Kendra Foster

Last updated

Kendra Marie Foster (born January 29, 1978) is an American singer-songwriter, session singer and backup vocalist. A two-time Grammy Award-winner, she has performed with artists including George Clinton, Parliament-Funkadelic, Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z and D'Angelo and The Vanguard. [1]

Contents

Early life

A woman of African American descent and a natural redhead, as a young girl in Tallahassee, Florida Foster began singing at her local Baptist church. She developed an interest in jazz in high school, and learned jazz standards performed by singers including Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Nancy Wilson, and Ella Fitzgerald. She attended Florida A&M University, where she became a member of Orchesis Contemporary Dance Theatre and took part in the Urban Bush Women Institute. [2]

Career

While in college Foster met George Clinton through a mutual friend who was working as an engineer at Clinton's recording studio. Foster recorded at the studio; after a year, Clinton noticed her and signed her to a production deal. She later toured as a member of Parliament-Funkadelic. [3] [4]

Foster released her debut album, Myriadmorphonicbiocorpomelodicrealityshapeshifter, in 2003 via a production deal with Clinton. Her self-titled second album, Kendra Foster, was released in 2016. [5] Her songs "Step into the Light" and "Promise To Stay Here" (from her self-titled album) were featured on BET’s Being Mary Jane and STARZ’s Hightown series respectively. [6] [4]

In 2016, in addition to singing, she co-wrote eight out of 12 songs on D'Angelo's critically-acclaimed album, Black Messiah. [1]

Collaborations

A credited songwriter on "A Warning for the Heart" on Sunshine Anderson's The Sun Shines Again and on Snoop Dogg's album Coolaid ("Side Piece"), Foster sang on Clinton's How Late Do U Have 2BB4UR Absent? album. ("U Can Depend On Me", "Bounce 2 This" and "Trust In Yourself"). She is featured on the song "Questions" by Domo Genesis on his self-titled debut studio album. [7]

Discography and contributions

With Bootsy Collins

Kendra Foster

With George Clinton

WithVarious Artist

With Da BackWudz

WithElectrofunkadelica

With Armin van Buuren

With D'Angelo

With D'Angelo and the Vanguard

With Crucial Conflict

WithBlake Jarrell

WithLynwood Rose

With Sunshine Anderson

WithVarious Artists

With Funkadelic

With Domo Genesis

With Snoop Dogg

With Chris Dave and the Drumhedz

With Parliament

WithMichael Blume

With Ben Williams

WithYOUNG JIMMY

With Jeymes Samuel, D'angelo and Jay-Z

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Clinton (funk musician)</span> American singer, songwriter and record producer

George Edward Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and bandleader. His Parliament-Funkadelic collective developed an influential and eclectic form of funk music during the 1970s that drew on Afrofuturism, outlandish fashion, psychedelia, and surreal humor. He launched his solo career with the 1982 album Computer Games and would go on to influence 1990s hip-hop and G-funk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parliament-Funkadelic</span> American funk music collective

Parliament-Funkadelic is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their eclectic style has drawn on psychedelia, outlandish fashion, and surreal humor. They released albums such as Maggot Brain (1971), Mothership Connection (1975), and One Nation Under a Groove (1978) to critical praise, and scored charting hits with singles such as "Tear the Roof Off the Sucker" (1975) and "Flash Light" (1978). Overall, the collective achieved thirteen top ten hits in the American R&B music charts between 1967 and 1983, including six number one hits. Their work would have an influential effect on subsequent funk, post-punk, hip-hop, and techno artists of the 1980s and 1990s, while their collective mythology would help pioneer Afrofuturism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Funkadelic</span> American rock band

Funkadelic was an American funk rock band formed in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1968 and active until 1982. As one of the two flagship groups of George Clinton's P-Funk collective, they helped pioneer the funk music culture of the 1970s. Funkadelic initially formed as a backing band for Clinton's vocal group the Parliaments, but eventually pursued a heavier, psychedelic rock-oriented sound in their own recordings. They released acclaimed albums such as Maggot Brain (1971) and One Nation Under a Groove (1978).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D'Angelo</span> American singer

Michael Eugene Archer, better known by his stage name D'Angelo, is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He first garnered attention after co-producing the single "U Will Know" for R&B supergroup Black Men United. His debut studio album, Brown Sugar (1995), was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and received widespread acclaim from music critics, who have credited the album for ushering in the neo soul movement. His third single, "Lady", reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100.

<i>Stretchin Out in Bootsys Rubber Band</i> 1976 studio album by Bootsys Rubber Band

Stretchin' Out in Bootsy's Rubber Band is the first album by American funk and soul band Bootsy's Rubber Band, an offshoot act of Parliament-Funkadelic led by bassist and vocalist William "Bootsy" Collins. It was released on January 30, 1976, on Warner Bros. Records.

Dawn Silva is an American funk vocalist.

Rosalind Mallia Franklin, also known as The Queen Of Funk, was a vocalist of the American funk band Parliament-Funkadelic. She introduced friends George Clinton and Bootsy Collins in 1971, and brought ex-Ohio Player Junie Morrison to the band in 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerome Brailey</span> American drummer

Jerome Eugene "Bigfoot" Brailey is an American drummer, best known for his work with P-Funk, which included the bands Parliament, Funkadelic, and numerous related projects. Brailey is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let Me Ride</span> 1993 single by Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg

"Let Me Ride" is a song by rapper and producer Dr. Dre, released in 1993 as the third and final single from his debut studio album, The Chronic. It experienced moderate success on the charts, until it became a massive hit when Dre won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance for the song during the Grammy Awards of 1994. The song features singers Ruben and Jewell, and uncredited vocals by fellow rapper Snoop Dogg

<span class="mw-page-title-main">P-Funk Mothership</span> Fictional space vehicle used by musician George Clinton

The P Funk Mothership, also known as The Mothership or The Holy Mothership, is a space vehicle model belonging to Dr. Funkenstein, an alter ego of funk musician George Clinton. An integral part of the P-Funk mythology, the Mothership existed conceptually as a fictional vehicle of funk deliverance and as a physical prop central to Parliament-Funkadelic concerts during the 1970s and 1990s.

<i>Play with Bootsy</i> 2002 studio album by Bootsy Collins

Play with Bootsy is an album by Parliament-Funkadelic bassist Bootsy Collins. The album was originally released in 2002 by East-West Records, which is distributed by the Warner Music Group in Germany and by Warner Music-Japan. It was later released in the U.S. by Thump Records. The album represents Bootsy's 12th studio album. The album features a number of prominent rappers/musicians including Snoop Dogg, Fat Joe, Daz, Bobby Womack, Chuck D, Kelli Ali and Lady Miss Kier from Deee Lite.

<i>Christmas Is 4 Ever</i> 2006 studio album by Bootsy Collins

Christmas Is 4 Ever is a 2006 Christmas-themed album by Parliament-Funkadelic bassist Bootsy Collins. The album was released in the United States by the Shout Factory label and by P-Vine Records in Japan. The album represents the first Christmas album made by any member of the P-Funk musical collective. The album features re-workings of Christmas standards such as "Silent Night", "Merry Christmas Baby", and "Sleigh Ride", as well as original compositions such as "Happy Holidaze".

<i>Black Messiah</i> (album) 2014 studio album by DAngelo and the Vanguard

Black Messiah is the third studio album by American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist D'Angelo, credited to D'Angelo and the Vanguard. It was released on December 15, 2014, through RCA Records, more than a decade after his previous solo release Voodoo. The album was produced and mostly written by D'Angelo, who collaborated with musicians including percussionist Questlove, bassist Pino Palladino, guitarist Isaiah Sharkey, and horn player Roy Hargrove. He pursued an entirely analog and murky funk sound for the record, lending it comparisons to the 1971 Sly & the Family Stone album There's a Riot Goin' On.

Stanley Harris Jr. is a music producer, rapper and singer in Los Angeles, California. He records under the stage name Quaze or Quazedelic. He received his big break into the music industry when rapper Snoop Dogg signed him to Doggystyle Records in 2001. He is most recognized for his funk music style production. His first major release with the Doggystyle Records crew was on the soundtrack of Undercover Brother, where he produced the single, Give Up the Funk. The song featured Snoop Dogg, Bootsy Collins, Fred Wesley, Kokane and Quazedelic. Later he went on to work with many other Hip-Hop and R&B artists like Angie Stone, Baby Bash, G-Unit, Dub C, Redman, Suga Free and Goldie Loc from the Eastsidaz.

<i>Doggumentary</i> 2011 studio album by Snoop Dogg

Doggumentary is the eleventh studio album by American West Coast hip hop recording artist Snoop Dogg. It was released on March 29, 2011 on the Priority Records record label. The album was produced by Battlecat, The Cataracs, Gorillaz, David Banner, THX, DJ Khalil, Fredwreck, Jake One, David Guetta, Mike Dean, Jeff Bhasker, Lex Luger, Meech Wells, Mr. Porter, Rick Rock, Rick Rude, Scoop DeVille, Scott Storch, Warryn Campbell, Kanye West, DJ Reflex, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Dave</span> American drummer

Chris "Daddy" Dave is a drummer, composer, and bandleader from Houston, Texas. He attended Howard University. He is a drummer in jazz, gospel, hip hop, noted for his extremely virtuosic sticking technique and ability to play with a high degree of syncopation. He performed professionally as a gospel drummer with the Winans, before being introduced to jazz audiences nationally through his association with the accomplished alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett. He performed on Kenny Garrett's album Standard of Language, before joining the Robert Glasper Experiment and performing on Adele's Grammy Award winning album, 21. He also recorded on D'Angelo's album Black Messiah, and joined the band for the world tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peaches N Cream (Snoop Dogg song)</span> 2015 single by Snoop Dogg featuring Charlie Wilson

"Peaches N Cream" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Snoop Dogg, featuring vocals from American singer Charlie Wilson. was released on March 10, 2015, as the first single of his thirteenth studio album Bush, with the record labels I Am Other and Columbia Records. The song was produced by Pharrell Williams, who also participated in the band composition, along with the interpreters and Nelly, Garry Shider, George Clinton, James Brown, Robert Ginyard, Jr., Mary Brockert, and Walter Morrison.

<i>Coolaid</i> 2016 studio album by Snoop Dogg

Coolaid is the fourteenth studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on July 1, 2016, by Doggystyle Records and eOne Music. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2015 to 2016 at the Doggystyle Studios Records, in Diamond Bar, California. The production on the album was handled by Snoop Dogg and other record producers, including Just Blaze, Swizz Beatz and Timbaland. Snoop Dogg also enlisted a variety of guest vocalists such as Too $hort, Swizz Beatz, Jeremih, Wiz Khalifa, Trick Trick, E-40, Jazze Pha, Suga Free and October London, among others.

Ben Kane is a producer, engineer and mixer best known for his work with D'Angelo and his studio, Electric Garden.

References

  1. 1 2 Bynum, Taylor Ho (2015-01-21). "An Inescapable Voice on "Black Messiah"". The New Yorker. ISSN   0028-792X . Retrieved 2023-07-05.
  2. "She's Grammy-winner Kendra Foster now". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
  3. "Singer Kendra Foster On Her Rise To Stardom". Essence. 2020-10-27. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
  4. 1 2 Bartee, Richardine (2016-06-23). "Life After Black Messiah: Kendra Foster Steps Out On Her Own". Brooklyn Magazine. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
  5. Harris, Keith (2016-06-27). "Kendra Foster 'Kendra Foster' Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
  6. Platon, Adelle (April 5, 2016). "Singer Kendra Foster Debuts Funky Love Note 'Promise To Stay Here' (Premiere)". Billboard .
  7. "Domo Genesis: Genesis". Pitchfork.
  8. "D'Angelo and Jay-Z Collaborate for First Time on Nine-Minute Jam 'I Want You Forever'". 12 January 2024.