Olajide Williams is an American neurologist and the creator of Hip-Hop Public Health. He is the Chief of Staff at Columbia University and a Professor of Neurology. Williams was born prematurely in his mother’s car in Lagos, Nigeria in 1969. Williams spent the first year … Read MoreOlajide Williams (1969- )
Rapper, DJ, singer, songwriter, and record producer known professionally as Warren G was born Warren Griffin III on November 10, 1970, in Long Beach, California. His mother, Ola, was a dietician, and his father Warren Griffin Jr was an airplane mechanic and former US Navy … Read MoreWarren G/Warren Griffin III (1970- )
Chancelor Johnathan “Chance The Rapper” Bennett is a rapper, singer, and activist. Bennett was born on April 16, 1993 in Chicago, Illinois to Lisa Bennett and Ken Williams Bennett. He grew up in a middle-class neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. Bennett’s father worked … Read MoreChance The Rapper/ Chancelor Johnathan Bennett (1993- )
Legendary rapper, composer, actor, and activist Kurtis Blow was born on August 9, 1959, in Harlem, New York, as Kurt Walker. His mother was a dancer in Harlem during the Renaissance at the Savoy and the Cotton Club. At the age of seven, Blow’s mother … Read MoreKurtis Blow/Kurt Walker (1959- )
The Hip Hop group, Salt-N-Pepa was formed in Queens, New York in 1985. Queens native Sandra “Pepa” Denton and Brooklyn native Cheryl “Salt” James met while attending Queensborough Community College and became close friends. They both began working at Sears merchandising, and met fellow co-worker … Read MoreSalt-N-Pepa (1985- )
Actor, vocalist, lyricist, arranger, producer, activist Lauryn Noelle Hill is one of the most influential hip-hop artists. She was born in East Orange, New Jersey, on May 26, 1975, to Mal Hill, a computer consultant, and Valerie Hill, an educator and pianist. She has one … Read MoreLauryn Noelle Hill (1975- )
Opera composer, librettist, composer, violinist, pedagogic, and activist Daniel Bernard Roumain was born on May 3, 1971 in Skokie, Illinois. He was reared, however, in Margate, Florida, His parents are Haitians, and he has one son, Zachary. Roumain began playing the violin at the age … Read MoreDaniel Bernard Roumain (1971- )
Raised with strong southern gospel influences, piano prodigy Michael D’Angelo Archer spent his music career restoring R&B music to its former glory. His creative blend of funk and jazz music incorporated the popular hip-hop styles of the late 1990s and early 2000s while earning him … Read MoreD’Angelo (1974- )
For the last thirty years, the name Mariah Carey has been synonymous with stellar singing and unmatched musical talent. As one of modern music’s most powerful voices, Carey holds the record for third-best-selling female artist of all time, after Madonna and Rhianna, and the most … Read MoreMariah Carey (1969- )
Actor, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer Terrence Deshon Howard is best known for his role as Lucius Lyons, music mogul, in the TV series Empire for which he won the BET Best Actor Award in 2015. While he began his career appearing on several … Read MoreTerrence Howard (1969- )
