Starring contemporary music personalities such as Alicia Keys, India.Arie, Jill Scott and Ashanti, this retrospective program captures the spirit of neo soul while revealing its roots. A branch of rhythm and blues that melds contemporary R&B with 1970s soul and modern hip-hop, neo soul began in the mid-1990s with the rise of acts such as Tony! Toni! Toné! D'Angelo and Groove Theory, whose innovative sounds paved the way for new artists.