1996 Soul Train Music Awards

The 1996 Soul Train Music Awards was held on March 29, 1996 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The show honored the best in R&B, soul, rap, jazz, and gospel music from the previous year. The show was co-hosted by Brandy, LL Cool J., and Anita Baker.

Special awards

Heritage Award for Career Achievement

• Patti Labelle

Sammy Davis Jr. Award for Entertainer of the Year

• Boyz II Men

Winners and nominees

Winners are in bold with an asterisk (*).

R&B/Soul or Rap Song of the Year

• Whitney Houston - Exhale (Shoop Shoop)
• Method Man featuring Mary J. Blige - I'll Be There For You/You're All I Need To Get By
• The Notorious B.I.G. - One More Chance*
• TLC - Waterfalls

Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist

• D'Angelo*
• Faith Evans
• Junior M.A.F.I.A.
• Monica

Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video

• Coolio Featuring L.V. - Gangsta's Paradise
• Dr. Dre - Keep Their Heads Ringin'
• Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson - Scream
• TLC - Waterfalls*

R&B/Soul Album of the Year - Female

• Mary J. Blige - My Life*
• Mariah Carey - Daydream
• Faith Evans - Faith
• Monica - Miss Thang

R&B/Soul Album of the Year - Male

• D'Angelo - Brown Sugar*
• Michael Jackson - HIStory Past, Present, and Future - Book I
• Quincy Jones - Q's Jook Joint
• Brian McKnight - I Remember You

R&B/Soul Album of the Year - Group, Band Or Duo

• Jodeci - The Show, The After Party, The Hotel
• Solo - Solo
• TLC - CrazySexyCool*
• Xscape - Off The Hook

Best R&B/Soul Single - Female

• Mary J. Blige - I'm Going Down
• Brandy - Brokenhearted
• Whitney Houston - Exhale (Shoop Shoop)*
• Monica - Like This and Like That/Before You Walk Out Of My Life

Best R&B/Soul Single - Male

• D'Angelo - Brown Sugar
• Michael Jackson - You Are Not Alone
• Montell Jordan - This Is How We Do It
• Seal - Kiss From A Rose

Best R&B/Soul Single - Group, Band, or Duo

• Boyz II Men - "Water Runs Dry"
• Groove Theory - "Tell Me"
• Jodeci - "Love U 4 Life"
• TLC - "Waterfalls"*

Best Rap Album

• 2Pac - Me Against The World*
• Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - E. 1999 Eternal
• Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise
• Method Man - Tical

Best Jazz Album

• Fourplay - Elixir*
• Boney James - Seduction
• Keiko Metsui - Sapphire
• Pat Metheny Group - We Live Here

Best Gospel Album

• Yolanda Adams - More Than A Melody
• Shirley Caesar - He Will Come
• Kirk Franklin and the Family - Kirk Franklin and the Family
• The New Life Community Choir Featuring John P. Kee - Show Up*

Performers

• LL Cool J
• TLC
• Anita Baker
• Mary J. Blige
• Notorious B.I.G. (with Puff Daddy and Faith Evans)
• Yolanda Adams
• Brandy
• Patti Labelle Tribute: Ronald Isley, Rachelle Ferrell, Peabo Bryson, and Tamia
• Patti LaBelle