Mashonda

About

Notable for her 2005 studio album January Joy, this R&B artist is also recognized for her contributions to Fat Joe's "Listen Baby," Cassidy's "Get No Better," and Jay-Z's "Girl's Best Friend."

Before Fame

Her early singles "Back of da Club" and "Blackout" rose to Top 100 spots on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart.

Trivia

Her mixtapes include The Renovation Series (2009) and Love, Mashonda (2012).

Family Life

Born Mashonda Tifrere, she spent her earliest days in Boston, Massachusetts, and the remainder of her youth in Harlem, New York City. In the early 2000s, she married hip-hop producer Kasseem Dean, a.k.a. "Swizz Beatz." Before divorcing in 2010, the two became parents to a son named Kaseem David Dean, Jr.

Associated With

Early in her career, she wrote songs for fellow R&B singer Monifah.