Bilal. Bilal Oliver. The Soulquarians' wild card -- a voice that could go from a whisper to a scream to a jazz scat to something that sounded like a theremin, all in the same phrase. Trained at the New School, discovered by Questlove, thrown into the neo-soul deep end with D'Angelo and Erykah and Common. 1st Born Second was supposed to make him a star. The industry fumbled. He kept making brilliant records anyway. Soul Sista, Sometimes, Fast Lane -- proof that the most adventurous voice in r&b never needed permission.