B, the group -- led by producer, songwriter, and occasional vocalist Jazzie B -- found a way to synthesize breakbeat-driven hip-hop and house music with the elegant dancefloor R&B of disco-era groups such as Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra, MFSB, and Chic.