Smooth contemporary R&B group Az Yet formed in Philadelphia during the late '80s, and caught a break a few years later when their demo was heard by Babyface, which led to a deal with the LaFace label. They made their debut, however, on Def Jam's soundtrack for The Nutty Professor. Produced by Babyface and Mervyn Warren, Az Yet's contribution, "Last Night," showcased their refined harmonic chemistry. One of the biggest ballads of 1996, it topped Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop chart and reached number nine on the Hot 100. Their self-titled debut album was released while the song was in its ascent and featured an almost a cappella cover of Chicago's "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" (on which they were joined by Peter Cetera) that put them back in the pop Top Ten, subsequently nominated for a Grammy. By the end of June 1997, the album was certified platinum. Az Yet encountered a number of obstacles, including membership turnover, and went through periods of inactivity as they sporadically performed and recorded. Their second proper album, She's Magic, was released in 2016 on Goldenlane. ~ Andy Kellman