Musiq Soulchild facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Musiq Soulchild
Musiq Soulchild in 2016
Background information
Birth name	Taalib Johnson
Also known as	The Husel Purple Wondaluv
Born	(1977-09-16) September 16, 1977 (age 47) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres	R&B neo soul
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter record producer
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1998–present
Labels	Def Soul Atlantic My Block Soulstar Music Company E1
Associated acts	Meelah Marsha Ambrosious Eric Roberson Carvin & Ivan Syleena Johnson Warryn Campbell Kindred The Family Soul Mary J. Blige Angie Stone Kehlani

Taalib Johnson (born September 16, 1977), known by his stage name Musiq Soulchild (pronounced "music"), is an American singer and songwriter. His music mixes different styles like R&B, funk, blues, jazz, and gospel. He often blends these with hip hop sounds.

Musiq Soulchild signed with Def Soul to release his first album, Aijuswanaseing, in 2000. His second album, Juslisen (2002), became a number one hit. It featured the popular song "Halfcrazy". Later, he joined Atlantic Records and released Luvanmusiq (2007), which also topped the music charts.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Musiq Soulchild was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He grew up in a strict Muslim family. As a teenager, he became known for his musical talent. He would beatbox for MCs and sing without instruments (a cappella) for people on the streets.

This is how he got the name "Musiq." He later added "Soulchild" to it. He says famous artists like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Donny Hathaway inspired him. He left high school to follow his dream of making music.

"People knew me as 'that music dude,' so I decided to be called Musiq. It felt right because I wanted people to think of music when they saw me. 'Musiq Soulchild' means two things: 'Musiq' is me as the artist, and 'Soulchild' shows I represent the traditions of past soul legends."

Music Career Highlights

Starting with Def Soul (1998–2004)

In 1998, Musiq Soulchild signed with Def Soul Records. This label was part of Universal Music's Def Jam Recordings. He released his first album, Aijuswanaseing, in late 2000. The album included popular songs like "Just Friends (Sunny)" and "Love." The song "Love" stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for 22 weeks.

His second album, Juslisen (2002), was a big success. It reached number one on the Billboard 200 and R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. This album sold over a million copies. Its hit songs were "Halfcrazy" and "Dontchange."

In 2003, Musiq released his third album, Soulstar. This album also sold well, earning a gold certification. It featured the singles "Forthenight" and "Whoknows." After this, Musiq took a break from music for four years.

Moving to Atlantic Records (2006–2012)

In March 2007, Musiq released his fourth album, Luvanmusiq. This album was released under Atlantic Records. Its popular songs included "B.U.D.D.Y.", "Teachme", and "Makeyouhappy."

His fifth album, OnMyRadio, came out in December 2008. The first song, "Radio," was different from his usual smooth style. Other songs included a duet with Mary J. Blige called "IfULeave" and the ballad "SoBeautiful."

His last album with Atlantic, MusiqInTheMagiq, was released on May 3, 2011. It featured the song "Anything" with Swizz Beatz.

Becoming an Independent Artist (2013–Present)

In September 2013, Musiq released a duet album called 9ine with singer Syleena Johnson. This album had nine reggae songs. They recorded it in just nine days!

Musiq also announced that he was leaving Atlantic Records to become an independent artist. He signed with record producer Warryn Campbell's label, My Block Records. Musiq had worked with Campbell on his earlier albums.

In April 2016, he released his first independent solo album, Life on Earth. The main song from this album was "I Do." Later, he moved to a new label, eOne/SoulStar Music Company.

In 2017, he released two new songs, "Simple Things" and "Start Over." These songs were part of his album Feel the Real, which came out on September 15, 2017.

Other Musical Projects

Musiq Soulchild has also sung on many other artists' songs. He was featured on:

• "Nothing at All" by Carlos Santana (2002)
• "Break You Off" by The Roots (2002)
• "Addicted" by rapper Lloyd Banks (2006)
• "Oh My Stars" by Talib Kweli (2007)
• "Why Me?" by Ice Cube (2008)
• "Footsteps" by Kehlani (2019)

Songs for Movies

Musiq Soulchild has also contributed songs to movie soundtracks.

• He appeared on the soundtrack for Tyler Perry's movie Daddy's Little Girls (2007).
• He also lent a song from his album Luvanmusiq to the soundtrack for Perry's movie Why Did I Get Married? (2007).
• He recorded a new version of "People Everyday" with British singer Estelle for Meet the Browns (2008).

Television Appearances and Books

Musiq has appeared on TV shows as himself. He was on the sitcom Half and Half in May 2004. He also appeared on The CW comedy The Game in October 2007.

On June 25, 2012, Musiq released a book about love and relationships. It was titled 143 – Love According To Musiq.

Personal Life

When Musiq was a young child, he had an accident that affected one of his eyes.

In 2009, he had a son with singer Kameelah Williams. He also has a daughter named Satori, who was born in 2017. Musiq lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Discography

Musiq Soulchild has released several studio albums, collaboration albums, and EPs. Many of his albums have been very successful, reaching high spots on the music charts.

Studio Albums

Collaboration Albums

EPs

Singles

Awards and Nominations

Musiq Soulchild has received many awards and nominations for his music. He has two platinum and two gold albums. He has also won awards from BET and ASCAP.

He has been nominated for 13 Grammy Awards. This includes three nominations for his 2007 album Luvanmusiq.

ASCAP Awards

BET Awards

American Music Awards

Grammy Awards