At that time, it was based love, the initial attraction that draws you to music. Felton comments that that alter ego was engendered for complicated reasons: "Chronkite represents that part of every artist who started what they're doing singing in front of a mirror as a child with a brush in their hand. Ellington Felton and Asheru of Unspoken Heard, hiding his face behind a hooded sweatshirt performing under the alias Chronkite.
While promoting the album, DeVaughn took to wearing a crown and cape at shows, a ploy to make himself stand out, calling himself the "Underground King." Around this time, DeVaughn also began making appearances at different shows in D.C. DeVaughn's first Jive Records release " The Love Experience", was acclaimed, selling around 250,000 units.
DeVaughn ultimately gained the attention of veteran producers DJ Jazzy Jeff (as Rahiem) and Kenny Burns (known as former A&R for Roc-A-Fella Records) and with the help of Vines signed a recording contract with Jive Records in 2002.ĭeVaughn's first solo single released on a major label was the song entitled "Guess Who Loves You More", his second single was "You". Jerry Vines, now the singer's longtime manager, met DeVaughn while managing the Baltimore-based quartet Dru Hill and asked him to write a song for the group. He won $2,000 from the Washington DC nightclub Bar Nun talent show.
Locally in the DC Metro area he attained relatively quick success, winning local awards and successfully releasing some independent work over the next few years. music circuit-performing with various groups, the most prominent of which being Urbanave31, and at venues such as the State of the Union and Bar Nun on U Street NW, all while having CDs of his songs ready at hand. He has two sons.ĬareerDeVaughn took up a job at Tower Records, where while putting price tags on CDs, he began working the D.C. Personal life He is a cousin of singer Chrisette Michele.
His focus turned to becoming a professional singer. cutting class to write lyrics and record". DeVaughn said his focus became music: "Before I knew what was going on, I was. DeVaughn had an epiphany early in his college career at Coppin State University in Baltimore City, when he saw a group of street corner singers and began harmonizing with them. He graduated from High Point High School in Beltsville, Maryland, an unincorporated section of Prince George's County. With his father, DeVaughn attended gigs and experienced his first taste of the life of a working musician. DeVaughn visited his father during the summer, mainly in New Jersey. One of his favorite artists was Babyface, and Smith recalls that her son once begged her to visit the Waxie Maxie's record store in the District to buy a promotional picture of the singer. DeVaughn's love for music solidified during his early teens, when he began to envision his career path.
His mother states that her son first expressed an affinity towards music in preschool, recalling how whenever the class had musical events, he would conduct them. It features the singles "Woman", and "Customer".ĭeVaughn was nominated for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 2008 Grammy Awards for the single "Woman".īiographyDeVaughn, the son of jazz cellist Abdul Wadud was born in Newark, New Jersey and raised in Maryland ( Montgomery and Prince George's counties) by his mother, Imani Smith, a now retired federal worker. His sophomore album Love Behind the Melody was released in January 2008. Raheem Videos are also featured on KT's Videos.Īnd "You". It featured the singles "Guess Who Loves You More" His debut album, The Love Experience (2005), reached No. Who is Raheem DeVaughn? The B side music world knows hims as an American singer and songwriter.