A+ (rapper)

Template:Short description Template:For Template:Infobox musical artist Andre Levins, also known as A+ (born August 29, 1981,<ref name="allmusicbio"> {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Hempstead, New York) is an American rapper. As a teenager he released albums in 1996 and in 1999.

History

A+ began his music career in 1995, after winning a national talent competition sponsored by Def Jam Records.<ref name="billboardbio"> Template:Cite magazine</ref> He was the first act signed to Kedar Massenburg's record label, Kedar Entertainment.<ref name="billboardbio" /> According to Massenburg, the A+ moniker "means that he's striving for perfection, and he's not really talking about the same things as other young rappers."<ref name="billboardbio" /> In 1996, at the age of 14, A+ released his first album, The Latch-Key Child, which featured contributions from Prodigy and Q-Tip.<ref name="latchkeychild"> {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> "All I See" was chosen as the lead single,<ref name="billboardbio" /> and it peaked at number 66 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart,<ref name="hot100"/> staying for 14 weeks.<ref name = whitburn>Top Pop Singles 1955-1999. Joel Whitburn. 2000. Record Research Inc. p. 3. Template:ISBN</ref>

His second album, Hempstead High, was released in February 1999.<ref name="hempsteadhigh"> {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Guest appearances on the album included DeBarge, the Lost Boyz and Canibus.<ref name="hempsteadhigh" /><ref name="billboardhempstead"> Template:Cite magazine</ref> The single "Enjoy Yourself", which sampled the 1976 Walter Murphy song "A Fifth of Beethoven",<ref name="vibe"> Template:Cite magazine</ref> reached the top five of the UK Singles Chart,<ref name="ukchart">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> number 63 of the US Hot 100<ref name="hot100" /> for three weeks,)<ref name = whitburn/> and was also commercially successful in Germany and Japan.<ref name="billboardhempstead" />

Discography

Albums

Year	Album	Peak chart positions
		US R&B/HH <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	US Heat. <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
1996	The Latch-Key Child	36	17
1999	Hempstead High	60	19

Singles

Year	Title	Peak chart positions					Album
		US <ref name="hot100">Template:Cite magazine</ref>	US R&B/HH <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	AUS <ref name=aus>Template:Cite book</ref>	NL <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>		UK <ref name="ukchart" />
1996	"All I See"	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}	The Latch-Key Child
1998	"Enjoy Yourself"	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}	Hempstead High
1999	"Bet She Don't Love You"	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}	Non-album single