CD: Jully Black: This is Me (2005)

Even though she's been a consistent presence on the radio thanks to high-profile collaborations with Choclair, Kardinal Offishall and Nas, it's taken 10 years for Toronto's Jully Black to release her first album. Fortunately, the prolific singer-songwriter delivers the goods with her debut. This is Me is about as good a piece of hip-hop soul that Canada has ever produced. Undeniably melodic, slyly produced and absolutely dripping with ear-friendly hooks, every one of This is Me's 16 tracks are winners. In fact, if you minus the intro and outro, all of them could be hit singles. Two of them already are: the slinky 'Stay the Night' and the thumping, reggae-pop of 'Sweat Of Your Brow' have already been widely adopted by radio. With This is Me, Black has established herself and then some, confidently setting the pace for a long and fruitful solo career. Universal. 2005.