Tori Alamaze
Encyclopedia
Tori Alamaze is an American
singer best known as a backing vocalist
for the hip hop
duo OutKast
.
Hailing from Detroit, Alamaze worked as a make-up artist for about 10 years, including work for musicians Faith Evans
, Erykah Badu
, TLC, Xscape
, Monica
, Outkast
, and Busta Rhymes
. After her first recording deal, she worked in the studio on her debut album and opened for The Black Eyed Peas
.
Alamaze was briefly signed to Universal Records
as a solo artist. Her first single, "Don't Cha
" (2004), was written and produced by Cee-Lo Green. After mediocre national success, only peaking at #53 on the Billboard R&B
Singles Chart, Alamaze's label dropped her, and the track was re-recorded by The Pussycat Dolls including a rap from Busta Rhymes
. The new version climbed to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100
and the Club mix version peaked at #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer best known as a backing 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 the hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
duo OutKast
OutKast
Outkast is an American hip hop duo based in East Point, Georgia, consisting of Atlanta native André "André 3000" Benjamin and Savannah, Georgia-born Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. They were originally known as Two Shades Deep but later changed the group's name to OutKast...
.
Hailing from Detroit, Alamaze worked as a make-up artist for about 10 years, including work for musicians Faith Evans
Faith Evans
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...
, Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu
Erica Abi Wright , better known by her stage name Erykah Badu , is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz. She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre, and for her eccentric, cerebral musical...
, TLC, Xscape
Xscape (band)
Xscape, was a female American R&B group that originally started out as a quintet and then became a quartet. The group had a string of hit songs during the 1990s...
, Monica
Monica (singer)
Monica Denise Brown , and professionally known as Monica, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, Monica began performing as a child and became part of a traveling gospel choir, by the time she was ten...
, Outkast
OutKast
Outkast is an American hip hop duo based in East Point, Georgia, consisting of Atlanta native André "André 3000" Benjamin and Savannah, Georgia-born Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. They were originally known as Two Shades Deep but later changed the group's name to OutKast...
, and Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes
Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...
. After her first recording deal, she worked in the studio on her debut album and opened for The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
.
Alamaze was briefly signed to Universal Records
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:...
as a solo artist. Her first single, "Don't Cha
Don't Cha
"Don't Cha" is the debut single by American R&B/pop girl group the Pussycat Dolls. The song was originally recorded by American recording artist Tori Alamaze, and was released as her debut single in March 2005, on Universal Records. After Universal Records dropped her from the label, Cee-Lo Green...
" (2004), was written and produced by Cee-Lo Green. After mediocre national success, only peaking at #53 on the Billboard R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
Singles Chart, Alamaze's label dropped her, and the track was re-recorded by The Pussycat Dolls including a rap from Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes
Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...
. The new version climbed to #2 on the 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...
and the Club mix version peaked at #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.
External links
- allhiphop.com article: http://allhiphop.com/stories/alternatives/archive/2005/07/10/18135455.aspx by Clover Hope
- Tori Alamaze at MySpace.com