| Raphael Saadiq Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 8 in |
| Weight | 74 kg |
| Date of Birth | May 14, 1966 |
| Zodiac Sign | Taurus |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Raphael Saadiq is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who is better known as one of the members of the mega-popular and multiplatinum group Tony! Toni! Toné!. As a solo artist, he has produced songs for a ton of artists including Joss Stone, D’Angelo, TLC, En Vogue, Mary J. Blige, Ledisi, Whitney Houston, Solange Knowles, and John Legend.
Born Name
Charles Ray Wiggins
Nick Name
Ray Ray, Raphael Saadiq
Sun Sign
Taurus
Born Place
Oakland, California, United States
Nationality
Occupation
Singer, Songwriter, Multi-instrumentalist, Record Producer
Family
- Siblings – He has 13 siblings.
Manager
He self-manages himself.
Genres
R&B, Soul, Neo Soul
Instruments
Vocals, Bass Guitar, Guitar, Keyboards
Labels
- Columbia Records
- Pookie
- Universal Records
Build
Athletic
Height
5 ft 8 in or 173 cm
Weight
74 kg or 163 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
Raphael Saadiq has dated –
- Joss Stone (2007-2008)
Race / Ethnicity
Black
He is of African-American descent.
Hair Color
Black
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
Thick Lips
Brand Endorsements
In 2012, he signed a deal with Toyota for a TV commercial for the Toyota Prius.
Raphael Saadiq Facts
- He is the second-youngest of 14 siblings.
- Amidst all the sorrows and tragedies he went through following the deaths of his siblings while he was young, he stated that he never wishes for his music to be mirrored of his bad experiences.
- He started playing the bass guitar at the age of 6.
- He started singing at the age of 9 in a local gospel group. At the age of 12, Saadiq joined a group called “The Gospel Humminbirds”.
- Saadiq landed a professional career in the music industry after he became the lead vocalist and bassist of rhythm and blues and dance trio Tony! Toni! Toné!. During his early years with the band, he used the name Raphael Wiggins alongside his brother Dwayne Wiggins and cousin Timothy Christian. The group was a major success all throughout the late 1980s and 1990s but it disbanded in 1997 shortly after the release on their album House of Music in 1996.
- In the mid-1990s, he changed his last name to Saadiq which translates to “man of his word” in Arabie. Changing his surname caused many to speculate that he had converted to Islam but the truth was that he is not a Muslim and just opted using “Saadiq” to distinguish himself and avoid confusion with his brother Dwayne Wiggins.
- In 1995, his solo track Ask of You came into view and turned out to be his biggest hit to date. It was featured on the Higher Learning Soundtrack, peaked at no. 19 on Billboard Hot 100, and no. 2 on the R&B chart. Around the same time, he also produced and performed on Otis & Shug’s debut album We Can Do Whatever.
- In 2002, he founded his own record label, Pookie Entertainment. Among the artists signed under this label were Joi and Truth Hurts. In that same year, he also released his first solo album Instant Vintage which earned him 3 Grammy Award nominations which were on top of his another 2 Grammy Award nominations for his writing work on Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop).
- He performed in the 4th results show of Dancing with the Stars (season 13) in 2011.
- In 2013, he released his first promotional mixtape called Raphael Saadiq Presents Adrian Marcel 7 Days of Weak.
- He was a featured bass guitar player on Elton John‘s 2013 album The Diving Board.
Featured Image by David Shankbone / Wikimedia / CC-BY-3.0
