Jill Scott has been loved for being “beautifully human” since day one. But apparently, not everyone in the industry got that memo.
Fresh off the release of To Whom This May Concern — her first album in over a decade — Jilly from Philly is sharing what it was like trying to break in 26 years ago. And the story is infuriating but not surprising.
According to the “He Loves Me” songstress, a record executive told her to lose weight and straighten her hair if she wanted to succeed. Let that sink in. One of the most soulful, talented, and authentic voices in R&B was told she needed to shrink herself — literally and figuratively — to fit someone else’s idea of marketable.
Thank God she didn’t listen. Jill Scott built a career on being unapologetically herself — her curves, her natural hair, her rich voice, her poetry. She showed an entire generation of Black women that you don’t have to conform to make it. You just have to be undeniable.
The fact that she’s back with new music after 10+ years and fans are celebrating like she never left? That’s the ultimate proof that authenticity always wins.
About The Author
