Nairobi, May 13 -- Atlantic Records became the esteemed gold-standard record label in the 1970s. Unlike many other mainstream labels that became infamous for conning artists out of their earnings, Atlantic earned a reputation for offering performers lucrative contracts and promptly paying their royalties.

Its artist-friendly practices attracted a compelling roster that included multi-platinum-selling 'Queen of Soul' Aretha Franklin, 'Genius of Soul' Ray Charles, and iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. Brandy Norwood's relentless drive earned her a recording contract with Atlantic Records at the age of 14 in 1993. She released her self-titled album, Brandy, which featured chart-topping tracks I Wanna Be Down and Baby, on September 27, 1994.

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