Jasmine Guy

Jasmine Guy is a multi-hyphenate talent who successfully transitioned from television stardom to the R&B charts during the genre’s most transformative era. Already a household name for her role as Whitley Gilbert on A Different World, Guy leveraged her background in dance and musical theater to launch a recording career that perfectly aligned with the sophisticated, “urban-pop” movement of the early 90s. Her 1990 self-titled debut on Warner Bros. Records was a meticulously crafted project that saw her collaborating with some of the era’s heaviest hitters, including Full Force and a young Dallas Austin.

The 1990–1992 window saw Guy establish herself as a credible voice in the soul and dance world. Her breakout single, “Try Me,” with its sultry delivery and smooth rhythmic pulse, became a staple on R&B radio, while the New Jack Swing-infused “Another Like My Lover” proved she could command a dancefloor with ease. The album’s standout ballad, “Just Want to Hold You,” further showcased her range and genuine soulful warmth. For the archive, Jasmine Guy represents the polished crossover artist of the turn of the decade—a performer who brought an actress’s sense of narrative and a dancer’s sense of rhythm to the evolving R&B landscape.