Montero “Lil Nas X” Lamar Hill is a rapper and singer-songwriter. Hill was born on April 9, 1999, to Robert Stafford and Shawnita Hathaway in Lithia Springs, Georgia. He was named after the Mitsubishi Montero car. His parents divorced when he was 6 years old … Read MoreMontero “Lil Nas X” Lamar Hill (1999- )
Balladeer Robert Peapo “Peabo” Bryson was born on April 13, 1951, in Greenville, South Carolina, to Marie Bryson. He has two sisters and a brother. His professional career began at 14 as a featured vocalist for the regional ensemble Al Freeman and The Upsetters. In … Read MorePeabo Bryson (1951- )
The legendary composers, lyricists, vocalists, and actors Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson dominated the R&B industry for over four decades. Their most tremendous success came with their unmatched music compositions for Motown Records. Ashford was born on May 4, 1941, in Fairfield, South Carolina, to … Read MoreAshford and Simpson (1964-2011)
Clifford Smith Jr. is a rapper, producer, songwriter, and actor best known under the stage name Method Man. Smith was born on March 2, 1971, in Hempstead, New York to Clifford and Genola Smith. The couple share three children: Terri, Clifford Jr. and Althea. Smith’s … Read MoreMethod Man/ Clifford Smith Jr. (1971- )
Alicia Keys is a rhythm and blues singer, songwriter, and pianist known for her unique blend of classical, R&B, jazz, neo-soul, and hip-hop. She writes and produces her own music. Her stage name, “Keys,” alludes to her being a pianist. Keys was born Alicia Augello Cook on January 25, 1981, … Read MoreAlicia Keys/Alicia Augello Cook (1981- )
Frank Ocean is a singer, rapper, songwriter, record producer and photographer. He was born Christopher Edwin Breaux on October 28, 1987 in Long Beach, California. His parents, Calvin Edward Cooksey and Katonya Breaux, moved the family to New Orleans, Louisiana when he was five years old. His father left the family … Read MoreFrank Ocean (Christopher “Lonny” Francis William Ocean) (1987- )
Willie Dixon was a pioneering Chicago blues musician, bandleader, songwriter, arranger, producer, and philanthropist. He was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, in 1915 to Anderson Bell and Daisy Dixon, was married to Marie Booker, and had 12 children (five with wife Marie, and seven with Eleanora … Read MoreWilliam James [“Willie”] Dixon (1915-1992)
Carmen McRae, a jazz singer and songwriter, was born on April 8, 1920, in Harlem, New York. Her father, Osmond Llewelyn McRae, was born in Santa Cruz, Jamaica, in 1891; he moved from Jamaica to Costa Rica to Cuba and then to New York City, … Read MoreCarmen McRae (1920-1994)
