Singer and actress Brandy Rayana Norwood needs no introduction!
And since it's Black History Month, and today is her 37th birthday, it's only right that we honor her black excellence.
1. Let's just start with the fact that the greatest voice of all time handpicked her to play the first black Cinderella.
2. And how even the new greats lose all control at the sound of her voice.
3. Jessie J listening to Brandy is literally all of us.
4. Like, the tone, the control. Sleep. Not. On. The. VOCALS!
5. Don't forget when she became the first black singer to be the face of CoverGirl.
6. Or when black girls everywhere had more dolls to play with because Barbie came out with that Brandy collection!
7. Notice, if you will, how other artists run to defend her honor when so-called music critics don't acknowledge the game-changing influence she's had on R&B.
8. Because that six-letter name is really THAT great!
9. In Rock & Folk magazine, former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante even credited Brandy's vocals as his inspiration.
10. Ariana Grande named Brandy as one of her top five vocal influences.
11. Rihanna declared her to be the B-E-S-T.
12. And she said Brandy's Afrodisiac album inspired her in the making of Good Girl Gone Bad.
13. Which makes perfect sense because great recognize great, and her voice literally sounds like an instrument.
14. Honestly, we could go on and on about how special her singing is, but it'd take forever so just watch this tribute of more really famous people saying it.
15. Let's take a look at her crossover into acting, though, and how she was a black girl in a horror movie and didn't die!
16. And when she carried a whole network on her back and starred in UPN's top-rated '90s sitcom, Moesha.
17. She is living, breathing black excellence, and we're forever grateful for her existence!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GODDESS!!!
