Kelis
Encyclopedia
Kelis Rogers
Kelis Rogers (born August 21, 1971 (icon) is an American musical artist. She is a BRIT Award, Q Award and NME Award winner and has been nominated for two Grammy Awards. She has had nine top 10 singles on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

. Kelis appeared on Moby
Moby
Richard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his outspoken liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.Moby gained attention in the early...

's Area One Tour, supported U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...

 on the European leg of their Elevation Tour
Elevation Tour
The Elevation Tour was a worldwide concert tour by the Irish rock band U2. Launched in support of the group's 2000 album All That You Can't Leave Behind, the tour visited arenas in 2001. After the band's previous two extravagant stadium tours, Zoo TV and PopMart, the Elevation Tour returned the...

 and headlined her own All Hearts Tour with Robyn
Robyn
Robin Miriam Carlsson , better known by her stage name Robyn, is a Swedish recording artist, singer, and songwriter. Robyn became known in the late nineties for her worldwide dance-pop hit "Do You Know " from her debut album Robyn Is Here . She co-wrote the song "Du gör mig hel igen" for...

.

Early life

Kelis was born and raised in the Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...

 neighborhood of New York City. Her first name is a portmanteau of her father's name, Kenneth, and her mother's name, Eveliss. Her late father Kenneth (1944-2000) was an African American jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...

 musician and Pentecostal
Pentecostalism
Pentecostalism is a diverse and complex movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, has an eschatological focus, and is an experiential religion. The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, the Greek...

 minister
Minister of religion
In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community...

, and was formerly a professor at Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...

. Her mother Eveliss is a half Puerto Rican
Puerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...

 fashion designer who inspired Kelis to pursue her singing career. She has three sisters, Kelis being the third born of the four girls.

As a child, Kelis sang in church choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...

s and played violin, piano, and saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...

 while attending Manhattan Country School
Manhattan Country School
Manhattan Country School is a private coeducational PreK-8 school with its main location in Manhattan and a farm in Roxbury, New York. Founded in 1966, it is distinctive because of its multicultural and progressive educational philosophy, the diversity of its student body, its sliding scale tuition...

, a private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...

. Kelis left home at age sixteen, but continued her education at age sixteen when she went to the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts is a high school specializing in teaching visual arts and performing arts, located near Lincoln Center and the Juilliard School in the Lincoln Center district of Manhattan, on Amsterdam Avenue...

, where she formed the R&B trio BLU (Black Ladies United). After graduation, she formed a band with The Neptunes
The Neptunes
The Neptunes are a record production duo consisting of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, who are credited with contributing the sound for many successful hip hop, R&B and pop artists in the late-1990s and 2000s...

, Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo
Chad Hugo
Charles Edward Hugo is an American musician and record producer. He is best known as one half of the music production and writing duo The Neptunes and as a member of the funk/rock band N.E.R.D. He is a saxophonist, pianist and guitarist...

, and, with their support, landed herself a record deal.

1998– 2001: Kaleidoscope and Wanderland


Kelis began recording her debut album, Kaleidoscope, in mid 1998 and was finished within a year. The album was produced by The Neptunes members Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo
Chad Hugo
Charles Edward Hugo is an American musician and record producer. He is best known as one half of the music production and writing duo The Neptunes and as a member of the funk/rock band N.E.R.D. He is a saxophonist, pianist and guitarist...

. It debuted at number 144 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...

 and reached the top fifty on the Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...

, selling 11,000 copies in its first week of release. As of 2006 the album had sold 249,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan is an information and sales tracking system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett. Soundscan is the official method of tracking sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada...

. Its lead and most notable single, "Caught out There
Caught out There
"Caught out There" is a song by American recording artist Kelis from her debut album, Kaleidoscope. Written and produced by The Neptunes, the song was released as the album's lead single to moderate chart success in the United States, peaking at number fifty-four...

", peaked at number nine on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...

 chart and became a minor MTV/BET
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...

 video hit. The entire album took off in Europe, where "Caught out There" was a sizable hit. Kelis's colorful style in both clothing and hair received considerable attention.

"Caught out There" entered and peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

. A second single, "Good Stuff
Good Stuff (song)
"Good Stuff" is a song by American R&B singer-songwriter Kelis from her debut album, Kaleidoscope . Written and produced by The Neptunes, the song was released as the album's second single, and features a guest appearance from American rapper Terrar, one half of the hip hop duo Clipse. The single...

" (featuring Terrar of Clipse
Clipse
Clipse is a Virginia Beach, Virginia-based hip hop duo. Formed in 1992 by brothers Malice and Pusha T , the group is heavily affiliated with production team The Neptunes and signed to Star Trak Entertainment.- Exclusive Audio Footage :The Thornton brothers were born in The Bronx, New...

), was a modest hit, securing a number nineteen position on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

, although the third release, "Get Along with You
Get Along with You
"Get Along with You" is a song by American recording artist Kelis from her debut album, Kaleidoscope. The song emphasizes on how someone's love and the need to "get along with them" is more substantial than material possessions and even the world itself...

", only reached number fifty-one in the United Kingdom, despite Kelis promoting the track there. The British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...

 certified Kaleidoscope gold, selling over 100,000 copies in the United Kingdom, where it reached number forty-three on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...

. Furthermore, Kelis won the BRIT Award
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...

 for International Breakthrough Act and the NME Award
NME Awards
The NME Awards is an annual music awards show in the United Kingdom, founded by the music magazine, NME .The first awards show was held in 1953 as the NME Poll Winners Concerts, shortly after the founding of the magazine....

 for Best R&B/Soul Act in 2001.

Kelis's second album, Wanderland
Wanderland
Wanderland is the second studio album by American recording artist Kelis, released in October 2001 by Virgin Records.Kelis was living in Europe at the time of the album's release. Wanderland was more experimental than her previous album, Kaleidoscope, and was a modest success chartwise...

, was released in 2001 exclusively in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, after its lead single, "Young, Fresh n' New
Young, Fresh n' New
"Young, Fresh n' New" is a song by American recording artist Kelis from her second studio album, Wanderland. Written by Kelis and The Neptunes members Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo—who also produced the track—, it was released as the album's only single in 2001, becoming a minor hit in the United...

", failed to catch on in the U.S. The video for the song barely registered on American MTV or VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...

, but received heavy airplay on MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...

 as well as on Canada's MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...

. According to Kelis, her U.S. record company at the time, Virgin
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...

, did not understand Wanderland, and this prompted her to leave the label around the time of the album's European release. Unlike those of her debut, Wanderlands sales were mediocre, with just 80,000 copies sold worldwide, and the sole single released off the album, "Young, Fresh n' New", only reached number thirty-two in the UK. The album was, however, well received by publications such as The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...

and NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...

.

In 2002, Kelis recorded her song "So Be It" for the Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...

's Fela Kuti
Fela Kuti
Fela Anikulapo Kuti , or simply Fela , was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, pioneer of Afrobeat music, human rights activist, and political maverick.-Biography:...

 tribute CD,
Red Hot and Riot. The CD was released to four star reviews from Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...

, Vibe, Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...

, and Allmusic, and all proceeds were donated to AIDS awareness charities.

2003–05: Tasty

Kelis found mainstream success in the U.S. in 2003, with her Hot Dance Club Play
Hot Dance Club Play
The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...

 number-one,
Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

 top three single, "Milkshake
Milkshake (song)
"Milkshake" is a song by American recording artist Kelis and the lead single from her third studio album, Tasty. The song was released in the United States on August 25, 2003, by Star Trak and Arista Records, and internationally on November 24. It was written and produced by The Neptunes, a duo...

"; this helped to propel her third album,
Tasty, to sell over 400,000 copies in the U.S in only two months. It also earned her a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...

 nomination in 2004 for Best Urban/Alternative Performance
Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality urban/alternative performances...

. Although The Neptunes contributed a number of tracks to the album, Kelis began collaborating with other producers, such as Dallas Austin
Dallas Austin
Dallas Austin is an American songwriter, record producer, and musician, based in Atlanta, Georgia. Some of his most notable clients include Michael Jackson, TLC, Boyz II Men, Pink, Monica, Madonna, Gwen Stefani, Stacie Orrico, Another Bad Creation, Fishbone, Sugababes, Anastacia, Namie Amuro, Kim...

, André 3000
André 3000
André Lauren Benjamin , better known by his stage name André 3000 is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and actor, best known for being part of American hip-hop duo OutKast alongside fellow rapper Big Boi...

, Rockwilder
Rockwilder
Rockwilder is an American hip hop and R&B record producer, rapper, and R&B Singer. A long term friend of Def Jam rapper Redman, Rockwilder got his start producing for East Coast Hip Hop artists in the mid 1990s. In 1999 Rockwilder produced Method Man & Redman's hit single "Da Rockwilder"...

, and Raphael Saadiq
Raphael Saadiq
Raphael Saadiq is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. Saadiq has been a standard bearer for "old school" R&B since his early days as a member of the multiplatinum group Tony! Toni! Toné! He also produced songs of such artists as TLC, Joss Stone, D'Angelo, Mary J...

, producing an altogether more eclectic, alternative sound. Speaking to Pete Lewis of Blues & Soul
Blues & Soul
Blues & Soul is a British music magazine covering black music. Genres covered include soul, R&B, jazz, hip hop, reggae and world music. It was first published in 1966 and is known for first using the term Northern Soul....

 she stated: "I felt like I had a lot to prove with this album. People had started messing with me along the lines of 'Is she REALLY any good without The Neptunes?' - which I knew was ridiculous. And so I was like 'I'll take that challenge'." According to Nielsen SoundScan, the album has sold 533,000 copies in the United States and has gained gold status in the U.S., where "Milkshake" also went gold, selling over 500,000 copies.

The single and album immediately found success in Europe. According to the BPI, Tasty went platinum in the United Kingdom, selling over 300,000 copies, and the hit single "Milkshake" went silver, selling over 200,000 units—it was the UK's fourteenth best-selling single in 2004. The album's second single, the Dallas Austin-produced "Trick Me
Trick Me
"Trick Me" is a song by American recording artist Kelis. It was released as the second single from her third studio album, Tasty in April 2004. It was not released in the United States as her American label, Arista, folded after the release of Tasty, and she was transferred to Jive. In Europe, she...

", also proved successful on radio and music video channels in Europe, and went to the top ten in many European countries during mid-2004. However, the song did not garner success in the U.S. in the absence of promotion from Jive Records
Jive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...

, the label Kelis had been transferred to after Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...

 folded at the time of Tasty''s release. "Trick Me" was important because The Neptunes were, for once, not involved in its production. Kelis's success grew in Australia, where Tasty went gold with over 35,000 copies sold, and where "Milkshake" and "Trick Me" went platinum (selling over 70,000 copies each).

"Not in Love
Not in Love
"Not in Love" is a pop song performed by Enrique Iglesias and Kelis. The song was written by Enrique Iglesias, Paul Barry, Mark Taylor and Fernando Garibay for Iglesias' seventh studio album, 7 . The album version features Iglesias's vocals only, with the radio/single mix featuring an extra verse...

", Kelis's collaboration with Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias is a Spanish pop music singer, a son of singer Julio Iglesias.Enrique started his musical career on Mexican label Fonovisa...

 from his 2003 seventh studio album,
7
7 (Enrique Iglesias album)
-Chart positions:-Certifications:-External links:* * * *...

, was released as a single the following year, reaching number five in the UK. Although the single failed to chart on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, it topped the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart. Kelis followed the success of the third Tasty single, "Millionaire
Millionaire (song)
"Millionaire" is a song by American R&B singer–songwriter Kelis, featuring American singer–rapper André 3000—half of the hip hop duo OutKast. Written by Kelis and André 3000 who also served as the producer, the song was released in October 2004 as the third single from Kelis' third studio album,...

" (featuring André 3000), with the Rockwilder-produced, sexually suggestive track "In Public
In Public
"In Public" is a song by American R&B singer-songwriter Kelis, featuring American rapper Nas. It was written by Rockwilder and Kelis and produced by Rockwilder for Kelis' third studio album, Tasty . As the song title implies, its lyrics deal with public sex.The song was released in the United...

" (featuring Nas). The single reached number seventeen on the UK chart with no video shot.

During this time, she collaborated with Björk
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...

 on a remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....

 of the first single from
Medúlla
Medúlla
Medúlla is the sixth studio album by Icelandic singer, songwriter, and musician Björk, released on August 30, 2004 by Warner Bros. Records and One Little Indian. The title derives from the Latin word for "marrow". The album is almost entirely a cappella and constructed with human vocals...

, "Oceania
Oceania (song)
"Oceania" is a song by Icelandic singer Björk. It was formerly planned to be the first single release from Björk's Medúlla album. Later it was just released as a promo. It was written for the 2004 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony, where she performed immediately following the Parade of Nations...

", which appeared as a B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...

 to the Björk album's second single, "Who Is It". With the success of
Tasty, Kelis went on tour as the opening act for fellow Jive artist Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...

's The Onyx Hotel Tour
The Onyx Hotel Tour
The Onyx Hotel Tour was the fourth concert tour by American recording artist Britney Spears. It supported her fourth studio album In the Zone and visited North America and Europe. A tour to promote the album was announced in December 2003...

 in 2004.

2006–08: Kelis Was Here and The Hits


Kelis's fourth studio album,
Kelis Was Here
Kelis Was Here
Kelis Was Here is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Kelis, released in the United States on August 22, 2006 by LaFace Records and Jive Records...

, was released in August 2006, and debuted and peaked at number ten on the Billboard 200. Despite its top ten debut, the album has sold only 157,000 copies in the United States as of October 2007, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Its lead single, "Bossy" (featuring Too Short), achieved frequent airplay on urban
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...

 radio and was a moderate hit in the U.S., peaking at number sixteen. The single "Bossy" also went multi platinum in December 2006 according to the RIAA. The album includes production credits by Scott Storch
Scott Storch
Scott Storch is an American record producer. He produces a variety of music, particularly hip hop, reggaeton, and R&B. His label, Storch Music Company responsible for signing Brooke Hogan and Nox...

, Cee-Lo Green (from the Gnarls Barkley
Gnarls Barkley
Gnarls Barkley is an American soul duo comprising Danger Mouse and Cee Lo Green. Their first studio album St. Elsewhere was released in 2006; along with its first single "Crazy". Both single and album were a major commercial success and have been noted for their large sales by download...

 fame), Raphael Saadiq
Raphael Saadiq
Raphael Saadiq is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. Saadiq has been a standard bearer for "old school" R&B since his early days as a member of the multiplatinum group Tony! Toni! Toné! He also produced songs of such artists as TLC, Joss Stone, D'Angelo, Mary J...

, will.i.am
Will.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...

, Max Martin
Max Martin
Martin Karl Sandberg, known professionally as Max Martin, is a Swedish music producer and songwriter. Raised in Stenhamra, a suburb of Stockholm, Sweden, he broke through as a producer and songwriter in the mid to late 1990s after crafting a string of hits for pop artists like the Backstreet Boys,...

, Dr. Luke
Dr. Luke
Lukasz Gottwald , better known as Dr. Luke, is an American songwriter, record producer, and remixer. Luke performed with the Saturday Night Live Band for ten seasons until 2007. He has co-written and co-produced a string of commercially successful songs...

, Knobody
Knobody
Jerome Foster, better known as Knobody, is an American music producer and A&R. Knobody has produced records across different genres including soul, R&B, hip hop and rock for several multi-platinum artists including Jay-Z, Ne-Yo, Akon, The Game, Big Pun, Mýa and R.E.M....

, Polow da Don
Polow Da Don
Polow-Freache Jamal Fincher Jones , better known by known by professional name Polow da Don or Awesome Jones, is an American record producer, songwriter, rapper, and singer. His cousin is Atlanta singer Monica. He has produced for a variety of artists including Usher, Nelly, Christina Aguilera, T.I...

, Damon Elliott
Damon Elliott
Damon Elliott , commonly known as Dame, is an American producer, writer, composer, recording artist and entrepreneur. His production genre’s include pop, hip hop, rock, R&B, gospel, and more recently, country....

, Cool and Dre
Cool and Dre
Cool & Dre are a team of hip hop producers from Miami, Florida, consisting of Marcello "Cool" Valenzano and Andre "Dre" Christopher Lyon.-Epidemic Records:...

, Sean Garrett
Sean Garrett
Garrett Hamler, better known by his stage name Sean Garrett is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, and record producer. He has produced fifteen number one singles in only seven years of producing music. That number puts him in fifth place on the Billboard list of producers with the most number...

, and Bangladesh
Bangladesh (producer)
Shondrae Crawford, better known as Bangladesh or Mr. Bangladesh, is a Grammy Award winning American record producer and disc jockey and rapper, who was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa, and now lives in Atlanta, Georgia.- Life and career :...

. Unlike on Kelis's previous efforts, the production duo The Neptunes are not featured at all; Kelis was quoted as saying that it was "very important to me", but also that it was purely a creative decision and that she has no ill will toward Williams or Hugo. Kelis Was Here was nominated for Best Contemporary R&B Album
Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album
The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works on albums in the contemporary R&B music genre...

 at the 2007 Grammy Awards, but lost out to Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...

's
B'Day
B'Day
B'Day is the second studio album by American R&B recording artist Beyoncé Knowles, released on September 4, 2006 by Columbia Records in collaboration with Music World Music and Sony Urban Music. It was released to coincide with Knowles' twenty-fifth birthday. The album was originally planned for a...

.

The second single from the album, which was pushed by her American label (Jive
Jive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...

), was the collaboration with Nas, "Blindfold Me
Blindfold Me
"Blindfold Me" is the second US single from Kelis' fourth studio album, Kelis Was Here . The single, released in October 2006, features American rapper Nas...

". The song missed the
Billboard Hot 100, and reached only number ninety-one on the R&B chart. Afterwards, her European label (Virgin) decided not to release the single and to go instead with the Cee-Lo-featuring "Lil Star
Lil Star
"Lil Star" is the second international single from Kelis' Grammy Award-nominated fourth studio album, Kelis Was Here . Released outside US , the single features Cee-Lo, who is known for being a half of the duo Gnarls Barkley...

", which was another hit for Kelis in the United Kingdom, peaking at number three. In the UK,
Kelis Was Here has shipped 60,000 copies and earned a silver certification from the BPI. It charted at number forty-one only, but concurrent to the popularity of "Lil Star", it re-entered the albums chart in February 2007. According to the ARIA
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...

,
Kelis Was Here went gold, selling 35,000 despite the fact the album had a debut of only ninety-six on the Australian Albums Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...

. The popularity of the album's track "I Don't Think So
I Don't Think So
"I Don't Think So" is a song by American recording artist Kelis from her fourth studio album, Kelis Was Here . Written by Kelis, Max Martin, and Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald and produced by Martin and Gottwald, the song became popular with Australian audiences when it was used in advertisements for...

" increased after its use in promotion for the 2008 season
Big Brother Australia 2008
Big Brother Australia 2008 was the eighth season of the Australian reality television series, Big Brother Australia to air on Network Ten. Episodes were broadcast on Network Ten and Ten HD in Australia. The first episode aired on 28 April 2008. Since then, there has been a total 20 housemates...

 of the reality series
Big Brother Australia. The song peaked at number twenty-seven on the ARIA chart and became a top ten urban hit. During the summer of 2007, Kelis toured in Europe, appearing in numerous festivals across the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, such as Wireless
Wireless Festival
The Wireless Festival is a music festival in England that takes place every year in Hyde Park, London, and took place at Harewood House, Leeds in 2006 and 2007. It is owned and managed by Live Nation....

, Rise and Gurtenfestival
Gurtenfestival
The Gurtenfestival is a music festival in Switzerland. It is held annually in middle of July on top of Bern's local mountain, the Gurten.-1991:Nazareth, Donovan, Ralph McTell, Flying Pickets, Konstantin Wecker-1992:...

.

Kelis collaborated with Busta Rhymes and will.i.am on the track "I Love My Bitch
I Love My Bitch
"I Love My Bitch" is a song by Busta Rhymes featuring will.i.am and Kelis, released as the second single from Busta Rhymes' seventh studio album, The Big Bang ....

", the second single from Rhymes's 2006 seventh studio album, The Big Bang
The Big Bang (album)
The Big Bang is the seventh studio album by American rapper Busta Rhymes.- Background :It was released on June 13, 2006. It is his only release under Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment record label. Full production of the album came from Dr. Dre, Swizz Beatz, Will.I.Am, Mr. Porter, Erick Sermon,...

. This was the second time Kelis has teamed up with Rhymes, the first being his 2001 song "What It Is". Kelis is also featured on the soundtrack to the 2005 film Just Like Heaven with a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...

 of The Pretenders
The Pretenders
The Pretenders are an English rock band formed in Hereford, England in March 1978. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde , James Honeyman-Scott , Pete Farndon , and Martin Chambers...

' 1979 classic "Brass in Pocket
Brass In Pocket
"Brass in Pocket" is a single by The Pretenders. It was written by Chrissie Hynde and James Honeyman-Scott, and produced by Chris Thomas.-Release:...

", as well as on the soundtrack
Step Up (soundtrack)
The soundtrack to Step Up was released on August 8, 2006 and features new music from Mario, Ciara, Kelis, Chris Brown, Yung Joc, Jamie Scott, and Chamillionaire. The lead singles from the soundtrack are Sean Paul's " Give It Up to Me" featuring Keyshia Cole and Ciara's "Get Up" featuring...

 to the 2006 dance film
Step Up
Step Up (film)
Step Up is a 2006 American dance/romance film directed by Anne Fletcher starring Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan.Set in Baltimore, Maryland, the film follows the tale of the disadvantaged Tyler Gage and the privileged modern dancer Nora Clark , who find themselves paired up in a showcase that...

 with a song called "80's Joint". Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...

 chose Kelis to help advertise the 2007 Ford Edge
Ford Edge
The Ford Edge is a mid-size crossover SUV manufactured by Ford, based on the Ford CD3 platform shared with previous generation Mazda6 and marketed in rebadged form as the Lincoln MKX...

, and she recorded a theme song for the commercial, entitled "Push It to the Edge", with help from producer Scott Storch. Kelis was set to be working with Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox, OBE , born Ann Lennox, is a Scottish singer-songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving minor success in the late 1970s with The Tourists, with fellow musician David A...

 on a duet for the Eurythmics
Eurythmics
Eurythmics were a British pop rock duo, formed in 1980, currently disbanded, but known to reunite from time to time. Consisting of members Annie Lennox and David A...

' new album, due to release in late November. Artists such as Pink
Pink (singer)
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....

, Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...

, and Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...

 were also to appear on the album.

In October 2007, Kelis's manager told Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...

 that the singer was working with Cee-Lo Green on an alternative dance
Alternative dance
Alternative dance or indie dance is a musical genre that mixes rock subgenres with electronic dance music...

 album and would be shopping a pop album produced by songwriter Guy Chambers
Guy Chambers
Guy Chambers is an English songwriter and record producer, perhaps best known for his long partnership with Robbie Williams.- Biography :...

, who co-wrote hits such as Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...

's "Angels". Scottish electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...

 producer Calvin Harris
Calvin Harris
Calvin Harris is a Scottish singer-songwriter, record producer and DJ. His gold-selling debut album, I Created Disco, was released in 2007 and contained the top ten singles "Acceptable in the 80s" and "The Girls"...

 was also said to be collaborating with her.

After Kelis left the Zomba label, the label released a fourteen-track greatest hits album entitled The Hits
The Hits (Kelis album)
The Hits is the first greatest hits album by American R&B singer Kelis, released in the United States on March 11, 2008 by Jive Records, Zomba Label Group, and Legacy Recordings.-History:...

(previously due to be titled Good Stuff – The Best of Kelis) in March 2008 in the United Kingdom. The album does not contain any previously unreleased songs, although Ol' Dirty Bastard
Ol' Dirty Bastard
Russell Tyrone Jones was an American rapper and occasional producer, who went by the stage name Ol' Dirty Bastard or simply ODB...

's "Got Your Money
Got Your Money
"Got Your Money" is a single by American hip-hop artist Ol' Dirty Bastard, taken from his second full length LP Nigga Please. Both the single and the album were released on Elektra Records in 1999. The song was produced by The Neptunes...

", N.E.R.D's "Truth or Dare", and Richard X
Richard X
Richard Philips, best known by his stage name Richard X, is a British songwriter and music producer. Gaining attention as a pioneer of the bootleg craze, Richard X has earned success as a producer and remixer. He has helmed hit singles for artists including Annie, Kelis, Liberty X, Rachel Stevens...

's "Finest Dreams" appear on the album, which is unusual for a hits collection album as she was a featured, not headlining artist on these tracks.
The Hits includes every charted Kelis single to that date with the exception of "Blindfold Me" (featuring Nas).

2009–11: Flesh Tone

In 2009, Kelis announced that she was finishing her fifth studio album, to be released in 2010 under Interscope Records via the will.i.am Music Group. Kelis worked with various producers and contributors on the album, titled Flesh Tone
Flesh Tone
Flesh Tone is the fifth studio album by American recording artist Kelis, first released on May 14, 2010. Recorded while the singer was an unsigned artist and while pregnant with her first child, the record is an ode to motherhood and is a distinct departure from the urban sound of her previous...

, including Ammo
Ammo (musician)
Ammo is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. In November 2008, Ammo was signed to producer Dr. Luke's publishing company Prescription Songs as an exclusive producer and songwriter...

, Jean Baptiste
Jean Baptiste Kouame
Jean Baptiste Kouame, often referred to simply as Jean Baptiste, is a songwriter and record producer.-2009:*The Black Eyed Peas - The E.N.D.**"Boom Boom Pow" *Blake Lewis - Heartbreak on Vinyl**"Left My Baby for You"-2006:...

, Benny Benassi
Benny Benassi
Marco Benassi , better known as Benny Benassi, is a Grammy Award winning Italian disc jockey and record producer of electro house music. He is best known for his 2002 summer club hit "Satisfaction"...

, Burns, Diplo, Boys Noize
Boys Noize
Boys Noize is the stage name of Alexander Ridha, a German electronic music producer and DJ. It is similar to the name of Ridha's label, Boysnoize Records, which he established in 2005...

, Free School, DJ Switch
Switch (DJ)
Switch is a UK-based DJ, songwriter, sound engineer and record producer. He is best known for his work with M.I.A. and Santigold.In the fidget house genre, Switch runs his own music label "Dubsided", as well as the label Counterfeet, established in 2006 with fellow producer Sinden...

, will.i.am
Will.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...

 and David Guetta
David Guetta
Pierre David Guetta , known professionally as David Guetta , is a French house music producer and DJ. Originally a DJ at nightclubs during the 1980s and 1990s, he co-founded Gum Productions and released his first album, Just a Little More Love, in 2002. Later, he released Guetta Blaster and Pop Life...

. The album marked Kelis' transition into dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...

 and pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...

, away from her previous R&B-based material. She stated that she wanted the album to include elements of dance, pop, and tribal culture (visible in the promotional imagery accompanying Flesh Tone). Coinciding with her change in musical direction, Kelis appeared on Basement Jaxx
Basement Jaxx
Basement Jaxx are a British electronic dance music duo from London, England consisting of Felix Buxton born 1971 and Simon Ratcliffe born 1 December 1969. They first rose to popularity in the late 1990s...

's 2009 album
Scars
Scars (Basement Jaxx album)
Scars is the fifth studio album by British electronic dance music duo Basement Jaxx, released on 21 September 2009. It was preceded by the first single "Raindrops", released on 21 June, while the second single, "Feelings Gone", was also released in the United Kingdom on 21 September...

on the title track, on Benassi's 2010 single "Spaceship" with Apl.de.ap
Apl.de.ap
Allan Pineda Lindo, Jr. better known as apl.de.ap , is a Filipino-American rapper, record producer, and occasional drummer who is best known as a member of The Black Eyed Peas.-Early life:Pineda was born in Belfast...

 and Jean Baptiste
Jean Baptiste Kouame
Jean Baptiste Kouame, often referred to simply as Jean Baptiste, is a songwriter and record producer.-2009:*The Black Eyed Peas - The E.N.D.**"Boom Boom Pow" *Blake Lewis - Heartbreak on Vinyl**"Left My Baby for You"-2006:...

, and on the Crookers
Crookers
Crookers are an Italian DJ/production duo who have worked together since 2003. When the two artists met, both were trying to branch out of their genre and explore dance music. Their first collaboration worked...

 single "No Security" from their debut album
Tons of Friends
Tons of Friends (Crookers album)
Tons of Friends is the debut album by Italian electronic duo Crookers. It was released on March 8, 2010 on Southern Fried Records. Many of the songs feature collaborations, including Kid Cudi, Soulwax, Kelis, will.i.am, Róisín Murphy, Miike Snow and many more.The song "Royal T" featuring Róisín...

.

The first single from Flesh Tone, "Acapella
Acapella (song)
"Acapella" is a song performed by American alternative artist Kelis, taken from her fifth studio album Flesh Tone. The song is a departure from her past singles in that it is a dance/electronica track rather than hip hop/R&B influenced...

" (produced by David Guetta), debuted in the top five on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

 and reached number one on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Songs and the UK Dance Chart. Flesh Tone was released in May 2010 in Europe and Asia, and in July in the U.S., where it debuted at number forty-eight on the Billboard 200 and number five on the Dance/Electronic Albums. The second single, "4th of July (Fireworks)
4th of July (Fireworks)
"4th of July " is the second single from Kelis' fifth album, Flesh Tone. It samples "You're My Heart " by Lioness. The song was listed at #51 on the list of the NME's best tracks of 2010...

", was accompanied by a video co-directed by Kelis herself (with John "Rankin" Waddell and Nicole Ehrlich), and became a club hit in America and Britain. Subsequent singles "Scream
Scream (Kelis song)
"Scream" is a song performed by American recording artist Kelis, taken from her fifth studio album, Flesh Tone. The up-tempo electro-dance, techno synthpop song was written by Kelis and Jean Baptiste, and co-written and produced by David Guetta and El Tocadisco...

" and "Brave
Brave (Kelis song)
"Brave" is a song performed by American recording artist Kelis, taken from her fifth studio album, Flesh Tone. The up-tempo electro-dance song was written by Kelis, will.i.am, Jean Baptiste and James Fauntleroy, and produced by Benny Benassi and Alle Benassi. It was released on 6 January 2011, as...

" made less chart impact.

During mid 2010, Kelis embarked on her first U.S. tour, titled All Hearts
All Hearts
The All Hearts Tour was a joint concert tour by American R&B singer Kelis and Swedish pop singer Robyn in support of their albums Flesh Tone and Body Talk Pt. 1, respectively...

 with Robyn
Robyn
Robin Miriam Carlsson , better known by her stage name Robyn, is a Swedish recording artist, singer, and songwriter. Robyn became known in the late nineties for her worldwide dance-pop hit "Do You Know " from her debut album Robyn Is Here . She co-wrote the song "Du gör mig hel igen" for...

, amid a selection of club, festival and solo dates that continued through 2011–these included Glastonbury
Glastonbury Festival 2010
The 2010 Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts took place in Pilton, Somerset, England in June 2010.The festival was headlined by Gorillaz, Muse, and Stevie Wonder. U2 were initially announced as headliners, but withdrew on 25 May 2010 citing Bono's recent back surgery...

, The Big Chill
The Big Chill (music festival)
The Big Chill is an annual festival of alternative, dance and chill-out music and comedy, held in the grounds of Eastnor Castle during early August...

, Good Vibrations
Good Vibrations Festival
Good Vibrations Festival commenced in 2004 and is an annual Australian music festival held in Melbourne, Sydney, Gold Coast and Perth. The festival takes place during February.-2011:-2010:-2009:Master of Ceremonies – Supernatural-2008:-2007:...

 and Lovebox
Lovebox Festival
Lovebox is a three-day music festival held in Victoria Park, Tower Hamlets, London. The event has been running since 2002 and was founded by DJs Groove Armada...

. Kelis appears on the Mark Ronson
Mark Ronson
Mark Daniel Ronson is an English DJ, guitarist, music producer, artist and co-founder of Allido Records. He currently works with his band under the music alias of Mark Ronson & The Business Intl....

-produced track "The Man Who Stole a Leopard" from the 2010 Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...

 release All You Need Is Now
All You Need Is Now
All You Need Is Now is the thirteenth studio album by the British pop/rock band Duran Duran. Produced by Grammy Award-winner Mark Ronson, a truncated version of the album was released as a download on 21 December 2010. It is the band's first album not released by a major record label; it appeared...

. Kelis collaborated with Scottish producer Calvin Harris
Calvin Harris
Calvin Harris is a Scottish singer-songwriter, record producer and DJ. His gold-selling debut album, I Created Disco, was released in 2007 and contained the top ten singles "Acceptable in the 80s" and "The Girls"...

 on the song "Bounce
Bounce (Calvin Harris song)
"Bounce" is the tenth single released by Scottish recording artist Calvin Harris and is the first from his upcoming third studio album, premiering on Annie Mac's show on 29 April 2011. The song features Kelis and is a move away from Harris singing, concentrating more on production...

", the lead single from Harris' upcoming third studio album. The song was released in June 2011 in the United Kingdom and debuted at number two on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

.

Other projects

Kelis is writing a cookbook
Cookbook
A cookbook is a kitchen reference that typically contains a collection of recipes. Modern versions may also include colorful illustrations and advice on purchasing quality ingredients or making substitutions...

 with Robert Teamer and designing her own line of fashion
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...

 accessories, called Cake. Kelis is in talks to host a Project Runway
Project Runway
Project Runway is an American reality television series on Lifetime Television, previously on the Bravo network, which focuses on fashion design and is hosted by model Heidi Klum. The contestants compete with each other to create the best clothes and are restricted in time, materials and theme...

-esque show for VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...

, and is auditioning for various film and TV roles. Between 2006 and 2010, Kelis trained part-time as a chef, eventually graduating from Le Cordon Bleu
Le Cordon Bleu
Le Cordon Bleu is the world's largest hospitality education institution, with 35 schools on five continents serving 20,000 students annually. Its primary education focus is on hospitality management and the culinary arts...

 culinary school.

Marriage to Nas

Kelis married rapper Nasir Jones in January 2005. In April 2009 she filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences". She was seven months pregnant at the time. On July 22, 2009, Kelis gave birth to a baby boy named Knight. The birth was announced by Nas via an online video. On July 23, a judge in New York City ordered Nas to pay Kelis $55,000 per month in child and spousal support.
The couple's divorce was finalized May 29, 2010.

Legal issues

In March 2007, Kelis was detained by police in Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...

, and charged with disorderly conduct. The arrest report said the officers were posing as prostitutes along a main avenue in the South Beach
South Beach
South Beach, also nicknamed SoBe, is a neighborhood in the city of Miami Beach, Florida, United States. It is the area south of Indian Creek and encompasses roughly the southernmost 23 blocks of the main barrier island that separates the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay.This area was the first...

 nightclub district when Kelis started screaming racial profanities at them. She was sent to Miami-Dade County Jail, and was later released on a $1,500 bond. On September 12, 2008, Kelis was acquitted on charges of resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct stemming back to the 2007 arrest. "I'm thrilled that justice prevailed in the end", Kelis said in a statement. A spokesperson for Kelis further commented that the artist will still be moving forward with a lawsuit against the Miami Beach Police, claiming unlawful arrest and the violation of her civil rights. Kelis was cleared of all charges.

In 2011, Kelis accused the United Kingdom of having racial issues via her Twitter account after saying that a British white man racially abused, shouting "dirty Nigerian" and "slave" at her after accusing her of queue-jumping..

Discography

  • Kaleidoscope (1999)
  • Wanderland
    Wanderland
    Wanderland is the second studio album by American recording artist Kelis, released in October 2001 by Virgin Records.Kelis was living in Europe at the time of the album's release. Wanderland was more experimental than her previous album, Kaleidoscope, and was a modest success chartwise...

    (2091)
  • Tasty (2003)
  • Kelis Was Here
    Kelis Was Here
    Kelis Was Here is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Kelis, released in the United States on August 22, 2006 by LaFace Records and Jive Records...

    (2006)
  • Flesh Tone
    Flesh Tone
    Flesh Tone is the fifth studio album by American recording artist Kelis, first released on May 14, 2010. Recorded while the singer was an unsigned artist and while pregnant with her first child, the record is an ode to motherhood and is a distinct departure from the urban sound of her previous...

    (2010)

Awards

She won one of seven nominations, including BRIT Awards
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...

 and two Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...

 nominations.

|-
| rowspan="1"| 2000 || "Caught Out There" || Q Award for Best Video
Q Awards
The Q Awards are the UK's annual music awards run by the music magazine Q. Since they began in 1990, the Q Awards have become one of Britain's biggest and best publicised music awards, helped in no small part by the often boisterous behavior of the celebrities who attend the event...

 ||
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2001 || Kelis || BRIT Award for Best International Breakthrough Act
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...

 ||
|-
| Kelis || NME Award for Best R&B/Soul Act
NME Awards
The NME Awards is an annual music awards show in the United Kingdom, founded by the music magazine, NME .The first awards show was held in 1953 as the NME Poll Winners Concerts, shortly after the founding of the magazine....

 ||
|-
| rowspan="3"| 2004
| rowspan="3"| "Milkshake" || MTV Europe Music Award for Best R&B
MTV Europe Music Award for Best R&B
The following is a list of the MTV Europe Music Award winners and nominees for Best R&B.-1990s:-2000s:- See also :* MTV Video Music Award for Best R&B Video...

 ||
|-
| Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance
Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality urban/alternative performances...

 ||
|-
| Q Award for Best Video ||
|-
| 2005 || Kelis || BRIT Award for Best International Female
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...

 ||
|-
| rowspan="3"| 2007
|| Kelis Was Here || Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album
Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album
The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works on albums in the contemporary R&B music genre...

 ||
|-
| "Bossy" || Urban Music Award for Best Music Video
Urban Music Awards
The Urban Music Awards is a HipHop, R&B, Dance and soul music awards ceremony launched in 2003 and now held in six countries annually.The awards ceremony is held annually by Invincible Media Group. The UMA's is now held in 6 countries annually...

 ||
|-
| Kelis || Urban Music Award for Best R&B Act
Urban Music Awards
The Urban Music Awards is a HipHop, R&B, Dance and soul music awards ceremony launched in 2003 and now held in six countries annually.The awards ceremony is held annually by Invincible Media Group. The UMA's is now held in 6 countries annually...

 ||
|-
| rowspan="1"| 2010
|| Kelis || Silver Clef Raymond Weil International Award
Silver Clef Award
The Silver Clef Award is an annual music award event based in the UK, which has been running since as early as 1976.-History:The Silver Clef fund-raising organization was founded in 1976 by musicians and managers from the British music industry to support all the charity and awarding activities of...

 ||
|-

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK