The billboards belonged to 26-year-old singer-songwriter Brent Faiyaz; the album in question was “Wasteland,” a cautionary, R&B-trap opera deriding fame in a time of social and political upheaval.

They chanted “we want Brent” minutes before he took the ... Dressed in all black from his sunglasses to his hoodie and his jeans, Faiyaz swaggered about the stage, occasionally crossing ...

Christopher Brent Wood’s ­metamorphosis into indie disruptor Brent Faiyaz began. As he collected CDs by D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill and Joe, among other R&B/hip-hop artists, the youngster would ...

On wax, Brent Faiyaz often comes off as laconic and over it, qualities that have made his moody brand of so-called “toxic” R&B one of the genre’s most exciting prospects in years.

Brent Faiyaz could have attached his name to anything. Another sneaker deal. A fashion capsule. A glossy corporate partnership. Instead, he built something personal. Something real. The Grammy ...