Kandi Burruss is nominated for the 2027 Songwriters Hall of Fame, and her songwriting credits stretch well beyond the hits most listeners know she helped create. The Xscape singer has written for Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, and several other major artists, often on songs where her name never appeared on the front cover.
The obvious starting points are TLC’s “No Scrubs” and Destiny’s Child’s “Bills, Bills, Bills.” Both were released in 1999, and “No Scrubs” won the Grammy for Best R&B Song in 2000. Burruss also co-wrote Destiny’s Child’s “Bug a Boo,” “Hey Ladies,” “So Good,” and “She Can’t Love You.”
But several other records reveal how far her catalog reaches.
P!nk’s “There You Go” is one of the biggest surprises. Burruss co-wrote the singer’s debut single with P!nk and producer Kevin “She’kspere” Briggs. The record reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and helped introduce P!nk as a solo artist.
Another pop credit came on *NSYNC’s “It Makes Me Ill,” a track from the group’s blockbuster 2000 album, “No Strings Attached.” Burruss and Briggs co-wrote and produced the song. Years later, it would connect her to an entirely different pop star.
Mariah Carey’s “X-Girlfriend” appeared on the 1999 album “Rainbow.” Kandi Burruss co-wrote the album cut with Carey and Briggs. According to Burruss’s official website, she and Carey worked on the song over the phone while Carey was in another country.
That writing career also put her name on Whitney Houston’s “Tell Me No,” a song from Houston’s 2002 album “Just Whitney.” Burruss was among its writers, while Babyface handled production.
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Alicia Keys’ “Jane Doe” is another easy one to miss. Featured on Keys’ 2001 debut, “Songs in A Minor,” the track was co-written and co-produced by Burruss, who also contributed vocals. Her involvement went beyond passing along a finished song.
Then there’s Faith Evans’ “Best Man,” which appeared on the soundtrack to the 1999 film “The Best Man.” Burruss helped write the song performed by Evans.
Usher’s “Pop Ya Collar” belongs on the list, too. Burruss and Briggs helped write the song, initially linked to Usher’s shelved “All About U project.” It was released in 2000 and later appeared on international editions of his 2001 album “8701.”
Kandi Burruss also co-wrote Mýa’s “How You Gonna Tell Me,” from the singer’s 2000 album “Fear of Flying.” The track addresses someone giving relationship advice without following it themselves.
On B2K’s 2002 debut album, Burruss teamed with Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox to write “Last Boyfriend.”
Her credits even extend into hip-hop with Solé’s “4, 5, 6,” the rapper’s 1999 single featuring JT Money. Burruss worked with Briggs on the record.
Boyz II Men’s “Good Guy,” from the group’s 2000 album “Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya,” also carries her writing credit. It was one of two songs she helped write for that project, alongside “Beautiful Women.”
Her relationship with TLC did not end with “No Scrubs.” She also helped write “Girl Talk,” the lead single from the group’s 2002 album “3D.”
Other under-the-radar credits include Blu Cantrell’s “Make Me Wanna Scream” from the 2003 album “Bittersweet” and Fantasia’s “Girl Like Me” from her 2006 self-titled album.
Kandi Burruss has also received credits on later hits through the use of her earlier compositions. Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” incorporates elements of “No Scrubs,” while Ariana Grande’s “Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored” interpolates “It Makes Me Ill.”
There’s also Doechii’s 2023 hit “What It Is (Block Boy),” which draws from “No Scrubs.” Burruss is listed among its credited songwriters.
The Songwriters Hall of Fame officially announced Kandi Burruss as a 2027 nominee on November 5, 2026, recognizing a catalog that spans multiple generations of R&B, pop, and hip-hop. Voting for the upcoming class remains open through December 14.
