Faith Evans
Encyclopedia
Faith Renée Evans is an American
singer-songwriter
, recording artist, record producer, actress and author. Born in Florida
and raised in New Jersey
, Evans relocated to Los Angeles
during 1993 for a career with the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B. Sure and Christopher Williams
, she became the first female artist to be contracted with Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs
' Bad Boy Entertainment recording company during 1994, for which she released three platinum-certified studio albums between the years 1995 and 2001. During 2003, she ended her relationship with the company to contract with Capitol Records
.
Other than her recording career, Evans is known as the widow of New York rapper Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G." Wallace
, whom she married on August 4, 1994, a few weeks after meeting at a Bad Boy photoshoot. The turbulent marriage resulted in Evans' involvement in the East Coast-West Coast hip hop feud
, dominating the rap music news at the time, and ended with Wallace's murder in a yet-unsolved drive-by shooting in Los Angeles, California
during March 1997. A 1997 tribute single featuring Puff Daddy and the band 112
, named "I'll Be Missing You
", became Evans' best-selling song to date and won her a Grammy Award
during 1998.
Also an avocational actress and writer, Evans made her screen debut in the 2000 musical drama Turn It Up
by Robert Adetuyi
. Her autobiography Keep the Faith: A Memoir was released by Grand Central Publishing during 2008 and won a 2009 African American Literary Award for the Best Biography/Memoir category.
to an African-American
mother, Helene Evans, a professional singer. Her father, Richard Swain, was a musician who left before Evans was born (Evans has said "I've heard people mumble something about him being Italian, but I don't know for sure"). A half year later, 19-year-old Helene returned to Newark, New Jersey
and left Faith with her cousin Johnnie Mae and husband Orvelt Kennedy, the foster parents
of more than a hundred children they raised in the time that Faith lived with them. It was not until a couple of years later that Helene's career floundered and she tried to take Evans back home. Faith, however, was afraid to leave what she'd "been used to", and instead, Helene relocated next door.
Raised in a Christian home, Evans began singing at church at age two. At age four, she caught the attention of the congregation of the Emmanuel Baptist Church
(in Newark
) when she sang The 5th Dimension's song "Let the Sunshine In". While attending University High School
in Newark, she sang with several jazz bands and, encouraged by Helene, entered outside pageants, festivals and contests, where her voice would be noticed and praised. After graduating from high school during 1991, Evans attended Fordham University
in New York City to study marketing but ended out a year later to have daughter Chyna with music producer Kiyamma Griffin. A couple of months later , she relocated to Los Angeles, where she worked as a backup vocalist
for singer Al B. Sure, when she was noticed by musician Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs
. Impressed with her persona, Combs contracted her as the company's first female artist to his Bad Boy Entertainment during 1994.
, Evans was consulted by executive producer Combs to contribute backing vocals and writing skills to Mary J. Blige
's My Life
(1994) and Usher's
self-titled debut album
(1994) prior to starting work on her debut record album Faith
. Released on August 29, 1995 in North America, the album was a collaboration with Bad Boy's main producers "The Hitmen
", including Chucky Thompson
and Combs, but it resulted in recordings with Poke & Tone and Herb Middleton. Faith became a success based on the singles "You Used to Love Me" and "Soon as I Get Home". The album was certified Platinum with 1,500,000 copies sold, according to RIAA.
After Biggie's murder during March 1997, Combs helped Evans produce her tribute song named "I'll Be Missing You
", based
on the melody
of The Police's
1983 single "Every Breath You Take
". The song, which featured Combs, Evans, and all-male group 112
, became a worldwide number-one success and debuted at #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
chart during 1997, scoring that for eleven weeks. It eventually won Puffy and Evans the 1998 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
. The next year, she received another two Grammy nominations for "Heartbreak Hotel
", a collaboration with singers Whitney Houston
and Kelly Price
, that scored number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Two years in the making, Evans' second solo effort, Keep the Faith
, was released during October 1998. Almost entirely written and produced by her, Evans considered the album difficult to complete as she had initially felt discouraged about the progress at first. Upon its release, however, the album garnered generally positive reviews by music critics, with Allmusic noting it "without a doubt a highlight of 1990s soul-pop music". Also enjoying commercial success, it eventually went platinum and produced the top ten singles "Love Like This
" and "All Night Long", prompting Evans to start an 18-city theater tour with Dru Hill
and Total
the following year.
Evans' third album on the Bad Boy imprint, named Faithfully
(2001), involved her working with a wider range of producers, including The Neptunes
, Mario Winans
, Buckwild
, Vada Nobles
, Cory Rooney
, and others. Her first project with husband Todd Russaw as executive producer
and creative partner, the album scored number 14 on the Billboard 200 album chart and number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
chart, eventually being certified platinum, but yielded moderately successful singles, with the Jennifer Lopez
-written "I Love You
" becoming the only top twenty entry. Released amid Bad Boy Records' transition from distributor Arista Records
to Universal
, Evans felt Faithfully received minimum assistance by the company, and during 2004, she finally decided to end her business with Bad Boy as she was convinced Combs couldn't improve her career any more due to his other commitments.
company, becoming the first contemporary R&B
artist to do so, and started work on her fourth studio album The First Lady
, named after her nickname on her former label. As opposed to having an in-house team of producers who supplied most of the previous material, she and Russaw were able to gain more creative control of the album and consulted producers such as Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri
, Mike Caren
, Pharrell Williams
, and Chucky Thompson
to contribute to it. Upon its release in April 2005, The First Lady scored at number two on the Billboard 200 and #1 of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, becoming Evans' best-charting album to date. It was eventually certified gold by the RIAA.
and a good wife to her kids and husband/biggie smalls
At the end of the year, Evans released A Faithful Christmas
, a holiday album of traditional Christmas songs and original tracks. The effort would become her last release on Capitol Records as the company was bought during 2007.
in the United States
- in 2010. Her sixth studio album Something About Faith
was released on October 5, 2010 in the United States and December 6, 2010 in the UK. In the US, the album debuted and peaked at number fifteen on the Billboard 200, number four on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number one on the Independent Albums chart, failing however to chart oustide the US - making it Evans' only album since her debut Faith to chart in the US only. Something About Faith has spawned the single and music video "Gone Already
"; which spent over thirty-three weeks on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, where it peaked at number twenty-two. On February 14, 2011, a high definition
music video
for "Right Here" was released on Evans' official YouTube account, suggesting that it is the second single from the album, though this is yet to be confirmed.
's 2000 music drama Turn It Up
, featuring Pras Michel from the The Fugees
, Jason Statham
and Ja Rule
. Released to generally negative reviews from critics, who noted it "patently absurd in both the details and larger aspects", the indie film had a short play and became a financial disappointment, gaining US$1.24 million during its U.S. run only.
During 2003, Evans acted in the MTV
-produced romantic comedy
The Fighting Temptations
in which she appeared in a brief but major role portraying a single mother and night club singer. Filmed in Columbus, Georgia
and headed by Cuba Gooding, Jr.
(her character is his mother) and Beyoncé Knowles
, the film garnered mixed reviews by critcs, but scored top top three of the U.S. box office, resulting in a domestic gross of US$30.2 million. In addition, Evans recorded a contemporary cover version
of Donna Summer
's 1978 success "Heaven Knows" for the film which her characters performs during one of the first in sequence in the film. The accompanying soundtrack scored the top twenty of the U.S. Billboard 200.
During 2004, Evans earned a brief guest stint on the UPN
situation comedy Half & Half
. Evans announced that she had been working on a synopsis for her own situation comedy that would be based largely on her life but with a more comedic aspect. It is unknown whether she has officially pitched the sitcom to any television networks at this time.
, she was involved in a relationship with Kiyamma Griffin. She and Griffin had a daughter named Chyna (born April 1, 1993).
On August 4, 1994, Evans married rapper and label mate The Notorious B.I.G., after having met him at a Bad Boy photoshoot. The couple had one child together, Christopher Wallace, Jr. (born October 29, 1996), but the marriage was turbulent as Wallace reportedly had several affairs during their union, including relationships with fellow rappers Lil' Kim
and Charli Baltimore
. Additionally, it led to Evans' involvement in the East Coast-West Coast hip hop feud
, dominating the rap music news at the time, which ended with Wallace's murder in a yet-unsolved drive-by shooting in Los Angeles, California
in March 1997, and made Evans "Rap's most famous widow".
During early 1997, after her separation from Wallace, but before his death, Evans was introduced to record company executive Todd Russaw. Faith began dating Russaw during her and Wallace's separation and eventually, after Wallace died, Evans became pregnant by Russaw. The couple had their first son Joshua on June 8, 1998. During the summer of 1998, Evans and Russaw were married, and on March 22, 2007, they had their second son Ryder Evan Russaw.
During January 2004, Evans and Russaw were arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and cocaine
and an improper tag violation during a traffic stop in Hapeville
, a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia
. In August 2010 she was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor drunken driving, after being stopped at a checkpoint in Marina del Rey, California
. In 2011, Evans filed for divorce against Russaw. The couple agreed to spend 13 weeks in a drug-treatment program in exchange for halting any further prosecution of their drug-possession case.
In May 2011, Evans and Russaw announced they were getting a divorce, and stated they would like to keep it quiet for the children's sake.
Other Albums
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, recording artist, record producer, actress and author. Born in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and raised in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, Evans relocated to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
during 1993 for a career with the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B. Sure and Christopher Williams
Christopher Williams (singer)
Christopher Williams is an American R&B singer and actor.-Music career:...
, she became the first female artist to be contracted with Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
' Bad Boy Entertainment recording company during 1994, for which she released three platinum-certified studio albums between the years 1995 and 2001. During 2003, she ended her relationship with the company to contract with Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
.
Other than her recording career, Evans is known as the widow of New York rapper Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G." Wallace
The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough...
, whom she married on August 4, 1994, a few weeks after meeting at a Bad Boy photoshoot. The turbulent marriage resulted in Evans' involvement in the East Coast-West Coast hip hop feud
East Coast-West Coast hip hop rivalry
The East Coast–West Coast Hip Hop Rivalry was a feud in the 1990s between artists and fans of the Eastcoast and Westcoast hip-hop scenes. Seeming focal points of the feud were East Coast-based rapper The Notorious B.I.G...
, dominating the rap music news at the time, and ended with Wallace's murder in a yet-unsolved drive-by shooting in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
during March 1997. A 1997 tribute single featuring Puff Daddy and the band 112
112 (band)
112 is an American R&B quartet from Atlanta, Georgia. Formerly artists on Diddy's Bad Boy Records, the group signed to the Def Soul roster in 2002. They had great success in the late 1990s and early 2000s with hits such as "Only You", "Anywhere" and "Peaches & Cream"...
, named "I'll Be Missing You
I'll Be Missing You
"I'll Be Missing You" is a Grammy Award-winning song and hit single recorded by Puff Daddy, Faith Evans and 112, in memory of fellow Bad Boy Records artist Christopher "Notorious B.I.G" Wallace who was murdered on March 9, 1997...
", became Evans' best-selling song to date and won her a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
during 1998.
Also an avocational actress and writer, Evans made her screen debut in the 2000 musical drama Turn It Up
Turn It Up (film)
Turn It Up is a 2000 drama–musical film. It was directed by Robert Adetuyi and stars Ja Rule, Pras, Faith Evans and Jason Statham. The film grossed $1,247,949 during its brief theatrical run.-Cast:*Pras as Diamond*Ja Rule as David "Gage" Williams...
by Robert Adetuyi
Robert Adetuyi
Robert Adetuyi is a Canadian screenwriter and film director. A graduate of York University, where he studied communications and sociology, he moved to Hollywood in 1992....
. Her autobiography Keep the Faith: A Memoir was released by Grand Central Publishing during 2008 and won a 2009 African American Literary Award for the Best Biography/Memoir category.
Early life
Evans was born in Lakeland, FloridaLakeland, Florida
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...
to an African-American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
mother, Helene Evans, a professional singer. Her father, Richard Swain, was a musician who left before Evans was born (Evans has said "I've heard people mumble something about him being Italian, but I don't know for sure"). A half year later, 19-year-old Helene returned to Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
and left Faith with her cousin Johnnie Mae and husband Orvelt Kennedy, the foster parents
Foster care
Foster care is the term used for a system in which a minor who has been made a ward is placed in the private home of a state certified caregiver referred to as a "foster parent"....
of more than a hundred children they raised in the time that Faith lived with them. It was not until a couple of years later that Helene's career floundered and she tried to take Evans back home. Faith, however, was afraid to leave what she'd "been used to", and instead, Helene relocated next door.
Raised in a Christian home, Evans began singing at church at age two. At age four, she caught the attention of the congregation of the Emmanuel Baptist Church
Emmanuel Baptist Church
Emmanuel Baptist Church may refer to:in the United Kingdom* Emmanuel Baptist Church in the United States* Emmanuel Baptist Church * Emmanuel Baptist Church , listed on the NRHP...
(in Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
) when she sang The 5th Dimension's song "Let the Sunshine In". While attending University High School
University High School (New Jersey)
University High School of Humanities is a six-year public high school serving students in grades 7 to 12 in Newark, New Jersey, as part of the Newark Public Schools....
in Newark, she sang with several jazz bands and, encouraged by Helene, entered outside pageants, festivals and contests, where her voice would be noticed and praised. After graduating from high school during 1991, Evans attended Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
in New York City to study marketing but ended out a year later to have daughter Chyna with music producer Kiyamma Griffin. A couple of months later , she relocated to Los Angeles, where she worked as a backup vocalist
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
for singer Al B. Sure, when she was noticed by musician Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
. Impressed with her persona, Combs contracted her as the company's first female artist to his Bad Boy Entertainment during 1994.
1994—2004: Bad Boy Records
Newly contracted to Bad Boy RecordsBad Boy Records
Bad Boy Records is a record label founded in 1993 by producer/rapper/entrepreneur Sean "Diddy" Combs. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and is distributed by Atlantic Records.-Beginnings:...
, Evans was consulted by executive producer Combs to contribute backing vocals and writing skills to Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
's My Life
My Life (Mary J. Blige album)
My Life is the second studio album from American R&B and soul singer Mary J. Blige, Released by Uptown/MCA Records on November 29, 1994. Recording sessions for the album began in fall of 1993 and ended almost one year later. Many of the topics on My Life deal with clinical depression, Blige's...
(1994) and Usher's
Usher (entertainer)
Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
self-titled debut album
Usher (album)
Sample credits*"Think of You" contains a sample of "Tidal Wave" as performed by Ronnie Laws.-Album:-Singles:"—" denotes releases that did not chart.-Personnel:Information taken from Allmusic.*assistant engineering – Daniel Beroff...
(1994) prior to starting work on her debut record album Faith
Faith (Faith Evans album)
Faith is the debut album by American R&B singer Faith Evans, released by Bad Boy Records on August 29, 1995 in the United States. Featuring main production by The Hitmen members Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs and Chucky Thompson, as well as Mark Ledford, Herb Middleton, and Jean-Claude Olivier, among...
. Released on August 29, 1995 in North America, the album was a collaboration with Bad Boy's main producers "The Hitmen
The Hitmen (production team)
The Hitmen is a production team formed by Sean "Diddy" Combs to produce hip hop and R&B records for his Bad Boy label's recording artists. Because of its great success, the group has also been hired for projects outside of Bad Boy-Production:...
", including Chucky Thompson
Chucky Thompson
Carl E. "Chucky" Thompson is a hip hop/R&B record producer. Thompson was a member of Bad Boy Entertainment's "Hitmen" team of in-house producers during the 1990s, and worked with Bad Boy mogul Sean Combs on material for artists such as The Notorious B.I.G. and Mase. He was responsible for album...
and Combs, but it resulted in recordings with Poke & Tone and Herb Middleton. Faith became a success based on the singles "You Used to Love Me" and "Soon as I Get Home". The album was certified Platinum with 1,500,000 copies sold, according to RIAA.
After Biggie's murder during March 1997, Combs helped Evans produce her tribute song named "I'll Be Missing You
I'll Be Missing You
"I'll Be Missing You" is a Grammy Award-winning song and hit single recorded by Puff Daddy, Faith Evans and 112, in memory of fellow Bad Boy Records artist Christopher "Notorious B.I.G" Wallace who was murdered on March 9, 1997...
", based
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
on the melody
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
of The Police's
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
1983 single "Every Breath You Take
Every Breath You Take
"Every Breath You Take" is a song by The Police on the band's 1983 album Synchronicity, written by Sting and Andy Summers . The single was one of the biggest hits of 1983, topping the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for eight weeks and the UK Singles Chart for four weeks. It also topped the...
". The song, which featured Combs, Evans, and all-male group 112
112 (band)
112 is an American R&B quartet from Atlanta, Georgia. Formerly artists on Diddy's Bad Boy Records, the group signed to the Def Soul roster in 2002. They had great success in the late 1990s and early 2000s with hits such as "Only You", "Anywhere" and "Peaches & Cream"...
, became a worldwide number-one success and debuted at #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart during 1997, scoring that for eleven weeks. It eventually won Puffy and Evans the 1998 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group was awarded between 1991 and 2011, alongside the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. Previously a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance....
. The next year, she received another two Grammy nominations for "Heartbreak Hotel
Heartbreak Hotel (Whitney Houston song)
"Heartbreak Hotel" is a song by American R&B/Pop singer Whitney Houston. It was released as the second but official lead single from her 1998 album My Love Is Your Love. The song also features R&B singers Faith Evans and Kelly Price accompanying her...
", a collaboration with singers Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
and Kelly Price
Kelly Price
Kelly Price is an American R&B and soul singer, formerly on the Def Soul label.-Life and music career:Kelly Cherelle Price was born in Queens, New York. She was first discovered by Mariah Carey in February 1992 and subsequently introduced to Sony Columbia's then CEO Tommy Mottola...
, that scored number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Two years in the making, Evans' second solo effort, Keep the Faith
Keep the Faith (Faith Evans album)
Keep the Faith is the second album by American singer Faith Evans. It was released on Bad Boy Records and peaked at number 6 on the U.S. Billboard 200. The album has been certified Platinum by the RIAA....
, was released during October 1998. Almost entirely written and produced by her, Evans considered the album difficult to complete as she had initially felt discouraged about the progress at first. Upon its release, however, the album garnered generally positive reviews by music critics, with Allmusic noting it "without a doubt a highlight of 1990s soul-pop music". Also enjoying commercial success, it eventually went platinum and produced the top ten singles "Love Like This
Love Like This (Faith Evans song)
"Love Like This" is a song by American singer Faith Evans, released as the first single from her second studio album Keep the Faith. The song peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100, and is one of her most successful singles....
" and "All Night Long", prompting Evans to start an 18-city theater tour with Dru Hill
Dru Hill
Dru Hill is an American singing group, most popular during the late 1990s, whose repertoire included R&B, soul, and gospel music. Founded in Baltimore, Maryland, and active since 1992, Dru Hill recorded seven Top 40 hits, and is best known for the R&B #1 hits "In My Bed", "Never Make a Promise", ...
and Total
Total (band)
Total was an American R&B girl group and one of the signature acts of Sean Combs' Bad Boy Records imprint during the 1990s.-Emergence & Total:...
the following year.
Evans' third album on the Bad Boy imprint, named Faithfully
Faithfully
-Samples:"Alone" contains a sample form Who Shot Ya By Notorious B.I.G "Back to Love" contains a sample from "Last Night A DJ Saved My Life" by InDeep."Faithful " contains a sample from "Faithful to the End" by D.J...
(2001), involved her working with a wider range of producers, including The Neptunes
The Neptunes
The Neptunes are a record production duo consisting of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, who are credited with contributing the sound for many successful hip hop, R&B and pop artists in the late-1990s and 2000s...
, Mario Winans
Mario Winans
Mario Winans is an American R&B singer, songwriter, music producer, and multi-instrumentalist. Born Mario Brown, he is the son of gospel recording artist Vickie Winans and her first husband, Bishop Ronald Brown. He is also the stepson of his mother's second husband, gospel singer, Pastor Marvin...
, Buckwild
Buckwild
Buckwild is a Hip hop producer hailing from The Bronx, New York. Originally a DJ, Buck began producing after meeting MC/Producer Lord Finesse. He later joined Finesse's super-crew D.I.T.C., along with Showbiz and A.G., Diamond D, Fat Joe, and the late Big L and brought O.C. with him...
, Vada Nobles
Vada Nobles
Vada Nobles is a record producer and songwriter. He provided production on Lauryn Hill's debut solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill . He co-wrote the Rihanna song "Pon de Replay" and co-wrote and co-produced two tracks on Hilary Duff's 2007 album, Dignity.-External links:...
, Cory Rooney
Cory Rooney
Cory Rooney is an American songwriter, record producer, and C.E.O. of Cory Rooney Group. He has written, produced, and developed many hits and careers for artists such as Mariah Carey, Mary J...
, and others. Her first project with husband Todd Russaw as executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
and creative partner, the album scored number 14 on the Billboard 200 album chart and number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
chart, eventually being certified platinum, but yielded moderately successful singles, with the Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
-written "I Love You
I Love You (Faith Evans song)
"I Love You" is a song by American singer-songwriter Faith Evans, released as the second single on February 19, 2002 from her third studio album, Faithfully...
" becoming the only top twenty entry. Released amid Bad Boy Records' transition from distributor Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
to Universal
Universal Records
Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
, Evans felt Faithfully received minimum assistance by the company, and during 2004, she finally decided to end her business with Bad Boy as she was convinced Combs couldn't improve her career any more due to his other commitments.
2004—2007: Capitol Records
After ending with Bad Boy Entertainment Evans contracted with Capitol RecordsCapitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
company, becoming the first contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
artist to do so, and started work on her fourth studio album The First Lady
The First Lady
The First Lady received positive reviews from most music critics upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 72, based on 17 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews"...
, named after her nickname on her former label. As opposed to having an in-house team of producers who supplied most of the previous material, she and Russaw were able to gain more creative control of the album and consulted producers such as Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
, Mike Caren
Mike Caren
Mike Caren is an American Record Producer, Executive Vice President of A&R for Atlantic Records and Co-President of Elektra Records. After completing jobs with SRC/Loud Records and Ruthless Records, he started his career at Atlantic in 1995 at the age of seventeen as Manager of Rap Marketing for...
, Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams , commonly known simply as Pharrell, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, composer, and fashion designer. Williams and Chad Hugo make up the record production duo The Neptunes, producing hip hop and R&B music...
, and Chucky Thompson
Chucky Thompson
Carl E. "Chucky" Thompson is a hip hop/R&B record producer. Thompson was a member of Bad Boy Entertainment's "Hitmen" team of in-house producers during the 1990s, and worked with Bad Boy mogul Sean Combs on material for artists such as The Notorious B.I.G. and Mase. He was responsible for album...
to contribute to it. Upon its release in April 2005, The First Lady scored at number two on the Billboard 200 and #1 of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, becoming Evans' best-charting album to date. It was eventually certified gold by the RIAA.
and a good wife to her kids and husband/biggie smalls
At the end of the year, Evans released A Faithful Christmas
A Faithful Christmas
A Faithful Christmas is an album by Faith Evans. It was released October 25, 2005 on Capitol Records. A collection of holiday songs, it contains songs such as "White Christmas" and "Santa Baby"...
, a holiday album of traditional Christmas songs and original tracks. The effort would become her last release on Capitol Records as the company was bought during 2007.
2008—present: Hiatus and E1 Entertainment
Following a longer hiatus, Evans signed a deal with E1 Entertainment - the largest independent record labelIndependent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
- in 2010. Her sixth studio album Something About Faith
Something About Faith
Something About Faith is the sixth studio album by American singer Faith Evans, released on Prolific Music Group on October 5, 2010 in the United States. Distributed by E1 Music, the album marks Evans' first independent release, following her departure from Bad Boy Records in 2003 and her...
was released on October 5, 2010 in the United States and December 6, 2010 in the UK. In the US, the album debuted and peaked at number fifteen on the Billboard 200, number four on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number one on the Independent Albums chart, failing however to chart oustide the US - making it Evans' only album since her debut Faith to chart in the US only. Something About Faith has spawned the single and music video "Gone Already
Gone Already
"Gone Already" is the first single from Faith Evans sixth studio album, Something About Faith . The song peaked at number 26 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Chart...
"; which spent over thirty-three weeks on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, where it peaked at number twenty-two. On February 14, 2011, a high definition
High-definition video
High-definition video or HD video refers to any video system of higher resolution than standard-definition video, and most commonly involves display resolutions of 1,280×720 pixels or 1,920×1,080 pixels...
music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "Right Here" was released on Evans' official YouTube account, suggesting that it is the second single from the album, though this is yet to be confirmed.
Acting
Having previously appeared in stage plays as a teenager, Evans began acting with a supporting role in director Robert AdetuyiRobert Adetuyi
Robert Adetuyi is a Canadian screenwriter and film director. A graduate of York University, where he studied communications and sociology, he moved to Hollywood in 1992....
's 2000 music drama Turn It Up
Turn It Up (film)
Turn It Up is a 2000 drama–musical film. It was directed by Robert Adetuyi and stars Ja Rule, Pras, Faith Evans and Jason Statham. The film grossed $1,247,949 during its brief theatrical run.-Cast:*Pras as Diamond*Ja Rule as David "Gage" Williams...
, featuring Pras Michel from the The Fugees
The Fugees
Fugees were a Haitian American hip hop group who rose to fame in the mid-1990s. Their repertoire included elements of Hip hop, soul and Caribbean music, particularly reggae. The members of the group were rapper/singer/producer Wyclef Jean, rapper/singer/producer Lauryn Hill, and rapper Pras Michel...
, Jason Statham
Jason Statham
Jason Statham born 12 September1967) is an English actor and former diver, known for his roles in the Guy Ritchie crime films Revolver, Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels...
and Ja Rule
Ja Rule
Jeffrey Atkins , better known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American rapper, singer, and actor.Born in Hollis, Queens, he began his career in the group Cash Money Click and debuted in 1999 with Venni Vetti Vecci and its single "Holla Holla"...
. Released to generally negative reviews from critics, who noted it "patently absurd in both the details and larger aspects", the indie film had a short play and became a financial disappointment, gaining US$1.24 million during its U.S. run only.
During 2003, Evans acted in the MTV
MTV Films
MTV Films is the motion picture production arm of cable channel MTV. Founded in 1996, it has produced films based on MTV programs such as Beavis and Butt-head Do America and Jackass: The Movie, as well as other adaptations and original projects. Its films are released by fellow Viacom division...
-produced romantic comedy
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
The Fighting Temptations
The Fighting Temptations
The Fighting Temptations is a 2003 American musical dramedy film produced by Paramount Pictures and MTV Films. It stars Cuba Gooding, Jr. as the film's protagonist as he attempts to revive a church choir in order to enter a gospel competition with the help of a beautiful lounge singer with whom he...
in which she appeared in a brief but major role portraying a single mother and night club singer. Filmed in Columbus, Georgia
Columbus, Georgia
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
and headed by Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Cuba M. Gooding, Jr. is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his Academy Award-winning portrayal of Rod Tidwell in Cameron Crowe's 1996 film Jerry Maguire, and his critically acclaimed performance as Tré Styles in John Singleton's 1991 film Boyz n the Hood.-Early life:Gooding was born...
(her character is his mother) and Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
, the film garnered mixed reviews by critcs, but scored top top three of the U.S. box office, resulting in a domestic gross of US$30.2 million. In addition, Evans recorded a contemporary cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Donna Summer
Donna Summer
LaDonna Adrian Gaines , known by her stage name, Donna Summer, is an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Summer is a five-time Grammy winner and was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach...
's 1978 success "Heaven Knows" for the film which her characters performs during one of the first in sequence in the film. The accompanying soundtrack scored the top twenty of the U.S. Billboard 200.
During 2004, Evans earned a brief guest stint on the UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
situation comedy Half & Half
Half & Half
Half & Half is an American sitcom that aired on UPN from September 23, 2002, to May 15, 2006. The show focuses on the lives of two paternal half-sisters in their twenties who were estranged throughout their childhood, and are finally developing a close relationship...
. Evans announced that she had been working on a synopsis for her own situation comedy that would be based largely on her life but with a more comedic aspect. It is unknown whether she has officially pitched the sitcom to any television networks at this time.
Writing
Evans released her autobiographic book called Keep the Faith: A Memoir on August 29, 2008. It detailed the singer's life, but also discussed Evans' controversial relationship with her late husband, the Notorious B.I.G.:"I want people to understand that although he was a large part of my life, my story doesn't actually begin or end with Big's death. My journey has been complicated on many levels. And since I am always linked to Big, there are a lot of misconceptions about who I really am. It's not easy putting your life out there for the masses. But I've decided I'll tell my own story. For Big. For my children. And for myself."In its initial release, "Keep the Faith: A Memoir" landed in the Top 20 on New York's Best Seller's List two consecutive weeks in a row. During 2009, the book received The 2009 African American Literary Award for Best Biography/Memoir.
Personal life
Prior to Evans meeting and having a relationship with The Notorious B.I.G.The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough...
, she was involved in a relationship with Kiyamma Griffin. She and Griffin had a daughter named Chyna (born April 1, 1993).
On August 4, 1994, Evans married rapper and label mate The Notorious B.I.G., after having met him at a Bad Boy photoshoot. The couple had one child together, Christopher Wallace, Jr. (born October 29, 1996), but the marriage was turbulent as Wallace reportedly had several affairs during their union, including relationships with fellow rappers Lil' Kim
Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones , better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and actress who was a member of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A.....
and Charli Baltimore
Charli Baltimore
Tiffany "Charli Baltimore" Lane is an American Grammy Award nominated female rapper. Her stage name is taken from Geena Davis's character in the film The Long Kiss Goodnight.-Musical career:...
. Additionally, it led to Evans' involvement in the East Coast-West Coast hip hop feud
East Coast-West Coast hip hop rivalry
The East Coast–West Coast Hip Hop Rivalry was a feud in the 1990s between artists and fans of the Eastcoast and Westcoast hip-hop scenes. Seeming focal points of the feud were East Coast-based rapper The Notorious B.I.G...
, dominating the rap music news at the time, which ended with Wallace's murder in a yet-unsolved drive-by shooting in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
in March 1997, and made Evans "Rap's most famous widow".
During early 1997, after her separation from Wallace, but before his death, Evans was introduced to record company executive Todd Russaw. Faith began dating Russaw during her and Wallace's separation and eventually, after Wallace died, Evans became pregnant by Russaw. The couple had their first son Joshua on June 8, 1998. During the summer of 1998, Evans and Russaw were married, and on March 22, 2007, they had their second son Ryder Evan Russaw.
During January 2004, Evans and Russaw were arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and an improper tag violation during a traffic stop in Hapeville
Hapeville, Georgia
Hapeville is a city in Fulton County, Georgia, United States, located directly adjacent to the city of Atlanta. The population was 6,373 at the 2010 census. It is named for Dr...
, a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. In August 2010 she was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor drunken driving, after being stopped at a checkpoint in Marina del Rey, California
Marina del Rey, California
-Demographics:-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Marina del Rey had a population of 8,866. The population density was 6,094.6 people per square mile...
. In 2011, Evans filed for divorce against Russaw. The couple agreed to spend 13 weeks in a drug-treatment program in exchange for halting any further prosecution of their drug-possession case.
In May 2011, Evans and Russaw announced they were getting a divorce, and stated they would like to keep it quiet for the children's sake.
Discography
Studio Albums- 1995: FaithFaith (Faith Evans album)Faith is the debut album by American R&B singer Faith Evans, released by Bad Boy Records on August 29, 1995 in the United States. Featuring main production by The Hitmen members Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs and Chucky Thompson, as well as Mark Ledford, Herb Middleton, and Jean-Claude Olivier, among...
- 1998: Keep the FaithKeep the Faith (Faith Evans album)Keep the Faith is the second album by American singer Faith Evans. It was released on Bad Boy Records and peaked at number 6 on the U.S. Billboard 200. The album has been certified Platinum by the RIAA....
- 2001: FaithfullyFaithfully-Samples:"Alone" contains a sample form Who Shot Ya By Notorious B.I.G "Back to Love" contains a sample from "Last Night A DJ Saved My Life" by InDeep."Faithful " contains a sample from "Faithful to the End" by D.J...
- 2005: The First LadyThe First LadyThe First Lady received positive reviews from most music critics upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 72, based on 17 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews"...
- 2010: Something About FaithSomething About FaithSomething About Faith is the sixth studio album by American singer Faith Evans, released on Prolific Music Group on October 5, 2010 in the United States. Distributed by E1 Music, the album marks Evans' first independent release, following her departure from Bad Boy Records in 2003 and her...
Other Albums
- 2005: A Faithful ChristmasA Faithful ChristmasA Faithful Christmas is an album by Faith Evans. It was released October 25, 2005 on Capitol Records. A collection of holiday songs, it contains songs such as "White Christmas" and "Santa Baby"...
Awards and nominations
- African American Literary Award
- 2009: African American Literary Award: Keep the Faith (A Memoir) (won)
- BET AwardsBET AwardsThe BET Awards were established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. The awards are presented annually and broadcast live on BET...
- 2002: Best Female R&B Artist (nominated)
- Grammy Awards
- 2011: Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: "Gone AlreadyGone Already"Gone Already" is the first single from Faith Evans sixth studio album, Something About Faith . The song peaked at number 26 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Chart...
" (nominated) - 2003: Best Contemporary R&B Album: FaithfullyFaithfully-Samples:"Alone" contains a sample form Who Shot Ya By Notorious B.I.G "Back to Love" contains a sample from "Last Night A DJ Saved My Life" by InDeep."Faithful " contains a sample from "Faithful to the End" by D.J...
(nominated) - 2001: Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: "Can't Believe" w/ Carl ThomasCarl ThomasCarl Thomas is an American R&B singer.-Biography:Thomas attended Aurora East High School. Thomas sang around Chicago and became a member of The Formula. He branched out however, and traveled to New York where he sang at clubs during open-mic nights...
(nominated) - 2000: Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: "Heartbreak HotelHeartbreak Hotel"Heartbreak Hotel" is a song recorded by American rock and roll musician Elvis Presley. It was released as a single on January 27, 1956, Presley's first on his new record label RCA Victor. His first number-one pop record, "Heartbreak Hotel" topped Billboards Top 100 chart, became his first...
" w/ Whitney HoustonWhitney HoustonWhitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
& Kelly PriceKelly PriceKelly Price is an American R&B and soul singer, formerly on the Def Soul label.-Life and music career:Kelly Cherelle Price was born in Queens, New York. She was first discovered by Mariah Carey in February 1992 and subsequently introduced to Sony Columbia's then CEO Tommy Mottola...
(nominated) - 1999: Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: "Love Like ThisLove Like This (Faith Evans song)"Love Like This" is a song by American singer Faith Evans, released as the first single from her second studio album Keep the Faith. The song peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100, and is one of her most successful singles....
" (nominated) - 1998: Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: "I'll Be Missing YouI'll Be Missing You"I'll Be Missing You" is a Grammy Award-winning song and hit single recorded by Puff Daddy, Faith Evans and 112, in memory of fellow Bad Boy Records artist Christopher "Notorious B.I.G" Wallace who was murdered on March 9, 1997...
" w/ DiddySean CombsSean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
(won)
- 2011: Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: "Gone Already
- Lady of Soul Awards
- 2000: Outstanding Music Video: "Love Is Blind" (by Eve ft. Faith Evans) (nominated)
- 1996: Best Female R&B/Soul Album: FaithFaithFaith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
(won) - 1996: Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist: "You Used to Love MeYou Used to Love Me (Faith Evans song)"You Used to Love Me" is the debut single by American singer-songwriter Faith Evans from her debut album Faith. Released as a single in 1995, it peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart....
" (nominated)
- MTV Video Music AwardsMTV Video Music AwardsAn MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
- 2000: Best Rap Video: "Love Is Blind" (by Eve ft. Faith Evans) (nominated)
- 1999: Best R&B Video: "Heartbreak Hotel" (nominated)
- 1997: Best R&B Video: "I'll Be Missing You" (won)
- 1997: Viewer's Choice: "I'll Be Missing You" (nominated)
- Soul Train Awards
- 2006: Best Female R&B/Soul Album: The First LadyThe First LadyThe First Lady received positive reviews from most music critics upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 72, based on 17 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews"...
(nominated) - 1998: Outstanding Music Video: "I'll Be Missing You" (won)
- 2006: Best Female R&B/Soul Album: The First Lady