3 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁J ive ▁signed ▁R & B ▁artist ▁R . ▁Kelly ▁who , ▁along ▁with ▁his ▁backing ▁band ▁Public ▁Ann oun cement , ▁released ▁their ▁debut ▁Born ▁into ▁the ▁ 9 0 ' s ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 2 . ▁ ▁R . ▁Kelly ' s ▁began ▁his ▁solo ▁career ▁with ▁ 1 2 ▁Play ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁and ▁continues ▁to ▁release ▁with ▁J ive ▁today . ▁ ▁A ▁Tri be ▁Cal led ▁Qu est ▁was ▁signed ▁by ▁J ive ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁following ▁a ▁successful ▁independently ▁released ▁single ▁" Description ▁of ▁a ▁F ool ." ▁ ▁Their ▁debut ▁album ▁People ' s ▁Inst inct ive ▁Tra vel s ▁and ▁the ▁Path s ▁of ▁Rh ythm ▁was ▁released ▁by ▁J ive ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁and ▁fr amed ▁the ▁group ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁intellig ent ▁rap ▁groups . ▁ ▁Many ▁other ▁rap ▁and ▁R & B ▁artists ▁were ▁signed ▁throughout ▁the ▁eight ies ▁and ▁n inet ies ▁before ▁the ▁te en - pop ▁explos ion ▁in ▁the ▁later ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁de cade . ▁ ▁Exp ansion ▁By ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁Z om ba ▁was ▁worth ▁$ 2 2 5 ▁million ▁with ▁over ▁fifty ▁companies . ▁ ▁Con tr ary ▁to ▁most ▁other ▁record ▁business es ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁Z om ba ▁sp ared ▁no ▁time ▁with ▁fr ills . ▁ ▁" The ▁J ive ▁offices ▁were ▁cr