Beanie Sigel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Beanie Sigel
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Beanie Sigel in 2002
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Dwight Equan Grant |
| Also known as | Beans, Mack |
| Born | March 6, 1974 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | East Coast hip hop |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Years active | 1994–present |
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Dwight Equan Grant (born March 6, 1974), known as Beanie Sigel, is an American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is famous for working with Jay-Z and his music label, Roc-A-Fella Records. Beanie Sigel joined Roc-A-Fella in 1998 and became one of their main artists.
His first album, The Truth (2000), was very popular. It reached number five on the Billboard music chart. Besides his solo music, Grant also led a hip hop group from Philadelphia called State Property. He formed this group with other artists from Roc-A-Fella. They even starred in a movie called State Property in 2002. The group released two successful albums.
Grant's next albums, The Reason (2001) and The B. Coming (2005), also reached the top five on the Billboard 200. The B. Coming included the hit song "Feel It in the Air". After a short break from Roc-A-Fella, he returned for his fourth album, The Solution (2007). He then released two more albums, The Broad Street Bully (2009) and This Time (2012), on his own. These albums were also well-received.
Beanie Sigel has faced some challenges in his life, including legal issues. He has spent time in prison at different points in his career.
Contents
Music Career
Early Years with Roc-A-Fella (1999–2006)
Roc-A-Fella Records released Beanie Sigel's first album, The Truth, on February 29, 2000. It was a big success with both fans and music critics.
In 2002, Sigel and many other Roc-A-Fella artists appeared in the movie State Property. Around the same time, Beanie Sigel and Freeway created the group State Property. This group included talented artists from Philadelphia like Peedi Crakk, the Young Gunz (who were Neef Buck & Young Chris), Oschino, and Omillio Sparks. Their first project together was the movie's soundtrack, which featured the song "Roc the Mic" by Sigel and Freeway. In 2003, they released another album called The Chain Gang Vol. 2. This album had the popular song "Can't Stop, Won't Stop" by the Young Gunz, which was even nominated for a Grammy Award.
In 2005, before he went to prison for about a year, Sigel filmed several music videos. He also finished his third album, The B. Coming. During this time, Jay-Z, who was in charge of Roc-A-Fella, became the president of Def Jam. This led to some changes, and other business partners, Damon Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke, left to start their own group, Dame Dash Music Group. Sigel's album The B. Coming was released by Dame Dash Music Group and Def Jam, not Roc-A-Fella. However, it still featured music from many producers connected to Roc-A-Fella and Jay-Z. The album also included songs with other famous rappers like Cam'ron and Jay-Z. The B. Coming had a hit song called "Feel It in the Air" and sold many copies in its first week.
After his release from prison, Beanie Sigel decided to continue working with Roc-A-Fella Records. In 2006, he signed with them again and began working on his fourth album, The Solution. The first song from this album, "All The Above," featuring R. Kelly, came out on October 29, 2007. The album The Solution was released on May 22, 2007, and reached number 37 on the Billboard charts.
After Roc-A-Fella (2007–present)
In 2009, Beanie Sigel released his first album as an independent artist, called The Broad Street Bully. This happened after his contracts with Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Records ended.
In 2010, Sigel announced he was working on his sixth album, first called The Closure, then later changed to The Classic. In 2011, he signed with 50 Cent's label, G-Unit Philly. On July 13, 2011, he released a song from the album called "B-Boy Stance."
On March 30, 2012, Sigel shared that he would be making a collaborative album with his friend, the rapper Scarface. The album was planned to be called Mac and Brad. Sigel also signed a distribution deal with EMI. After this, he released a new mixtape and then his studio album This Time.
Acting Roles
Beanie Sigel first appeared in a documentary called Backstage. His first main acting role was in the movie State Property, which later had a sequel called State Property 2. He also acted alongside Kevin Hart in the 2002 film Paper Soldiers. In 2005, Sigel released a DVD about his journey called The B. Coming of Beanie Sigel.
In 2011, Sigel was featured in the film Rhyme and Punishment. This documentary was about hip-hop artists who had spent time in prison. In the film, he talked about his experiences while he was incarcerated.
Personal Life
Dwight Grant is a Sunni Muslim.
In November 2021, the rapper Kanye West said that Beanie Sigel was the person who first came up with his famous nickname "Yeezy." Grant confirmed this in an interview.
In October 2023, Grant publicly supported the independent 2024 presidential campaign of environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr.. He said he believed Kennedy was "honest." The next year, after Kennedy stopped his campaign, Sigel endorsed Kamala Harris for the 2024 United States presidential election.
Discography
Studio albums
- The Truth (2000)
- The Reason (2001)
- The B. Coming (2005)
- The Solution (2007)
- The Broad Street Bully (2009)
- This Time (2012)
Collaborative album
- State Property OST (with State Property) (2002)
- The Chain Gang Vol. 2 (with State Property) (2003)
- The Roc Boys (with Freeway) (2010)
See also
In Spanish: Beanie Sigel para niños
