Michel'le
Michel'le | |
|---|---|
| Born | Michel'le Denise Toussant December 5, 1967 California, United States |
| Occupation(s) | R&B vocalist, singer |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Known for | "No More Lies", lead female singer on World Class Wreckin' Cru's "Turn Off the Lights" |
Michel'le Denise Toussant (also spelled Toussaint; born December 5, 1967) is an American R&B vocalist who gained prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Her most successful track, "No More Lies," reached the top ten on the US Hot 100 chart. Between 2013 and 2015, Michel'le was featured on TV One's reality series R&B Divas: Los Angeles and later became the focus of the 2016 biographical film Surviving Compton: Dre, Suge & Michel'le.
Career
Originating from California, Michel'le initially rose to fame as the lead female singer on the World Class Wreckin' Cru’s 1987 hit "Turn Off the Lights," where she replaced Mona Lisa at the last moment. She subsequently signed with Eazy-E’s Ruthless Records. Her debut album, released in 1989 and fully produced by then-partner rapper Dr. Dre, included the single "No More Lies," which climbed to No. 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The album also featured R&B singles such as "Nicety" and "Something in My Heart" and achieved Gold certification in April 1990 for selling over half a million copies domestically. During the notorious Suge Knight confrontation, Jerry Heller was compelled to transfer rights over Dr. Dre, The D.O.C., and Michel'le.[1] Additionally, she participated in the West Coast All-Stars’ Grammy-nominated track "We're All in the Same Gang," collaborating with artists including MC Hammer, Ice-T, and N.W.A members.
In 1998, Michel'le released her sophomore album, Hung Jury, through Death Row Records. The project experienced minimal commercial success, with global sales reported below 100,000 units by 2013. She lent her vocals to 2Pac’s song "Run tha Streets" from All Eyez on Me and Tha Dogg Pound's "Let's Play House" featured on Dogg Food. Following Dr. Dre’s departure from Death Row in 1996, their romantic relationship ended when he became engaged to another woman.
Michel'le contributed to the soundtrack of Dysfunktional in 2003 and has been developing new music while searching for a record label to release a third album. She issued singles including "Freedom to Love" (2011) and "It Still Hurts" (2014), but has not produced a full album since her 1998 release.
In 2013, she joined TV One's R&B Divas LA cast. Despite her involvement with N.W.A.'s history, Michel'le was excluded from the 2015 movie Straight Outta Compton. This omission led to her story being portrayed in Lifetime’s biopic Surviving Compton: Dre, Suge & Michel'le (2016), which depicts her abusive relationships with Dr. Dre and Suge Knight, her experiences at Ruthless Records, and her personal growth. The film serves as an advocacy piece for victims of domestic violence.
Michel'le also appeared portraying herself in the stage adaptation Love Jones: The Musical.
Personal life
Michel'le encountered Dr. Dre (Andre Romelle Young) at age sixteen while recording vocals for his group World Class Wreckin' Cru on their 1987 track "Turn Off the Lights," which peaked at No. 54 on Billboard charts. Their relationship began shortly thereafter, resulting in the birth of their son Marcel in February 1991—Michel'le’s first child and Dre’s sixth. The relationship deteriorated due to Dre’s alcohol abuse, infidelity, and violent behavior. Michel'le has disclosed suffering physical abuse including a broken nose, cracked rib, and multiple bruises. On The Breakfast Club, she revealed that Dre once fired a gun at her during an argument but missed; she kept the bullet lodged in a door as a warning sign. She eventually ended the relationship upon discovering his engagement to another woman.
During this time, Suge Knight, co-founder of Death Row Records, assisted Michel'le in entering rehabilitation. In 1999, she married Suge while he was imprisoned but filed for divorce six years later after learning that their marriage was invalid because Suge remained legally married to his previous wife. Michel'le reported that Suge once assaulted her causing a dislocated jaw. They share a daughter named Bailei (born 2002). In 2009, Michel'le initiated legal proceedings seeking unpaid spousal and child support from Suge.
After criticism regarding Dr. Dre’s omission of prior abuse allegations in the film Straight Outta Compton surfaced in 2015, Dre issued a public apology to those he had harmed. Michel'le questioned the genuineness of this apology, suggesting it was more about protecting his brand image than a sincere personal acknowledgment.
Studio albums
| Year | Album | Highest chart rankings | Certifications | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | AUS | NZ | |||
| 1989 | Michel'le
|
35 | 5 | 143 | 49 |
|
| 1998 | Hung Jury
|
— | 56 | — | — | |
| "—" indicates albums that did not enter the charts. | ||||||
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
AUS | NZ | UK | ||||
| "No More Lies" | 1989 | 7 | 2 | 153 | 27 | 78 |
|
Michel'le |
| "Nicety" | 1990 | 29 | 5 | — | — | — | Michel'le | |
| "Keep Watchin" | 1990 | — | 65 | — | — | — | Michel'le | |
| "Something in My Heart" | 1990 | 31 | 2 | — | — | — | Michel'le | |
| "If?" | 1991 | — | 22 | — | — | — | Michel'le | |
| "Hang Tyme" | 1998 | — | 66 | — | — | — | Hung Jury | |
| "Can I Get a Witness?" | 1998 | — | 70 | — | — | — | Hung Jury | |
Other certified songs
| Title | Year | Certifications | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Run Tha Streetz" (featuring 2Pac, Michel'le, Mutah, and Storm) |
1996 |
|
All Eyez on Me |
External links
- ↑ Details omitted for brevity