Photo courtesy of kalamu.com

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Teena Marie, the “Ivory Queen of Soul” who developed a lasting legacy with her silky soul pipes and with hits like “Lovergirl,” ”Square Biz,” and “Fire and Desire” with mentor Rick James, has died. She was 54.

The confirmation came from a publicist, Jasmine Vega, who worked with Teena Marie on her last album, 2009′s “Congo Square.” Her manager, Mike Gardner, also confirmed her death to CNN.

The singer continued performing in recent years after overcoming an addiction to prescription drugs. It was unclear late Sunday where and how she died.

Marie certainly wasn’t the first white act to sing soul music, but she was arguably among the most gifted and respected, and was thoroughly embraced by the black audience.

Even before she started her musical career, she had a strong bond with the black community, which she credited to her godmother. She gravitated to soul music and in her youth decided to make it her career.

Marie made her debut on the legendary Motown label back in 1979, becoming one of the very few white acts to break the race barrier of the groundbreaking black-owned record label that had been a haven for black artists like Stevie Wonder, the Jackson Five, the Supremes and Marvin Gaye.

Marie was the protege of the masterful funk wizard James, with whom she would have long, turbulent but musically magical relationship.

The cover of her debut album, “Wild and Peaceful,” did not feature her image, with Motown apparently fearing black audiences might not buy it if they found out the songstress with the dynamic, gospel-inflected voice was white.

But Marie notched her first hit, “I’m A Sucker for Your Love,” and was on her way to becoming one of R&B’s most revered queens. During her tenure with Motown, the singer-songwriter and musician produced passionate love songs and funk jam songs like “Need Your Lovin’,” ”Behind the Groove” and “Ooh La La La.”

Marie’s voice was the main draw of her music: Pitch-perfect, piercing in its clarity and wrought with emotion, whether it was drawing from the highs of romance or the mournful moments of a love lost. But her songs, most of which she had a hand in writing, were the other major component of her success.

Tunes like “Cassanova Brown” ”Portuguese Love” and “Deja Vu (I’ve Been Here Before)” featured more than typical platitudes on love and life, but complex thoughts with rich lyricism.

And “Fire and Desire,” a duet with Rick James that featured the former couple musing about their past love, was considered a musical masterpiece and a staple of the romance block on radio stations across the country.

Marie left Motown in 1982 and her split became historic: She sued the label and the legal battle led to a law preventing record labels from holding an artist without releasing any of their music.

She went to Epic in the 1980s and had hits like “Lovergirl” but her lasting musical legacy would be her Motown years.

Still, she continued to record music and perform. In 2004 and 2006 she put out two well-received albums on the traditional rap label Cash Money Records, “La Dona” and “Sapphire.”

In 2008, she talked about her excitement of being honored by the R&B Foundation.

“All in all, it’s been a wonderful, wonderful ride,” she told The Associated Press at the time. “I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.”

Nine years ago today, R&B great Aaliyah died in a plane crash. Her catalogue boasts several hits (“4 Page Letter”; “Are You That Somebody”; “Age Ain’t Nothin’ But A Number”) and with her death she left behind a legion of fans. Among them, Drake who sampled “At Your Best” on his album Thank Me Later in “Unforgettable.” Via Rap Radar, Drake wrote a letter to the fallen songstress. While it isn’t four pages, it’s certainly heart felt. RIP.

Dear Dana,

I’ve never lost a parent, a friend, or a lover but I will never forget this day for the rest of my life. I remember getting the news that you had passed and it connected with my heart like a clean shot from Muhammad Ali. I was crushed. Not only was I one of your biggest fans but I was truly in love with you. I loved the way you carried yourself, the way you dressed, the confidence with which you addressed passion and relationships in your music. I said to myself that even if we never met, I wanted a woman in my life just like you. I am pained that we will never get to connect now that music ended up being my career path. But you should know, we all listen to you everyday and we remain inspired and moved by all that you’ve given the world. I hope I make the right life choices so I can end up in heaven where I know you rest your head. I’ll continue to make music in your honor until the day we finally meet. Dinner’s on me!

Love you always and forever,

Drake

Today marks the 13th anniversary of the death of one of hip hop’s biggest moguls, The Notorius B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, and to some, the Greatest of All Time.