SisqoBirth Place: Baltimore, Maryland, USA Date of Birth: November 9, 1978 Heritage: American Contact Sisqo | 
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Thong Song
Background: “I'm the best R&B singer in the game right now.” Sisqo Sisqo is a multiple Grammy Award nominating American R&B singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. He rose to fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of the R&B singing group Dru Hill. The group's eponymous debut album went platinum in the US and spawned their first two No. 1 R&B hit singles, “In My Bed” and “Never Make a Promise.” The second album “Enter the Dru” (1998) received double platinum certification from the RIAA and produced the popular song “How Deep Is Your Love”(feat. Redman), the group's third and last No. 1 single to date. While Dru Hill was on hiatus, Sisqo launched a triumphant solo career with the multi platinum selling debut album “Unleash the Dragon” (1999). The second single from the album, “Thong Song,” was a runaway hit and was nominated for two Grammy Awards in the categories of Best R&B Male Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song. He gained further success with “Incomplete,” which provided Sisqo with his first solo No.1 R&B single. His second studio album, “Return of Dragon” (2001), was certified platinum by the RIAA and received a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Album. In 2001, Sisqo was nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best New Artist. After several years hiatus, Dru Hill reunited for the third studio album “Dru World Order” (2002), which gave the group another platinum record. The fourth album “InDRUpendence Day” followed in July 2010. Sisqo's new solo album, “Last Dragon,” is set to be released in 2011. On the acting front, the Baltimore, Maryland native has appeared in the films “Get Over It!” (2001), “Snow Dogs” (2002), “Pieces of April” (2003) and “Surf School” (2006) and in episodes of “Linc's” and “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.” He has his own record label called Dragon Records. Apart from his Grammy nominations, Sisqo also collected various awards and other nominations during 2000-2001. He won the Male Artist of the Year, Male Hot 100 Singles Artist of the Year, R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year, New R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year, R&B/Hip-Hop Male Artist of the Year and R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Artist of the Year Awards at the 2000 Billboard Music Awards. He was nominated for Favorite Male R&B/Soul Artist at the 2001 American Music Awards and for Best R&B Act at the 2000 and 2001 MOBO Awards. He also received an MTV Music Video Award and four other nominations for “Thong Song,” as well as a Soul Train Music nomination and an American Music nomination for his album, “Unleash the Dragon.” Mark Althavean Andrews Childhood and Family: Mark Althavean Andrews was born on November 9, 1978, in Baltimore, Maryland. He got the nickname Sisqo while growing up in Baltimore, when his childhood friends thought his light curly hair made him look Latino. Sisqo has an older sister named Donish (born 1974), who is also his assistant. He graduated from Mergenthaler Vocational Technical Senior High School (Mervo) in Baltimore. Sisqo is the father of a girl named Shaione (born 1995). Incomplete Career: Sisqo co-founded the group Dru Hill in Baltimore, Maryland with high school friends Nokio, Woody and Jazz. Following notable gigs at a local fudge factory, the group was signed to Island Records' Island Black division through a production deal with Islam's University Music, and soon started recording their debut album. The self titled debut studio album, “Dru Hill,” was launched on November 19, 1996 through Island Records. It peaked at No. 23 on the Billboard 200 and No. 5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. It was certified platinum by the RIAA in June 1997. The lead single “Tell Me” (1996) reached No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. It provided the group with their first gold record in the US. The song also made the Top 30 on the UK Singles chart. Sisqo and his groupmates had their first No. 1 with the second single “In My Bed” (1997), which spent three weeks at the top position of Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Performed by Sisqo, the song also reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and went platinum in the US. It peaked at No. 16 on the UK Singles chart. The group scored their next No. 1 hit single with “Never Make a Promise” (1997), which spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and also peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. “5 Steps,” the fourth and final single from “Dru Hill,” charted at No. 22 in the UK. In 1997, Dru Hill recorded the song We're Not Making Love No More” for the “Soul Food” soundtrack, which was a big success. The song peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, and went gold. On October 27, 1998, Sisqo again decorated the airwaves with the sophomore Dru Hill effort, “Enter the Dru,” whose name comes from the Bruce Lee film, “Enter the Dragon.” The album peaked at No. 2 on both the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and was certified double platinum by the RIAA in May 1999. It generated the three hit singles: “How Deep Is Your Love” (feat. Redman), which became the group's third No. 1 on the US R&B chart, “These Are the Times” and “You Are Everything,” which respectively peaked at No. 5 and No. 27 on the same chart. After Woody Rock left the group in 1999 to pursue a solo career, it was decided that the remaining three members would do the same. Recorded during Dru Hill's hiatus, Sisqo's solo debut, “Unleash the Dragon,” was released on November 30, 1999 through Def Jam's R&B imprint, Def Soul. Originally sold moderately, the album eventually peaked at No. 2 on both the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums thanks to the freshness “Thong Song.” Released as the album's second single on February 15, 2000 after the Top 20 R&B hit “Got to Get It,” the song, which he co-wrote with Tim Kelley, Bob Robinson, Desmond Child, and Robi Rosa, peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was nominated for two Grammy Awards for Best R&B Male Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song, while Sisqo received a 2001 Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. The song won the Best Hip-Hop Video at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards, where Sisqo also received nominations for Best Dance Video, Best Video from a Film, Viewer's Choice and Best New Artist. The follow up “Incomplete” was a No. 1 hit on both the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. “Unleash the Dragon” has been certified 4X platinum by the RIAA, double platinum in Canada and gold in the UK. Dru Hill was originally planned to reunite in late 2000 but conflicts within the group prevented them to do so. During this period, Sisqo made his hosting debut with the dance competition program on MTV, “Sisqó's Shakedown” (2000). Besides, he tried his hand in acting with a guest spots in “Linc's” (2000) and “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch” (2001). He made his feature acting debut in the comedy/romance “Get Over It” (2001), opposite Kirsten Dunst, Ben Foster and Melissa Sagemiller. There he played the supporting role of Dennis Wallace. Sisqo's second solo album, “Return of the Dragon,” was released on June 19, 2001. The album peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. It went platinum in the US. Despite its commercial success, the album's singles “Can I Live” and “Dance for Me” were commercial failures compared to his debut album. “Return of the Dragon” received a 2001 Grammy nomination for Best R&B Album, an American Music nomination for Favorite R&B/Soul Album and a MTV Video Music nomination for Favorite Male R&B/Soul Album. Sisqo reunited with Dru Hill for their third studio album, “Dru World Order,” which was released on November 26, 2002, the group's first album after four years absence. Beginning with this release, Dru Hill became a quintet, with the addition of fifth member Scola to the original line up. The album peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. It has since been certified platinum by the RIAA. The album yielded three hit singles with “I Should Be...” (#25 US Hot, #6 US R&B), “No Doubt” (# 77 US Hot, # 39 US R&B) and “I Love You” (# 77 US Hot, # 27 US R&B). 2002 also saw Sisqo co-star with Cuba Gooding Jr., James Coburn, Nichelle Nichols and Joanna Bacalso in the live action comedy film “Snow Dogs,” directed by Brian Levan. Though the film earned mostly negative reviews from critics, it was a financial success. The film grossed $81,172,560 against a $33 million budget. In the following year, he played the role of Latrell in the critically acclaimed comedy/drama film “Pieces of April,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2003. The film was written and directed by Peter Hedges. The cast also included Katie Holmes, Derek Luke, Sean Hayes, Alison Pill, Oliver Platt and Patricia Clarkson. Sisqo followed it up three years later with the role of Mo on Joel Silverman's comedy/sport movie, “Surf School” (2006), opposite Harland Williams, Corey Sevier and Ryan Carnes. Sisqo completed his third studio album, “Last Dragon,” for release in 2008. The album's release, however, has since been delayed. The first single, “Who's Ur Daddy,” featuring the new artist E-money, accompanied by a music video, has been released on the Internet. In 2008, Sisqo participated on the first season of the CMT celebrity reality television show “Gone Country,” where contestants compete to become a country music singer. Other contestants were R&B star Bobby Brown, actress Maureen McCormick, American Idol season 3 runner up Diana DeGarmo, Dee Snider of the 1980s metal band Twisted Sister, pop singer Carnie Wilson and the eventual winner Julio Iglesias, Jr.. Still in 2008, Sisqo joined the original quartet version of Dru Hill to tour with fellow 1990s R&B acts Tony! Toni! Toné!, Bell Biv Devoe, and their former producer Keith Sweat. The group appeared on a Baltimore radio station to promote their reunion on March 6 of that year. Woody again left the group and was replaced by a new singer known as Antwuan “Tao” Simpson. Scola had previously left the group, making Dru Hill a quartet again. In early 2010, Sisqo entered the UK “Celebrity Big Brother,” which began on January 3, 2010. He was the 5th person to be kicked out with 29% of the public vote on Day 20 . On July 27, 2010, Dru Hill released the fourth studio album “InDRUpendence Day” through Kedar Entertainment Group label. The album peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and No. 30 on the Billboard 200. It released three singles: “Love MD,” “Remain Silent” and “Back to the Future.” Sisqo's new album “Last Dragon” is set to be released in 2012. Awards: Billboard Music: Male Artist of the Year, 2000 Billboard Music: Male Hot 100 Singles Artist of the Year, 2000 Billboard Music: R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year, 2000 Billboard Music: New R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year, 2000 Billboard Music: R&B/Hip-Hop Male Artist of the Year, 2000 Billboard Music: R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Artist of the Year, 2000 MTV Video Music:Best Hip-Hop Video, Thong Song, 2000 |
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