Monroe Free Library

"Cardi B was born Belcalis Almanzar on October 11, 1992, to parents of Dominican and Trinidadian descent. Her meteoric rise to the top of the music industry includes becoming the first female rapper since Lauryn Hill to reach number one on Billboards Hot 100 Chart with her 2017 single Bodak Yellow (Money Moves). She has gone from checking out groceries in a lower Manhattan supermarket to being one of the fastest-charting artists in Billboards history....

"Born in Barbados, Rihanna knew at a young age that she wanted to become a musician. Overcoming a tough childhood added to her need to succeed and follow her dreams. After being discovered at a chance concert for two New York City music producers, her journey to stardom began. In this booyou'll'll learn more about her beginnings, her biggest highlights in music, the endeavors and projects she's focused on, her film career, and how exactly she came...

DJ Khaled, born Khaled Mohamed Khaled in New Orleans, Louisiana, on November 26, 1975, spent the first several years of his adult life working as a sales associate in a record shop and hosting his own radio program before launching his career with his first album in 2006. Since that first release, DJ Khaled has worked with some of the biggest names in hip-hop, making a name for himself as an artist and helping to further popularize the art form. DJ...

Travis Scott (Jacques Bermon Webster Jr.) works as a rapper, actor, fashion designer, model, producer, songwriter, and philanthropist. He is also the father of one child with his significant other, Kylie Jenner. Scott established himself first in Houston, Texas, then in both the New York City and Los Angeles rap games. He began his career in high school, working in musical groups and building the network that would allow him to sleep on floors and...

Nicki Minaj is a rapper, actor, businesswoman, model, screenwriter, philanthropist, and fashion icon. Today, she is one of the most successful rap artists in the world and has won many accolades for her award-winning albums, mixtapes, and videos. She has sold more than ninety million singles and albums worldwide, ranking her one of the highest-selling rap artists of all time. Minaj is also known for her highly creative stage costumes, colorful wigs,...

John Legend (John Roger Stephens) works as a musician, an actor, entrepreneur, model, and philanthropist. Homeschooled until the age of 12, Legend graduated from Springfield North High School at age 16, then matriculated to the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a bachelor's degree in English with an emphasis on African American literature. Legend worked as a music minister for nine years while building his early music career. Legend's hip-hop...

Post Malone (Austin Richard Post) works as a musician, a shoe designer, a voice-over artist, and a philanthropist. From his SoundCloud launch to placing 14 songs on the Billboard Top 40 at one time, Post Malone has vaulted himself to success. He started out playing heavy metal in a high-school band but transitioned to hip-hop to go solo. He moved from Grapevine, TX, to Los Angeles, CA, to pursue his music career. Aside from his music, Malone has begun...