Jaheim was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and was raised in the city’s now-defunct Memorial Parkway Homes public housing project. His father died in 1981, when he was only three years old. His grandfather sang with many top groups, including The Drifters, and their family reunions were big songfests. Singing at family reunions and local talent shows preceded a successful tryout at the Apollo Theater’s talent show. He won the contest three times when he was fifteen.

Two years later, he experienced tragedy when his mother died. Four years after her death, he recorded a tape that led to a deal with Divine Mill Records (a division of Warner Bros. Records). Hoagland received good reactions from two singles “Could It Be” and “Lil’ Nigga Ain’t Mine” on BET video shows. Appearing with Hoagland on his first album was RL (from Next), Blackstreet, and Darren and Cliff Lighty. His second album, Still Ghetto, was released on November 5, 2002. Another Top Ten hit, it placed two singles in the Top 40, “Fabulous” and “Anything” (released November 13, 2001). Ghetto Classics followed in early 2006 and became his first number one album. In 2007 Jaheim signed to Atlantic Records and released his fourth album The Makings of a Man in December 2007. In late 2009 the single “Ain’t Leavin Without You” preceded his 2010 album Another Round. In 2013 Jaheim returned to the music industry with a new single titled “Age Ain’t a Factor” and a new album. His sixth album, Appreciation Day, was released on September 3, 2013. In 2014, Jaheim restarted his own label called “Julie’s Dream Music Group”, which had first been started in 1997, then restarted in 2002. Following the relaunch of his label, in February 2015, Jaheim signed a new record deal with BMG Records after parting ways with Atlantic Records in conjunction with his Julie’s Dream label. In June 2015, Jaheim released a new single called “Back in My Arms” and revealed that his seventh album, titled Struggle Love, is to be released. Struggle Love was released on March 18, 2016. To date Jaheim has sold 5 million records worldwide and received three Grammy nominations.