Al B. Sure!
His smooth, romantic new jack swing anthems defined the sound of late-night love and early 90s R&B radio.
Born 1968 (age 58)·American singer·Birthday: June 4·Generation X
Biography
Al B. Sure! emerged from the vibrant New York scene as a prince of new jack swing, a genre that fused hip-hop rhythms with silken R&B melodies. With his signature high-top fade and effortless cool, he wasn't just a singer; he was a mood. His 1988 debut album, 'In Effect Mode,' was a quiet storm phenomenon, powered by the intimate, whispering urgency of hits like 'Nite and Day.' The record didn't just climb charts—it set a blueprint for romantic, streetwise soul. As a songwriter and producer, his touch extended to other artists, helping to shape the era's sonic landscape. His voice became a fixture on the airwaves in a different capacity later, as a respected radio host connecting with audiences directly. While the musical tides shifted, Al B. Sure!’s early work remained a touchstone, a specific and potent distillation of late-night romance and early-90s style that continues to evoke instant nostalgia.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Al was born in 1968, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Al Was Born
The biggest hits of 1968
#1 Movie
2001: A Space Odyssey
Best Picture
Oliver!
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Al's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1968Born
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1973Started school
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1981Became a teenager
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Could drive
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1986Could vote
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Turned 21
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1998Turned 30
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 40
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 50
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 58 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- His debut single 'Nite and Day' reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart and number seven on the Hot 100 in 1988.
- The debut album 'In Effect Mode' achieved platinum status and solidified his status as a new jack swing star.
- He won the Soul Train Music Award for Best New Artist in 1989.
- He co-wrote and produced the hit 'Missin' Your Love' for singer Sean Levert.
Did You Know?
He is the father of R&B singer Khalid, who won a Grammy Award for his song 'Talk.'
He was discovered after winning a radio contest on New York's WBLS, hosted by Hal Jackson.
He was briefly the CEO of Uptown Records in the mid-1990s.
He is a cousin of music producers KayGee of Naughty by Nature and DJ Mark the 45 King.
“Let the music set the tone for the night.”
