Raphael Saadiq facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Raphael Saadiq
Saadiq at the 2012 Time 100
Background information
Birth name	Charles Ray Wiggins
Born	(1966-05-14) May 14, 1966 (age 59) Oakland, California, U.S.
Genres	R&B soul progressive soul hip hop
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter multi-instrumentalist record producer
Instruments	Vocals piano keyboards synthesizer guitar bass guitar
Years active	1983–present
Labels	Columbia Pookie Universal

Raphael Saadiq (born Charles Ray Wiggins on May 14, 1966) is a talented American singer, songwriter, and music producer. He plays many instruments, including guitar and bass. Raphael first became famous as the lead singer and bassist for the R&B band Tony! Toni! Toné!. He started this band with his brother D'Wayne and cousin Timothy Christian Riley in 1986.

Besides his work with bands and his own solo music, Raphael Saadiq has produced and written songs for many other famous R&B artists. These include Beyoncé, Stevie Wonder, Mary J. Blige, and John Legend. He has won three Grammy Awards and has been nominated for many other major awards, like the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award. Raphael also helped start a video game company called IllFonic in 2007.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Raphael Saadiq was born in Oakland, California. He was one of 14 children in his family. He started playing the bass guitar when he was only six years old. By age nine, he was singing in a local gospel music group. When he was 12, he joined a group called "The Gospel Humminbirds."

In 1984, just before he turned 18, Raphael tried out for Sheila E.'s band. She was touring with the famous musician Prince. He got the part to play bass in the band. Raphael says this experience was like his "university," where he learned a lot about music and performing.

Music Career Highlights

Tony! Toni! Toné! and Early Solo Work

After touring with Prince, Raphael Saadiq returned to Oakland. He then started his professional music career with the band Tony! Toni! Toné!. He was the lead singer and bassist. The band included his brother Dwayne Wiggins and cousin Timothy Christian.

In the mid-1990s, he changed his last name to Saadiq. This name means "man of his word" in Arabic. He chose it to have his own unique identity, separate from his brother.

In 1995, Raphael had a big solo hit with the song "Ask of You." This song was part of the soundtrack for the movie Higher Learning. It became very popular, reaching number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Tony! Toni! Toné! became very successful in the late 1980s and 1990s. After their 1996 album, House of Music, the band decided to go their separate ways in 1997.

Lucy Pearl and First Solo Albums

In 1999, Raphael Saadiq formed a new R&B supergroup called Lucy Pearl. He created this group with Dawn Robinson from En Vogue and Ali Shaheed Muhammad from A Tribe Called Quest. They released one album together before the group ended.

Raphael also worked with rapper Q-Tip on the song "Get Involved" in 1999. In 2000, he helped write and produce the song "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" for D'Angelo. This song won a Grammy Award for D'Angelo.

In 2002, Raphael Saadiq started his own record label called Pookie Entertainment. That same year, he released his first solo album, Instant Vintage. This album earned him three Grammy Award nominations. He continued to release more solo music, including a live album in 2003 and his second studio album, Ray Ray, in 2004.

Producing for Other Artists and More Albums

Saadiq in 2009

Raphael Saadiq has worked with many artists as a producer and songwriter. He has helped create music for stars like Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu, and John Legend. He is known for creating a classic, organic sound in his productions.

His third solo album, The Way I See It, came out in 2008. Critics loved this album, and it received three Grammy nominations. Music from this album was also featured in several movies.

In 2009, Raphael started another record label called Velma Records. He wanted it to be a place where artists could freely express themselves. He also produced songs for other artists like LeToya Luckett and Ledisi.

Video Games and TV Shows

In 2009, Saadiq announced his video game company, IllFonic. They have developed games like Friday the 13th: The Game (2017), Predator: Hunting Grounds (2020), and Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed (2022).

Raphael also helped create a sitcom called Love That Girl! He was an executive producer and composer for the show, which started in 2010.

Recent Work: Stone Rollin', Jimmy Lee, and Beyoncé

Saadiq performing at South by Southwest in 2011, promoting Stone Rollin'.

In 2011, Raphael Saadiq released his album Stone Rollin'. This album also received great reviews. Critics praised his ability to create new music that still felt like classic soul and R&B.

He continued to work on various projects. In 2016, he was an executive producer for Solange Knowles' album, A Seat at the Table, which became a number one album. He also appeared in the TV series Luke Cage, performing his songs.

In 2017, Raphael worked with Mary J. Blige as a songwriter for the movie Mudbound. They both received Academy Award nominations for Best Original Song. In 2018, he produced John Legend's holiday album.

On August 23, 2019, Saadiq released his fifth album, Jimmy Lee, which was highly praised. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he released a new song called "Rony! Roni! Roné!" as a fun nod to his old band.

In 2022, Saadiq collaborated on songs for Brent Faiyaz's album Wasteland. He also worked with Beyoncé on her albums Renaissance (2022) and Cowboy Carter (2024). For Renaissance, he received two Grammy nominations. For Cowboy Carter, he was nominated for four Grammys and won Album of the Year as a songwriter.

Equipment and Signature Guitar

Raphael Saadiq often plays Fender Telecaster and Stratocaster electric guitars. In 2024, Fender announced a special collaboration with Saadiq. They released a limited edition Raphael Saadiq Telecaster guitar. He helped design this guitar, which has a unique dark red metallic finish and custom pickups. It was inspired by his debut album, Instant Vintage.

Discography

Solo albums

• Instant Vintage (2002)
• Ray Ray (2004)
• The Way I See It (2008)
• Stone Rollin' (2011)
• Jimmy Lee (2019)

With Tony! Toni! Toné!

• Who? (1988)
• The Revival (1990)
• Sons of Soul (1993)
• House of Music (1996)

With Lucy Pearl

• Lucy Pearl (2000)

Singles

• "Ask of You" (1995)
• "Can't Get Enough" (Duet with Willie Max, 1998)
• "Get Involved" (Duet with Q-Tip, 1999)
• "Be Here" (Duet with D'Angelo, 2002)
• "Still Ray" (2002)
• "Love That Girl" (2008)
• "Never Give You Up" (With Stevie Wonder & CJ Hilton, 2009)
• "100 Yard Dash" (2009)
• "Staying In Love" (2009)
• "Something Keeps Calling" (2019)

Guest Vocals

Awards and Nominations

Raphael Saadiq has received many awards and nominations for his work in music. He has won three Grammy Awards and has been nominated for 22 Grammys in total. He has also been nominated for an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award.

Academy Awards

BET Awards

Golden Globe Awards

Primetime Emmy Awards

Grammy Awards

Soul Train Music Awards