African Celebrities: American singer

Showing posts with label American singer. Show all posts

Friday, 7 February 2014

Monica

Monica Denise Brown popularly known as Monica is an American singer, songwriter, producer and occasional actress. She was born on October 24, 1980, in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. She is the only daughter of Marilyn Best, a former church singer and Delta Air Lines customer service representative, and M.C. "Billy" Arnold Jr., a mechanic working for an Atlanta freight Company.

Monica has a younger brother Montez born in 1983, half brother Jermond Grant on her father's side, and two maternal half-brothers, Tron and Cypress.

Monica released her debut album Miss Thang in 1995. It sold 1.5 million in the US. In 1998 Monica's second album "The Boy is Mine" earned her major international chart success. Monica also ventured into acting, with a supporting role in Boys and Girls (2000), and starring roles in television film Love Song (2000).

Monica has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide, including over six million units in the United States alone.

Monica became the first artist to top the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. In 2010, Billboard listed her at number 24 on its list of the Top 50 R&B and Hip Hop Artists of the past 25 years.

Monica became engaged to rapper Rodney "Rocko" Hill, a former real estate manager on Christmas Eve 2007. Monica and Rodney Hill separated in October 2009.

Monica was married to Shannon Brown in 2010.

Monica has three children; two sons with rapper and a former real estate manager Rodney "Rocko" Hill, and a daughter with her husband Shannon Brown.

Her first son named Rodney Hill III was born on May 21 2005 and her second son named Romelo Montez Hill after her younger brother was born on January 8, 2008.

Monica has won several awards including 5 Billboard Music Awards and 4 Grammy Awards.

Monica

Monica and Brandy Norwood

Monica and her ex-fiance Rodney Hill "Rocko"

Monica and her ex-fiance Rodney Hill "Rocko" and their son

Monica (left) and Keyshia Cole (right)

Monica and her husband Shannon Brown

Monica and her sons; Rodney Hill III "Rocko" (left) and Romelo Montez Hill (right)

Faith Evans

Faith Renee Evans is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, occasional actress and author. She was born on June 10, 1973 in Florida and raised in New Jersey. Her mother Helene Evans, an African-American was a professional singer and her father Richard Swain, a Caucasian was a musician and left before Faith Evans was born.

Faith Evans attended Fordham University in New York City to study marketing but left a year later to have daughter Chyna with music producer Kiyamma Griffin.

Faith Evans is the widow of New York rapper Christopher Wallace popularly known by his stage name The Notorious B.I.G., whom she married on August 4, 1994. the couple had one child together, Christopher Wallace, Jr., born October, 29, 1996.

Faith Evans married a record company executive Todd Russaw in 1998. Faith Evans and Todd Russaw have 2 children together. They had their first son Joshua on June 8, 1998 and their second son Ryder Evan Russaw on March 22, 2007.

In May 2011, Faith Evans and Russaw announced they were getting a divorce and stated they would like to keep it quiet for the children's sake.

Faith Evans

Faith Evans with her children, Chyna (First left), Joshua Russaw (second left) and Christopher Wallace Jr. (First right)

Faith Evans with her children, Chyna (Second right), Joshua Russaw (first right) and Christopher Wallace Jr. (First left)

Faith Evans and her daughter Chyna

Faith Evans and her husband Todd Russaw

Faith Evans and family

Faith Evans and Chaka Khan

Faith Evans and P. Diddy

Thursday, 6 February 2014

Keyshia Cole

Keyshia Cole Gibson known by her stage name Keyshia Cole is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and television personality. She was born on October 15, 1981 in Oakland, California. She was born to Francine “Frankie” Lons and Sal, and her auntie Sandra Hockaday took care of her. She was later adopted at age two by family friends Leon and Yvonne Cole, changing her last name to Cole.

Her career began when she met MC Hammer at the age of twelve and later met rapper Tupac Shakur. She released her debut album The way It Is (2005), with five singles: Never , I Changed My mind, I Just Want It To Be Over, I Should Have Cheated and Love. It was certified gold within 17 weeks, and then platinum just eight weeks later. The album stayed on the charts for over a year, essentially selling over 1.6 million copies.

Keyshia Cole is married to NBA player Daniel Gibson. They were married on May 21, 2011. The couple had their first son Daniel Hiram Gibson, Jr. (DJ) on March 2, 2010.

Keyshia Cole

Keyshia Cole and her husband Daniel Gibson

Keyshia Cole and her mother Frankie Lons

Keyshia Cole with her mother Frankie Lons (left) and her sister Neff (centre)

Keyshia Cole and her son Daniel Junior

Keyshia Cole (left) an Monica

Saturday, 1 February 2014

Mary J. Blige

Mary Jane Blige known professionally as Mary J. Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional rapper and actress. She was born on January 11, 1971 in The Bronx, New York. She is the second of four children born to parents Cora, a nurse and Thomas Blige, a jazz musician.

Mary J. Blige was taught to sing by her father, who later abandoned her and her sister LaToya following his divorce from their mother Cora Blige in 1980.

Mary J. Blige started her career as a background singer on Uptown Records in 1989. She released her first album “What’s the 411?” in 1992, and has released 11 studio albums since and made over 150 guest appearances on other albums and sound tracks.

Mary J. Blige has won nine (9) Grammy Awards, and eight of her albums have reached multi-platinum status in the United States.

As of 2013, Mary J. Blige has sold more than 50 million albums and 15 million singles worldwide.

Mary J. Blige married Martin Kendu Isaacs known as “Kendu” a record industry executive on December 7, 2003.

Mary J. Blige

Sunday, 19 January 2014

Usher Raymond

Usher Raymond IV known mononymously as Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, philanthropist, businessman and actor. He was born on October 14, 1978 in Dallas, Texas. He is the son of Jonnetta Patton and Usher Raymond III.

Usher spent majority of his young life in Chattanooga. His father left the family when Usher was a year old. Usher grew up with his mother, then step-father and half-brother, James Lackey, born in 1984.

Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album "My Way" which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100 number one hit, "Nice & Slow". The album has been certified 6-times platinum by the RIAA. His folllow-up album, 8701, produced the Billboard Hot 100 number one hits "U Remind Me" and "U Got It Bad". The album has been certified 4-times platinum by the RIAA.

On August 3, 2007 Usher Raymond was married to stylist Tameka Foster, who worked as his personal stylist for several years, followed by a larger wedding ceremony on September 1, 2007, held at the Chateau Elan Winery and Resort outside Atlanta. Upon their marriage, Usher became a stepfather to Tameka Foster's three sons from previous relationships. Usher Raymond and Tameka Foster also have two sons together; Usher "Cinco" Raymond V, born in November 2007, and Naviyd Ely Raymond, born in December 2008.

Usher Rayond and his wife Tameka Foster were officially divorced on November 4, 2009.