Amil facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Amil
Amil in 2014
Background information
Birth name	Amil Kahala Whitehead
Born	(1973-09-19) September 19, 1973 (age 50) New York City, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop, gangsta rap, hardcore hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper singer songwriter
Years active	1994–2014
Labels	D.O.E. Roc-A-Fella Columbia
Associated acts	Beanie Sigel, Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek

Amil Kahala Whitehead (born September 19, 1973) is an American former rapper and singer. Based in New York City, she signed to Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records label imprint in 1997. The following year, she appeared alongside Ja Rule on his single "Can I Get A..." for the Rush Hour film soundtrack.

Amil's debut studio album, All Money Is Legal (2000), peaked at number 45 on the US Billboard 200 chart and spawned two singles, "I Got That" (featuring Beyoncé) and "4 da Fam" (featuring Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek and Beanie Sigel). The album, released in a joint venture with Columbia Records, saw generally mixed reception and Amil would subsequently leave both labels shortly after.

Early life

Amil was born on September 19, 1973, in New York City.

Career

In 1997, Amil was a member of Major Coins, an all-female group. The group met Jay-Z, who was looking for a woman to provide vocals on his third album, Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life. Jay-Z asked Amil to freestyle and liked it, and selected her for the role.

When Major Coins broke up, Amil decided to follow a solo career with Jay-Z's label, Roc-A-Fella Records, and joined the 1999 Hard Knock Life Tour. After the tour, she appeared on songs with Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Jermaine Dupri, AZ, DJ Kay Slay, LL Cool J, and Funkmaster Flex.

She has appeared on Jay-Z songs such as "... What, ... Who", "Can I Get A...", "Do It Again (Put Ya Hands Up)", "S Carter", "You, Me, Him and Her", and "Pop 4 Roc". In August 2000, Amil released her debut solo album, All Money Is Legal. The album featured the single "I Got That", a duet with Beyoncé, and All-Star Roc-A-Fella single "4 Da Fam". The album also featured Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek, Carl Thomas, Eve, and Beanie Sigel.

Album sales were disappointing, and the singles did not sell well either. Following that album, her last Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam single, "Hey Papi", a song from the soundtrack to the feature film Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, was released. In 2002, Amil had a small role in State Property.

In 2005, Amil temporarily re-formed "Major Coinz" and released songs on the mixtape circuit including the single "Glamorous Life" which was featured on MTV's Mixtape Monday.

In 2008, Amil released mixtapes titled Az Iz and Amil Returns: The Lost Classics Edition, delivering lyrically with songs such as the emotional "Tears of a Teenage Mother" and the Caribbean vibed "Don't Worry".

Amil released the song "Stop" in July 2012. The song was intended to promote the rapper's unreleased mixtape, A Time to Kill. Amil released the song "Remember" in 2014. It was also intended to promote a mixtape titled Another Moment in Life, which remains unreleased.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Album appearances