Da Brat

Shawntae Harris (born April 14, 1974), better known by her stage name Da Brat, is an American rapper and actress. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, she began her career in 1992, the year she signed with So So Def Records. Her debut album Funkdafied (1994) sold one million copies, making her the first female solo rap act to receive a platinum certification, and the second overall female rap act (solo or group) after Salt-N-Pepa. Brat has received two Grammy Award nominations. Some of her most successful songs/features include, "I Think They Like Me", "Funkdafied" and "Loverboy".[1][2]

Da Brat
Da Brat in August 2018
Born
Shawntae Harris

(1974-04-14) April 14, 1974
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
EducationKenwood Academy
(attended)
Occupation
  • Rapper
  • actress
Years active1992–present
Children1
Musical career
Genres
InstrumentsVocals
Labels
Associated acts

Early life and education

Da Brat, or Shawntae Harris, was born on April 14, 1974, in Chicago, Illinois,[3][4][5] She was raised on the West Side of Chicago, Illinois. Born to a Chicago city bus driver,[6] her parents never married. Brat was subsequently raised in two different households.[7] Da Brat lived part of the time with her mother and grandmother and attended an Apostolic church four times a week, where she sang in the choir. Da Brat attended Kenwood Academy during her sophomore and junior year, where she ran track and played basketball. She graduated from the Academy of Scholastic Achievement, a continuation charter school that caters to at-risk students in 1992.[8]

Career

1992–1995: Early success

In 1992, Da Brat's big break occurred when she won the grand prize in a local rap contest sponsored by Yo! MTV Raps. For the prize, she met the young rap duo Kris Kross. They introduced her to their producer, Jermaine Dupri, who signed her to his So So Def label. Dupri cultivated Da Brat's image as a "female Snoop Doggy Dogg," and she became one of the first female "reality-based" rappers.[7] Da Brat told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that her stage name was inspired from being "a spoiled only child."[7] Da Brat's debut album Funkdafied was released in 1994 and entered the rap albums chart at #11. The album went platinum, making her the first female solo rapper to sell one million copies. The eponymous single reached #1 on the rap singles chart and #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. Her follow-up single from the same album, "Give It 2 You," reached #26 on the Hot 100.

1996–1999: Collaborations and film projects

In 1996, Da Brat released her second full-length album, Anuthatantrum, which included the single "Ghetto Love" featuring T-Boz of TLC. During the rest of the 1990s, Da Brat came to be known more for her "featured" appearances on other rappers' and R&B singers' albums rather than for her own solo work. Da Brat was also featured with Kris Kross on the title track of their album Da Bomb (1993) as well as on their third album Young, Rich and Dangerous (1996). She contributed a rhyme to the hip hop remix of Mariah Carey's hit, "Always Be My Baby" (1996). She also made her feature film debut that year in Kazaam (1996) with Shaquille O'Neal. In 1997 she and Dupri appeared on the remix of the Dru Hill hit "In My Bed". That same year, Da Brat appeared along with Dupri on a remix of Carey's "Honey (So So Def mix)" (1997) and recorded the hit remix of "Ladies' Night (Not Tonight)" (1997) with Lil' Kim, Left-Eye of TLC, Angie Martinez, and Missy Elliott. Also in 1997, she was featured on "Sock It 2 Me," a track on Missy Elliott's debut album, Supa Dupa Fly. In 1999, she appeared, alongside Krayzie Bone, on the remix to Mariah Carey's cover of Brenda K. Starr's "I Still Believe" (1998). She also appeared as a guest artist with Elliott on Carey's remix of "Heartbreaker" (1999), and on the remix of Brandy's "U Don't Know Me (Like U Used To)." That year, she was also featured on a remix of the Destiny's Child single "Jumpin', Jumpin'" (1999).

2000–2003: Return to solo work

In early 2000, Da Brat released her third full-length album Unrestricted, which produced the moderately successful singles "That's What I'm Looking For" (U.S. #56) and "What Chu Like" (U.S. #26), featuring soul singer, Tyrese. The album was not well-received compared to Brat's earlier work. However, the new album and new millennium did inspire an image makeover for Da Brat. Abandoning her "gangsta" persona, she decided to follow the trend in popular music and attempted to add to her sex appeal. In 2001, Brat continued her trend of being featured on other artist's remixes, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles chart along with rapper Ludacris on the main remix of Mariah Carey's "Loverboy" and being featured artist on Destiny's Child's "Survivor" remix. Da Brat also appeared as Louise in Carey's 2001 movie Glitter. In 2003, Brat released her fourth album, titled Limelite, Luv & Niteclubz, and appeared on the 4th season of VH1's The Surreal Life.

2005–present: Current activities

In 2005, she made a comeback of sorts when she was featured on the remix of the song "I Think They Like Me," by Dem Franchize Boyz, which also featured Bow Wow and Jermaine Dupri. The song peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles chart and No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2006, she was an onstage guest on Mariah Carey's The Adventures of Mimi Tour in Atlanta, New York City, Long Island, Washington, DC, Chicago, and Los Angeles performing her rap verses on the "Heartbreaker" and "Honey" remixes. She was also featured on Kelly Rowland's "Gotsta Go," a bonus track from her 2007 album Ms. Kelly and is also featured on "4real4real", a bonus track from Carey's E=MC². She also co-wrote a song with Carey called "O.O.C." which appears on E=MC² and contributes backing vocals on the track. In 2007, she participated in the fifth season of the VH1 reality series Celebrity Fit Club. In 2011, she did a remix with Kelly Rowland called "Motivation" featuring Lil Wayne. Following her release from prison, she launched a web series about life after the experience titled "Brat Chronicles: In Transition" on YouTube.[9] She released her new single "Is It Chu?" on iTunes and other digital services on July 2, 2013.[10] She now works for the Rickey Smiley Morning show as a co-host (July 2015 – present) and is part of the Dish Nation cast out of Atlanta. Since 2016, Da Brat has appeared on the reality TV series The Rap Game, as a mentor to young talent. In 2017 Da Brat joined the reality TV series Growing up Hip Hop: Atlanta which follows around Atlanta legends and children of Atlanta legends.[11]

Personal life

Da Brat dated Allen Iverson in the late 1990s.[12] In an interview with Variety in March 2020, she discussed coming out as a lesbian and why it took her 25 years to do so.[13] On March 26, 2020, Da Brat confirmed that she is in a relationship with hair product mogul Jesseca Dupart.[14]

In 2001, Da Brat pleaded guilty to misdemeanor reckless conduct after she had battered a woman with a rum bottle during a dispute over VIP seating in an Atlanta nightclub in 2000. The victim in that incident received six stitches for a head wound. Da Brat ended up serving a year's probation, performed 80 hours of community service, and paid a $1,000 fine.[15] On October 31, 2007, Da Brat was involved in an altercation that ended in assault at a Halloween party held at Studio 72 nightclub in Atlanta. Da Brat initially argued with a hostess, and when the hostess walked away to talk to her manager, Da Brat attacked her from behind, striking her in the face with a rum bottle. The waitress was rushed to an area hospital, and police arrested and jailed Da Brat. In court, Da Brat plead guilty to aggravated assault charges. She was sentenced to three years in prison, seven years of probation, 200 hours of community service.[15] In May 2010, she was temporarily released from prison as part of a work-release program,[16] after serving 21 months. On February 28, 2011, Jermaine Dupri announced that Da Brat was officially released from prison, completing her sentence.[17] Her civil trial stemming from the 2007 altercation commenced on February 24, 2014.[18] On February 28, 2014, a civil trial jury awarded ex-NFL cheerleader Shayla Stevens, the assault victim, $6.4 million to cover her injuries and past/future loss of earnings.

Discography
Main article: Da Brat discography
Studio albums

Tours
Joint tours

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

Year Nominated work Award Result
1998 "Not Tonight" Remix Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group Nominated
2004 "Got It Poppin'" Best Female Rap Solo Performance Nominated

Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards

Year Nominated work Award Result
1995 Funkdafied Best Rap Album Won

BET Awards

Year Nominated work Award Result
2001 Herself Best Female Hip-Hop Artist Nominated
2004 Herself Best Female Hip-Hop Artist Nominated

Billboard Awards

Year Nominated work Award Result
1994 Da Brat Top Hot Rap Artist Won
1994 Funkdafied Top Hot Rap Single Won
1994 Da Brat Top R&B Artist Female Nominated
1994 Funkdafied Top Hot R&B Single Sales Nominated
1995 Da Brat Top Hot Female Rap Artist Won

Film and television credits
Film
Year Title Role Notes
1996 Kazaam Herself Credited as Shawntae Harris / Cameo
1997 Rhyme & Reason Herself Cameo
2001 Glitter Louise
2001 Carmen: A Hip Hopera Narrator
2002 Civil Brand Sabrina
2006 30 Days Camisha Main role
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1994 All That Musical Guest Season 1, Episode 2
1997–1998 The Parent 'Hood Bernice "Boo" Walker 2 episodes
2000 The Andy Dick Show Herself 1 episode
2002 Sabrina, the Teenage Witch Baby K2K 1 episode
2015 Empire Jezzy Season 2, Episode 10
2015–present Dish Nation Host Main Cast
2017–present Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta Herself Supporting Cast

References
  1. "Da Brat Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  2. "Da Brat's Best songs". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  3. Kernodle, Tammy Lynn; Maxile, Horace Joseph (December 3, 2011). Encyclopedia of African American Music. ABC-CLIO. p. 196. ISBN 9780313342004 – via Google Books.
  4. Hess, Mickey (November 3, 2009). Hip Hop in America: A Regional Guide. ABC-CLIO. p. 326. ISBN 9780313343216 – via Google Books.
  5. Whitburn, Joel (December 3, 2004). Joel Whitburn Presents Top R & B/hip-hop Singles, 1942-2004. Record Research Incorporated. ISBN 9780898201604 – via Google Books.
  6. Company, Johnson Publishing (May 3, 1996). "Ebony". Johnson Publishing Company. p. 40 – via Google Books.
  7. "Da Brat Biography". MusicianGuide.com. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  8. "Da Brat". KOKY-FM. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  9. "Da Brat Documents Life After Prison In New Series "Brat Chronicles: In Transition" (EPISODE 1)". YouTube. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  10. "Video: Da Brat – 'Is It Chu'". Rap-Up.com. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  11. "About". WE tv. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
  12. "Da Brat Opens Up About Dating Allen Iverson, Says They 'Never Talked About' Her Bisexuality". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  13. Herman, James Patrick (June 3, 2020). "Da Brat's Coming Out Story Is 25 Years in the Making". Variety. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  14. https://www.out.com/celebs/2020/3/26/rapper-da-brat-comes-out-shows-world-her-girlfriend
  15. "Da Brat Sentenced To Three Years In Prison For Atlanta Nightclub Fight". Mtv.com. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  16. "Da Brat Out of Prison On Work Release, Ready To Get To Work". Ballerstatus.Com. May 28, 2010. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
  17. "Rapper Da Brat Released From Prison". Cinemablend.com. March 1, 2011. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
  18. Garner, Marcus K. (February 19, 2014). "Lawsuit against Da Brat goes to court next week". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
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