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Da Brat
Da Brat Aug 2018.png
Da Brat in 2018
Background information
Birth name Shawntae Harris
Born (1974-04-14) April 14, 1974 (age 50)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Education Kenwood Academy
Genres Hip hop
Occupation(s)
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
  • actress
Years active 1992–present
Labels
Spouse(s)
(m. 2022)
Children 1
Relatives LisaRaye McCoy (sister)

Shawntae Harris-Dupart (née Harris; born April 14, 1974), better known by her stage name Da Brat, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Chicago, she began her career in 1992 and signed with Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings two years later to release her debut studio album, Funkdafied (1994). Receiving platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), it became the first album by a female hip hop solo act to do so.

The album was supported by the 1994 lead single of the same name, which peaked at number six on Billboard Hot 100, along with her guest appearance alongside Lisa Lopes, Missy Elliott and Angie Martinez on Lil' Kim's 1997 single "Not Tonight." Furthermore, "Funkdafied" peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart, while "Not Tonight" peaked at number three. Her second album, Anuthatantrum (1996) spawned the single "Ghetto Love" (featuring T-Boz), while her third, Unrestricted (2000) peaked at number five on the Billboard 200. During the late 1990s–2000s, she guest performed on Dem Franchize Boyz's single "I Think They Like Me," the remixes of Mariah Carey's "Loverboy," "Always Be My Baby," and "Honey," and the 1999 mashup "I Still Believe/Pure Imagination." With Carey, she released the 2003 duet "Gotta Thing For You," a hip hop-inspired version of the Bobby Caldwell song "What You Won't Do For Love." Harris has received two Grammy Award nominations.

Early life and education

Da Brat was born on April 14, 1974 in Chicago, Illinois, and was raised primarily on the West Side of the city. Her father is David Ray McCoy, a businessman, and mother, Nadine Brewer, a city bus driver. Her parents never married. Brat was subsequently raised in two different households. 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. She is the paternal half-sister of LisaRaye McCoy. 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.

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. Da Brat's debut album Funkdafied was released in 1994 and entered the rap albums chart at number 11. The album went platinum, making her the first female solo rapper to sell one million copies. The single "Funkdafied" reached number 1 on the rap singles chart and number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. Her follow-up single from the same album, "Give It 2 You", reached number 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. number 56) and "What'chu Like" (U.S. number 26), featuring soul singer, Tyrese. The album was not well-received compared to Brat's earlier work.

In 2001, Brat continued her trend of being featured on other artist's remixes, reaching number 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, including the single In Love wit Chu which peaked at peaked at n°9 on the Billboard rhythmic. In the same time, she appeared on the fourth 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. She released her new single "Is It Chu?" on iTunes and other digital services on July 2, 2013. 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.

Personal life

Da Brat dated Allen Iverson in the late 1990s. In an interview with Variety in March 2020, she discussed coming out as bisexual and why it took her 25 years to do so. On March 26, 2020, Da Brat confirmed that she is in a relationship with hair product businesswoman Jesseca Dupart. On February 22, 2022, Da Brat and Dupart married in Georgia.

Da Brat, a hip-hop icon, publicly came out in March 2020 through an emotional Instagram post where she announced her relationship with Jesseca Dupart, CEO of Kaleidoscope Hair Products. In an interview, Da Brat shared that she had always preferred privacy but felt the need to meet in the middle with her partner, who is a social media mogul. The decision to come out was spontaneous, and Da Brat expressed how good it felt to share her happiness with the world.

Da Brat announced in February 2023 that she is expecting her first child. She had surgery to remove fibroids and polyps prior to an embryo transfer procedure and suffered a miscarriage before the current pregnancy. She gave birth to their son on July 6, 2023.

Discography

Studio albums
  • Funkdafied (1994)
  • Anuthatantrum (1996)
  • Unrestricted (2000)
  • Limelite, Luv & Niteclubz (2003)

Tours

Joint tour

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1996 Kazaam Herself
2001 Carmen: A Hip Hopera Narrator TV movie
Glitter Louise
2002 Civil Brand Sabrina
2006 30 Days Kamesha
2018 Canal Street Herself
2021 Envy: Seven Deadly Sins Herself TV movie

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1994–95 That, AllAll That Herself Episode: "Da Brat" & "Larisa Oleynik/Da Brat"
1995–97 It's Showtime at the Apollo Herself Recurring Guest
1996–2003 Soul Train Herself Recurring Guest
1997–98 Parent 'Hood, TheThe Parent 'Hood Bernice "Boo" Walker Recurring Cast: Season 4
2000 Making the Video Herself Episode: "Da Brat: What'Chu Like"
The Source Hip-Hop Music Awards Herself/Co-Host Main Co-Host
2001 The Andy Dick Show Herself Episode: "Come Back Quentin"
2002 Weakest Link Herself Episode: "Rap Stars"
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch Baby K2K Episode: "Shift Happens"
2003 Intimate Portrait Herself Episode: "Mariah Carey"
2005 The Surreal Life Herself Main Cast: Season 4
2007 Celebrity Rap Superstar Herself/Judge Main Judge
Celebrity Fit Club Herself Main Cast: Season 5
2008 Hollywood Trials Herself Episode: "Episode #1.6"
2012 Unsung Herself Episode: "Millie Jackson"
2014–19 The Real Housewives of Atlanta Herself Recurring Cast: Seasons 7 & 10 & 12, Guest: Season 8
2015 Empire Jezzy Episode: "Et Tu, Brute?"
2015–present Dish Nation Herself/Co-Host Main Co-Host: Season 4–present
2017 Hip Hop Squares Herself Recurring Guest
Star Herself Episode: "A House Divided"
2017–21 Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta Herself Recurring Cast: Seasons 1-2a, Main Cast: Seasons 2b-4
2018 Unsung Hollywood Herself Episode: "Rickey Smiley"
2021–24 The Chi LaPorsha Recurring role
2021–22 Brat Loves Judy Herself Main Cast
2022 Celebrity Family Feud Herself/Contestant Episode: "Simu Liu vs. Nathan Chen and Monica vs. So So Def"
Step Up: High Water Herself Recurring Cast: Season 3
2023 Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop Herself Episode: "What Are They Up Against?"
Saturdays Princess Episode: "Don't Clown the Duchess"
2023–24 Married to Medicine Herself Recurring Cast: Season 10
2024 Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta Herself Episode: "Reddy or Not"

Music videos

Year Song Artist
1994 "Da Bomb" Kris Kross
1995 "One More Chance" The Notorious B.I.G.
1997 "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" Missy Elliott
2001 "Ghetto Girls" Lil' Bow Wow
2005 "Shake It Off" Mariah Carey

Documentary

Year Title
1997 Rhyme & Reason

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 Da Brat Best Female Hip-Hop Artist Nominated
2004 Nominated

Billboard Awards

Year Nominated work Award Result
1994 Da Brat #1 Rap Artist Won

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Da Brat para niños

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