Amil (rapper)

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Amil
Birth name Amil Kahala Whitehead
Born (1978-09-19) September 19, 1978 (age 46)
Origin New York City, New York, United States
Genres Hip hop, Gangsta rap, Hardcore hip hop
Occupation(s) Rapper, Singer-songwriter, record producer, actress
Years active 1994-present
Labels Roc-A-Fella/Columbia (1997-2001)
D.O.E (2007–present)
Associated acts Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Memphis Bleek, AZ, Diego Byrd, Beanie Sigel

Amil Kahala Whitehead (born September 19, 1978), known mononymously as Amil, is an American female rapper, singer, and songwriter from New York City.[1] She was prominent in the late 1990s as a Jay-Z protégé, most notably on the single "Can I Get A..." from the Rush Hour soundtrack.

Early life

Amil was born September 19, 1978 in New York, New York.[1] [2] She is of African American, Native American (specifically Cherokee), and Caucasian descent.[3]

Early career

In 1997, Amil was involved with an all-female group called "Major Coins". The group met Jay-Z, who was looking for a woman to provide vocals on his third album, Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life. The part for the female rapper was really for her friend, but when Jay-Z asked Amil to freestyle and liked it, he decided to put her on the song instead. Amil, wanting to remain loyal to her friend, did not prefer to be put on the song, but Jay-Z allowed them both to do a version of the song.[4]

Soon after Major Coins broke up, Amil decided to follow a solo career with Jay-Z's label, Roc-A-Fella Records, joining the 1999 Hard Knock Life Tour. After the tour, she appeared on songs with Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Jermaine Dupri, AZ, DJ Kay Slay, LL Cool J and Funkmaster Flex.[5][6]

Throughout her career, she has appeared on many songs with Jay-Z including "Nigga What, Nigga Who" which also featured Jay-Z, the hit-single, "Can I Get A..." that featured Ja Rule and other collaborations with him including "Hey Papi", "Do It Again (Put Ya Hands Up)", "S Carter", "Heard It All", "You, Me, Him and Her", "That's Right", "Playa" and lastly, "4 Da Fam" and "For My Thugs" that both featured Memphis Bleek and Beanie Siegel.[7] On September 19, 2000 Amil released her debut solo album, A.M.I.L - All Money Is Legal.

All Money Is Legal

Her solo debut, A.M.I.L - All Money Is Legal, was released in 2000. The album featured the hit single "I Got That", a duet with Beyoncé[8] (singer of R&B group Destiny's Child), and All-Star Roc-A-Fella single "4 Da Fam". The album features Memphis Bleek, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Carl Thomas, Eve, and Beanie Sigel. Amil is a practicing Black Hebrew Israelite and her affiliation is evident on songs such as "Quarrels".[9] Album sales were disappointing, and the singles did not sell well either. After that album, her last Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam single was released: "Hey Papi", a song from the soundtrack to the feature film The Nutty Professor II. Due to the fact that she was featured in the video only briefly, it was expected that she had already been dropped by that time. In 2002, Amil had a small role in State Property along with other Roc-a-Fella members such as Dame Dash and Jay-Z.[10]

Later career

In 2005, Amil temporarily re-formed "Major Coinz" and released songs on the mixtape circuit including the single "Glamorous Life" which was featured on MTV Mixtape Monday.[11] In a 2006 interview, when asked whether female MCs are forced to meet standards that male MCs are not, she said: "Oh, yeah. Definitely. You have to be picture-perfect and you have to meet the standards of the perfect woman. That's unreal to me. Real women do not have plastic-looking bodies. The average woman is not a size 0. You can do what you have to do to keep yourself looking like that or you could just be you. Me, I choose to just be me." She went on to say that she holds no grudges against her former labelmates, though she has no communication with them. In 2008, Amil released mixtapes entitled Az Iz and Amil Returns The Lost Classics Edition delivering lyrically with songs such as the emotional "Tears of a Teenage Mother" and the Caribbean vibed "Don't Worry".[12][13] In August 2011, Amil spoke out through Vibe Magazine and gave the following statement about Jay-Z: "I haven't spoken to Jay in years but I really wish I could talk to him because that would just really bring closure to me. But he knows I love him," she says. "People think there was bad blood between us, but there never was any bad blood. Things happen and I wasn't ready for where my career was going at that time. It was really overwhelming."[14] In July 2012, off of her forthcoming mixtape A time to kill, Amil released new music "Stop" [15][16] Amil released new music “Remember" in 2014 off of her forthcoming mixtape Another Moment in Life [17]

Personal life

Amil has four children and was previously involved with rapper Killah Priest, a close affiliate of the Wu-Tang Clan. She is a practicing Hebrew Israelite currently living in North Carolina.[1][18][19][20]

Discography

Albums

Year Album Chart positions [1]
USA United States R&B
2000 All Money Is Legal 45 12
2008 Amil Az Iz

Singles

Year Single Chart positions Album
US United States
Rap		 United States
R&B		 UK
1998 "Can I Get A..."(with Jay-Z & Ja Rule) 19 22 6 24 Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life
1999 "Jigga What, Jigga Who" (with Jay-Z & Jaz-O) 83 24 6 19
"Do It Again (Put Ya Hands Up)"(Jay-Z feat. Beanie Sigel & Amil) 65 9 11 - Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter
2000 "Get None"(Tamar Braxton feat. Jermaine Dupri & Amil) - - 59 - Tamar
"Hey Papi"(Jay-Z feat. Memphis Bleek & Amil) 76 12 16 - Nutty Professor II Soundtrack
"4 Da Fam" (feat. Memphis Bleek, Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel) 99 48 29 - A.M.I.L
"I Got That" (feat. Beyoncé) - - 101 -
"That's Right/Get Down" (promo only) - - - -

Album appearances

Year Song Album
1998 "Can I Get A..."(Jay-Z with Amil & Ja Rule) Rush Hour O.S.T
"Can I Get A..."(Jay-Z with Amil & Ja Rule) Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life
"Jigga What, Jigga Who"(Jay-Z feat. Amil & Jaz-O)
1999 "Playa"(Beanie Sigel feat. Amil & Jay-Z) The Truth
"First One Hit"(Amil & Solé) Light It Up O.S.T
"I Still Believe" (Stevie J. Remix)(Mariah Carey featuring Amil & Mocha) I Still Believe CD single
"S. Carter"(Jay-Z feat. Amil) Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter
"Pop 4 Roc"(Jay-Z feat. Amil, Memphis Bleek & Beanie Sigel)
"Do It Again (Put Ya Hands Up)"(Jay-Z feat. Amil & Beanie Sigel)
"For My Thugs"(Funkmaster Flex feat. Amil & Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek & Beanie Sigel) The Tunnel
"Get None"(Tamar Braxton feat. Jermaine Dupri & Amil) Tamar
2000 "Hello"(LL Cool J feat. Amil) G.O.A.T.
"You, Me, Him and Her"(Beanie Sigel, Amil, Jay-Z & Memphis Bleek) The Dynasty: Roc La Familia
"Hey Papi"(Jay-Z feat. Memphis Bleek & Amil) Nutty Professor II Soundtrack
"PYT"(Memphis Bleek feat. Amil & Jay-Z) The Understanding
"Road Dawgs"(Da Brat, Eve, Jay-Z & Amil) Backstage: A Hard Knock Life
2001 "How Many Wanna"(AZ feat. Amil) 9 Lives
"What Yall Wanna Hear"(Queen Pen feat. Amil) Conversations With Queen
2002 "Can I Get A..."(Jay-Z feat. Amil & Ja Rule) Chapter One: Greatest Hits
2003 "Seven Deadly Sins"(DJ Kayslay feat. Amil, Angie Martinez, Duchess, Lady May, Remy Ma, Sonja Blade & Vita) Streets Sweeper, Vol .1
2006 "Can I Get A..."(Jay-Z feat. Amil & Ja Rule) Jay-Z: Greatest Hits
2008 "A Game"(AZ feat. Amil) Undeniable

References

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External links

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