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Truth be told, it's not easy being a male R&B singer. A soulful brotha known for strong lyrics, and with a penchant for romance, often finds it a challenge just to be heard. We are in an era where even the most heartfelt love songs are often eclipsed by their more ?bootylicious' counterparts. But those music fans looking for a dose of old-school romanticism mixed with a strong sense of the street needn't worry: Donell Jones has got your back.

Donell Jones has always been a man who focused on the possibilities. Escaping the gang-ridden streets of Chicago's notorious South side in the early 1990s, he first set out to conquer the music world at a young age. ''Our parents were always working, so we were latch-key kids, I guess,'' he remembers. ''The gang life had a strong pull on young kids. These were the people we looked up to; they had the jewelry and the girls.'' Sensing his musical interest and talent, his mom bought him an electric keyboard when he was 14. Jones was also inspired by his father, a gospel vocalist. ''Once I started getting involved in music, a bunch of us formed a group and we started doing shows. That pulled me away from the whole gang thing.''

Discovered by Untouchables Entertainment President Eddie F (a former member of hit hip-hop group Heavy D. & The Boyz) at a 1993 Black Radio Exclusive talent showcase in Washington, D.C., Donell Jones was signed to Atlanta-based LaFace Records within a month and the rest, as they say, is history. ''I immediately heard the melody in his voice,'' Eddie recalls. ''He's one of the most melodic singers out there; there's just something about his musical sensibility.''

Donell Jones says his biggest challenge is to help change people's negative perceptions about love and relationships through his music. "I write about love and real situations because we're all affected by some of the same issues," he explains. "I try to give you all sides of it. On each album, I open up. After all," he concludes with a dimpled smile, "even after I'm dead and gone, love is still going to be here."