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Michel'le

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Not to be confused with Mitchelle'l.
Michel'le
Michel'le performing in 2015
Michel'le performing in 2015
Background information
Birth nameMichel'le Denise Toussant
Born (1970-12-05) December 5, 1970 (age 53)
Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres
OccupationSinger-songwriter rapper
InstrumentVocals
Years active1985–present
Labels
Websitemichellenow.com

Michel'le Denise Toussant (/mɪʃɛˈleɪ/; born December 5, 1970),[1][2][3] known mononymously as Michel'le, is an American R&B singer and songwriter. She is best known for her songs from the late–1980s to early–1990s. Her most notable songs were two Billboard R&B chart toppers "No More Lies" (a top 10 hit on the Hot 100) and "Something In My Heart". Her signature childlike speaking voice is a startling contrast to her strong and soulful singing vocals. Between 2013 and 2015, Michel'le was one of six members on the TV One reality show R&B Divas: Los Angeles.

Career

Michel'le in 1990

Michel'le was originally a featured female vocalist on World Class Wreckin' Cru's 1987 single "Turn Off the Lights". She was called at the last minute to record vocals for Mona Lisa, who could not make it to the studio. Michel'le was signed to Eazy-E's Ruthless Records. In 1989, she released her self-titled debut album, produced entirely by then-boyfriend Dr. Dre. The album contained "No More Lies" and the hit singles "Nicety" and "Something in My Heart." Michel'le was certified Gold on April 25, 1990 with 1.3 million copies sold overall to date.[4] During the Suge Knight shakedown incident, Eazy was forced to sign over Dr. Dre, The D.O.C. and Michel'le. She garnered a nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 33rd Grammy Awards for her part in the single cut "We're All in the Same Gang" (as the West Coast All-Stars) which also included Ice T, Eazy E, Dr. Dre, MC Ren, MC Hammer, Young MC and JJ Fad.

In 1998, she released her second album, Hung Jury, on Death Row Records but it garnered little attention and no hit singles. As of 2013, worldwide sales for the album stood at 171,000 copies. Michel'le also provided vocals on 2Pac's song "Run Tha Streets" on his album All Eyez On Me, and Tha Dogg Pound's song "Let's Play House" on their debut Dogg Food. Following Dr. Dre's departure from Death Row Records, Michel'le and Dr. Dre parted ways.[citation needed]

Michel'le contributed to the soundtrack Dysfunktional in 2003. She has since confirmed through several media outlets that she's been working on new material and looking for a label for her third album. A trailer video for Michel'le's single "Freedom To Love" can be seen on YouTube.[5] She has new singles, titled "It Still Hurts" and "Nothing".[citation needed]

In 2013, Michel'le was part of the cast of TV One's R&B Divas LA.[6]

On October 15, 2016, Lifetime aired a biopic about Michel'le's life called Surviving Compton: Dre, Suge & Michel'le.[7] She was portrayed by Rhyon Nicole Brown.[8] It tells the story of her abusive relationship with Dr. Dre and Suge Knight, her experiences with Ruthless Records, and the journey she went through to find herself.

Her character was left out of the 2015 film Straight Outta Compton,[9] even though she played a role in N.W.A. She was included in a notorious N.W.A diss track on Ice Cube's 1991 double platinum effort, Death Certificate, in a reference to a video the group made with the female singer.

Michel'le was cast as herself in the stage play Love Jones the Musical.[10][11]

Personal life

Michel'le and ex-fiancé Dr. Dre have a son, Marcel (born 1991).[12] She has gone on record stating that Dr. Dre used to physically abuse her, including breaking her nose (which she had to have surgically corrected) and ribs.[13][14]

She married Death Row Records CEO/co-founder Suge Knight in 1999. The two allegedly divorced six years later. Michel'le claims to have found her marriage to Suge was fake through the divorce process, because he was still married to his ex-wife Sharitha. She has said he also physically abused her.[15] They have a daughter, Bailei, who was born in 2002.[16]

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album Peak chart positions Certifications
US
[17] 		US R&B
[18] 		NZ
[19]
1989 Michel'le 35 5 49
1998 Hung Jury — 56 —

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
[21] 		US
R&B
[22] 		AUS
[23] 		NZ
[19] 		UK
[24]
"No More Lies" 1989 7 2 153 27 78 Michel'le
"Nicety" 1990 29 5 — — —
"Keep Watchin" — 65 — — —
"Something in My Heart" 31 2 — — —
"If?" 1991 — 22 — — —
"Hang Tyme" 1998 — 66 — — — Hung Jury
"Can I Get a Witness?" — — — — —
"Freedom to Love" 2011 — — — — — Non-album single
"It Still Hurts" 2014 — — — — —
"Being in Love" 2015 — — — — —
"Moonlight" 2016 — — — — — Surviving Compton - OST

References

  1. ^ "Michelle D Toussant - Los Angeles County Birth Records". www.familytreenow.com. Retrieved 2018-03-02.
  2. ^ "Michelle Denise Toussant - Los Angeles, California". www.familytreenow.com. Retrieved 2018-03-10.
  3. ^ "Michelle Toussant birth record". {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  4. ^ "Gold & Platinum Searchable Database - August 15, 2015". RIAA. Retrieved 2015-08-15.
  5. ^ "Michel'le Freedom To Love (Music Video Trailer)". YouTube. 2010-08-10. Retrieved 2015-08-15.
  6. ^ "Q&A: Michel'le—An R&B Diva". Soul Train. July 16, 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
  7. ^ Harris-Perry, Melissa (October 13, 2016). "Michel'le Opens Up About Her Abusive Relationships With Dr. Dre and Suge Knight". Elle. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
  8. ^ "Michel'le, Rhyon Nicole Brown talk Lifetime movie 'Surviving Compton'". Fox2 Now. October 12, 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
  9. ^ "Michel'le's Surviving Compton Doesn't Forget About Dre". www.theroot.com. Retrieved 2016-10-29.
  10. ^ "BET: See who will star in 'Love Jones' the Musical". BET. July 1, 2016. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
  11. ^ "Love Jones: The Musical". www.lovejonesthemusical.com.
  12. ^ Ro, Ronin (2007). Dr. Dre: The Biography. New York City, United States: Thunder's Mouth Press. ISBN 1-56025-921-3. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  13. ^ "Michel'lInterview - The Breakfast Club Power 105.1 - 3/20/15".
  14. ^ "Dr. Dre's Ex Michel'le Speaks on Being the 'Quiet Girlfriend Who Got Beat Up'".
  15. ^ "Suge Knight's ex-wife Michel'le Toussant reveals suicide attempt".
  16. ^ "Michel'le Demands Child Support From Suge Knight".
  17. ^ "Billboard > Artists / Michel'le > Chart History > Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
  18. ^ "Billboard > Artists / Michel'le > Chart History > Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
  19. ^ a b "charts.org.nz > Michel'le in New Zealand Charts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
  20. ^ "Gold & Platinum Searchable Database - August 15, 2015". RIAA. Retrieved 2015-08-15.
  21. ^ "Billboard > Artists / Michel'le > Chart History > The Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
  22. ^ "Billboard > Artists / Michel'le > Chart History > Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
  23. ^ "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 12 July 2016". Imgur.com. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
  24. ^ "Official Charts > Michel'le". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 2016-07-12. N.B. This page also displays chart peaks for other artists named 'Michelle'.
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