Bred on Chicago's South Side, R&B singer Jeremih taught himself how to play several instruments and didn't consider himself a vocalist until a warmly received performance at a talent show. At Chicago's Columbia College, he struck up a partnership with producer Mick Schultz, and the two closely collaborated on the material that would become Jeremih's debut album, released in June 2009 on Def Jam. "Birthday Sex," its first single, debuted on Billboard's R&B/Hip Hop Singles chart that March; by mid-May, it was already in the Top Ten, poised to become the year's breakout bedroom ballad à la J. Holiday's "Bed." Jeremih, his self-titled album, produced entirely by Schultz, was released in late June 2009. At that point, "Birthday Sex" had crossed over to the Top Ten of the Billboard Hot 100.