Favorite Musicians

1. Usher

Usher Raymond IV was born in Dallas, Texas, to Jonetta Patton (née O'Neal) and Usher Raymond III. He began singing when he was six years old, joining the local church choir at the behest of his mother who acted as choir director. Jonetta, a single mom, raised Usher and his younger brother, James, ...

2. Leon Bridges

Soundtrack | Concussion

Leon Bridges was born on July 13, 1989 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He is a music artist and actor, known for Concussion (2015), Love and Monsters (2020) and Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018).

3. Trick Daddy

Soundtrack | Training Day

Trick Daddy was born in 1973 in Miami, Florida, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Training Day (2001), Exit Wounds (2001) and The A-Team (2010).

4. Lil' Wayne

Soundtrack | Suicide Squad

Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He is commonly regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, and often cited as one of the greatest rappers of all ...

5. Method Man

Actor | How High

Award-winning actor, producer, musician, and entrepreneur Cliff "Method Man" Smith, has been forging an extraordinary and unparalleled path across all mediums since he first entered the scene 30 years ago.

Smith currently stars as 'Attorney Davis MacLean' opposite Mary J. Blige in the worldwide hit ...

6. Jill Scott

Actress | Why Did I Get Married?

Three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, New York Times best-selling poet, and critically acclaimed actor are only a few titles held by Jill Scott. Before having the #1 album in the country with "The Light of The Sun", performing at The White House, being named People Magazine's Top TV ...

7. Budda

Actor | A Tribe Called Red: The Virus - feat. Saul Williams, Chippewa Travellers

Budda is known for A Tribe Called Red: The Virus - feat. Saul Williams, Chippewa Travellers (2016) and The Innkeepers: Behind the Scenes (2012).

8. D'Angelo

Soundtrack | He's Just Not That Into You

D'Angelo was born on February 11, 1974 in Richmond, Virginia, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for He's Just Not That Into You (2009), No Strings Attached (2011) and Always Be My Maybe (2019).

9. Maxwell

Soundtrack | Life

Maxwell was born on May 23, 1973 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He is a music artist and actor, known for Life (1999), Little Man (2006) and Girls Trip (2017).

10. Angie Stone

Actress | The Hot Chick

Angie Stone was born on December 18, 1961 in Columbia, South Carolina, USA. She is an actress and director, known for The Hot Chick (2002), Ride Along (2014) and The Fighting Temptations (2003).

11. Antony Hamilton

Actor | Cover Up

Though born in England in May of 1952, Antony Hamilton was adopted by an Australian military man and his wife and grew up in Adelaide, Australia. A classically trained dancer, he danced with the Australian ballet before his outstanding good looks led him into a modeling career. He modeled in Europe...

12. Ja Rule

Actor | The Fast and the Furious

Jeffrey Bruce Atkins better known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American rapper and actor. Born and raised in New York City, he debuted in 1999 with Venni Vetti Vecci and its lead single "Holla Holla". During the 2000s, Ja Rule was signed to Irv Gotti's Murder Inc. Records, formerly known as The...

13. Redman

Soundtrack | How High

Reginald Noble better known by his stage name Redman, is an American rapper, DJ, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame in the early 1990s as an artist on the Def Jam label. He is well known for his collaborations with his close friend Method Man, as one-half of the rap duo Method Man & Redman...

14. DMX

Soundtrack | Exit Wounds

Earl Simmons (December 18, 1970 - April 9, 2021), known by his stage name DMX ("Dark Man X"), was an American rapper and actor. He began rapping in the early 1990s and released his debut album It's Dark and Hell Is Hot in 1998, to both critical acclaim and commercial success, selling 251,000 copies...

15. Teddy Riley

Soundtrack | Juice

Teddy Riley was born on October 8, 1966 in New York City, New York, USA. He is a composer and actor, known for Juice (1992), Money Train (1995) and New Jack City (1991).

16. Lord Jamar

Soundtrack | Boiler Room

Lord Jamar was born on September 17, 1968 in New Rochelle, New York, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Boiler Room (2000), Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996) and Menace II Society (1993).

17. Prince

Soundtrack | Under the Cherry Moon

Prince Rogers Nelson was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Mattie Shaw, a jazz singer and social worker, and John L. Nelson, a lyricist and pianist. His father's stage name was "Prince Rogers". His parents were both from African-American families from Louisiana. They separated during his youth, ...

18. Morris Day

Actor | Purple Rain

Morris Day was born on December 13, 1957 in Springfield, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Purple Rain (1984), The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990) and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001). He is married to Lorena Day. He was previously married to Judith Jones.

19. Jerome Benton

Actor | Under the Cherry Moon

Jerome Benton was born on September 19, 1962. He is an actor and producer, known for Under the Cherry Moon (1986), Purple Rain (1984) and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001).

20. Ray Parker Jr.

Soundtrack | Ghostbusters

Guitarist/songwriter/producer Ray Parker Jr. had hits as Raydio (the million-selling "Jack and Jill," "You Can't Change That"), Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio ("Two Places at the Same Time," "A Woman Needs Love [Just Like You Do]"), and Ray Parker Jr. (the number one R&B and pop gold single "Ghostbusters"...

21. Tamar Braxton

Actress | Being Mary Jane

Tamar Braxton was born on March 17, 1977 in Severn, Maryland, USA. She is a producer and actress, known for Being Mary Jane (2013), Gangland: The Musical (2018) and Christmas Angel (2023). She was previously married to Vince Herbert and Delite Allamby.

22. Toni Braxton

Soundtrack | The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure

Toni Braxton was born on October 7, 1966 in Severn, Maryland, USA. She is a music artist and producer, known for The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure (2012), Boomerang (1992) and Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart (2016). She was previously married to Keri Lewis.

23. Jeff Bradshaw

Producer | Half Mile of Hell

Jeff Bradshaw is known for Half Mile of Hell (2005).

24. Q-Tip

Soundtrack | The Great Gatsby

Kamaal Ibn John Fareed (born Jonathan William Davis better known by his stage name Q-Tip, is an American rapper, record producer, singer, and DJ. Nicknamed The Abstract, he is noted for his innovative jazz-influenced style of hip hop production and his philosophical, esoteric and introspective ...

25. Donell Jones

Soundtrack | Shaft

Donell Jones was born on May 22, 1973 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Shaft (2000), Love & Basketball (2000) and Save the Last Dance (2001). He has been married to Jasmine since 2013. They have two children.

26. Kameelah Williams

Soundtrack | Luke Cage

Kameelah Williams, aka Meelah, is a singer and song writer who got her start as the lead singer of the famous Motown 90's trio: "702". 702 consisted of Williams and sisters LeMisha and Irish Grinstead, all of who were students at the Las Vegas Academy of Performing Arts. Thanks to the help and ...

27. Snoop Dogg

Actor | Training Day

Snoop Dogg is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, producer, media personality, entrepreneur, and actor.

His music career began in 1992 when he was discovered by Dr. Dre and featured on Dre's solo debut, "Deep Cover", and then on Dre's solo debut album, The Chronic. He has since sold over 23 ...

28. Rick James

Soundtrack | Colors

Rick James was born on February 1, 1948 in Buffalo, New York, USA. He was an actor and composer, known for Colors (1988), The Happytime Murders (2018) and Blue Streak (1999). He was married to Tanya Hijazi. He died on August 6, 2004 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

29. Kendrick Lamar

Soundtrack | Black Panther

Kendrick Lamar is a hip-hop artist from Compton, California. He's signed with Dr. Dre's label, Aftermath. Kendrick also has his own label, known as 'Top Dawg Entertainment', with includes artists such as Jay Rock, ScHoolboy Q and Ab Soul. Kendrick's major label debut album, 'good kid m.A.A.d city' ...

30. Ray Charles

Actor | The Blues Brothers

A tragic fate may have given this visionary a heightened sensitivity, perception, awareness, even expansion to his obvious musical gifts that he may have never touched upon had he not suffered from his physical affliction. Whatever it was, Ray Charles revolutionized American music and was ...

31. Dr. Dre

Soundtrack | Training Day

Considered by many to be hip-hop's greatest producer, Dr. Dre (b. André Young, February 18, 1965) pioneered gangsta hip-hop and his own variation of the sound, dubbed G-Funk. His very early albums were violent but cautionary tales of the criminal mind, but Dre's records with NWA celebrated the ...

32. Keyshia Cole

Soundtrack | Mission: Impossible III

Keyshia Cole was born on October 15, 1981 in Oakland, California, USA. She is an actress and composer, known for Mission: Impossible III (2006), Step Up (2006) and Coach Carter (2005). She was previously married to Daniel Gibson.

33. Keri Hilson

Actress | Riddick

Keri Hilson was born on December 5, 1982 in Decatur, Georgia, USA. She is an actress and composer, known for Riddick (2013), The Rover (2014) and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007).

34. Fats Waller

Soundtrack | Beasts of the Southern Wild

Thomas Waller was born in 1904. He was one of the most important pianist in the history of jazz. He studied piano with James P. Johnson, one of the masters of the stride piano in the 1920s. Fats began recording his first piano solos in 1923. He worked in the revue "Hot Chocolates" in the late 1920s...

35. Duke Ellington

Composer | Anatomy of a Murder

Composer ("It Don't Mean a Thing if It Ain't Got That Swing", "Sophisticated Lady", "Mood Indigo", "Solitude", "In a Mellotone", "Satin Doll"), pianist and conductor, holder of an honorary music degree from Wilberforce University and an LHD from Milton College, Duke Ellington led his own orchestra ...

36. Eddie Murphy

Actor | The Nutty Professor

Edward Regan Murphy was born April 3, 1961 in Brooklyn, New York, to Lillian Lynch (born: Lillian Laney), a telephone operator, and Charles Edward Murphy, a transit police officer who was also an amateur comedian and actor. After his father died, his mother married Vernon Lynch, a foreman at a ...

Actually a pretty talented musicians

37. Ashanti

Actress | Coach Carter

Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas is an African-American R&B singer and actress from Glen Cove, New York. She acted in films and shows such as The Muppets' Wizard of Oz, Resident Evil: Extinction, Coach Carter, John Tucker Must Die, Bride and Prejudice, Malcolm X and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She has ...

Awesome musician

38. Des'ree

Soundtrack | Romeo + Juliet

Des'ree was born on November 30, 1968 in London, England, UK. She is an actress and composer, known for Romeo + Juliet (1996), Captain Marvel (2019) and Nothing to Lose (1997).

39. Mary J. Blige

Soundtrack | Mudbound

Mary J. Blige was born on January 11, 1971 in The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. She is a music artist and actress, known for Mudbound (2017), Rock of Ages (2012) and The Help (2011). She was previously married to Kendu Isaacs.