Smooth (singer) facts for kids

Juanita Stokes, also known as Needa S. and formerly Smooth, is an American singer and rapper. She is known for her music in the hip hop and R&B styles.

Music Career

Early Days as MC Smooth

Juanita Stokes started her music journey as MC Smooth. In 1990, she signed a record deal with an independent company called Crush Music. That same year, she released her first song, "Smooth & Legit." This song became quite popular, reaching number 11 on the U.S. Rap chart.

Her first album, also called Smooth & Legit, came out on April 27, 1990. It reached number 72 on the R&B/Hip Hop chart. Her brother, Chris Stokes, and Arabian Prince helped produce this album. She released two more songs, "You Gotta Be Real" and "Where is the Money?", but they were not played on the radio as much.

Becoming Smooth and Breakthrough Hits

Three years later, Juanita Stokes signed a big record deal with Jive Records. She decided to drop "MC" from her name and became known simply as Smooth. Her first song with Jive Records was "Female Mac," which got some radio play.

Her second album, You Been Played, was released on August 24, 1993. It reached number 77 on the R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. The song "You Been Played" was also released as a single from this album.

Smooth then started working on her third album. In 1995, she released the song "Mind Blowin'" which became a huge hit for her. It reached number 7 on the Rap chart, number 31 on the R&B chart, and even made it to number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This was her first song to appear on the Hot 100.

Her third album, Smooth, came out on August 1, 1995. It was very successful, reaching number 35 on the R&B/Hip Hop albums chart. Other songs from this album, like "It's Summertime," "Love Groove," and "Undercover Lover," also became popular, especially in the UK.

Collaborations and New Directions

Later in 1995, Smooth worked with the R&B group Immature on their song "We Got It." This song was released in 1996 and became a hit, reaching number 37 on the Hot 100. She worked with Immature again on the song "Watch Me Do My Thing." Smooth also released a single called "Love & Happiness," which was played on R&B radio stations.

In 1997, Smooth moved to a new record label called Perspective Records. She started to focus more on R&B music with some different influences. Her song "Strawberries" was released that year and became her biggest hit. It reached number 17 on the R&B chart and number 49 on the Hot 100.

Her fourth album, Reality, was released on March 10, 1998. It reached number 48 on the R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. Another song from this album, "He Thinks She Don't Know," was also released.

Rebranding as Needa S.

In 2003, Juanita Stokes changed her artist name again, this time to Needa S. She released two songs, "Sensitive" and "Baby's Mama." However, her fifth album, What?, was never officially released.

In 2013, it was announced that Needa S. would join a reality TV show on BET called Hip Hop Sisters. The show was about the lives of six female rappers trying to restart their careers. Other famous rappers like MC Lyte, Lady of Rage, Monie Love, Lil Mama, and Yo-Yo were also part of the show.

Personal Life

Juanita Stokes has two daughters. Her first daughter, Earanequa Carter, was born in 1990. Her second daughter, Jaysa Charles, was born in 2001.

Albums

Studio Albums

• Smooth & Legit (1990)
• You Been Played (1993)
• Smooth (1995)
• Reality (1998)

Unreleased Albums

• What? (2003)

Singles

Popular Singles as Lead Artist

• "Smooth & Legit" (1990)
• "Female Mac" (1993)
• "Mind Blowin'" (1995)
• "It's Summertime (Let It Get Into You)" (1995)
• "Love Groove (Groove With You)" (1996)
• "Undercover Lover" (1996)
• "Love & Happiness" (1996)
• "Strawberries" (1998)

Featured Singles

• "We Got It" (Immature featuring Smooth) (1996)
• "Watch Me Do My Thing" (Immature featuring Smooth and Ed from Good Burgers) (1996)