Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis have announced they’re gearing up to release their first ever album as artists though a new deal with BMG.

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The iconic hitmakers, who are former members of The Time and widely considered architects of the “Minneapolis Sound,” popularised by Prince in the late ’70s and early ’80s, have never put their names to a full-length Jam & Lewis LP.

“It’s crazy to think we’re about to release our debut album after all these years,” Lewis said of the project, which will feature “iconic collaborations spanning their influential discography.”

He added: “This is going to be a very special moment and we are grateful to have this team behind us.”

“BMG immediately got our vision and understood where we wanted to go with this album,” Jam said in a statement issued by BMG. “There was real mutual respect. We’ve found the perfect partner to kick off this next era and finally deliver our first record to the world.”

The five-time Grammy Award-winning production duo have created hits for the likes of Janet Jackson, George Michael, Usher, Mariah Carey, and many more. They have 16 Billboard Hot 100 Number Ones to their name and have received over 100 platinum certifications.

In addition, Jam & Lewis contributed to the soundtracks How Stella Got Her Groove Back and The Prince Of Egypt, received an Academy Award nomination for their work on Janet Jackson’s ‘Again’, which appeared the 1993 movie Poetic Justice, starring Jackson and the late Tupac Shakur.

The pair also composed and produced ‘Welcome To The World’, the theme of the opening ceremonies of the 1996 summer Olympic Games.

“It is an honour for BMG to be Jimmy and Terry’s label partner on their epic journey,” BMG’s John Loeffler said. “This album is an extraordinary celebration of Jimmy and Terry’s musical brilliance, influence, and legacy they’ve created over the course of their musical career. Each song is remarkable with awe-inspiring performances to create a career defining master work.”

Meanwhile, a new statue honouring Prince, which is a copy of the Prince’s iconic ‘Love Symbol’ and stands over 3 metres high and almost 2 metres wide, has been installed at Paisley Park.