Ms. Toi
Ms. Toi | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Toikeon Parham |
| Born | February 26, 1973 Chicago, Illinois, US |
| Genres | Hip hop, Gangsta rap, Hardcore hip hop |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Years active | 2000–present |
| Labels | Universal (1999–2000), G.O Entertainment[1] |
Toikeon Parham,[2] known professionally as Ms. Toi,[3] is an American rapper. She is featured on the Ice Cube song "You Can Do It" with Mack 10. Released on the soundtrack albums for the feature films Next Friday and Save the Last Dance,[1] "You Can Do It" became a major club hit in 2000, and its video received ample airplay on BET.
Early life
Toikeon Parham was born in Chicago, Illinois,.[3][1] Her family moved to Inglewood, California, when she was 11 years old. Toi attended Inglewood High School, part of its Class of 1991.[2] After being expelled from school, she moved to Sacramento, California, where she lived with an uncle and his family.[1]
Career
Upon graduating from high school, she began pursuing an interest in hip hop.[3] She also performed with a group, Thick and the Girls, initially as a dancer.[1] Her first studio recording, "Life Styles of the Rough and Sexy", was by her and Ronnie DeVoe, the nephew of her manager.[1] She joined a rap group, Militia,[1] and her performance on a remix of their track "Burn"[3] led to further opportunities.
Toi's big break came when she was invited to record "You Can Do It" with Ice Cube and Mack 10.[1] The song became a hit. Subsequently, Ms. Toi was signed to Universal Records. Her debut album, That Girl, was released a year later. It features multiple West Coast rappers, including E-40 and MC Ren, along with others like Nelly and producer Dame Grease.
Discography
Albums
- 2001: That Girl
- 2007: Not Yo Average Chick - Heetseekers - Middle Atlantic - No. 7[4]
- 2014: I Am a Warrior, Part 1
- 2014: I Am a Warrior, Part 2
Mixtapes
2017: Now That's Gangsta - Datpiff
Singles
- 2001: "Handclap"
- 2013: "I Am a Warrior"
- 2014: "Green Like That Green" features Ice Cube, Yuck Mouth and Nyce in DJ Pooh’s movie Budz House [1]
- 2017: "Slay"
- 2017: "Roses" featuring Klondike Kat (nominated for Female Perspective Awards Song of the Year in 2017)[1]
- 2018: "All My Life" featuring and produced by J Pad Da Juggernaut
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Shaver, Shonassee (May 3, 2017). "Behind the Music with Ms. Toi". LASentinel.net. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
- ^ a b "The Class of Ninety One". Inglewood High School Yearbook. Inglewood, California: Inglewood High School. 1988. p. 120. Retrieved November 27, 2017 – via Classmates.com.
- ^ a b c d Birchmeier, Jason (January 2000). "Ms. Toi Biography". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2010-01-01.
- ^ "Ms. Toi Billboard Chart". Billboard.biz. Retrieved 2018-04-04.
| Authority control databases: Artists |
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- American female rappers
- African-American female rappers
- Living people
- Gangsta rappers
- Rappers from Chicago
- Rappers from Los Angeles
- Midwest hip hop musicians
- West Coast hip hop musicians
- African-American female singer-songwriters
- African-American singer-songwriters
- Universal Records artists
- 1973 births
- 21st-century American rappers
- 21st-century American women musicians