Melissa Lauren Young (born July 3, 1980), known professionally as Kid Sister, is an American rapper and singer based in Chicago. She is known for her single "Pro Nails", which features Kanye West, and for her covert work as a member of the British music collective Sault.
Kid Sister | |
|---|---|
 Kid Sister in 2008 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Melissa Lauren Young[1] |
| Born | July 3, 1980 Markham, Illinois, U.S. |
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper, singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Labels | Fool's Gold, Downtown, Universal Republic |
| Member of | Sault |
| Website | www |
Biography
editKid Sister was born Melissa Lauren Young on July 3, 1980, in Markham.[2] She started to rap in October 2006, becoming an MC at monthly dance parties hosted by DJ duo Flosstradamus (Josh Young, of Flosstradamus, is Melisa's brother), who were featured in MTV's My Block that same year.[3] She made URB's "The Next 1000" cover in April 2007,[4] and was signed to DJ A-Trak's label, Fool's Gold, who released her first single "Pro Nails", which features Kanye West. Kid Sister later signed with Downtown Records,[5] who re-released "Pro Nails" to critical acclaim.
Kid Sister also appears on Tittsworth's "WTF", from his debut album 12 Steps, with Pase Rock.[6] She had also finished a mixtape with A-Trak.[3] In Fall 2009, Kid Sister finished recording her debut studio album. The title was changed from Dream Date to Ultraviolet. The album was produced by the likes of Rusko, The Count & Sinden, XXXChange, and Brian Kennedy, and includes a collaboration with English singer Estelle titled "First Ladies", which is a remake of Queen Latifah's 1989 acclaimed track "Ladies First" from her debut album All Hail the Queen.[7]
Her single "Control" is featured in the 2009 music video game DJ Hero, combined with Rihanna's "Disturbia". The album's lead single was "Right Hand Hi", produced by Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso of house DJ group Swedish House Mafia.[8]
"I think a lot of people are going to be surprised with the fact that there's a bunch of raw hip-hop records on there," said A-Trak. "It's not all up tempo clubby stuff. I think a lot of people are going to be impressed with her growth also because when she made a lot of the records that people have heard by now, she was just starting to rap."[9]
In late 2010, Kid Sister released a mixtape titled Kiss Kiss Kiss and in 2014 she released a second mixtape, Dusk2Dawn: The Diary of Jane Jupiter in which she tackled more serious, personal subjects. In 2016, she began working on her second album with British producer Inflo. Kid Sister is a member of the British music collective Sault, along with Inflo and British singer-songwriter Cleo Sol.[10]
Personal life
editKid Sister's ethnic background includes African American, Native American, and Caucasian.[11] In numerous interviews and magazine articles, she has revealed that she has struggled financially for years before becoming West's protégé.[12][13] She has also admitted to being 215 pounds at one point in her life. She continued in the same interview to state that she has been "thick" her whole life, but explained that this has had no bearing on her self-esteem, because at her core she is not a passive person.[14]
Kid Sister has a degree in film from Columbia College Chicago and worked on two independent feature films during her studies: 9/11 drama The Guys (2002) starring Sigourney Weaver and Anthony LaPaglia; and Best Thief in the World (2003) starring Mary-Louise Parker and Audra McDonald.[citation needed] Kid Sister for a time concurrently worked for the retail chain Bath & Body Works, Little Threads, a children's clothing store, and Wild Hare, a reggae bar in Wrigleyville.[15]
Discography
editAlbums
edit- Ultraviolet (2009)
Mixtapes
edit- Kiss Kiss Kiss (2011)
- DUSK2DAWN: The Diary of Jane Jupiter (2014)
EPs
edit- Kiss & Tell (2011)
Singles
editSolo
edit| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US sales | UK[16] | UK dance | UK R&B | |||
| 2007 | "Control" | — | — | — | — | — | Ultraviolet |
| 2008 | "Pro Nails" (featuring Kanye West) | — | 21 | — | — | — | |
| 2009 | "Get Fresh" | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Right Hand Hi" | — | — | 97 | — | 31[17] | ||
| 2010 | "Daydreaming" (featuring CeeLo Green) | — | — | 132[18] | 14[19] | — | |
| "Big 'n Bad" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011 | "Look Out Weekend" (featuring Nina Sky) | — | — | — | — | — | Kiss Kiss Kiss |
| "Kiss Kiss Kiss" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019 | "Long Way Back" | — | — | — | — | — | — |
As featured performer
edit| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US sales | UK[16] | UK dance | UK R&B | |||
| 2008 | "Beeper" (The Count & Sinden featuring Kid Sister) | — | — | 69 | 1 | — | Non-album single |
| 2010 | "Do Do! Do!" (Carte Blanche featuring Kid Sister) | — | — | — | Black Billionaires | ||
| 2010 | "Im'ma Get It" (Paul Wall featuring Kid Sister and Bun B) | — | — | — | — | — | Heart of a Champion |
Awards and nominations
edit- BET Awards
- 2008: Best Female Hip-Hop Artist (nominated)
References
edit- ^ "BIG N BAD". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
- ^ downtown (November 5, 2009). "Kid Sister's Ultraviolet Out November 17th – Just Day's Away!!". RCRD LBL. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved November 5, 2009.
- ^ Tankboy (March 15, 2007). "Chicago Kids Do Big Things". Chicagoist. Gothamist. Archived from the original on September 19, 2008. Retrieved January 21, 2008.
- ^ Bolden, Janeé (February 28, 2008). "Kid Sister Signs With Downtown Records". SOHH. Archived from the original on June 16, 2008. Retrieved February 28, 2008.
- ^ Queen, Neil (August 8, 2008). "WTF feat Pase Rock and Kid Sister by Tittsworth". The Times. Times Newspapers. Retrieved September 1, 2008.[dead link]
- ^ "Kid Sister & Estelle Pay Homage to Hip-Hop's First Ladies". Rap-Up. October 20, 2008. Retrieved July 10, 2009.
- ^ Dombal, Ryan (July 10, 2009). "Kid Sister Talks Album Delay, New Single". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved July 10, 2009.
- ^ Dow, Danica (August 31, 2008). "SOHH EXCLUSIVE: A-Trak Plans "Dream Date" W/ Kid Sister, Strikes Gold In New Label". SOHH. Archived from the original on September 11, 2008. Retrieved September 1, 2008.
- ^ "Sault Untitled Rise". The New Yorker.
- ^ Cruz, Richard (March 8, 2009). "Kid Sister". Format Magazine. Retrieved July 6, 2009.
- ^ Mr Goldbar (July 7, 2008). "Kid Sister URB Photoshoot on Vimby". Fool's Gold Records. Retrieved July 11, 2008.
- ^ "article in press album on myspace page". Myspace. Retrieved July 11, 2008.
- ^ "Complex Women Kid Sister". Complex. Archived from the original on 2008-07-11.
- ^ Schroeder, Amy (September 1, 2008). "How does a Catholic school girl become a hip-hop star?". Venus Zine. Archived from the original on December 25, 2010. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
- ^ a b "Kid Sister". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2012-03-26.
- ^ "2009-12-12 Top 40 R&B Singles Archive". Official Charts Company. 2009-12-12. Retrieved 2012-03-26.
- ^ Retrieved May 3, 2010.
- ^ "2010-05-01 Top 40 Dance Singles Archive". Official Charts Company. 2010-05-01. Retrieved 2012-03-26.