For Jill Scott fans preparing to see the singer in South Africa this November, her upcoming concerts now come with another career milestone: Scott has been named the inaugural honouree of Billboard’s R&B Hall of Fame.
The recognition comes as the Grammy-winning singer returns to the stage with "To Whom This May Concern", her first studio album in 11 years. Released earlier this year, the album follows "Woman", which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2015.
Scott accepted the Billboard honour in New York on September 9, reflecting on a career that began with poetry before it moved into music.
“This is a testament to 'yes',” Scott said in her acceptance speech, recalling how writing a poem after someone hurt her feelings eventually led to a poetry reading and, later, to a career in music.
“Many years ago, I had someone hurt my feelings. I wrote a poem - it made me feel better. I shared it, and my girlfriend said go read it at a poetry reading, and I said 'yes'.”
It is a fitting story to tell while celebrating a career milestone. A decision that may have seemed small at the time became part of a wider creative journey, eventually leading Scott from poetry into music and to a career spanning more than 25 years.
There is something familiar in that idea: saying yes to an opportunity without knowing how it fits into the bigger picture. A reading, a collaboration, an invitation or an unfamiliar room can become one piece of a much larger story.
Scott's own account is a reminder that the significance of some decisions only becomes clear much later.
She returned to that word when thanking Billboard and the audiences who have followed her work, saying: “Yes - yes! - to this honour, and to all the fans who live their lives with the fruit of my yes.”
The Billboard R&B Hall of Fame is a new honour introduced this year, with Scott as its first inductee. It should not be confused with the separate National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame, which has inducted artists since 2013.
Scott's Billboard recognition follows a career that has seen eight albums chart on the Billboard 200, including four top 10s and two No. 1 albums. Her catalogue includes "A Long Walk", "Golden" and "He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat)", while her debut album, "Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds, Vol. 1", was released in 2000.
Her latest album gives the South African shows a second focus.
"To Whom This May Concern" is Scott's first studio release in more than a decade and includes 19 tracks, with contributions from artists including Ab-Soul, J.I.D., Tierra Whack and Too $hort.
Scott will perform at SunBet Arena at Time Square in Pretoria on November 7, followed by Grand Arena at GrandWest in Cape Town on November 11.
She announced the South African dates in March as part of the world tour supporting the album.
The November concerts will mark another return to a country where Scott has an established audience. She performed in South Africa in 2024 as part of the DStv Delicious Festival, where she headlined the second day of the event.
Scott's Billboard honour arrives alongside other recognitions announced at the same event. The Roots were inducted into Billboard's Hip-Hop Hall of Fame, while Kehlani was named R&B Artist of the Year. Her manager, David Ali, received the Executive of the Year award.
For Scott, however, the timing places a new marker alongside the music that first brought her to audiences more than two decades ago.
She is returning to South Africa with a new album, a catalogue familiar to generations of R&B listeners and the distinction of being the first artist recognised in Billboard's new R&B Hall of Fame.