Makeba Riddick facts for kids

Makeba Riddick-Woods, also known by her nickname Girl Wonder, is an American songwriter and singer. She is famous for writing and producing songs for some of the biggest stars in music. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, she has been a key player in the music world since 2002. In 2008, she signed with Jay-Z's company, Roc Nation.

Early Life and Education

Makeba Riddick grew up in West Baltimore. She loved music from a young age and attended the Baltimore School for the Arts. After high school, she went to the famous Berklee College of Music in Boston. There, she earned a degree in Music Management.

After college, Riddick moved to New York City to chase her dream of becoming a professional songwriter. She got her first big chance by writing songs and singing background vocals for popular artists like Jennifer Lopez, 3LW, and B2K.

Career as a Songwriter and Producer

Riddick is well-known for her amazing work with pop superstar Rihanna. She helped create three of Rihanna's albums: Music of the Sun, A Girl like Me, and Good Girl Gone Bad. Riddick co-wrote and produced the vocals for Rihanna's hit song "Rude Boy". She also worked on every other song on Rihanna's album Rated R.

Working with Other Famous Artists

Riddick's talent has been sought after by many other musicians. She worked with French DJ David Guetta on his Grammy-nominated album One Love. She even sang on the track "If We Ever," which was her first solo vocal feature.

She has also written songs for many other stars, including:

• Beyoncé: Riddick co-wrote the hit song "Get Me Bodied" from Beyoncé's album B'Day.
• Jennifer Lopez: She worked on the song "Hold You Down" from the album Rebirth.
• Toni Braxton: She wrote the song "Please" for Braxton's album Libra.
• Mariah Carey: Riddick contributed to Carey's platinum-selling album The Emancipation of Mimi.
• Eminem: She was the vocal producer for Rihanna's part on the massive hit single "Love the Way You Lie".

Riddick has also worked with groups like Danity Kane and the British girl group Sugababes. Her work has helped create many top-ten hits around the world.

Solo Music

Besides writing for others, Makeba Riddick has also worked on her own music. She released a solo single called "Change Up." She is also part of a music group called ... 80s. This shows her talent not just as a writer, but as a performer too.