Famous African American Singers Who Influenced Many Aspirants Around The World
Music is a field which has been constantly evolving since time immemorial. The rich history of American music has witnessed several significant changes over the past few centuries. Many individuals of African American descent have made waves in the recent past for their prowess in music and have earned many accolades including prestigious awards for their efforts. The most popular example would probably be the king of pop Michael Jackson, who revolutionized world music with his style. His tracks such as ‘Beat It’, ‘Thriller’, ‘Billie Jean’ and ‘Black or White’ are anthems among the youth even today. Michael, or MJ as he’s popularly known, is a recipient of 13 Grammy awards. He has also been felicitated with 26 American music Awards for his incredible talent. Many of his songs have topped the ‘Billboard Hot 100’ charts. The legendary Ray Charles is another legendary musician who has millions of followers worldwide. He was also mentioned in the list of ‘100 Greatest Artists of All Time’, published by the ‘Rolling Stones’ magazine. Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Whitney Houston, Beyonce and Nina Simone are a few other African American singers who have made their community proud. Some of these singers also enjoy a major fan following on social media platforms as well. Scroll below to know the names of singers of African American descent who have changed world music in a great way. Some of their works have influenced many famous singers of today.
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1
Michael Jackson(One of the Most Significant Cultural Figures of the 20th Century Popularly Known as the 'King of Pop')
Birthdate: August 29, 1958
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Gary, Indiana, United States
Died: June 25, 2009
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
2
Tupac Shakur( 100 Greatest Artists of All Time by Rolling Stone)
Birthdate: June 16, 1971
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: September 13, 1996
Birthdate: August 9, 1963
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, United States
Died: February 11, 2012
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
4
Ice Cube(Rapper - Contributed Significantly to the Development of 'Gangsta Rap')
Birthdate: June 15, 1969
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Crenshaw, California, United States
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
5
Aretha Franklin(One of the Best-Selling Music Artists in the World & 'Queen of Soul')
Birthdate: March 25, 1942
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Died: August 16, 2018
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
Birthdate: January 25, 1981
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Hell's Kitchen, New York, United States
Birthdate: May 13, 1950
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Saginaw, Michigan, United States
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
8
John Legend(Best Known for His Debut Album 'Get Lifted' and 'Once Again')
Birthdate: December 28, 1978
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Springfield, Ohio, United States
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
Birthdate: May 5, 1989
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Tappahannock, Virginia, United States
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
Birthdate: April 5, 1973
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
Birthdate: March 18, 1970
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
12
James Brown(Central Progenitor of Funk Music and Referred to as 'Godfather of Soul')
Birthdate: May 3, 1933
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Barnwell, South Carolina, United States
Died: December 25, 2006
Birthdate: December 18, 1970
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Mount Vernon, New York, United States
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
Birthdate: May 26, 1975
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, United States
Height: 5'3" (160 cm)
15
Kid Cudi(Rapper who Rose to Fame with His Debut Mixtape 'A Kid Named Cudi')
Birthdate: January 30, 1984
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio, United States
16
Chuck Berry(One of the Most Influential “Rock 'n' Roll” Performers in Music History)
Birthdate: October 18, 1926
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Died: March 18, 2017
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
17
Mary J. Blige(Rapper, and Actress Known as "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul")
Birthdate: January 11, 1971
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Bronx, New York, United States
18
Logic(Rapper Known for His 'Young Sinatra' Mixtape Series)
Birthdate: January 22, 1990
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
19
Sammy Davis Jr.(Singer, Dancer and Actor Known for His Song ‘The Candy Man’)
Birthdate: December 8, 1925
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Harlem, New York, United States
Died: May 16, 1990
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
20
Lizzo(Rapper Know for Her Hit Songs "Good as Hell" "Truth Hurts" & "Juice")
Birthdate: April 27, 1988
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
Birthdate: September 9, 1941
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Dawson, Georgia, United States
Died: December 10, 1967
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
Birthdate: December 1, 1985
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Kansas City, Kansas, United States
Height: 5'0" (152 cm)
Birthdate: May 8, 1911
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Hazlehurst, Mississippi, United States
Died: August 16, 1938
Birthdate: March 13, 1972
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: South Side, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
25
Nina Simone(One of the Most Influential Musical Artists of the 20th Century)
Birthdate: February 21, 1933
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Tryon, North Carolina, United States
Died: April 21, 2003
26
Method Man(Rapper And Member Of Hip Hop Collective 'Wu-Tang Clan')
Birthdate: March 2, 1971
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Hempstead, New York, United States
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
27
Brandy Norwood(Singer-Songwriter and Actress Know for Her Single ‘The Boy Is Mine’ and Her Role in the Sitcom 'Moesha')
Birthdate: February 11, 1979
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: McComb, Mississippi, United States
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
28
Gladys Knight
(Singer-Songwriter)
Birthdate: May 28, 1944
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Height: 5'3" (160 cm)
Birthdate: October 25, 1985
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Austin, Texas, United States
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
30
Isaac Hayes
(Singer-songwriter)
Birthdate: August 20, 1942
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Covington, Tennessee, United States
Died: August 10, 2008
Birthdate: September 13, 1996
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Riverdale, Georgia, United States
32
Donna Summer
(Singer-Songwriter)
Birthdate: December 31, 1948
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Died: May 17, 2012
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
Birthdate: May 20, 1972
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: East Flatbush, New York, United States
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
Birthdate: December 11, 1973
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
35
will.i.am(American Rapper, Singer-Songwriter, Founding and Lead Member of the Musical Group ‘Black Eyed Peas’)
Birthdate: March 15, 1975
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Eastside Los Angeles, California, United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
36
2 Chainz(Rapper Best Known for His Single ‘Duffle Bag Boy’)
Birthdate: September 12, 1977
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: College Park, Georgia, United States
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
Birthdate: June 24, 1986
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
Birthdate: February 1, 1975
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Savannah, Georgia, United States
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
Birthdate: August 17, 1988
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Worcester, Massachusetts, United States
40
Charley Pride
(Country Singer and One of Three African-American Members of the 'Grand Ole Opr')
Birthdate: March 18, 1934
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Sledge, Mississippi, United States
Died: December 12, 2020
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
41
Jill Scott
(Singer-songwriter)
Birthdate: April 4, 1972
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
Birthdate: April 29, 1970
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
Birthdate: April 9, 1898
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Princeton, New Jersey, United States
Died: January 23, 1976
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
Birthdate: February 29, 1976
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: New York City
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
Birthdate: March 15, 1943
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Denton, Texas, United States
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
46
Herbie Hancock
(Singer-songwriter, Bandleader, Conductor, Jazz musician, Keyboardist, Actor, Musician, Pianist, Film score composer)
Birthdate: April 12, 1940
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Chicago
47
Bo Diddley
(Guitarist, Singer, Singer-songwriter, Composer)
Birthdate: December 30, 1928
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: McComb
Died: June 2, 2008
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
Birthdate: October 24, 1980
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: College Park, Georgia, United States
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
49
D'Angelo
(Singer-songwriter)
Birthdate: February 11, 1974
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Richmond, Virginia, United States
50
Della Reese(Known for Her 1959 Hit Single 'Don't You Know?' and Her Role in the TV Series 'Touched by an Angel')
Birthdate: July 6, 1931
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Black Bottom, Detroit, United States
Died: November 19, 2017