Jill Scott received all of her flowers during Billboard‘s 2026 R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players celebration on Wednesday (Sept. 9).
The Grammy-winning R&B icon graced a panel at Billboard House — a series of artist-forward talks hosted at Ludlow House — moderated by Billboard staff writer Kyle Denis. Throughout the half-hour conversation, Scott reflected on her first stab at songwriting with 1999’s seminal “You Got Me,” the most important lessons she learned from her Who Is Jill Scott? debut album cycle, the harshest realities of touring in 2026 for her new To Whom This May Concern LP and the newly released third installment of the Why Did I Get Married? franchise. Later that evening, Scott was formally inducted into Billboard‘s R&B Hall of Fame.
Scott opened the conversation reflecting on her initial reaction to the news of her R&B Hall of Fame induction. “[I felt] shock, gratefulness, excitement, mostly shock,” she gushed. “I don’t take these things for granted; it’s still a shock to me that anybody knows, loves and appreciates my music.”
She then started reminiscing on cowriting “You Got Me,” a classic collaboration between The Roots (this year’s Hip-Hop Hall of Fame honorees), Erykah Badu and Eve. That timeless joint quickly gave way to her 2000 Who Is Jill Scott? debut studio album, which she says taught her that she “really enjoys having a plethora of musicians and producers.”
“It’s really cute [that we’re being honored together] because I remember us being on the road together,” she said of her and The Roots’ simultaneous Hall of Fame inductions. “We’re finally adults. We were adults then, but it felt like we were children. They opened their doors and let me find out about what touring meant, and from them, I learned what I didn’t want, and I learned what I wanted.”
Scott unleashed To Whom This May Concern — her first studio album in over a decade — on Feb. 13. Featuring guest appearances by Tierra Whack, Trombone Shorty, JID, Too $hort and Ab-Soul, the set debuted in the top 10 of seven different Billboard charts, including No. 6 on Independent Albums and No. 7 on Top Album Sales. “Pressha,” one of the album’s standout singles, also became Scott’s first Adult R&B Airplay chart-topper in nearly 13 years.
“I just couldn’t hold it anymore,” she says. “I wanted to say that I’m maturing as a human being and as a woman, and there are different perspectives now, and I like it. I like using all genres of music. It is an homage to the people that came before me and opened doors for me. And I like making my heart happy — it’s a thing!”
Scott supported To Whom This May Concern with a headlining tour of the United States, Europe and U.K. that included a particularly enthralling stop at Brooklyn’s Kings Theater, where her 17-year-old son, Jett, surprised the sold-out crowd by flawlessly spitting Whack’s “Norf Side” verse. On Aug. 30, Scott announced she had to reschedule the final four shows of her trek, citing COVID-19. Notably, To Whom This May Concern World Tour is a phoneless experience, with attendees placing their devices in Yondr pouches upon entry to preserve the integrity of Scott’s show.
“[COVID-19] makes it a challenge to have meet-and-greets because people are sometimes so excited that they don’t consider that if I go down, there’s 30 people who are not working,” she explained. “There are thousands of people who have paid their money, bought their outfits, got their hair done, got their nails done, and are ready and waiting for a show. So, that is a harsh reality of touring: I can no longer do those things because it puts everybody in jeopardy.”
Near the end of her lively panel, Scott touched on reprising her beloved role of Sheila Jackson in Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Again?, which premiered on Netflix Sept. 9.
“She’s an old friend,” she said with a smile. “When I heard that they wanted to continue it, I was like, ‘Well, let me see where Sheila’s gone.’ I read and enjoyed the script, but being able to actually be there … I don’t know if I could thank Mr. Perry enough. The energy is high, and I’m hoping that people will enjoy the film.”
