Omarion facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Omarion
Omarion in 2007
Background information
Birth name	Omari Ishmael Grandberry
Also known as	O
Born	(1984-11-12) November 12, 1984 (age 40) Inglewood, California, U.S.
Genres	R&B
Occupations	Singer songwriter actor dancer
Years active	1998–present
Labels	Omarion Worldwide Warner Atlantic Maybach Music Columbia EMI Epic Sony Urban Music

Omari Ishmael Grandberry (born November 12, 1984), known as Omarion, is an American R&B singer, dancer, and actor. He became famous as the lead singer of the boy band B2K. The group formed in 1998 and was managed by Chris Stokes.

B2K had great success in the early 2000s. Their popular songs included "Gots ta Be", "Uh Huh", and "Girlfriend". They also had a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 called "Bump, Bump, Bump" with P. Diddy.

After B2K broke up in 2004, Omarion started his solo music career. He signed with Epic Records. His first two albums, O (2005) and 21 (2006), both reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The album O was nominated for a Grammy Award. His song "Ice Box" from the album 21 became his highest-charting solo song.

Omarion also appeared in films like You Got Served and Fat Albert. He has won several awards, including a BET Award and a Soul Train Music Award.

Life and Career Highlights

Early Life and First Steps in Music (1984–1998)

Omarion was born Omari Ishmael Grandberry on November 12, 1984. His birthplace was Inglewood, California. His parents are Leslie Burrell and Trent Grandberry. Omarion's younger brother, O'Ryan, is also a singer.

As a child, Omarion appeared in commercials for popular brands like Kellogg's Corn Pops and McDonald's. He began his dancing career as a background dancer. He danced for the R&B girl group Before Dark. He also appeared in their music videos. Soon, Omarion decided to pursue a career in music. He later became the lead singer of the boy band B2K.

Rising to Fame with B2K (1998–2004)

Omari joined the group B2K in 1998. He chose the stage name Omarion. The group's name, B2K, stands for "Boys of The New Millennium." They started touring with Lil Bow Wow.

In 2001, B2K released their first single, "Uh Huh." Their first album, B2K, came out on March 12, 2002. It reached number 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. In December, they released their second album, Pandemonium!. This album featured their most successful song, "Bump, Bump, Bump" with P. Diddy. This song hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. B2K disbanded in early 2004.

Solo Success and Acting Roles (2004–2008)

In early 2004, Omarion started acting in movies. He starred in You Got Served with his former B2K bandmates. The movie was about friends in a hip hop dance crew. They competed in underground dance battles. That same year, he played "Reggie" in the comedy Fat Albert. This movie was based on the cartoon series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids.

On February 22, 2005, Omarion released his first solo album, O. It debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. The first single from the album was "O." The album's second single was "Touch." O sold over 758,000 copies in the United States. Omarion received a Grammy nomination for this album.

On December 26, 2006, Omarion released his second album, 21. It also debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200. The song "Ice Box", produced by Timbaland, became his most successful solo single. It reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In late 2007, Omarion acted in the thriller Somebody Help Me. He also voiced Fifteen Cent in The Proud Family Movie. Later in 2007, Omarion and Bow Wow released a joint album called Face Off. It sold over 500,000 copies.

New Labels and Ollusion (2009–2010)

In March 2009, Lil Wayne announced that Omarion was working with Young Money Entertainment. However, four months later, Omarion left the label for business reasons. He then signed with EMI and started his own label, StarrWorld Entertainment.

In January 2010, Omarion released his second single, "Speedin'." That same month, his third album, Ollusion, was released. Omarion also became a judge on the fifth season of America's Best Dance Crew. He left the show after that season to focus on his music.

... Playlist and Tours (2011–2017)

In early 2011, Omarion worked on his first mixtape, The Awakening. It was released on May 11, 2011. In November 2011, he collaborated with Japanese star Koda Kumi on her song "Slow."

On May 2, 2012, Omarion signed with Rick Ross' label Maybach Music Group and Warner Bros. Records. He appeared on Self Made Vol. 2, which reached the Top 10 on the Billboard 200. He also signed with Jay-Z's Roc Nation Management. In November 2012, he released his first EP, Care Package.

On February 14, 2014, he released "You Like It." This was the first song from his fourth album, ... Playlist. In August 2014, Omarion joined the cast of Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood with his mother and girlfriend Apryl Jones. In November 2014, he released "Post to Be" featuring Chris Brown and Jhené Aiko. ... Playlist was released on December 2, 2014. "Post to Be" was very successful, reaching number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also won him a Soul Train Music Award.

In June 2015, Omarion shared his goal to open his own dance studio. He released his third EP, Care Package 3, in November 2015. In November 2017, he released Care Package 4. Omarion also released the song "Distance" in 2017. He filmed its music video in South Africa.

The Millennium Tour and The Kinection (2018–2023)

Omarion in 2018

In 2018, Omarion was featured on the song "Tell Me" from Anatii's album Artiifact. He also appeared in the "Get It Now" remix music video by Tiwa Savage.

In 2019, B2K reunited for The Millennium Tour. Other artists like Mario and Ying Yang Twins joined the tour. The tour started on March 8 in Pittsburgh and ended on April 28 in Louisville. It was later announced that Omarion would continue The Millennium Tour without his bandmates. Bow Wow and other acts joined the lineup for 2020 dates. The tour was nominated for Top R&B Tour at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards.

In 2020, Omarion released the song "Can You Hear Me?" featuring T-Pain. This song was the lead single from his fifth album, The Kinection. Omarion presents Thriller Night premiered on YouTube on October 29 to celebrate the album. The Kinection was released on October 30, 2020.

In 2021, Omarion competed on season five of The Masked Singer. He was the wild card contestant "Yeti" and finished in fourth place.

On May 31, 2021, "We Will Never Forget" was released. This song featured Omarion, Lalah Hathaway, and Kierra Sheard. It was part of the documentary film Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street.

Omarion headlined The Millennium Tour in the fall of 2021. He also released a song called "EX" with Soulja Boy and Bow Wow. This song is from his upcoming album ... Playlist 2. He was nominated for Top R&B Tour and Top Rap Tour at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards. He won the Top Rap Tour award with Bow Wow. On June 23, 2022, he participated in a Verzuz battle with Mario. He also announced his new book, Unbothered: The Power Of Choosing Joy. He also announced a 5-part documentary series called Omega: The Gift and the Curse.

New Music and Tours (2023–Present)

In April 2023, Omarion released the song "Serious" from his album Full Circle: Sonic Book 1. A music video for "Serious" was released on October 20. The song became popular on social media. It reached number one on iTunes’ R&B/Soul Singles chart. Omarion's next song, "Taking Off", featuring BJRNCK, reached number 28 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart in March 2024.

In February 2024, Omarion announced his Vbz on Vbz Tour. The tour was planned to start on April 5 but was later canceled.

Personal Life

Omarion has two children. A son was born in 2014 and a daughter in 2016. Their mother is his ex-girlfriend Apryl Jones. They dated from 2013 to 2016. Their relationship was shown on the TV show Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood.

Music Albums

Solo Studio Albums

• O (2005)
• 21 (2006)
• Ollusion (2010)
• ... Playlist (2014)
• The Kinection (2020)
• Full Circle: Sonic Book One & Two (2023)

Collaboration Albums

• B2K (with B2K) (2002)
• Pandemonium! (with B2K) (2002)
• Face Off (with Bow Wow) (2007)

Film and Television Appearances

Film Roles

Television Roles

Concert Tours

Headlining Tours

• Scream Tour I (2001)
• Scream Tour II (2002)
• Scream Tour III (2003)
• Scream Tour IV (2005-2006)
• Scream Tour V (2006)
• The Millennium Tour (2019-2021)
• Omarion Presents: VBZ on VBZ Tour (2024; canceled)
• The Millennium Tour (2025)

Supporting Tours

• One Hell of a Nite Tour (with Chris Brown) (2015)

Awards and Nominations

• African Muzik Magazine Awards

• African Entertainment Awards

• American Music Awards

• BET Awards

• Billboard Music Awards

• Urban Music Awards

• NAACP Image Awards

• Grammy Awards

• iHeartRadio Music Awards

• MTV Movie Awards

• Soul Train Music Awards

• Teen Choice Awards