00:00I know I have a limited amount of time I was given, I'm going to try to keep it short,
00:03but when you have a career like the one I'm about to honor, 30 seconds is not going to be
00:08enough.
00:09So a few moments ago, as y'all saw, the roots were inducted to the Billboard Hip Hop Hall of
00:14Fame,
00:15and for our sister R&B honor, it is only fitting that we now turn to salute one of their
00:21spiritual sisters.
00:22The journey to this moment began nearly three decades ago when a young Jill Scott put her legendary pen to
00:31work
00:31on the Roots Grammy-winning single, You Got Me, in her musical breakthrough.
00:36Now, for her debut album, it all centered on one question.
00:41Who is Jill Scott?
00:44Now, the answer we got in an 18-track classic really gave us intimate insight into a poet
00:52and a performer of the highest magnitude.
00:55Whether she's describing a sensual mood, a spirit of jubilation, a necessary social reflection,
01:02or a late-night something-something, or even a sense that you just can't quite define,
01:08there is a song in Jill Scott's catalog that fits that feeling.
01:14Now, that's the quality side of it.
01:16Of course, obviously we're billboards, so we've got to talk about the quantity, the numbers.
01:21And in her career, Jill Scott has put nine different albums into the top ten
01:26of our Top R&B Hip Hop Albums chart.
01:30Come on!
01:31She's got 17, 17 top tens on the Adult R&B Airplay chart.
01:38Now, five of those went to number one, including just this year, Pressure.
01:43Now, take the clock back to 2001, when she got her first number one with A Long Walk.
01:48Y'all know A Long Walk, right?
01:51And if you look at that span, that means that's 25 years and counting
01:55of Jill putting out number one records.
01:59And a shout-out to another one, So In Love, the Anthony Hamilton joint.
02:03If y'all know, to this day, that song still shares the record
02:06for the longest-running number one of all time in the Adult R&B Airplay space.
02:12So Jill's just not making records.
02:15She is breaking records.
02:16All right?
02:18Now, this year, Jill returned to us, of course, with To Whom This May Concern,
02:23her first album in 11 years.
02:25And if you were worried that time may have eroded a little bit
02:30of the connection between Jill and her fans,
02:32all those doubts were quickly cast aside.
02:34Because this album reached the top ten of no fewer than seven different billboard charts.
02:41And it proves that when Jill's music is out, it still touches millions.
02:46Now, hopefully we ain't got to wait ten more years for the next album,
02:50but we know, if we do, that good work and craft like Jill puts into her work takes time.
02:56And now it's our time to honor the rich catalog that Jill has so generously gifted us.
03:02For all her achievements and for the many more still to come,
03:06please join me in celebrating this year's inductee into Billboard's R&B Hall of Fame.
03:12Put your hands together, of course, for the one and only,
03:15the legendary and lovely Miss Jill Scott.
03:40Thank you for having me, appreciate it.
03:44Thank you for having me, appreciate it.
03:44The mic's all yours.
03:45To the side.
03:47Hi.
03:48Hi.
03:52First of all, thank you very much for this.
03:55This is a testament to yes.
03:59I'm not accustomed to speaking over other people, so I'll try my best here.
04:06This is a testament.
04:08Can I shut up?
04:13Hey, can you quiet it down for just a moment?
04:16I appreciate it.
04:18Thank you so much.
04:20Okay, I wrote something because why not?
04:25The power of yes.
04:28Many years ago, I had somebody hurt my feelings.
04:32I wrote a poem.
04:33It made me feel better.
04:34I shared it.
04:35And my girlfriend said, go read it at a poetry reading.
04:39I did.
04:41I said yes.
04:42The response was beautiful.
04:44I liked it.
04:45I loved it.
04:45So when poetry readings came up again, I said yes, again.
04:51A director I met at a poetry reading told me that I should act.
04:56Said he could feel how I lived in words.
04:58He guided me into an apprenticeship and later offered me an acting gig.
05:03And to that, I said yes.
05:06Time passed.
05:07And another poetry reading.
05:09By this time, I'm making about $15 to $25 a night for reading poetry.
05:14And Questlove from the Roots asked if I would write a hook.
05:18I didn't know how to write a hook.
05:21But I said yes, because I wanted to learn how to write a hook.
05:26So yes is a leap from a mountain with no sight of the bottom.
05:34Yes is just enough gas to get you to the next adventure.
05:37Yes is scary.
05:39Yes is thrilling.
05:40And my precious career has proven to me, when the soul says yes, the juice is worth the squeeze.
05:49My incredible son is here tonight.
05:55As I receive this beautiful award, thank you kindly, Billboard, for seeing the effort, these 28 years of learning, growing,
06:07loving the life that I said yes to.
06:10Thank you, Sean G., I think you're over there, for being a friend and an incredible advocate for my heart's
06:19work.
06:20We've been able to touch so many.
06:22Thank you, Jet, my son, for inspiring me to say yes even more often to new and amazing opportunities.
06:30You help your mommy grow.
06:32And I love you.
06:37Thank you to Billboard for recognizing my work.
06:40I know I said this.
06:41And yes, yes to this honor and to all the fans who live their lives with the fruit of my
06:52yes.
06:53Thank you so very much.
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