Philly’s Power 99 is celebrating Black History Month by shouting out some of our favorite sons and daughters throughout the month of February with The Power List. Some of the biggest names in the world of music, entertainment, politics and the arts that hail from Philly or the surrounding Tri-State area.
FEBRUARY 14, 2022
Jill Scott, is a Grammy Award-winning recording artist who's also a poet and actress. She was born on April 4, 1972, in North Philadelphia and raised as an only child by her mother and grandmother. She discovered the poetry of Nikki Giovanni in the 8th grade and was inspired by her work. She also developed a passion for music and singing, influenced by jazz and soul greats and learning the craft largely on her own. Scott worked as a poet and attended Temple University with the intention of becoming a teacher, but left school to take up a drama apprenticeship. She started to make her major strides in music in the 2000, when the debut album (Who is Jill Scott) dropped and went platinum. She has since released 4 other albums which all achieved gold status, and is currently the face and voice of Nationwide Insurance. She also serves as executive producer of the hit BET Plus series The First Wives Club, which is currently airing in its second season on demand.
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Photo: Getty
Photo: Getty Images