T-Love | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Taura Taylor Mendoza |
| Also known as | Taura Taylor-Doucet, Taura Taylor, or Taura Love |
| Born | 1969 Los Angeles, California |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper Journalist |
| Labels | Pickininny Records |
| Formerly of | Vidableu, Urban Prop |
| Website | tauralove |
Taura Taylor Mendoza, also known as Taura Taylor-Doucet, Taura Taylor, or Taura Love, but most commonly known as T-Love, (born 1969) is an American rapper.
T-Love, born as Taura Taylor Mendoza in Los Angeles, California, grew up in South Central Los Angeles with Dr. Dre. [1] She began her career producing demos for Eazy-E and Jerry Heller's Ruthless Records and later recorded under the name Urban Prop at Capitol Records. [2] At the age of 15, she made her debut on LA radio station KDAY. [1] Simultaneously, she became a journalist, writing for magazines such as Vibe, URB, Hip Hop Connection , and The Source , and contributed to books such as It's Not About a Salary and Girl Power. [1] [3] During her journalism career, she interviewed film director Spike Jonze and musicians such as Beastie Boys, Run-DMC, Kool Keith, Snoop Dogg, Erykah Badu, Ultramagnetic MCs. [1] [3]
In 1997, T-Love founded jazz-hop group Vidableu while living in France. [4]
In 1998, after leaving Capitol, T-Love founded Pickininny Records. [1] The label released music from Jurassic 5 and her EP, Return of the B-Girl. [3] By the late 1990s, she engaged in international collaborations with DJ Ollie Teeba of The Herbaliser and members from the Ninja Tune label. [2] Though she initially planned to end her music career with the EP, its success, especially in the UK, inspired her to continue. [1]
Mendoza then relocated to London, where she found a more appreciative audience, even performing at the Glastonbury Festival. [1] In 2003, she released a full-length album, Long Way Back, through Astralwerks. [1] [5] [6] The album, which combined rap with elements of soul and jazz, included tracks that reflected personal experiences, heritage, and various musical influences. [1] Apart from rapping, the album also highlighted her singing talents. [1]
During her career, T-Love worked with music producers such as Jay Dee, [7] Muddfoot aka The Alchemist, [8] The Herbaliser, and Dwele. [7] She also recorded vocals on commercially released songs for French hip-hop group Hocus Pocus. [9]
In the 2023 West Adams Neighborhood Council election, Taura Taylor Doucet was elected as an At-Large Representative. [10]