Kid Sister
Kid Sister |
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Melisa Young (born July 3, 1980) better known by her stage name Kid Sister, is a rap artist based in Chicago, Illinois, well known for her single "Pro Nails", featuring Kanye West.
Background
Melisa Young was born July 3, 1980 in Markham, Illinois.[1] Kid Sister started to rap in October 2005, becoming an MC at monthly dance parties hosted by DJ duo Flosstradamus who were featured in MTV's My Block that same year.[2] She made URB's "The Next 1000" cover in April 2007,[3] and was signed to Kanye West's DJ A-Trak's label, Fool's Gold, who released her first single "Pro Nails", which features Kanye West. Kid Sister later signed with Downtown Records,[4] who re-released "Pro Nails" to critical acclaim.
Kid Sister also appears on Tittsworth's "WTF", from his debut album 12 Steps, with Pase Rock.[5] She had also finished a mixtape with A-Trak.[2] In Fall 2009, Kid Sister finished recording her debut studio album . The title has been changed from Dream Date to Ultraviolet. The tracks were produced by dubstep artist Rusko, The Count & Sinden, XXXChange, and Disturbia producer, Brian Kennedy and the album includes a feature with British musician Estelle. The two have collabrated on a remake of Queen Latifah's acclaimed track, "Step" (formerly "Ladies First") off her debut album. It is titled "First Ladies".[6]
Also, her single "Control" is featured in the new video game "DJ Hero," combined with Rihanna's Disturbia. The first single off is titled "Right Hand Hi", which is produced by Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso of house DJ group, Swedish House Mafia.[7]
"I think a lot of people are going to be surprised with the fact that there’s a bunch of raw hip-hop records on there," according to A-Trak. "It's not all up tempo clubby stuff. I think a lot of people are going to be impressed with her growth also because when she made a lot of the records that people have heard by now, she was just starting to rap."[8]
In late 2010, Kid Sister released a mixtape, entitled Kiss Kiss Kiss.
Kid Sister has also been working on her second album and on an EP.[9] Scoop DeVille, who worked on Kiss Kiss Kiss, and The Neptunes are producing a large amount of the songs.[10]
Personal life
Kid Sister's ethnic background includes African American, Native American, and Caucasian.[11] In numerous interviews and magazine articles, she has revealed that she has struggled financially for years before becoming Kanye West's protege.[12][13] Recently she has admitted to being 215 pounds at one point in her life. She continues in this interview that she has been "thick" her whole life but explains that this has had no bearing on her self-esteem because at her core she is not a passive person. [14]
Kid Sister has a degree in film from Columbia College Chicago and worked on two independent feature films during her studies: 9/11 drama The Guys (2002) starring Sigourney Weaver and Anthony LaPaglia; and Best Thief In the World (2003) starring Mary Louise Parker and Audra McDonald .[citation needed] Kid Sister for a time concurrently worked for the retail chain Bath & Body Works, Little Threads, a children's clothing store, and Wild Hare, a reggae bar in Wrigleyville.[15]
Discography
Albums
- Ultraviolet (2009)
Mixtapes
- Kiss Kiss Kiss (2010)
Singles
Solo
Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
U.S. Hot 100 | U.S. Single Sales | UK Singles Chart[16] | UK Dance Chart | UK R&B Chart | |||
2007 | "Control" | — | — | — | — | — | Ultraviolet |
2008 | "Pro Nails" (featuring Kanye West) | — | 21 | — | — | — | |
2009 | "Get Fresh" | — | — | — | — | — | |
"Right Hand Hi" | — | — | 97 | — | 31[17] | ||
2010 | "Daydreaming" (featuring Cee Lo Green) | — | — | 132[18] | 14[19] | — | |
"Big 'n Bad" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2011 | "Look Out Weekend" (featuring Nina Sky) | — | — | — | — | — | Kiss Kiss Kiss |
"Kiss Kiss Kiss" | — | — | — | — | — |
As featured performer
Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
U.S. Hot 100 | U.S. Single Sales | UK Singles Chart[20] | UK Dance Chart | UK R&B Chart | |||
2008 | "Beeper" (The Count & Sinden featuring Kid Sister) | — | — | 69 | 1 | — | Non-album single |
2010 | "Do Do! Do!" (Carté Blanche featuring Kid Sister) | — | — | — | Black Billionaires - EP | ||
2010 | "Im'ma Get It" (Paul Wall featuring Kid Sister and Bun B) | — | — | — | — | — | Heart of a Champion |
Awards and nominations
- BET Awards
- 2008: Best Female Hip-Hop Artist (Nominated)
References
- ^ a b downtown (2009). "Kid Sister's Ultraviolet Out November 17th – Just Day's Away!!". RCRD LBL. Retrieved 2009-11-05.
- ^ "Chicago Kids Do Big Things". Chicagoist. Gothamist. 2007-03-15. Retrieved 2008-01-21.
- ^ Bolden, Janeé (2008-02-28). "Kid Sister Signs With Downtown Records". Retrieved 2008-02-28.
- ^ Neil Queen (2008-08-08). "WTF feat Pase Rock and Kid Sister by Tittsworth". The Times. News International. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
- ^ "Kid Sister & Estelle remake Queen Latifah classic". Rap-Up. 2009.
- ^ Ryan Dombal (2009). "Kid Sister interview with Pitchfork". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2009-07-10.
- ^ Danica Dow (2008-08-31). "A-Trak plans "A Force 2 Recognized" with Kid Sister, strikes gold with new label". SOHH. 4Control Media. Retrieved 2008-09-01. [dead link]
- ^ Mr Goldbar. "Kelly Rowland "Motivation (Kid Sister Remix)"". Downloads. Fool's Gold Records. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
- ^ DJ Jelly. "Kid Sister AWTS Interview!". As The World Spins. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
- ^ Richard Cruz (2009). "Kid Sister – Format Mag Interview". Know The Ledge. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
- ^ "Kid Sister Photo Shoot". Vimby.com.
- ^ "article in press album on myspace page".
- ^ "Complex Women Kid Sister". Complex Magazine.
- ^ "Venus Zine: How does a Catholic school girl become a hip-hop star?" Venus Zine Fall 2008 Issue
- ^ http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=12464
- ^ http://www.theofficialcharts.com/archive-chart/_/16/2009-12-12/
- ^ http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/100501cluk.txt Retrieved May 3, 2010.
- ^ http://www.theofficialcharts.com/archive-chart/_/18/2010-05-01/
- ^ http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=12464
- Boyles, Jen (2007-03-31). "Kid Sister & Flosstradamus : Hot Sauce". URB. Raymond Leon Roker. Retrieved 2008-01-21.