Blackstreet

The brainchild of producer Teddy Riley (Bobby Brown, Michael Jackson, etc.), Blackstreet was the sound of Riley getting back into the groove of performing, which he hadn't done since his former group Guy broke up. After single-handedly defining the New Jack Swing sound that swept R&B in the early '90s, Riley stretched out musically on his group's four studio albums, the best of which is Another Level, which features the brain-melting, ass-moving single "No Diggity." The song stood out because of its minimalist production, dark vibe, and a guest rap by Dr. Dre that made it absolutely impossible to ignore (it was surpassed as the single of 1996 only by another Dr. Dre–related song, Tupac's "California Love"). Neither Finally or Level II contain a single like "No Diggity," in either quality or pop impact, though these albums still continued Blackstreet's visibility on the R&B scene. Like many groups in the same vein, their best-of compilation stands as their most consistent album; No Diggity: The Very Best of Blackstreet is an awe-inspiring example of bump and grinding single after single. A party favorite. (KEMBREW MCLEOD)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide