Albert Joseph Brown III (June 4, 1968 in Boston, Massachusetts) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. During the late 1980s, Al B. Sure! enjoyed a brief run as one of New Jack Swing's most popular romantic singers and producers.
Brown was a star football quarterback, at Mount Vernon High School in New York, who rejected an athletic scholarship to the University of Iowa to pursue a music career. In 1987, Quincy Jones selected Brown as the first winner of the Sony Innovators Talent Search. Subsequently, Brown went on to work with Jones on several projects, most notably the platinum single "Secret Garden" from Jones' double platinum album Back on the Block. On this recording, Brown was one of a quartet with Barry White, El DeBarge, and James Ingram.
His debut album from 1988, In Effect Mode, sold more than two million copies, topping the Billboard R&B chart for seven straight weeks. The album included his memorable single "Nite and Day", which topped the R&B singles chart and reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. He received numerous Grammy and American Music Award (AMA) nominations, and won an AMA for Best New R&B Artist. He also received several Soul Train Award nominations, and won the award for Best New Artist. He also won several New York Music Awards. In addition, Al's 900 phone line was third in generating revenue, following those for New Kids on the Block and Run-DMC.
As a writer and producer, Brown introduced the multi-platinum group Jodeci and teen R&B performer Tevin Campbell (also one of Quincy Jones's former protégés), as well as Faith Evans, Dave Hollister, Case, and Usher to the music scene.
In 1991, Al co-starred with Martin Lawrence in a television pilot titled Private Times. Other cast members included ER's Michael Michele and The Five Heartbeats' Michael Wright. Al's various talk show appearances include The Oprah Winfrey Show, Late Night with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Good Morning America, The Arsenio Hall Show, Rolanda, and Donahue. Al's television and acting performances include Showtime at the Apollo, Soul Train and The Soul Train Music Awards, the Grammys, the American Music Awards, Will Smith's Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and ABC's Magic Johnson Special from Hawaii. Al also hosted MTV Jams.
In 2000, Al's ABS Entertainment launched a television development division, and he served as co-executive producer of the HBO Comedy Special starring Jamie Foxx, filmed at the Paramount Theater in Oakland, California.
Recently, Al teamed with the ABC Radio Network to produce a romantic nighttime show, The Secret Garden, hosted by Al and featuring a blend of music and celebrity guests.
He participated in the Bless the Children Foundation celebrity auction along with NFL stars Charles Woodson and Anthony Dorsett. Al was presented with the key to the city of Oakland by city council member Laurence E. Reid in recognition of the work of Al's ABS Ken-Struk-Shen in refurbishing parts of the city. Reid proclaimed October 19th "Al B Sure! Day."
Al B. Sure! is a DJ on Los Angeles radio station HOT 92.3 (KHHT) playing old school and R&B, on weekdays 10am - 1pm. Also, Al B. is rumored to have a new album, "Honey I'm Home," possibly being released in the fall of 2008.
One of his three sons, known as Lil B. Sure! is currently being featured on MTV's new series Rock the Cradle.
Al B. Sure! has 3 sons: Quincy Brown(December 1991), with Kimberly Porter; Albert Brown IV, who is also a singer with the stage name "Lil B. Sure!"; and the youngest, Devin, who resides in Atlanta.
