Jill Scott Artistfacts

April 4, 1972
Jill Scott is from Philadelphia, where she studied to be an English teacher at Temple University. She became friends with other musicians in the area who helped launch her career, including DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Roots.
Before releasing her debut album, she toured Canada with the cast of Rent. Scott was a "cover," meaning an understudy who would fill in as needed.
She met her first husband, a DJ named Lyzel Williams, when she was doing a poetry reading in the early '90s. They tied the knot in 2001 and divorced in 2007 after nearly six years of marriage.
She toured with Sting in the summer of 2001 but missed the first two weeks when she came down with a lung infection.
Her first album, Who Is Jill Scott?, was released in 2000 and made a big impact with the single "A Long Walk." Since then, she's taken her time and released a new album every few years. She maintains a loyal fanbase that eagerly anticipates each release.
She greatly admires Barbra Streisand. In addition to her talents, Scott likes that Streisand never got a nose job.
Scott is known for her extraordinary vocal range and expressive delivery, which combined with her often confessional lyrics, give her songs a very intimate feel. "An artist is meant to bare the soul," she told People.
After divorcing Lyzel Williams in 2007, Scott had a son named Jett with drummer Lil' John Roberts in 2009. She married for the second time when she wed her longtime boyfriend Mike Dobson in a private ceremony on June 25, 2016. She filed for divorce on September 5, 2017 after only 14 months of marriage.
Scott is a Grammy favorite. After releasing her first album she earned four nominations (including Best New Artist, which ended up going to Shelby Lynne), and she usually picks up more after each new album. Her first win came at the 2005 ceremony when she picked up Best Urban/Alternative Performance for her song "Cross My Mind."
Scott has done a lot of acting. Notable roles include a recurring role on the 2004 sitcom Girlfriends; costarring with Janet Jackson in the 2007 film Why Did I Get Married? and the 2010 sequel, Why Did I Get Married Too?; and starring in the BET TV adaptation of First Wives Club from 2019-2022.
Scott is known for her natural look that she carries with confidence. Early in her career she was pressured to lose weight and straighten her hair, but she refused. She credits her mother for giving her strength through steadfast support.
After her 2015 album Woman, she took a long break from music, returning in 2026 with the album To Whom This May Concern. In the interim, she focused on spending time with her son Jett.

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