The mid-'90s R&B scene often appeared to be a push and pull between two different kinds of artists: rappers with hip-hop productions, and soul-influenced vocalists with hip-hop productions. The Bay Area duo Christión were one of the few non-rapping acts with the intelligent productions of the better rap acts. Their first single, "Full of Smoke," appeared in 1996 on Roc A Fella Records, earning Christión a contract with Def Jam for their debut album, 1997's Ghetto Cyrano. ~ John Bush