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Her frank, grown-up sensuality takes R&B off the streets and tucks it back into the smart woman's bedroom. Scott's new record, The Real Thing (Hidden Beach–Universal), navigates the intersection of intellect and passion. "There's some fist-raising, some dancing...and definitely some lovemaking," she says. Scott stepped off the set of Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? to talk about the tunes that get her going.

Frank McComb, Straight from the Vault (Boobeescoot): "He's a pianist, and he's a miracle. He can play his behind off, he can sing his behind off, and then he has the nerve—the gall—to write his behind off."

The Roots, Do You Want More? (Geffen): "It's hip-hop that's musically and lyrically superior. I love a good storyteller, and Black Thought [the group's emcee] is one of the best ever—but this album is so great because he's mixing scat with every rhyme."

Beyoncé, B'day (Sony): "I play it when I'm getting dressed, when I'm working out, when I'm cooking. Beyoncé's such a sexy woman, and listening to her music makes me feel like a hot chick."

T.I., Trap Muzik (Atlantic): "This album is genius: It's powerful, cocky, really musical, and his delivery is excellent. My favorite is 'I Still Luv You,' in which he talks to his child, his girlfriend, and his father. You don't get this kind of thoughtful sincerity in hip-hop very often."