Da Brat

Shawntae Harris (born April 14, 1974), better known by her stage name Da Brat, is an American rapper and actress. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, she began her career in 1992, the year she signed with So So Def Records. Her debut album "Funkdafied" (1994) sold one million copies, making her the first female solo rap act to receive a platinum certification, and the second overall female rap act (solo or group) after Salt-N-Pepa. Brat has received two Grammy Award nominations. She has achieved two-top ten hits on the "Billboard" Hot 100, "Funkdafied" and "Not Tonight Ladies Night Remix", the latter with Lil' Kim, Lisa Lopes, Missy Elliott and Angie Martinez. Brat has also had commercial success with other songs including "I Think They Like Me", " and a remix of Mariah Carey's "Loverboy".
Early life and education.
Da Brat was born on April 14, 1974, in Chicago, Illinois, She was raised on the West Side of Chicago, Illinois. Her father is David Ray McCoy, Chicago businessman, and mother, Nadine Brewer, Chicago city bus driver. Her parents never married. Brat was subsequently raised in two different households. Da Brat lived part of the time with her mother and grandmother and attended an Apostolic church four times a week, where she sang in the choir. Da Brat attended Kenwood Academy during her sophomore and junior year, where she ran track and played basketball. She graduated from the Academy of Scholastic Achievement, a continuation charter school that caters to at-risk students in 1992.
Career.
1992–1995: Early success.
In 1992, Da Brat's big break occurred when she won the grand prize in a local rap contest sponsored by "Yo! MTV Raps". For the prize, she met the young rap duo Kris Kross. They introduced her to their producer, Jermaine Dupri, who signed her to his So So Def label. Dupri cultivated Da Brat's image as a "female Snoop Doggy Dogg," and she became one of the first female "reality-based" rappers. Da Brat told the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution" that her stage name was inspired from being "a spoiled only child." Da Brat's debut album "Funkdafied" was released in 1994 and entered the rap albums chart at number 11. The album went platinum, making her the first female solo rapper to sell one million copies. The single "Funkdafied" reached number 1 on the rap singles chart and number 6 on the "Billboard" Hot 100. Her follow-up single from the same album, "Give It 2 You," reached number 26 on the Hot 100.
1996–1999: Collaborations and film projects.
In 1996, Da Brat released her second full-length album, "Anuthatantrum", which included the single "Ghetto Love" featuring T-Boz of TLC. During the rest of the 1990s, Da Brat came to be known more for her "featured" appearances on other rappers' and R&B singers' albums rather than for her own solo work. Da Brat was also featured with Kris Kross on the title track of their album "Da Bomb" (1993) as well as on their third album "Young, Rich and Dangerous" (1996). She contributed a rhyme to the hip hop remix of Mariah Carey's hit, "Always Be My Baby" (1996). She also made her feature film debut that year in "Kazaam" (1996) with Shaquille O'Neal. In 1997 she and Dupri appeared on the remix of the Dru Hill hit "In My Bed". That same year, Da Brat appeared along with Dupri on a remix of Carey's "Honey (So So Def mix)" (1997) and recorded the hit remix of "Ladies' Night (Not Tonight)" (1997) with Lil' Kim, Left-Eye of TLC, Angie Martinez, and Missy Elliott. Also in 1997, she was featured on "Sock It 2 Me," a track on Missy Elliott's debut album, "Supa Dupa Fly". In 1999, she appeared, alongside Krayzie Bone, on the remix to Mariah Carey's cover of Brenda K. Starr's "I Still Believe" (1998). She also appeared as a guest artist with Elliott on Carey's remix of "Heartbreaker" (1999), and on the remix of Brandy's "U Don't Know Me (Like U Used To)." That year, she was also featured on a remix of the Destiny's Child single "Jumpin', Jumpin'" (1999).
2000–2003: Return to solo work.
In early 2000, Da Brat released her third full-length album "Unrestricted", which produced the moderately successful singles "That's What I'm Looking For" (U.S. number 56) and "What Chu Like" (U.S. number 26), featuring soul singer, Tyrese. The album was not well-received compared to Brat's earlier work. However, the new album and new millennium did inspire an image makeover for Da Brat. Abandoning her "gangsta" persona, she decided to follow the trend in popular music and attempted to add to her sex appeal. In 2001, Brat continued her trend of being featured on other artist's remixes, reaching number 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles chart along with rapper Ludacris on the main remix of Mariah Carey's "Loverboy" and being featured artist on Destiny's Child's "Survivor" remix. Da Brat also appeared as Louise in Carey's 2001 movie "Glitter". In 2003, Brat released her fourth album, titled "Limelite, Luv & Niteclubz", and appeared on the 4th season of VH1's "The Surreal Life".
2005–present: Current activities.
In 2005, she made a comeback of sorts when she was featured on the remix of the song "I Think They Like Me," by Dem Franchize Boyz, which also featured Bow Wow and Jermaine Dupri. The song peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles chart and No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2006, she was an onstage guest on Mariah Carey's "The Adventures of Mimi Tour" in Atlanta, New York City, Long Island, Washington, DC, Chicago, and Los Angeles performing her rap verses on the "Heartbreaker" and "Honey" remixes. She was also featured on Kelly Rowland's "Gotsta Go," a bonus track from her 2007 album "Ms. Kelly" and is also featured on "4real4real", a bonus track from Carey's "E=MC²". She also co-wrote a song with Carey called "O.O.C." which appears on "E=MC²" and contributes backing vocals on the track. In 2007, she participated in the fifth season of the VH1 reality series '. In 2011, she did a remix with Kelly Rowland called "Motivation" featuring Lil Wayne. Following her release from prison, she launched a web series about life after the experience titled "Brat Chronicles: In Transition" on YouTube. She released her new single "Is It Chu?" on iTunes and other digital services on July 2, 2013. She now works for the "Rickey Smiley Morning show" as a co-host (July 2015 – present) and is part of the Dish Nation cast out of Atlanta. Since 2016, Da Brat has appeared on the reality TV series "The Rap Game", as a mentor to young talent. In 2017 Da Brat joined the reality TV series ' which follows around Atlanta legends and children of Atlanta legends.
Personal life.
Da Brat dated Allen Iverson in the late 1990s. In an interview with "Variety" in March 2020, she discussed coming out as a lesbian and why it took her 25 years to do so. On March 26, 2020, Da Brat confirmed that she is in a relationship with hair product mogul Jesseca Dupart.
Da Brat and LisaRaye McCoy are sisters, they share the same father.
Legal troubles and 2008 prison sentence.
In 2001, Da Brat pleaded guilty to misdemeanor reckless conduct after she had battered a woman with a rum bottle during a dispute over VIP seating in an Atlanta nightclub in 2000. The victim in that incident received six stitches for a head wound. Da Brat ended up serving a year's probation, performed 80 hours of community service, and paid a $1,000 fine. On October 31, 2007, Da Brat was involved in an altercation that ended in assault at a Halloween party held at Studio 72 nightclub in Atlanta. Da Brat initially argued with a hostess, and when the hostess walked away to talk to her manager, Da Brat attacked her from behind, striking her in the face with a rum bottle. The waitress was rushed to an area hospital, and police arrested and jailed Da Brat. In court, Da Brat plead guilty to aggravated assault charges. She was sentenced to three years in prison, seven years of probation, 200 hours of community service. In May 2010, she was temporarily released from prison as part of a work-release program, after serving 21 months. On February 28, 2011, Jermaine Dupri announced that Da Brat was officially released from prison, completing her sentence. Her civil trial stemming from the 2007 altercation commenced on February 24, 2014. On February 28, 2014, a civil trial jury awarded ex-NFL cheerleader Shayla Stevens, the assault victim, $6.4 million to cover her injuries and past/future loss of earnings.
Awards and nominations.
Grammy Awards
Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards
BET Awards
Billboard Awards