During the late '90s as the urban sounds of TLC and En Vogue stormed up the charts, Trin-I-Tee 5:7 offered a similar style of smooth harmonizing over up-tempo beats, except with a strong gospel message. Following a promotional EP release, the trio, originally comprised of Chanelle Hayes, Terry Brown, and Angel Taylor, debuted in summer 1998 with its self-titled album, released by B-Rite. The album notably featured production work by R. Kelly, who was one of urban music's dominant hitmakers at the time.