Coordinates	52°13′45″N20°14′19″N
Name	Nicole Scherzinger
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Nicole Prescovia Elikolani Valiente
Born	June 29, 1978Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Genre	Pop, R&B;
Occupation	Singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer, model, actress, showgirl
Years active	1997–present
Label	A&M;, Interscope
Associated acts	Pussycat Dolls (2003–10), Eden's Crush (2001)
website	}}

Nicole Prescovia Elikolani Valiente Scherzinger (born June 29, 1978) is an American entertainer who is best known as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls. Previously, Scherzinger was a backing vocalist for the late-1990s rock group Days of the New, then she was part of reality TV girl group Eden's Crush. After the disbandment of the group, she joined the Pussycat Dolls and became the group's lead vocalist during their transition into a career in music. With the Pussycat Dolls, she released two albums PCD and Doll Domination and embarked on several concert tours. After leaving the group in December 2010, Scherzinger began a solo career with the release of her debut studio album Killer Love. The album's second single, "Don't Hold Your Breath" peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart, in turn marking her first number one hit as a solo artist.

Scherzinger became the winner of the tenth season of Dancing with the Stars in early 2010, and was hailed by judge Carrie Ann Inaba, "by far the best dancer we've ever had on the show." She will judge the American version of The X Factor which will air in fall 2011.

Early life

Nicole Scherzinger was born in Honolulu, Hawaii in a staunchly Catholic family. Her father, Alfonso Valiente, is Filipino, and her mother, Rosemary, is a mix of Hawaiian and Russian descent. Her mother was eighteen at the time of Scherzinger's birth and lived in an inner city neighborhood.

Nicole's parents separated when she was still a baby. When she was six years old, her maternal family moved to Louisville, Kentucky, with her sister Keala and her German American stepfather Gary Scherzinger.

She first attended Meyzeek Middle School as an adolescent. Growing up, Scherzinger states that she did not have a lot of money and the singer thanks her mother for all the support she gave her to become what she is today. Scherzinger began performing in Louisville, attending the Youth Performing Arts School at duPont Manual High School and performing with Actors Theatre of Louisville. As a teenager, Scherzinger was the first runner-up at the 1996 Kentucky State Fair's Coca-Cola Talent Classic contest. Scherzinger majored in acting and musical theatre at Wright State University, where she played Velma Kelly in Chicago and Julie La Verne in Show Boat but put her studies on hold in 1999 to sing backing vocals for the rock band Days of the New.

Music career

2001–03: Eden's Crush and Pre-Pussycat Dolls

In 2001, Scherzinger competed in the premiere season of The WB's television show Popstars, on which she earned a spot in the all-girl pop group Eden's Crush along side the other four chosen members Ivette Sosa, Maile Misajon, Ana Maria Lombo and Rosanna Tavarez . She became one of the main vocalists for the group. Their 2001 US single "Get Over Yourself (Goodbye)" peaked at number one in sales and hit the top ten on Billboard Hot 100. They toured in support of both *NSync and Jessica Simpson. Scherzinger was approached to be the fourth member of The Black Eyed Peas, but was forced to decline because she was a member of Eden's Crush and was under contract, the position was given to Fergie. Later however, Eden's Crush' record company, London-Sire Records, folded and the group eventually disbanded. In November 2007, Scherzinger spoke of her time in Eden's Crush:

It was hell... I was in a band with five other girls and every day was torture for me. We were on TV all the time and the atmosphere was awful... Every day I was in that band I cried my eyes out. The band was meant to be fun and frivolous but the reality was that it was miserable... I was too sensitive back then, but I got toughened up. I couldn't have gone into the Dolls without my experience in Crush.

After the disbanding of Eden's Crush, Scherzinger made a few promotional solo appearances under the stage name of Nicole Kea, including covering "Breakfast in Bed" for the soundtrack to 50 First Dates in 2003. Scherzinger later worked with Yoshiki of Japanese rock band X Japan on his Violet UK project. She sang the English version of "I'll Be Your Love" live with the Tokyo Symphonic Orchestra. The track also appeared on the 2003 Various Artists album Exposition of Global Harmony.

2003–06: The Pussycat Dolls and PCD

In May 2003, Scherzinger joined the Pussycat Dolls burlesque troupe, who were being re-cast as recording artists. She had first seen them performing on The Late Show with David Letterman in November 2002, where Carmen Electra sang "Big Spender" from the Bob Fosse musical Sweet Charity. In 2006, Scherzinger said "It caught my eye because I’d played Velma Kelly in [Fosse's] Chicago in college." In one interview she spoke of her role with the Pussycat dolls stating that it was a "challenge fronting the group" but that "every girl has something different to bring and add to the success".

The success of PCD brought Scherzinger into the media spotlight and she went on to record a series of duets/guest vocals with a wide array of male vocalists. In 2005, she appeared on recordings by Shaggy, Vittorio Grigolo and Will Smith. In 2006 she sang co-lead vocals with Avant on his single "Lie About Us", and Diddy's hit "Come to Me" (which she also co-wrote). Other appearances are listed in discography. In the biography section of her official website she says that everyone recognises her from the Pussycat Dolls's debut single "Dont Cha" which although amazing does not fulfill her musical desires. When asked what she intended to achieve with her solo career she commented "Some people only have their glasses half full, but there was never a limit to mine." The purpose of the album was to appeal to younger audiences, show them "the heart of Nicole" and show that she is "not always strong and fearless".

2006–09: Her Name Is Nicole and Doll Domination

From 2006 until late 2008 Scherzinger had been working on her debut album which was titled Her Name Is Nicole. She recorded/wrote about 75–100 songs for the album which was supposed to be released in 2007 before being pushed to October 16, 2008 and later into 2009 before being shelved. She told MTV "I've always said that in the Pussycat Dolls, I kind of feel like Superwoman. But that's just one of my alter egos. I've got the vulnerable, lovesick side of me amongst others which all appear on my record." The album saw Scherzinger work with a wide roster of producers and song writers some of whom had worked with Scherzinger for albums with the Pussycat Dolls. Sean Garrett and Polow da Don worked on "Whatever U Like" (featuring T.I.) which was released as the album's lead single on July 24, 2007 but deemed unsuccessful reaching just 57 in Canada. "Baby Love" was the second single released on September 10, 2007. Although well received and compared to the Pussycat Dolls' song "Stickwitu" the track did not chart well in the United States. Internationally the single fared well reaching Top 15 in most countries including the UK, and mainland Europe. It was remixed to be included on Doll Domination as a bonus track. The third single "Supervillain" was described as having a "danceable jam with a catchy chorus" and featured a reggae–dancehall interlude. Written by Rock City and produced by Mad Scientist it was only released to US iTunes in November 2007. The song's synthy melodies and disco-motown feel with Scherzinger's 5-octave range were not enough to chart in the US. Fourth single "Puakenikeni" (a type of flower in Hawaii) also released to iTunes in November was produced by Akon to as a tribute to Scherzinger's heritage but failed to chart. Other songs included the critically acclaimed "Just Say Yes", written by Gary Lightbody (of Snow Patrol) which was a soft and slow song with its pulsing, electronic beat. She told MTV of her excitement to record the song previously rejected by Gwen Stefani. "I'm such a huge fan of Snow Patrol's music, I felt like I was supposed to make it my own. "It's a very honest and truthful song." Ne-Yo gave Scherzinger two songs, "Happily Never After" a slow ballad of which Scherzinger said she felt it "important for young girls to have an empowering message that they deserve better". Interestingly the song was originally written for Britney Spears to record for her album Blackout in 2007. The other song has a tear jerking ballad called "Save Me from Myself" for which Scherzinger helped Ne-Yo in developing the hook before recording the song. When commenting on another song "March" Scherzinger said she wanted a powerful record. "It's about never giving up on your dreams and it’s about what I went through to get where I am today." Timbaland produced and featured on the song "Physical" on which his trademark vocals can be heard over the upbeat melody and thumping baseline. Part of the song was used in the film Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. The album sessions also produced a number of other songs including "When Your Falling" (also co-written by Akon) "Power's Out" a riveting duet with English singer Sting (featured in Revlon adverts with Jessica Alba) and "I M.I.S.S You" written by Pharrell Williams & produced by The Neptunes.

In August 2007 Scherzinger was a guest mentor for judge Sharon Osbourne on the fourth series of the X Factor in the uk for the judges homes section of the compettion.

Doubt was cast over the future of the album when the Pussycat Dolls released their second album Doll Domination which featured some of the songs which had initially been recorded for Scherzinger's own album. "Happily Never After" and "Who's Gonna Love You" were placed on the album with no changes whilst additional backing vocals were added to "When I Grow Up" before it was released as the album's lead single. In 2010 during an interview with X magazine she also revealed that "I Hate This Part", a song which became a top-ten hit in Europe for the Pussycat Dolls, was also intended for her own solo album. Christopher "Tricky Stewart" and The-Dream were also working with Scherzinger and produced, wrote and recorded at least two songs for the album. Both of the known recordings, "Punch You In Your Sleep" and "I'm a Cheat" were re-allocated to The-Dream's ex-wife Christina Milian who has recorded them for her fourth studio album Elope due in 2010. Furthermore it was revealed that Keri Hilson (a writer who has been heavily involved in writing for the Pussycat Dolls) had written a song called "Alienated" for Scherzinger, however when the album was delayed and shelved Hilson reclaimed the song and instead recorded the song with producer Cory Bold for her own debut studio album In a Perfect World… Reviews later went on to give the song critical acclaim for its "electro-blips and whispery raps that are alluring." In September 2009 it was confirmed that the teary ballad, "Just Say Yes" was reclaimed by Gary Lightbody who has since re-tooled and reworked the song. It was released as the lead single from his band, Snow Patrol's compilation album Up to Now, on November 2, 2009. Addressing the delayed release of her solo album, in September 2008 Scherzinger said, "Despite what other people might write, it was my decision, ultimately. I actually put some of my solo songs on the Pussycat Dolls' new album Doll Domination. Everything is all about timing. I believe it will come out next year, and it will be able to coexist wonderfully with the Dolls' album. It's completely separate from what you've heard with "Baby Love" and "Whatever U Like," and I'm still working on it — that's what happens when you're a perfectionist." She was interviewed by Billboard magazine in April 2009 regarding her own career plans as well as what The Dolls were up to. She said "the current incarnation of the album is just in talks and in the writing process. I haven't started recording yet." She plans to enter the studio again after the Pussycat Dolls have finished their World Domination Tour. Speaking about the project Scherzinger said she will be working again with Will.i.am, Timbaland as well as with new associates Lady Gaga and A.R. Rahman. In April 2008, Scherzinger recorded a cover version of "Rio" by Duran Duran for an advertising campaign for Unilever's Caress brand of body wash. A commercial video was released, and the single was released via download only, after May 2008. In 2008, in support of Barack Obama, she was one of many musicians to contribute to a track by will.i.am called "Yes We Can". Also on September 5, 2008, Scherzinger joined an all-star cast to perform the charity song "Just Stand Up" on live TV. The Pussycat Dolls returned to the Music scene on May 27, 2008 with the new single "When I Grow Up" which reached number nine on the U.S. Hot 100 and number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play. The song topped several European charts and became a worldwide top ten hit. The follow-up single "Whatcha Think About That" with Missy Elliott failed to enter the U.S. charts but managed to reach top 20 in several other countries including the UK with a limited release.

After a slight delay and with two singles released the album, Doll Domination was finally released as a standard and deluxe edition. The latter featured a disc with a solo song by each of the girls. The album debuted at number four on the Billboard 200, with 79,000 copies sold in its first week beating their debut album by one chart position but selling 20,000 less copies. It only spent seven weeks in the top 100, compared with their debut album which sat in the top 100 for nearly one year. In January 2009 it re-entered the top 100 following several more successful singles. The album in original form spawned two other singles, worldwide top 20 hit "I Hate This Part" and the number-one club song "Bottle Pop" which only received a limited release in the US and Oceania. On January 2009 they embarked their second world tour called Doll Domination Tour to support Doll Domination. Lady Gaga opened for them in Europe and Australia, while Ne-Yo supported the Pussycat Dolls in the UK leg. In mid-2009 they opened for Britney Spears' tour The Circus Starring Britney Spears on the first leg in North America. In April 2009 Scherzinger confirmed to Billboard that the album would be re-released to give more people a chance to get their music. In Europe the album was re-released with three or four new songs. In Australia a compilation called Doll Domination 2.0 was released with six songs from the original version plus four new songs whereas the UK received a six-song EP called Doll Domination: The Mini Collection released on April 27, 2009 featuring four of the original songs plus a remix and a new song. In August 2009 the album was repackaged once more, this time as Doll Domination 3.0 to include all of the previously released bonus songs on one CD with the original album. Its release was limited to Europe and the UK where the group's singles had all reached top 20. The repackaged versions spawned two more singles: the worldwide number one "Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)" (featured on the soundtrack for Slumdog Millionaire) and euro-pop remix of "Hush Hush" (retitled "Hush Hush; Hush Hush") which reached top 20 internationally. Following Scherzinger's over-emphasis in the release of these two singles there were several emotional outbursts to the media including one by Thornton during one of the group's appearances on tour. Scherzinger performed "America the Beautiful" at WWE's WrestleMania XXV in Houston, Texas at the Reliant Stadium on April 5, 2009. Nicole Scherzinger performed with guitarist Slash on October 2 in Las Vegas.

2010–present: Killer Love and The X Factor

Scherzinger confirmed that she has done one song with Slash for his solo album Slash released in April 2010. On February 1, 2010 along with other artists Scherzinger had re-recorded "We Are the World", a charity single for the victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. The song debuted during NBC's coverage of the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics. It was released as a single on iTunes on February 12, 2010 accompanied by the music video. Reports of a second attempt at a solo album surfaced in January 2010 when Contactmusic reported that singersongwriter Ne-Yo is working with Scherzinger on new material. Ne-Yo had previously given two songs he wrote, "Save Me From Myself" and "Happily Never After", to Scherzinger for Her Name Is Nicole. Of the new collaborations he said,"she is putting all her energy into her work". He was also quoted as saying }}

On January 26, 2010, it was revealed that Jay Sean and Scherzinger were both working on something in the studio together. The video was originally posted to twitter but has been uploaded to the general internet too and shows the pair having a good time at Hit Factory (Criteria) record studios in Miami, Florida. In the video Scherzinger reveals she has been recording in the studio which Mariah Carey created some of her best known material as well as 'Studio F' where Sean recorded "Down" with Lil Wayne and where Scherzinger previously laid down vocals for Timbaland's hit single "Scream" with Keri Hilson. The pair also made note to T-Pain and Lil Wayne who were present at the studio. It is unknown whether the pair achieved any musical success e.g. recorded any usable songs and it is unknown if the records are for an upcoming single for Jay Sean, the upcoming third album from the Pussycat Dolls or Scherzinger's own heavily delayed studio album which is also due for release in 2010. Separately it was reported that she was working with Chuck Harmony whose previous credits include Rihanna's top-ten hit "Russian Roulette" (2009) as well as multiple credits on Ne-Yo's Year of the Gentleman (2008) and Mary J. Blige's Growing Pains (2007). "My music that I’m working on now for my album might have a little more rock, funk, soul edge, but it’s basically in the genre of popular music and it’s just honest music, fun music".

Rap Up first reported her intention to release a new song on May 23, 2010 stating that "The single ["Nobody Can Change Me"] is an empowering song, so it’s very much like Pussycat Dolls, but it’s just [Nicole] singing the same thing". Scherzinger herself described the single as "uplifting and powerful song with a deep meaning" During one radio interview she the song was recorded at night whilst she was competing on season ten of U.S. reality competition, Dancing with the Stars. It was mastered on May 23, 2010 ready for its premiere on Ryan Seacrest's KIIS FM radio show the following day. Amongst the first to review the song was Beck Bain of Idolator. She was not impressed, "after listening to the treacly pop tune, we think she has a better shot at becoming a full-time sailor than reviving her solo career anytime soon. ... Her voice sounds a little bit higher/squeakier than usual, and the overproduction of the track certainly doesn’t help—we know this girl can saaang, and this generic pop song about empowerment or independence or some other vague 'let me be me' message does nothing to utilize her vocal range. ... And if Nicole wants to win the public back, it’s probably in her best interest to release a thumping dance track with sex appeal than an uninspired, uninteresting message song." However Amos Barshad of New York magazine actually liked the song stating that "there’s none of the Pussycat Doll’s forced sexiness here; instead, it sounds like something that could have just missed the final cut on a Kelly Clarkson album (that is sort of supposed to be a compliment, yeah)."

In June 2010 Scherzinger was a replacement guest judge on Simon Cowell's British talent show X Factor due to regular judge Dannii Minogue on maternity leave in Australia. Scherzinger stood in for Minogue at the Manchester auditions. In August 2010 regular judge Cheryl Cole fell ill with Maleria and Scherzinger stepped in again this time as a replacement judge for Cole during the Bootcamp Stage of the compettion.

Then in August 2010 Moroccan electropop producer RedOne was interviewed by the BBC. In the interview he revealed he had been working on Scherzinger's album. "I just finished her album. Her last one never came out because it was collecting hamburgers, like fast food. One from McDonald's, one from Burger King, and so on. It tasted good, but it wasn't consistent. Her new record – people are really going to go crazy about it because it's the real her." Scherzinger confirmed these reports in a September 2010 interview with X magazine. In reference to Her Name is Nicole she said "It was actually my decision not to put it out, not the label's". Then she said "I've been working with RedOne, which is an honour. He's an unbelievable producer and musician. He had made some amazing songs with Lady Gaga. Now, there is someone with the 'x factor'. I can't touch GaGa or RedOne in that space, but I know that we've created something unique of our own." Scherzinger's new single, "Poison", premiered on her official website and YouTube account on October 14, 2010. It is due for release on November 29, 2010. A picture from the video shoot was revealed by MTV, showing Scherzinger dressed provocatively. "Poison" serves as the first single from the album and peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart becoming Scherzinger's most successful single, until her #1 hit with "Don't Hold Your Breath" in Spring of 2011.

On November 18, 2010, she joined Prince on-stage during his concert in Abu Dhabi. While working with RedOne she has also recorded vocals for songs which will be included on Mohombi's debut album. Mohombi is the first signee to RedOne's record label. Scherzinger appeared at the Jingle Bell Ball at London's O2 Arena on December 4, 2010. The second single, "Don't Hold Your Breath", was released on March 13, 2011 and preceded the album, Killer Love, which was released March 21, 2011. The song debuted at #1 on the UK Singles Chart.

Scherzinger released her third single, "Right There" which features American rapper, 50 Cent on June 6, 2011 at the United Kingdom. The single was also released in the United States as her first American lead single for her debut album, Killer Love. "Right There" was sent to mainstream radio in the US on May 24, 2011. On June 12, she performed at Capital FM's Summertime Ball at Wembley Stadium in London.

On May 5, 2011, Scherzinger was announced as one of two co-hosts of the first season of the American version of Simon Cowell's The X Factor alongside Steve Jones, set to premiere on FOX in September 2011. On June 6, 2011, a Fox press release announced Scherzinger would replace Cheryl Cole, whose contract Fox had terminated, following the third show. Scherzinger will serve as judge alongside Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid, leaving Jones to host by himself. The show will premiere on Fox on September 21, 2011

On August 16, 2011, Scherzinger released "Don't Hold Your Breath" in the United States as her second US single. Her first US single,"Right There (feat. 50 Cent)" & "Don't Hold Your Breath" will precede her debut album, "Killer Love" which is set to be released in the US in November. Scherzinger also released a music video for "Wet", which is currently a UK single, on August 15, 2011.

Other ventures

Scherzinger has made minor appearances as an actress. She appeared in the TV comedy, Half & Half, My Wife and Kids and the 2003 film Love Don't Cost a Thing. She also had a role in 2001 as one of the "Pop Stars" in the episode "Finally!" of the show Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, in Wanda at Large, Chasing Papi, Be Cool and Cane. Scherzinger was supposed to cast in one of the lead roles in the upcoming movie with the Filipino Boxing Champion Manny Pacquiao together with professional wrestler Dave Batista. She was about to play the leading lady of the Filipino Champ but it was cancelled and her role went to the filipina actress Ruffa Mae Quinto. She also made an appearance in the Nickelodeon show Big Time Rush as herself.

In 2006, she made a "Bench Body" brand underwear commercial in the Philippines and in October 2008, she promoted Clear Shampoo and Conditioner. Both commercials were reportedly aired throughout Southeast Asia. She appeared in a Nike shoe commercial with basketball player LeBron James. In 2010 she made a commercial for the C&A; campaign. In late 2009, it was reported that Scherzinger is working closely with Andrew Lloyd Webber on the musical Love Never Dies, the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera.

In December 2009, Scherzinger served as a celebrity judge on NBC's reality singing competition, The Sing-Off, along with singer-songwriter Ben Folds and Boyz II Men bandmember Shawn Stockman. The show was hosted by singer Nick Lachey. Scherzinger's role was to critique performances of the competitors and vote on eliminations in all but the final round, which was determined by audience vote. In the show finale, Scherzinger performed "You Don't Own Me" with competition finalists the Beelzebubs of Tufts University. She returned to her role as judge for a second season of The Sing-Off in December 2010.

On March 1, 2010, it was announced that Scherzinger would be a celebrity contestant on Dancing with the Stars for the tenth season and would be partnered with Season 7 champion Derek Hough. On May 25, 2010 Nicole won Dancing with the Stars season 10. On June 4, 2010, it was announced that Nicole would take on the role of Maureen in the Hollywood Bowl production of the rock musical Rent, directed by Neil Patrick Harris. She played the role from August 6–8, 2010.

On July 1, 2010, MTV reported the media mogal Simon Cowell had hired Scherzinger as a guest judge for season seven of the UK reality TV series The X Factor after regular judge Danni Minogue went on maternity leave. According to The Daily Mail she is one of several celebrities being considered for a role on the U.S. version of The X Factor and so the role on the UK version served as an important screen test and opportunity to impress the producers. Following praise from the show's producers, Scherzinger was asked to return as a guest judge after it was discovered that Cole had contracted malaria and was unable to film the 'bootcamp' stages of the competition. Fellow judge and permanent panel member Louis Walsh praised Scherzinger, saying "My favourite though was Nicole who I had never met before. This girl has the X Factor in every way. She just got it, was incredibly impressive and ticked every box." The host of the show, Dermot O'Leary, also praised Scherzinger, saying she was his favourite guest judge. "She was brilliant, tailor-made for it and hilarious too. We were all stunned by her beauty." Scherzinger left her mark on the competition after she persuaded producers to change the ages of the judging categories. An X Factor spokesman told the media that "At Nicole's suggestion, and agreed by Simon and Louis, the boys' and girls' category age limit has been increased to 28. The judges believe this will strengthen the competition and talent." Additionally it was reported that Scherzinger will be asked to help Cowell or Walsh during the "judges' houses" stages of the competition where each judge is given a category of acts to mentor and then, with the help of other celebrities and musicians, they choose three acts to take through the live finals.

In 2010, Scherzinger appeared in the How I Met Your Mother episode "Glitter", as Robin Scherbatsky's former best friend, Jessica Glitter. She has also recorded a version of "GoldenEye" — the theme song of the 1995 Bond film GoldenEye — for the 2010 video game GoldenEye 007. Scherzinger is currently slated to play Lilly in the upcoming film Men in Black III, to be released May 25, 2012.

In May 2011, Scherzinger was announced as one of the two co-hosts of the American version of The X Factor alongside Steve Jones. However, on June 6 Fox confirmed that Nicole would replace Cheryl Cole as a judge and that Steve Jones will now serve as the sole host for the show.

Scherzinger has frequently appeared in FHM Magazine's 100 Sexiest Women poll, ranking at #73 in 2010, #60 in 2009, #49 in 2008, #22 in 2007 and #49 in 2006. In 2011 she jumped 64 places to rank number nine.

Personal life

Scherzinger considers herself a devout Catholic. After a three-year relationship and engagement to 311 singer Nick Hexum, as well as a fling with reality TV star Talan Torriero, Scherzinger began dating 2008 Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton, who currently races for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes.

Over the past five years Scherzinger was ranked in Maxim's Hot 100 at 22 and 21 in 2006 and 2007 respectively. In 2008 she ranked at number 19 along with the Pussycat Dolls. In 2009, she ranked at number 49 and in 2010 landed at number 24.

Discography

Killer Love (2011)

Filmography

Television

!Year	!Title	!Role	Notes
	Half & Half	Jasmine
My Wife & Kids	Veronica	The Kyles Go to Hawaii: Part 1,2
		Guest judge
	Contestant & Winner
How I Met Your Mother	Jessica Glitter
	Danse avec les stars	Guest	Season 1 Final of Dancing with the Stars (France)
Big Time Rush	Herself	1 Episode
	Herself	Judge, Season 1 – Present (2011–Present)

Films

!Year	!Title	!Role	Notes
		Champagne Girl
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle	Dancer (with theThe Pussycat Dolls)	(uncredited)
	Men in Black III	Lily	Post-production

Awards and nominations

Year	Nominated work	Event	Award	Result
2010	Nicole Scherzinger	Virgin Media Music Awards	Hottest Female
2011	Nicole Scherzinger	Italian TRL Awards	Best Look

References

External links

Xfactor 2011 Uk community

Category:1978 births Category:Actors from Hawaii Category:Actors from Kentucky Category:American dance musicians Category:American dancers Category:American female singers Category:American film actors Category:American pop singers Category:American mezzo-sopranos Category:Singers with a five octave vocal range Category:American rhythm and blues singers Category:American people of Filipino descent Category:American people of Russian descent Category:American Roman Catholics Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Hawaii Category:Native Hawaiian people ! Category:Participants in American reality television series Category:People from Honolulu, Hawaii Category:People from Louisville, Kentucky Category:People of Native Hawaiian descent Category:Reality show winners Category:The X Factor judges Category:Wright State University alumni Category:The X Factor (UK) Category:The X Factor hosts

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Coordinates	52°13′45″N20°14′19″N
Name	50 Cent
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Curtis James Jackson III
Origin	South Jamaica, Queens, New York, United States
Birth date	July 06, 1975
Genre	Hip hop
Occupation	Rapper
Years active	1997–present
Label	Shady, Aftermath, Interscope
Former label	Jam Master Jay Records, Columbia Records
Associated acts	G-Unit, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Sha Money XL
Website	}}

Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor.

He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003) and The Massacre (2005). His album Get Rich or Die Tryin' has been certified six times platinum by the RIAA.

Born in South Jamaica, Queens, Jackson began drug dealing at the age of twelve during the 1980s crack epidemic. After leaving drug dealing to pursue a rap career, he was shot at and struck by nine bullets during an incident in 2000.

After releasing his album Guess Who's Back? in 2002, Jackson was discovered by rapper Eminem and signed to Interscope Records. With the help of Eminem and Dr. Dre, who produced his first major commercial successes, Jackson became one of the world's highest selling rappers. In 2003, he founded the record label G-Unit Records, which signed several successful rappers such as Young Buck, Lloyd Banks, and Tony Yayo.

Jackson has engaged in feuds with other rappers including Ja Rule, Nas, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Cam'ron, Puff Daddy, Rick Ross, and former G-Unit members The Game and Young Buck. He has also pursued an acting career, appearing in the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin' in 2005, the Iraq War film Home of the Brave in 2006, and Righteous Kill in 2008. 50 Cent was ranked as the sixth best artist of the 2000s by Billboard magazine. The magazine also ranked him as the fourth top male artist and as the third top rapper behind Eminem and Nelly. Billboard magazine also ranked him as the sixth best and most successful Hot 100 Artist of the 2000s and as the number one rap artist of the 2000s. Billboard ranked his album Get Rich or Die Tryin' as the twelfth best album of the 2000s and his album The Massacre as the 37th best album of the 2000s. As of September 2011, 50 Cent is working on his yet-to-be-titled fifth studio album, which is set to be released in December 2011.

Early life

Curtis Jackson III grew up in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, in New York City. He grew up without a father and was raised by his mother, Sabrina, who gave birth to him at the age of fifteen.

Sabrina, a cocaine dealer, raised Jackson until the age of twelve, when she was killed in 1988. Twenty-seven at the time, she became unconscious after someone drugged her drink. She was then left for dead after the gas in her apartment was turned on and the windows shut closed.

After her death, Jackson moved into his grandparents' house with his eight aunts and uncles. He recalls, "My grandmother told me, 'Your mother's not coming home. She's not gonna come back to pick you up. You're gonna stay with us now.' That's when I started adjusting to the streets a little bit".

Jackson began boxing around the age of eleven.

At fourteen, a neighbor opened a boxing gym for local kids.

"When I wasn't killing time in school, I was sparring in the gym or selling crack on the strip", he recalled. In the mid 1980s, he competed in the Junior Olympics as an amateur boxer. He recounts, "I was competitive in the ring and hip-hop is competitive too... I think rappers condition themselves like boxers, so they all kind of feel like they're the champ". At the age of twelve, Jackson began dealing narcotics when his grandparents thought he was at after-school programs. He also took guns and drug money to school. In the tenth grade, he was caught by metal detectors at Andrew Jackson High School. He later stated, "I was embarrassed that I got arrested like that... After I got arrested I stopped hiding it. I was telling my grandmother [openly], 'I sell drugs.'"

Following time spent in a correctional boot camp, Jackson adopted the nickname "50 Cent" as a metaphor for "change". The name was derived from Kelvin Martin, a 1980s Brooklyn robber known as "50 Cent". Jackson chose the name "because it says everything I want it to say. I'm the same kind of person 50 Cent was. I provide for myself by any means".

Music career

1996–2000: Early career

Jackson started rapping in a friend's basement where he used turntables to record over instrumentals. In 1996, a friend introduced him to Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC who was organizing his label Jam Master Jay Records.

Jay taught him how to count bars, write choruses, structure songs, and how to make a record. Jackson's first official appearance was on a song titled "React" with the group Onyx on their 1998 album Shut 'Em Down. He credited Jam Master Jay as an influence who helped him improve his ability to write hooks. Jay produced Jackson's first album; however, it was never released.

In 1999, after leaving Jam Master Jay, the platinum-selling producers Trackmasters took notice of Jackson and signed him to Columbia Records. They sent him to a studio in Upstate New York where he produced thirty-six songs in two weeks. Eighteen were included on his unofficially released album, Power of the Dollar in 2000. He also started the now-defunct Hollow Point Entertainment with former G-Unit affiliate Bang 'Em Smurf.

Jackson's popularity started to increase after the successful but controversial underground single, "How to Rob", which he wrote in half an hour while in a car on the way to a studio. The track comically explains how he would rob famous artists. He explained the reasoning behind song's content as, "There's a hundred artists on that label, you gotta separate yourself from that group and make yourself relevant". Rappers Jay-Z, Kurupt, Sticky Fingaz, Big Pun, DMX, Wyclef Jean and the Wu-Tang Clan replied to the song and Nas, who received the track positively, invited Jackson to travel on a promotional tour for his Nastradamus album. The song was intended to be released with "Thug Love" featuring Destiny's Child, but two days before he was scheduled to film the "Thug Love" music video, Jackson was shot and confined to a hospital due to his injuries.

2000–01: Shooting

On May 24, 2000, Jackson was attacked by a gunman, alleged to be Darryl "Hommo" Baum, outside his grandmother's former home in South Jamaica, Queens. He went into a friend's car, but was asked to return to the house to get jewelry.

His son was in the house, while his grandmother was in the front yard. Upon returning to the back seat of the car and already seated, another car pulled up nearby. An assailant then walked up to Jackson's left side with a 9mm handgun and fired nine shots at close range. He was shot nine times: in the hand (around hit his right thumb, to where the bullet passed through and out his little finger), arm, hip, both legs, chest, and his face (his left cheek). The face wound resulted in a swollen tongue, the loss of a wisdom tooth, and a small slur in his voice. His friend also sustained a gunshot wound to the hand. They were driven to the hospital where Jackson spent thirteen days.

Baum, the alleged shooter, was killed three weeks later.

Baum was also Mike Tyson's close friend and bodyguard.

Jackson recalled the incident saying, "It happens so fast that you don't even get a chance to shoot back.... I was scared the whole time.... I was looking in the rear-view mirror like, 'Oh @#!*% , somebody shot me in the face! It burns, burns, burns.'" In his autobiography, From Pieces to Weight: Once upon a Time in Southside Queens, he wrote, "After I got shot nine times at close range and didn't die, I started to think that I must have a purpose in life... How much more damage could that shell have done? Give me an inch in this direction or that one, and I'm gone". He used a walker for the first six weeks and fully recovered after five months. When he left the hospital, he stayed in the Poconos with his then-girlfriend and son. His workout regime helped him attain his muscular physique.

While in the hospital, Jackson signed a publishing deal with Columbia Records. However, he was dropped from the label and "blacklisted" in the recording industry because of his song "Ghetto Qu'ran".

Unable to find a studio to work with in the U.S, he traveled to Canada. Along with his business partner Sha Money XL, he recorded over thirty songs for mixtapes, with the purpose of building a reputation.

According to Shady Records A&R; Marc Labelle in an interview with HitQuarters, Jackson shrewdly used the mixtape circuit to his own advantage saying, "He took all the hottest beats from every artist and flipped them with better hooks. They then got into all the markets on the mixtapes and all the mixtape DJs were messing with them." Jackson's popularity rose and in 2002, he released material independently on the mixtape, Guess Who's Back?. Beginning to attract interest, and now backed by G-Unit, Jackson continued to release music including 50 Cent Is the Future. The mixtape revisited material by Jay-Z and Raphael Saadiq.

2002–2009: Rise to fame

In 2002, Eminem listened to a copy of Jackson's Guess Who's Back? CD. He received the CD through Jackson's attorney, who was working with Eminem's manager Paul Rosenberg. Impressed with the album, Eminem invited Jackson to fly to Los Angeles, where he was introduced to Dr. Dre. After signing a $1 million record deal, Jackson released the mixtape, No Mercy, No Fear. It featured one new track, "Wanksta", which was put on Eminem's 8 Mile soundtrack. He was also signed to Chris Lighty's Violator Management and Sha Money XL's Money Management Group.

In February 2003, Jackson released his commercial debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin'. Allmusic described it as "probably the most hyped debut album by a rap artist in about a decade". Rolling Stone noted the album for its "dark synth grooves, buzzy keyboards and a persistently funky bounce" with Jackson complementing the production in "an unflappable, laid-back flow".

It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 872,000 copies in the first four days. The lead single, "In da Club", which The Source noted for its "blaring horns, funky organs, guitar riffs and sparse hand claps", broke a Billboard record as the most listened-to song in radio history within a week.

Interscope granted Jackson his own label, G-Unit Records in 2003. He signed Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, and Young Buck as the established members of G-Unit. The Game was later signed under a joint venture with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment.

In March 2005, Jackson's second commercial album, The Massacre, sold 1.14 million copies in the first four days-the highest in an abbreviated sales cycle- and peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 for six weeks.

He became the first solo artist to have three singles on the Billboard top five in the same week with "Candy Shop", "Disco Inferno", and "How We Do". Rolling Stone noted that "50's secret weapon is his singing voice - the deceptively amateur-sounding tenor croon that he deploys on almost every chorus".

After The Game's departure, Jackson signed singer Olivia and rap veterans Mobb Deep to G-Unit Records. Spider Loc, M.O.P., 40 Glocc and Young Hot Rod later joined the label. Jackson expressed interest in working with rappers outside of G-Unit, such as Lil' Scrappy of BME, LL Cool J from Def Jam, Mase from Bad Boy, and Freeway of Roc-A-Fella, some of whom he recorded with. In September 2007, he released his third album Curtis, which was inspired by his life before Get Rich or Die Tryin'. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 691,000 units in the first week, behind Kanye West's Graduation, whom he had a sales competition with, as both albums were released on the same day.

He confirmed on TRL on September 10, 2008 that his fourth studio album, Before I Self Destruct, will be "done and released in November".

On May 18, 2009, Jackson released a song entitled "Ok, You're Right". The song was produced by Dr. Dre and was included in Before I Self Destruct.

In Fall 2009, 50 Cent appeared in the new season of VH1's Behind The Music.

On September 3, 2009 months upon the release of his "Before I Self Destruct" album 50 Cent posted a video for the Soundkillers' Phoenix produced track "Flight 187" which introduced his mixtape, the 50th LAW, and was also featured as a bonus track on his iTunes release of Before I Self Destruct. The song ignited speculation that there was tension between rapper 50 Cent and Jay Z for Jackson's comments in the song.

2010–present

In an interview with the British entertainment website ContactMusic, 50 Cent announced that he was working on a dance album named Black Magic. 50 Cent said he was inspired by the European nightclubs. "First they played hip-hop which suddenly changed to uptempo songs, known as Eurodance". He went on The Invitation Tour in the summer of 2010, in support of Before I Self Destruct album, and the then shelved Black Magic album. He "recorded 20 songs to a whole different album concept" before he put those to the side and did something different.

50 Cent revealed that he wanted his new album to have the same "aggression" as his debut record, Get Rich or Die Tryin'.

He later tweeted that the album was "80 percent done", and stated that fans can expect the album in the summer of 2011; however, the album has been delayed to 2012 at the earliest, due to tensions and disagreements at Interscope Records, Later 50 Cent said that he will release his album in November of 2011 and it has also been confirmed that "Black Magic" will not be the album's title. 50 Cent has already confirmed that Eminem will appear on the album, but he also confirmed that he has been working with new producers such as Boi-1da and Alex da Kid. Cardiak, who produced Lloyd Banks' “Start It Up”, also confirmed that he had produced a song for the upcoming album.

DJ Whoo Kid confirmed in an interview that 50 Cent was filming a new movie with Robert DeNiro in New Orleans.

50 Cent released the first song from his fifth studio album, titled "Outlaw", to the Internet on June 16, 2011.

The single was produced by Cardiak.

It was released to iTunes on July 19, 2011, although 50 Cent confirmed through his Twitter account that the song was not the album's first single.

50 Cent is set to release a book titled Playground.

Unlike his previous literary efforts — which focus on his life story and the rules of power — this time he's aiming at a teen audience with a semi-autobiographical novel about bullying. According to a statement from the book's publisher, the first-person novel is slated for release in January 2012 and will tell the story of a 13-year-old schoolyard bully "who finds redemption as he faces what he's done."

50 Cent has promised to deliver his fifth studio album album over the past few years, but the LP may be delayed until 2012. In a series of tweets, 50 Cent explained that him and his label Interscope Records aren’t on the same page on how to roll out the album and that he’s delaying its release until they see eye to eye.

50 Cent later suggested that his album will be releasing in November 2011, along with his headphone line SMS by 50.

50 Cent spoke to MTV in relation to the possibility of leaving Interscope Records. "I don't know," 50 told MTV News when asked if he would ink back with Interscope once his five-album deal was fulfilled. "It will all be clear in the negotiations following me turning this actual album in. And, of course, the performance and how they actually treat the work will determine whether you still want to stay in that position or not."

On June 20, 2011, 50 Cent announced that he will release an LP titled Before I Self Destruct II. The announced sequel to his 2009 LP is suggested to be released after his fifth studio album.

On June 26, 2011, 50 Cent planned to shoot a music video for the lead single from his fifth studio album titled I'm On It. However, the music video never surfaced.

50 Cent spoke to Shade45 in relation guest appearances for his fifth studio album. "I did four songs in Detroit with Eminem. I did two with Just Blaze, a Boi-1da joint, and I did something with Alex da Kid. We made two that are definite singles and the other two are the kinds of records that we been making, more aimed at my core audience, more aggressive, more of a different kind of energy to it."

In September 2011, 50 Cent released a song titled "Street King Energy Track #7" in attempt to promote his charitable energy drink Street King.

On September 28, 2011, it was confirmed that 50 Cent is shooting a music video for his lead single from his fifth studio album titled "Girls Go Wild", which features Jeremih.

On October 26, 2011, 50 Cent announced that his fifth studio album will be released in December 2011.

Other ventures

Jackson has established himself in a variety of fields. In November 2003, he signed a five-year deal with Reebok to distribute a "G-Unit Sneakers" line as part of his G-Unit Clothing Company. He provided the voice-over as the protagonist in the video game 50 Cent: Bulletproof, which was released for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and the PlayStation Portable.

Its sequel, 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, was released in early 2009. He worked with Glacéau to create a vitamin water drink called Formula 50. In 2007, Coca-Cola purchased Glacéau for US$4.1 billion. Forbes estimated Jackson, who owns a stake in the company, earned $100 million from the deal after taxes. He has teamed up with Right Guard to launch a body spray called Pure 50 RGX Body Spray and a condom line called Magic Stick Condoms, in which he planned to donate part of the proceeds to HIV awareness.

Jackson has signed a multi-year deal with Steiner Sports to sell his memorabilia.

In 2005, Jackson made a cameo appearance on The Simpsons episode "Pranksta Rap", in which he makes light of his legal troubles. The same year, he starred alongside Terrence Howard in the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin'. He starred in the 2006 film Home of the Brave, as a soldier returning home from the Iraq War, traumatized after killing an Iraqi woman.

Jackson is working on a role as a fighter in an Angola State Prison in Spectacular Regret alongside Nicolas Cage, and starred opposite Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in 2008's Righteous Kill, a movie regarding a police death.

He also started the film production companies G-Unit Films in 2007 and Cheetah Vision in 2008.

In August 2007, Jackson announced plans to launch a dietary supplement company in conjunction with his movie Spectacular Regret.

In August 2005, shortly before appearing in Get Rich or Die Tryin', Jackson published an autobiography entitled From Pieces to Weight: Once upon a Time in Southside Queens. In it, Jackson explores the cultural and economic forces that led him to sell cocaine and crack, details his entrepreneurship as a drug-dealer and then as a rapper, and reflects on his own ethos and on society.

On January 4, 2007, Jackson launched his G-Unit Books imprint at the Time Warner Building. He also co-wrote The Ski Mask Way, a novel about a small-time drug dealer who attempts to rob his employers, which is to be turned into a film. Jackson said he read Robert Greene's The 33 Strategies of War and worked with the author on a book titled The 50th Law, an urban take on The 48 Laws of Power. In May 2008, Jackson met billionaire Patrice Motsepe to forge a joint venture selling 50 Cent-branded platinum.

In 2008, Jackson started a reality television show on MTV titled 50 Cent: The Money and the Power; the winning contestant, Ryan Mayberry, won a $100,000 investment from Jackson.

On September 8, 2009, he published his book The 50th Law.

In 2010, Jackson's film company Cheetah Vision landed $200 million in funding.

In July 2011, 50 Cent revealed his initiative to provide food for millions of people in Africa by 2016. 50 Cent teamed up with Pure Growth Partners to launch a charitable energy drink called Street King that will help aid in combating world hunger. For every purchase of Street King, a portion of the sales will go to providing a daily meal to an underprivileged child around the world. The partnership coincides with Fiddy’s mission statement of feeding a billion people in Africa over the next five years.

“50 Cent and I share a common vision: To address the world’s problems through smart and sustainable business models,” said Chris Clark, the founder and CEO of Pure Growth Partners. “With the rampant starvation in Africa and hunger afflicting children worldwide, we need socially responsible businesses that affect real change now more than ever.”

50 concurs, stating, “I’m inspired by Clarke’s vision and innovative approaches to tackling serious issues. It’s our mission with Street King to really change children’s lives around the world.”

Personal life

Jackson has a tattoo of "Marquise" with an axe on his right biceps. "The axe is 'cause I'm a warrior. I don't want him to be one, though," he explains. He also has "50", "Southside", and "Cold World" inscribed on his back because "I'm a product of that environment. It's on my back, though, so it's all behind me."

Family

On October 13, 1997, Jackson's then-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins gave birth to a son, Marquise Jackson.

The birth of his son changed Jackson's outlook on life: "When my son came into my life, my priorities changed, because I wanted to have the relationship with him, that I didn't have with my father." He credited his son for inspiring his career and being "motivation to go in a different direction".

Politics

In 2005, Jackson expressed support for President George Walker Bush after rapper Kanye West criticized him for the slow response in assisting the Hurricane Katrina victims.

If his felony convictions did not prevent him from voting, he claimed he would have voted for Bush.

He later stated that Bush "has less compassion than the average human. By all means, I don't aspire to be like George Bush."

Wealth

In 2007, Jackson was the second wealthiest performer in the rap industry, behind Jay-Z. He resides in Farmington, Connecticut, in the former mansion of ex-boxer Mike Tyson.

He put the mansion for sale at $18.5 million to move closer to his son who lives in Long Island with his ex-girlfriend. On October 12, 2007, the Mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut declared it "50 Cent Curtis Jackson Day". He was honored with a key to the city and an official proclamation.

One of his homes in New York purchased for 2.4 million dollars in January 2007 and at the center of a lawsuit between Jackson and ex-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins caught fire on May 30, 2008 while he was out of town filming for a movie in Louisiana.

In December 2008 Jackson told the Canadian press that he had been affected by the recession, losing several million dollars in the stock market as an investor. He also went on to say that he had been unable to sell his Connecticut mansion and pushed Before I Self-Destruct back because of the recent economic downturn.

Legal issues

On June 29, 1994, Jackson was arrested for helping to sell four vials of cocaine to an undercover police officer. He was arrested again three weeks later when police searched his home and found heroin, ten ounces of crack cocaine, and a starter gun.

He was sentenced to three to nine years in prison, but managed to serve six months in a shock incarceration boot camp where he earned his GED. Jackson said that he did not use cocaine himself, he only sold it.

His ex-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins sued Jackson for $50 million, claiming that he said that he would take care of her for life; the suit, which includes 15 claims was later dismissed by a judge, calling it "an unfortunate tale of a love relationship gone sour."

50 Cent was sentenced to two years probation on July 22, 2005 from an incident in May 2004 when 50 Cent jumped into the audience after being hit with a water bottle. He was charged with three counts of assault and battery.

Lawsuits

On July 21, 2007, Jackson filed a $1 million lawsuit against advertising company Traffix Inc. of Pearl River, New York for using his image in a promotion which he claims threatens his safety.

He became aware of the internet ad after one of his staff members saw it on a MySpace page. According to court documents, the ad features a cartoon image of the rapper and the message: "shoot the rapper and you will win $5000 or five ring tones guaranteed".

Though the ad did not use his name, the image allegedly intended to resemble him, suggesting he endorsed the ad.

The lawsuit calls it a "vile, tasteless and despicable" use of 50 Cent's image that "quite literally calls for violence against him". The lawsuit seeks for unspecified punitive damages and a permanent injunction against the use of his image without permission.

In November 2009, 50 Cent won in a lawsuit against Taco Bell over the fast food chain using his name to promote the brand without his permission.

Feuds

How to Rob

50 Cent said that he intended the single to be a joke, and not meant to disrespect anybody. Nevertheless, a number of rappers mentioned on the song responded on record.

The comments made towards the Wu-Tang Clan were responded to on the Ghostface Killah album Supreme Clientele on a track called "Ghost Deini" and even more directly on a skit called "Clyde Smith" which included one of the Wu-Tang Clan members talking about how they intended to harm the rapper, which is identifiable as Raekwon when the track is sped up. A supposed diss song, "Who the @#!*% Is 50 Cent", which circulated the web in the beginning of 2001 was rumored to be by the Clan, but was proven to be recorded by Polite of American Cream Team (Raekwon's then-side project).

Jay-Z also reacted to the comments in the track called "It's Hot (Some Like It Hot)", off the album Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter:

"Go against Jigga yo' @#!*% is dense I'm about a dollar, what the @#!*% is 50 Cents?"

Sticky Fingaz responded to the diss with the track "Jackin' for Beats."

"The real 50 from Brooklyn god bless he got outed You just a fake clown who front and rout about it."

Big Pun responds to this track on his album Yeeeah Baby, in the song "My Turn."

"And to the 50 Cent Rapper, very funny – get your nut off, 'cuz in real life, we all know I'd blow your @#!*% head off...If I'm gonna write a song, it'll be about how I had to beat your @#!*% ' @#!*% . And that'll be the name of the @#!*% : 'That's Why I Had To Beat Your @#!*% @#!*% ', featuring Tony Sunshine."

Kurupt responded on the diss track "Callin' Out Names."

"Now it's 50 mc's that ain't worth @#!*% Get ya @#!*% kicked 50 times, beat to 10 cent"

Wyclef Jean responded on the song "Low Income", from his 2000 album, The Ecleftic.

"I stay so hungry that if 50 Cent came to rob me he'd be part of my charity."

Murder Inc.

Before signing with Interscope, Jackson engaged in a well-publicized dispute with rapper Ja Rule and his label The Inc. Records. Jackson claims that a friend robbed Ja Rule of his jewelry and that Ja Rule accused him of setting it up. However, Ja Rule claimed the conflict stemmed from a video shoot in Queens because Jackson did not like seeing him "getting so much love" from the neighborhood. In March 2000, while at The Hit Factory studio in New York, Jackson had an altercation with Murder Inc. associates. He was treated for three stitches after receiving a stab wound. Rapper Black Child claimed responsibility for the stabbing, saying he acted in self-defense because he thought someone reached for a gun.

An affidavit by an IRS agent suggested that Murder Inc. had ties to Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, a New York drug lord who was suspected of being involved in the murder of Jam Master Jay and the shooting of Jackson. An excerpt of the affidavit read:

In an interview with MTV, Ja Rule acknowledged his defeat against 50 Cent and stated that his new album, The Mirror, will not be continuing any past feuds that he has engaged in. He said: There was a lot of things I wanted to say, and I didn't want there to be any bitter records on the album. Because I'm not bitter about anything that happened [in the past few years].

Fat Joe, Nas & Jadakiss

Before releasing The Massacre, Jackson recorded a song "Piggy Bank", a response to Ja Rule's song "New York", which was leaked before the album's release. The song takes aim at rappers including Fat Joe, Nas, and Jadakiss. Fat Joe responded with a song, "My Fofo", accusing Jackson of taking steroids, hiding in his home, and being jealous of The Game. Jadakiss also responded with a song, "Checkmate", and said that Jackson was trying to "create a buzz for his new album". The "Piggy Bank" music video portrays animated caricatures of Jadakiss (as a Ninja turtle), Fat Joe (as King Hippo from Mike Tyson's Punch-Out), Nas (as a kid chasing a "milkshake" truck in a Superman costume), and The Game (as Mr. Potato Head). He also disses all of them on the beef version of his single "Window Shopper" Kelis, Nas's wife, responded to the song on her single "Bossy". Nas later responded with "Don't Body Ya Self (MC Burial)." Nas later dissed 50 on the song "Street Ridaz" on Game's mixtape "Brake Lights".

Sean Combs

Jackson spoke negatively about Bad Boy Entertainment mogul Sean Combs and recorded a song, "Hip-Hop", revealing the reasons behind his negative feelings: primarily, a contract dispute over Mase. In the song, he implied that Diddy knew about The Notorious B.I.G.'s murder and threatened to expose him through former associates. The feud was resolved, with both rappers appearing on MTV's TRL and Sucker Free, respectively, stating that there were no longer problems. The feud reignited in 2010 with 50 Cent dissing Diddy, saying his music "sucks".

Cam'ron

On February 1, 2007, Cam'ron and Jackson had a live argument on The Angie Martinez Show on Hot 97 radio. Jackson commented that Koch Entertainment was a "graveyard", meaning major record labels would not work with their artists. Cam'ron then ridiculed the record sales of G-Unit members Lloyd Banks and Mobb Deep by stating that Jim Jones outsold their albums despite being signed to an independent label and that his group, The Diplomats, had a distribution deal from several labels. Both rappers released "diss" songs with videos on YouTube. Jackson suggested in "Funeral Music" that Cam'ron is no longer able to lead The Diplomats and that Jim Jones should take his place. Cam'ron responded with "Curtis" and "Curtis Pt. II", in which he makes fun of Jackson's appearance, calling him "a gorilla, with rabbit teeth". Jackson responded by releasing "Hold On" with Young Buck.

Game

Although he was close with The Game, before The Game released his debut album The Documentary, they soon became at odds. After its release, Jackson felt The Game was disloyal for saying he did not want to participate in G-Unit's feuds with other rappers and even wanting to work with artists they were feuding with. He also claimed that he wrote six songs on the album and was not receiving proper credit for his work, which The Game denied.

Jackson later dismissed The Game from G-Unit on Hot 97 radio. After the announcement, The Game, who was a guest earlier in the evening, attempted to enter the building with his entourage. After being denied entry, one of his associates was shot in the leg during a confrontation with a group of men leaving the building. When the situation escalated, both rappers held a press conference to announce their reconciliation. Fans had mixed feelings as to whether the rappers created a publicity stunt to boost the sales of the albums they had just released. Nevertheless, even after the situation deflated, G-Unit criticized The Game's street credibility. The group denounced The Game and announced that they will not be featured on his albums. During a Summer Jam performance, The Game launched a boycott of G-Unit called "G-Unot".

After the performance at Summer Jam, The Game responded with "300 Bars and Runnin'", an extended "diss" aimed at G-Unit as well as members of Roc-A-Fella Records on the mixtape You Know What It Is Vol. 3. Jackson responded through his "Piggy Bank" music video, which features The Game as a Mr. Potato Head doll and also parodies other rivals. Since then both groups continued to attack each other. The Game released two more mixtapes, Ghost Unit and a mixtape/DVD called Stop Snitchin, Stop Lyin.

Jackson posted a cover of The Game's head on the body of a male stripper for "Hate It or Love It (G-Unit Radio Part 21)" mixtape, as a response to The Game displaying pictures of G-Unit dressed as Village People. Although he was signed to Aftermath Entertainment, The Game left the label and signed with Geffen Records to terminate his contractual obligations with G-Unit (although others claim Jackson pressured Dr. Dre to kick him off). G-Unit member Spider Loc had also began to insult The Game on various songs. In addition, The Game released "240 Bars (Spider Joke)" and "100 Bars (The Funeral)" both attacking G-Unit, Spider Loc and others. Jackson's response was "Not Rich, Still Lyin'" where he mocks The Game. Lloyd Banks replied to the Game on a Rap City freestyle booth session. The Game quickly released a "diss" record called "SoundScan" where The Game pokes fun at Lloyd Banks' album Rotten Apple falling thirteen spots on the Billboard 200 chart and disappointing second week sales. Lloyd Banks replied on his mixtape Mo' Money In The Bank Pt. 5: Gang Green Season Continues with a song called "Showtime (The Game's Over)". Lloyd Banks states that Jackson wrote half of The Game's first album The Documentary and pokes fun at The Game's suicidal thoughts.

In October 2006, The Game extended a peace treaty to Jackson, which was not immediately replied to. However, a couple days later, on Power 106, he stated that the treaty was only offered for one day. On The Game's album, Doctor's Advocate, he claims that the feud is over on a few of the songs.

In July 2009, The Game stated the beef was squashed with help from Michael Jackson and Diddy, and he apologized for his actions during the beef. Tony Yayo said that neither Jackson (50 Cent) or G-Unit would accept his apology. Since then, The Game continued his old "G-Unot" ways at live concerts. Jackson released "So Disrespectful" a diss song on Before I Self Destruct targeting Jay-Z, The Game and Young Buck. Game later responded with the song "Shake", poking fun of the music video for 50's single "Candy Shop", quote, "Me and 50 aint agreeing on @#!*% so I had to (Shake) Aint no telling what he putting in that protein (Shake) Seen the candy shop video look at this @#!*% (Shake) And thats the same @#!*% that made the @#!*% Young Buck (Shake)". He also takes shots at Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo, in which he says, "I'm surprised that Lloyd Banks and Yayo didn't (Shake) Wasn't selling no records Jimmy Iovine said (Shake)". Game also dissed G-Unit several times on the song "400 Bars".

In September 2011, 50 Cent dissed Game on the song "Love, Hate, Love", in which Game responded to on his twitter, saying he was going to diss him back after his tour was finished, quote:

Rick Ross

In January 2009, Rick Ross started a feud with 50 Cent because he supposedly looked at him the wrong way at the BET Awards. However, Jackson told news sources that he did not even remember seeing Rick Ross there. In late January, a track entitled "Mafia Music" by Rick Ross, leaked onto the Internet. There were several lines that seem to diss Jackson. Days later, Jackson released "Officer Ricky (Go Head, Try Me)" in response to Rick Ross's disparaging remarks on his "Mafia Music" song. The next day Rick Ross appeared on Shade 45, and told Jackson to come up with something better in 24 hours.

Before going to Venezuela, Jackson uploaded a video entitled "Warning Shot", where he warns Rick Ross: "I'ma @#!*% your life up for fun". In addition, Jackson released the first of a series of "Officer Ricky" cartoons. Early February, Jackson once again made a video which he uploaded to YouTube where he interviews "Tia", the mother of one of Rick Ross's children. She verifies his being a correctional officer and claims his whole persona is fake and fraudulent. On Thursday, February 5, 2009, The Game, who Jackson has a long-standing "beef" with, called up Seattle's KUBE 93 Radio Station. When asked about the beef between Jackson and Rick Ross, The Game sided with Jackson and said that things are not looking good for Rick Ross. However, he offered to help Rick Ross get out of this situation, stating "Rick Ross, holla at your boy, man," and "50 eating you, boy."

On his album Deeper Than Rap, Ross references Jackson in the song "In Cold Blood". A video for the song was released that portrayed Jackson's mock funeral. Upon release, Ross stated that he has ended Jackson's career.

In an interview, Jackson said: "Rick Ross is Albert From CB4. You ever seen the movie? He's Albert," he added. "It never gets worse than this. You get a guy that was a correctional officer come out and base his entire career on writing material from a drug dealer's perspective such as "Freeway" Ricky Ross."

Lil Wayne

After hearing word that Lil Wayne had prepared a song for him after 50 made some unkind remarks, 50 lashed out at Wayne first on August 17, 2007 with the song "Part Time Lover". Wayne never really responded to the song, although a 50 Cent diss track called "Louisianimal" did leak much later on November 17, 2008. Jackson responded to Lil Wayne in January 2009 in a song entitled "Play This On The Radio". As of August 14, 2009, the controversy between Jackson and Lil Wayne seems to have ended after Jackson appeared and performed at Lil Wayne's America's Most Wanted Musical Festival stop in Anaheim, California.

Young Buck

After numerous rumors of a "beef" within G-Unit, Jackson officially dismissed Young Buck from the group, in 2008. He later assured that he was still signed with the label. Numerous slander songs then arose on the internet from both camps, with Young Buck appearing in a music video of former rival The Game. Jackson then leaked a taped phone conversation between himself and Young Buck, which showed one of the true reasons for the falling out; Jackson was owed money by the Southern rapper. Young Buck later stated the conversation took place over a year before the leak. The two camps have since released a multitude of songs against each other, with the feud settling down by 2009, with Young Buck stating he's been working on his latest album, which is still to be released under the G-Unit label.

Discography

Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003)

The Massacre (2005)

Curtis (2007)

Before I Self Destruct (2009)

Fifth studio album (TBA) ''Before I Self Destruct II (TBA)

Awards and nominations

Filmography

Year	Film	Role	Notes
2003	50 Cent: The New Breed	Himself	Documentary DVD
2005		Marcus	Film debut
2006		Jamal Aiken	Supporting Role
	Righteous Kill	Spider	Supporting Role
	Clarence	Supporting Role
50 Cent: The Money and the Power	Himself	TV series (one episode: "Choose Your Crew Wisely")
	Streets of Blood	Stan Johnson
	Himself	TV series (Season 6, Episode 3: "One Car, Two Car, Red Car, Blue Car")
	Thigo
Caught in the Crossfire	Tino	Executive producer
		Jimy
	Rich
	Lionel	Supporting Role
	Himself
		Black	Post-production
Blood Out	Hardwick
	Sonny
	All Things Fall Apart	Deon
	Malo
	-	Producer
	Shamus Cocobolo
		Pre-production

Voice work

Year	Film	Role	Notes
	The Simpsons	Himself	TV series (one episode: "Pranksta Rap")
50 Cent: Bulletproof	Himself	Video game, voice only
	50 Cent: Blood on the Sand	Himself	Video game, voice only
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2		Video game, voice only

References

External links

50 Cent at AOL Sessions

* Category:1975 births Category:Living people Category:Actors from New York City Category:African-American businesspeople Category:African American film actors Category:African-American film producers Category:African American rappers Category:African American record producers Category:Aftermath Entertainment artists Category:American investors Category:American music industry executives Category:American shooting survivors Category:American stock traders Category:American video game actors Category:Brit Award winners Category:Businesspeople from New York City Category:Grammy Award winners Category:G-Unit members Category:Hip hop singers Category:People convicted of drug offenses Category:People from Queens Category:Pseudonymous rappers Category:Rappers from New York City Category:Shady Records artists Category:Survivors of stabbing Category:Sony/ATV Music Publishing artists Category:World Music Awards winners

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Coordinates	52°13′45″N20°14′19″N
name	Enrique Iglesias
background	solo_singer
birth name	Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler
born	May 08, 1975Madrid, Spain
origin	Madrid, Spain
instrument	Vocals, guitar
genre	Pop, Latin pop, R&B;, Dance-pop, soft rock, alternative rock
occupation	Singer-songwriter, actor, Producer, Model
associated acts	Wisin y Yandel, Pitbull, Ludacris
years active	1995-present| label Fonovisa, Interscope, Universal Music Latino, Universal Republic, Polydor
website	}}

Enrique Iglesias (born Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler; May 8, 1975) is a Spanish pop music singer. Iglesias started his musical career on Mexican label Fonovisa. This helped turn him into one of the most popular artists in Latin America and in the Hispanic American market in the United States, and the biggest seller of Spanish language albums of the 1990s. Before the turn of the millennium, he made a crossover into the mainstream English language market, signing a unique multi-album deal with Universal Music Group for an unprecedented US$48,000,000, with Universal Music Latino to release his Spanish albums and Interscope to release English albums. In 2010, he parted with Interscope and signed with another Universal Music Group label, Universal Republic.

Iglesias has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best selling Latin artists of all time.

Iglesias has had five Billboard Hot 100 top five singles, including two #1s, and holds the record for producing 22 number 1 Spanish-language singles on the Billboards Hot Latin Tracks. He has also had nine #1 songs on Billboard's Dance charts, more than any other single male artist. Altogether, Iglesias has amassed 53 #1 hits on the various Billboard charts. He has honorably been named as The King of Latin Pop and The King of Dance according to Billboard.

Early life

Iglesias was born in Madrid, Spain, and is the third and youngest child of singer Julio Iglesias and socialite and magazine journalist Isabel Preysler. His mother is a Filipina (of mainly Spanish ancestry) and his father is of Spanish ancestry from Galicia. His parents' marriage was annulled in 1979.

In 1985, Iglesias' grandfather, Dr. Julio Iglesias Puga, was kidnapped by the terrorist group ETA. For their safety, Enrique and his brother, Julio Iglesias, Jr., were sent to live with their father in Miami. He also lived in Belgrade, Serbia, for one year with his mother. As his father's career kept him on the road, the young Iglesias was raised by the family nanny. He attended Gulliver Preparatory School and went on to study business at the University of Miami.

Iglesias did not want his father to know about his plans for a musical career and did not want his famous surname to help advance his career. He borrowed money from his family nanny and he recorded a demo cassette tape which consisted of a Spanish song and two English songs. Approaching his father's former publicist, Fernan Martinez, the two promoted the songs under the stage name 'Enrique Martinez' with the backstory of being an unknown singer from Guatemala. Iglesias was signed by a record label called Fonovisa. After dropping out of college, he went to Toronto to record his first album.

Music career

1995–96: Enrique Iglesias

On July 12,1995 , Iglesias released his first album titled Enrique Iglesias, a collection of light rock ballads, including such mega-hits as "Si Tú Te Vas", "Experiencia Religiosa", and others. The record sold half a million copies in its first week, a rare accomplishment then for an album recorded in a language other than English.

His song " Por Amarte" was included in Televisa's telenovela Marisol, but with a twist: instead of Por amarte daría mi vida (To love you, I'd give my life), the words were Por amarte Marisol, moriría (To love you, Marisol, I'd die). The CD also yielded Italian and Portuguese editions of the album, with most of the songs translated into those languages.

Five singles released from this album, such as "Por Amarte", "No Llores Por Mí", and "Trapecista" topped the Latin charts. The album went on to win Iglesias a Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Performance.

1997–99: Vivir and Cosas Del Amor

In 1997, Iglesias' star continued to rise with the release of Vivir (To Live), which put him up with other English language music superstars in sales for that year. The album also included a cover version of the Yazoo song "Only You", translated into Spanish as "Solo en Tí".

Insisting on stadiums, that summer, Enrique, backed by sidemen for Elton John, Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel, played to sold-out audiences in sixteen countries. Beginning the tour in Odessa, Texas the tour went on to three consecutive nights in Mexico's Plaza de Toros, two consecutive nights at Monterrey's Auditorio Coca Cola and two at the Estadio River Plate in Buenos Aires, Argentina to over 130,000 people as well as 19 arenas in the U.S.

Three singles released from Vivir ("Enamorado Por Primera Vez", "Sólo en Ti" and "Miente") topped the Latin singles chart as well as those in several Spanish-speaking countries. Along with his father and Luis Miguel, Iglesias was nominated for an American Music Award in the first-ever awarded category of Favorite Latin Artist. It was said beforehand that the elder Iglesias would walk out if he did not win the award. Iglesias lost out to his father, but did perform the song "Lluvia Cae" at the event.

In 1998, Iglesias released his third album, Cosas del Amor (Things of Love). Taking a more mature musical direction, the album, aided by the popular singles "Esperanza" and "Nunca Te Olvidaré", both of which topped the Latin singles chart, helped cement his status in the Latin music scene.

Iglesias did a short tour of smaller venues to accompany the release of the album, with one show being televised from Acapulco, Mexico. This was followed by a larger world tour of over eighty shows in even bigger venues. The Cosas del Amor Tour was the first ever concert tour sponsored by McDonald's.

He won an American Music Award in the category of Favorite Latin Artist against Ricky Martin and Los Tigres del Norte. The song "Nunca te Olvidaré" was also used as the theme music for a Spanish soap opera of the same name and he sang the song himself on the last episode of the series.

1999–2000: Enrique

By 1999, Iglesias had begun a successful crossover career into the English language music market. Thanks to other successful crossover acts, most notably that of Ricky Martin and Selena, Latino artists and music had a great surge in popularity in mainstream music. Iglesias' contribution to the soundtrack of Will Smith's movie Wild Wild West, "Bailamos" became a number one hit in the US.

After the success of "Bailamos", several mainstream record labels were eager to sign Enrique. Signing a multi-album deal after weeks of negotiations with Interscope, Iglesias recorded and released his first full CD in English, Enrique. The pop album, with some Latin influences, took two months to complete and contained a duet with Whitney Houston called "Could I Have This Kiss Forever" and a cover of the Bruce Springsteen song "Sad Eyes". The album's third single, "Be With You", became his second number one.

The final single from the album was the song "You're My #1", re-recorded and released in selected territories as a duet with local acts – Alsou in Russia, Sandy & Junior in Brazil and Valen Hsu in Asia.

2001–02: Escape

In 2001 Iglesias released the album Escape. Where most of the Latin crossover acts of the previous year experienced some difficulty matching the record sales of their first English language albums, Iglesias actually went on to sell even more. The album's first single, "Hero", became a number one hit in the United Kingdom, and in many other countries. The entire album was co-written by Iglesias.

Escape is his biggest commercial success to date. The singles "Escape" and "Don't Turn Off The Lights" became radio staples, fairing well and placing highly or topping various charts both in North America and elsewhere. A second edition of the album was released internationally and contained a new version of one of Enrique's favorite tracks, "Maybe", as well as a duet with Lionel Richie called "To Love a Woman".

Iglesias capitalized on the album's success with his "One-Night Stand World Tour" consisting of 50 sold-out shows in 16 countries. Including Radio City Music Hall and three consecutive nights in London's Royal Albert Hall, the tour ended with a big show at Stadium National Lia Manoliu in Bucharest, Romania. The concert launched MTV Romania, with the video for "Love to See You Cry" being the first to be shown on the channel.

The second leg of the tour, "Don't Turn Off The Lights", was completed in the summer of 2002, with two sold-out nights in Madison Square Garden and another two in Mexico's National Auditorium. The tour finished with a single show in the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

2002–04: Quizás & 7

In 2002, Iglesias chose to release a fourth Spanish-language album titled Quizás (Perhaps). A more polished musical production than his previous Spanish albums and containing more introspective songs, the album's title track is a song about the strained relationship Iglesias has with his famous father.

The album debuted at number 12 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, the highest placement of a Spanish language album on the chart at the time. Quizás sold a million copies in a week, making it the fastest-selling album in Spanish in 5 years. The three singles released from the album all ended up topping the Latin chart, giving Iglesias a total of 16 number ones on the chart. He currently holds the record for the most number one singles on Billboard's Latin Chart. His last single from the album, "Para Que la Vida", reached a million spins on U.S. radio, the only Spanish language song to do so.

The video to the song "Quizás" was the first Spanish language music video to be added to the selection on MTV's popular show Total Request Live. Iglesias performed the song on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, becoming the first to sing a Spanish song on the show, and opening doors for other artists such as Ricky Martin, Juanes and Jorge Drexler to perform their Spanish material. Iglesias included songs from Quizás in his "Don't Turn Off the Lights Tour", and the album went on to win a Latin Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album.

By 2003 Iglesias released his seventh album, which he called 7, the second to be co-written by Iglesias. Among its more 1980s-inspired material, it features the song "Roamer", which he wrote with his friend and longtime guitarist, Tony Bruno. The CD also contained the song "Be Yourself", a song about independence (the chorus talks about how Iglesias' own parents did not believe he'd ever succeed in his singing career). The first single was the song "Addicted", and was followed closely by a remix of the song "Not in Love", featuring Kelis.

With this album, Iglesias went on his biggest world tour to date. The highly publicised tour started with twelve shows in the United States ending with Iglesias playing at Houston Rodeo and continued on to several countries, most of which he'd never previously visited playing to sold-out arenas and stadiums in Australia, India, Egypt and Singapore before ending his tour in South Africa.

2007–08: Insomniac

Iglesias released his new album Insomniac on June 12, 2007. The album was so named due to it being recorded mainly at night. The album contained a more contemporary pop style than that of previous albums. The album's highlights include "Push", with rapper Lil' Wayne, as well as "Ring My Bells", and a cover of Ringside's "Tired of Being Sorry".

The first single "Do You Know? (The Ping Pong Song)" was released on April 10, 2007. It was the Iglesias's highest charting song on the Hot 100 since "Escape" it was also a hit throughout Europe peaking in the top 10 in many countries and the Spanish version entitled "Dímelo" was #1 on Hot Latin Tracks for 12 weeks becoming his second best performing song on that chart.

Iglesias followed up with the ballad "Somebody's Me", which was released as a single in the American continent. The song was played extensively on AC radio and peaked high on Billboard's Hot AC, where the Spanish version also performed well. In Europe, the second single was "Tired of Being Sorry", which performed well in many countries; he recorded a version of the song with French singer Nâdiya which was #1 in France for eleven weeks.

On July 4, Enrique Iglesias became the first Western artist to play a concert in Syria in three decades when he performed for a sold-out crowd of 10,000 in the capital city of Damascus and in the same week performed on Live Earth.

The Insomniac World Tour was launched at the Dome in Johannesburg, South Africa, the same venue he ended his last world Tour and took him to sold out arenas throughout Europe. It was his first arena tour of the UK with him playing venues such as Manchester's MEN Arena and Wembley Arena. The tour ended with Iglesias performing at newly opened L.A. Live. A second leg of the tour has taken him throughout Latin America from Mexico to Argentina.

A solo version of "Push" was added to the soundtrack of the movie Step Up 2 the Streets. The song was regarded as the third single from the album. A music video was shot which features the film's lead actors. Despite never being officially added to radio the song has charted in several countries and is one of his most highly rated songs amongst fans.

Enrique's song "Can You Hear Me" has been chosen as the official song of the UEFA Euro 2008 football tournament. He performed the song live at the June 29, 2008 final in Vienna, Austria. The song featured on a re-issue of the Insomniac album being released in certain countries.

2008–09: Greatest Hits Albums

Enrique released a Spanish Greatest Hits album on March 25, 2008 which included his seventeen #1 songs on Hot Latin Tracks chart, plus two new songs. The first single was the song "Dónde Están Corazón", which is written by Argentine star Coti and became Iglesias's 18th #1 single on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs. The album debuted at #1 on Billboard's Latin Album Charts and #18 on Billboards top 200 Album chart. It was Enrique's second Spanish Album to debut in the top 20 Billboards Top 200 Albums (Quizás debuted at 12 in 2002). The album has been recently certified double platinum in the U.S.and in some Latin American countries.

The album's second single Lloro Por Ti had an official remix featuring Wisin y Yandel which also reached #1. Iglesias did a tour of the US. Beginning in Laredo, Texas and ending at the Izod Center in New Jersey he was accompanied though most of the tour with Bachata band Aventura who also performed "Lloro Por Ti" with him at the Premios Juventud.

Iglesias was a surprise performer at the Lo Nuestro Awards, opening the show with a medley of "Dónde Están Corazón" and "Dimelo". He also performed at the Billboard Latin Music Awards, where he received a special award.

After the success of his Spanish Greatest Hits compilation, Iglesias released a compilation of his English language hits on November 11. The album includes "Can You Hear Me" as well two new songs. The first single is entitled "Away" ft Sean Garrett and was followed by "Takin' Back My Love" ft Ciara.

The compilation includes English hit songs such as "Bailamos", "Hero", "Be With You", "Not In Love" and "Escape" which have topped the various Billboard Charts (two of which on Hot 100) as well as songs such as Rhythm Divine, Tired Of Being Sorry and Do You Know (The ping pong song) which have also topped charts in Europe.

After the successful collaboration with Nadiya Iglesias has recorded a second duet with her called "Miss You" which featured on a delux edition of the album.

The album debuted at #3 on The Official Uk Album Chart and sold over 80,000 copies in its first 2 weeks alone.

Enrique was the winner for two World Music Awards in the categories of "World's Best Selling Latin Performer" and "World's Best Selling Spanish Artist", in the ceremony held in Monaco on November 9, 2008.

2010–present: Euphoria

On July 5, 2010, Iglesias released his ninth studio album, Euphoria, his first work to be released under his new label, Universal Republic. The album is Iglesias's first bilingual album with seven original English songs and six original Spanish songs.

Iglesias worked with three producers whom he has worked with before; RedOne, Mark Taylor and Carlos Paucer. The album features collaborations with Akon, Usher, Nicole Scherzinger, Ludacris, Pitbull, Juan Luis Guerra and his third duet with Wisin y Yandel. In a joint venture with Universal Latino Iglesias will release different singles in both languages simultaneously to different formats.

The first English single from the album, "I Like It", which features the rapper Pitbull, was released on May 3, 2010 in the U.S. and became a success, reaching number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. After weeks on the chart, it reached to #1 on the Billboard Hot/Dance Club Play, making it Enrique's 7th number one song on that chart and also making him the male singer with most number-ones tying with Prince & Michael Jackson.

"Cuando Me Enamoro" was released as the lead Spanish single from the album. The song debuted at number 8 and number 25 on U.S Latin Pop Songs and U.S. Hot Latin Songs, respectively. The song became his 25th top 10 single on the U.S. Billboard Hot Latin Songs & after 4 weeks of its release date it became his 21st No.1 song on this chart. The song won and nominated for many Latin Song Of The Year category.

As of January 2011 "Tonight (I'm Lovin' You)" broke into the top 10 on the Billboard charts becoming no 4. The song was released only for digital download in the U.S., at first it was included on the French Limited Edition of Euphoria in late 2010, then was included on the New Edition of "Euphoria" in Europe and some Asian areas in 2011. The song peaked to #1 on the Billboard Hot/Dance Club Play chart, which became his 8th number one song on the chart, making him the only male single artist to have 8 number one songs on the chart, passing Prince and Michael Jackson. As of March 3, 2011 the song has peaked to #1 on the US Pop Songs Chart, marking it his first score on the chart. The song has also peaked to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 Airplay (Radio Songs). A remix version of "Dirty Dancer" was released as the sixth single, and "Ayer" serves as the seventh single.

On May 24, 2011, Iglesias revealed on Australian radio show The Kyle & Jackie O Show that he would be touring Australia as part of his “Euphoria” tour alongside Pitbull.

Songwriting, producing, and acting

Iglesias has collaborated with songwriter Guy Chambers to write "Un Nuovo Giorno", the lead single from Andrea Bocelli's first pop album. The song was later translated into English as "First Day of My Life" and recorded by Spice Girl Melanie C. The song has since gone to become a huge hit throughout Europe, and peaked in the number one spot in numerous countries. Iglesias also wrote the single "The Way" for American Idol runner up Clay Aiken. Four songs co-written by Iglesias appear on the UK band The Hollies' current album. Many times Iglesias has said that should he ever retire, he wants to write and produce songs for other artists. In 2010 Idol Allstars 2010 (Swedish Idol Series) released a song "All I Need Is You" co-written by Iglesias with Andreas Carlsson, Kalle Engström and Kristian Lundin. It went straight to I-Tunes #1.

In 2000, Iglesias co-produced an off Broadway musical called Four Guys Named Jose and Una Mujer Named Maria. In the musical, four Americans of Latin heritage possess a common interest in music and meet and decide to put on a show. The show contained many references and allusions to many classic and contemporary Latin and pop songs by the likes of Carmen Miranda, Selena, Richie Valens, Santana, Ricky Martin and Iglesias himself.

Iglesias also developed an interest in acting, starring alongside Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek and Johnny Depp in the Robert Rodriguez film Once Upon a Time in Mexico, in which he played the foul-mouthed gun-wielding Lorenzo. In 2007, he had guest starred in the TV comedy Two and a Half Men as a carpenter/handyman. He says that he would act again if given small roles that he could fit in between his musical commitments.

He also guest starred as Gael, an Argentinean guitar playing/surfer/massage therapist love interest on the CBS hit TV show How I Met Your Mother.

Iglesias also played the part of an evil Roman emperor in an ambitious TV commercial for Pepsi, which sponsored his last world tour. He starred alongside Britney Spears, Beyoncé and Pink, who turn the tables on him in the commercial. He's also starred in commercials for Doritos and for Viceroy watches.

Personal life

Iglesias started dating Russian tennis star Anna Kournikova in late 2001 (she appeared in his video, "Escape"), and rumors that the couple had secretly married circulated in 2003 and again in 2005. Kournikova herself has consistently refused to directly confirm or deny the status of her personal relationships. But in May 2007, Iglesias was (mistakenly, as he would clarify later) quoted in the New York Sun that he had no intention of marrying Kournikova and settling down because they had split up. The singer would later deny these rumors of "divorce" or simply separation. In June 2008, Iglesias told the Daily Star that he had married Kournikova the previous year and that they are currently separated. In an interview with Graham Norton in 2010, Kournikova confirmed that she and Iglesias have been together for over eight years but have no plans to marry in the near future.

Discography

Studio albums

Enrique Iglesias (1995)

Vivir (1997)

Cosas del Amor (1998)

Enrique (1999)

Escape (2001)

Quizás (2002)

7 (2003)

Insomniac (2007)

Euphoria (2010)

Filmography

! Year	Film	Role	! Notes
1997		"Si Tu Te Vas"	soundtrack
1999	Wild Wild West	"Bailamos"	soundtrackNominated - Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Song from a Movie.
	I Love the New Millennium		soundtrack
	"Hero"	soundtrack
	Once Upon a Time in Mexico	Lorenzo
	"Hero"	soundtrack
2005		Himself	Host
2006		"Hero"	soundtrack
	America's Next Top Model, Cycle 9	Himself	Special Guest
Two and a Half Men	Carpenter/Handyman	TV Guest
	Himself	Co-host
	Himself	Musical Guest
	Step Up 2: The Streets		soundtrack
		soundtrack
Beverly Hills Chihuahua	"Hero"	soundtrack
Lady Godiva	"Hero"	soundtrack
2009	How I Met Your Mother	"Gael"	TV Guest
2010	Hot Tub Time Machine	"Hero"	soundtrack

Awards and nominations

Enrique Iglesias is one of the most celebrated Latin Artists Of all time. He has won 16 Billboard Music Awards and 23 Billboard Latin Music Awards .He has won 5 American Music Awards ,1 Grammy and 1 Latin Grammy and 7 World Music Awards. He has also won an award for Best International Pop Act in MTV India Awards. He was also name "King Of Latin Pop". He has won 12 Premios Lo Nuestro Awards. In 2001, He was also awarded as Most Fashionable Artist in VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards. He has also won an award for Most Successful Spanish Artist Of The Decade (Spanish Artist Of The Decade) at Premios Ondas in 2002.

Enrique and Blackouts Evan Fitzpatrick will be performing in Toronto September,29th. 2011 at the Air Canada Centre.

See also

list of Best Selling Latin Artist

List of best-selling music artists

List of best-selling singles worldwide

References

External links

Enrique Iglesias Official website

Interscope Records Official Site

Enrique Iglesias profile at NNDB

Category:1975 births Category:English-language singers * Category:Expatriates in Serbia Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Living people Category:People from Madrid Category:People from Miami, Florida Category:Spanish expatriates Category:Spanish emigrants to the United States Category:Spanish-language singers Category:Spanish male singers Category:Spanish people of Filipino descent Category:University of Miami alumni Category:Children of Entertainers

ar:إنريكي إغليسياس az:Enrike İqlesias bs:Enrique Iglesias bg:Енрике Иглесиас cs:Enrique Iglesias cy:Enrique Iglesias da:Enrique Iglesias de:Enrique Iglesias (Sänger) et:Enrique Iglesias el:Ενρίκε Ιγκλέσιας es:Enrique Iglesias eo:Enrique Iglesias fa:انریکه ایگلسیاس fr:Enrique Iglesias gl:Enrique Iglesias ko:엔리케 이글레시아스 hi:एनरिक इग्लेसियस hr:Enrique Iglesias id:Enrique Iglesias it:Enrique Iglesias he:אנריקה איגלסיאס kn:ಎನ್ರಿಕೆ ಇಗ್ಲೇಷಿಯಸ್ ka:ენრიკე იგლესიასი sw:Enrique Iglesias lv:Enrike Iglesiass lt:Enrique Iglesias hu:Enrique Iglesias mk:Енрике Иглесијас ml:എൻ‌റികെ ഇഗ്ലേസിയാസ് ms:Enrique Iglesias mrj:Иглесиас, Энрике nl:Enrique Iglesias ja:エンリケ・イグレシアス no:Enrique Iglesias uz:Enrique Iglesias pl:Enrique Iglesias pt:Enrique Iglesias ro:Enrique Iglesias ru:Иглесиас, Энрике sq:Enrique Iglesias simple:Enrique Iglesias sl:Enrique Iglesias sr:Енрике Иглесијас fi:Enrique Iglesias sv:Enrique Iglesias ta:என்றீக் இக்லெசியாசு th:เอนรีเก อีเกลเซียส tr:Enrique Iglesias uk:Енріке Іглесіас vi:Enrique Iglesias yi:ענריקע איגלעסיאס zh:安立奎·伊格萊西亞斯

Coordinates	52°13′45″N20°14′19″N
name	Keri Hilson
background	solo_singer
birth name	Keri Lynn Hilson
birth date	December 05, 1982
birth place	Decatur, Georgia,
genre	R&B;, pop, hip hop
occupation	Singer–songwriter
years relevant	2008
label	Zone 4, Mosley Music, Interscope
associated acts	The Clutch, Timbaland, Polow da Don, Kanye West, Chris Brown, Akon
website	}}

Keri Lynn Hilson (born December 5, 1982) is an American R&B; recording artist, and songwriter. Born and raised in Decatur, Georgia, Hilson made herself a name as a songwriter, penning tracks for several artists in the mid-2000s as part of the five-person production/songwriting team known as The Clutch. In 2006, she signed a recording contract with Timbaland's label, Mosley Music. Critics have credited Hilson for her amazing songwriting skills and her vocal performances.

Hilson released her debut studio album, In a Perfect World... in March 2009, which peaked within the top five of the Billboard 200 albums chart and featured the hit singles "Knock You Down" and "Turnin Me On". The album reached number one on the US Top R&B;/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was eventually certified gold. Hilson earned two Grammy Award nominations for the album including Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Knock You Down", which features Kanye West and Ne-Yo. A reissue of the album, included previously unreleased songs such as "I Like". The song became Hilson's first number one hit in Germany and certified platinum there. Unfortunately for Hilson, however, saw no success in receiving a Grammy. As a prominent guest vocalist in both the contemporary R&B; and hip hop genres, Hilson has been featured on over a dozen singles by other artists, including the number-one hit single "The Way I Are" with Timbaland.

Life and career

1982–2000: Early life and career beginnings

Hilson was born in Decatur, Georgia. She attended Tucker High School in Tucker, Georgia. At the age of 12, Hilson began piano and singing lessons. During her mid to late teens, Hilson began her career as a songwriter and background vocalist, working under producer Anthony Dent. After trying and failing with two girl groups, Pretty Toni and D'Sign, Hilson enrolled at Oxford College of Emory University in Oxford, Georgia while still pursing a music career. Hilson cites Janet Jackson as a major influence in her career.

2001–2007: Songwriting with The Clutch and solo ventures

When the pennies from performances at Magic City in Atlanta Georgia were not making ends meet, Hilson began writing music for other artists in 2001 as part of the five-person production/songwriting team known as The Clutch. She also made a name for herself as a song arranger and sung background vocals on many of the songs she had written for artists such as Usher, Ludacris, Kelly Rowland, and Ciara. Hilson's songwriting was responsible for numerous hit singles, including Mary J. Blige's "Take Me as I Am", Omarion's "Ice Box", the Pussycat Dolls' "Wait a Minute", Britney Spears' "Gimme More", Nas's "Hero",and also Ciara's "Like a Boy".

She remained mostly behind the scenes until 2004, when she was featured on the single "Hey Now (Mean Muggin)" by the rapper Xzibit. Hilson made her performing debut at the 2004 MTV Europe Music Awards in which she performed the song live with Xzibit. In 2006 she signed as an artist to Timbaland's record label, Mosley Music. In 2007 Hilson made several appearances on Timbaland's solo effort Shock Value, including the singles "Scream" and "The Way I Are" which reached number three on the US Billboard Hot 100. Furthermore, she was featured on the track "Lost Girls" on Zone 4-labelmate Rich Boy's debut album and its second single "Good Things". Hilson was credited as a writer and backing vocalist on Britney Spears's album Blackout. She made several appearances in music videos for singles such as "Love in This Club" by Usher and also in the music video for Ne-Yo's single, "Miss Independent".

2008–2009: The Year of Relevance: In a Perfect World...

After several pushbacks, Hilson's debut album In a Perfect World... was released in March 2009. According to the singer, the title of the album is her way of "saying nothing in the world is perfect and no person in it is, either. None of us are exempt from certain hardships and heartbreaks and we all have something about our lives that we'd change if only we could - be it body image, financial status, love life... It was really important for me to write songs that women can relate to from real situations. I didn’t want to do an album that painted myself as perfect because no matter how things look, no one is. I called it that with the ellipses - dot dot dot - because it's an incomplete statement. I wanted to talk about how nobody's exempted from the realities of life and all those things." It was executively produced by Timbaland and Polow da Don. In a Perfect World... debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 and at number one on the US Top R&B;/Hip-Hop Albums chart with first week sales of approximately 94,000 copies, and earned generally favorable reviews from music critics who noted it a "seductive debut CD full of slick, radio-friendly cuts." and was eventually certified gold by the RIAA.

"Energy" was released as the album's lead single on May 20, 2008. It reached a peak of number seventy-eight on the US Billboard Hot 100, number twenty-one on the Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and achieved minor success in the UK. The song became a success in New Zealand, where it reached a peak of number two and gained a gold accreditation there. In October 2008 Hilson collaborated with fellow singer Chris Brown on a song titled "Superhuman", which reached the top twenty in Ireland and New Zealand. "Return the Favor" which features Timbaland was released as the album's second single. It peaked within the top twenty in the UK, Ireland, and Belgium. "Turnin Me On" which featured Lil Wayne became Hilson's first top twenty hit as a solo artist on the Billboard Hot 100, where it reached number fifteen on the chart. The song reached number two on the Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming Hilson's first top five hit on the chart.

"Knock You Down", a collaboration with Kanye West and Ne-Yo, was released as the album's fourth single. The song has proven to be Hilson's most successful worldwide single to date. It peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 for three non-consecutive weeks and topped the Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It additionally appeared the in top ten of five other countries and certified platinum in New Zealand and gold in Australia. The song received a nomination for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 52nd Grammy Awards. A reissue of the album, included previously unreleased songs such as "I Like". The song was used for the German film Zweiohrküken and became Hilson's first number one hit in Germany which certified platinum there. Meanwhile Hilson continued appearing on single releases by several artists throughout 2009 including Plies' single "Medicine", Fabolous' "Everything, Everyday, Everywhere," Nas' "Hero" and Sean Paul's "Hold My Hand".

2010–present: No Boys Allowed

In January 2010 Hilson guest featured on Akon's charity single "Oh Africa". She was also part of the extended A-list of musical artists during the recording session of "We Are the World 25 for Haiti." Hilson also made guest features on other singles including "Million Dollar Girl" by Trina and T.I's "Got Your Back". In April 2010 it was revealed she was the new face of Avon, replacing singer Jennifer Hudson.

Her second studio album, No Boys Allowed, was released on December 21, 2010. Hilson explained that "No Boys Allowed is a deeply personal project designed to bring women to their feet. The provocative title, is not what you may think. It's not about excluding men. It's more about women understanding that there comes a time in your life when you want a man. A real man. A grown up. Not a boy. And that's not a bad thing. I write from a female perspective, but I'm also telling men what women are really thinking and feeling about them." The album debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200 with 102,000  copies sold. Though it sold 8,000  copies more than her debut album, In a Perfect World..., it failed to match that album's debut chart position of number four.

"Breaking Point," produced by Timbaland was released as the album's lead single in the United States on September 7, 2010. It reached a peak of number forty-four on the US Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs chart. "Pretty Girl Rock" was released as the second single on October 12, 2010. It has reached a current peak of number ten on the US Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs chart and peaked at number twenty four on the US Billboard Hot 100. The music video for the song has received critical acclaim and praise for its homage to musical icons of the past such as Josephine Baker, Dorothy Dandridge, The Andrews Sisters, Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Janet Jackson and TLC. Hilson appears as each singer in a well-known scene from the era depicted. As of early 2011 she is preparing for a spring tour and is opening for TLC's 20th Anniversary celebration concert and beginning work on a third album featuring TLC, Blaque and more girl groups.

"One Night Stand " featuring Chris Brown, is the album's third single. In February 2011, Hilson told Rap-Up magazine that she was considering choosing "One Night Stand" as the next single from No Boys Allowed, after an outpouring of fan support. She said, "My fans are really liking "One Night Stand" with Chris Brown ... I have a lot of favorites, but the fans are wanting "One Night Stand." It’s going to be my urban single. Not going to be, but if we go with it, we'll go with that." The song has appeared on the US Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number sixty-eight. It has been announced that "Lose Control" featuring Nelly, will serve as the album's next single.

Discography

In a Perfect World... (2009)

No Boys Allowed (2010)

Awards and nominations

! Year	! Type	! Nominated work	! Award	! Result
2007		"The Way I Are" with Timbaland and D.O.E.	Monster Single of the Year
			Favorite Female R&B;/Soul Artist
Breakthrough Artist
	Best New Artist
Best Female R&B; Artist
	Viewer's Choice
Best Collaboration
rowspan="2"	In a Perfect World...	Best Album
	Best Female Act
	Best International Act
Best R&B;/Soul Act
	Best New Artist
"Turnin Me On"	Song of the Year
	Best Collaboration
Record of the Year
		Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
	Best New Artist
NAACP Image Awards	Outstanding New Artist
		Best Female R&B; Artist
"Pretty Girl Rock"	Video of the Year

References

External links

Category:1982 births Category:African American singers Category:American dance musicians Category:American female singers Category:American rhythm and blues singers Category:Emory University alumni Category:Interscope Records artists Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Georgia (U.S. state) Category:People from Atlanta, Georgia

ar:كيري هيلسون cs:Keri Hilson da:Keri Hilson de:Keri Hilson es:Keri Hilson eo:Keri Hilson fa:کری هیلسون fr:Keri Hilson ko:케리 힐슨 hsb:Keri Hilson hr:Keri Hilson it:Keri Hilson he:קרי הילסון sw:Keri Hilson lv:Keri Hilsone mk:Кери Хилсон nl:Keri Hilson ja:ケリー・ヒルソン no:Keri Hilson pl:Keri Hilson pt:Keri Hilson ksh:Keri Lynn Hilson ro:Keri Hilson ru:Хилсон, Кери simple:Keri Hilson sr:Keri Hilson fi:Keri Hilson sv:Keri Hilson th:เคอรี ฮิลสัน tr:Keri Hilson zh:凯莉·希尔森

Coordinates	52°13′45″N20°14′19″N
name	Derek Hough
birth date	May 17, 1985
birth place	Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
yearsactive	2007–present
occupation	Dancer, actor, singer-songwriter, musician, choreographer, director
website	}}

Derek Hough (; born May 17, 1985) is an American dancer, choreographer, musician and actor. A world champion in Latin American Dance, Hough has appeared since September 2007 (Seasons 5 though 11) on the hit U.S. television series Dancing with the Stars, where he is a three-time champion (with Nicole Scherzinger, Brooke Burke, and Jennifer Grey), two-time semi-finalist (with Jennie Garth and Joanna Krupa) and a Quarter-Finalist with Lil' Kim. Hough has earned three Creative Arts Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Choreography (2009 and 2010 ) for his work on the show. Prior to joining Dancing with the Stars, Hough starred as Ren in the 2006 original cast production of Footloose: The Musical at the Novelo Theatre in London's West End, as well as on the 2006 U.K. national tour. Hough's West End performance earned him a nomination as The Stuart Phillips London Newcomer of the Year in the Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Awards. Hough made his Broadway debut on January 8, 2010, starring with Kym Johnson and Mary Murphy in Burn the Floor for the final four performances of the show's Broadway run. A founding member of the Ballas Hough Band (formerly Almost Amy), Hough shares lead vocals, plays guitar and has several songwriting credits on the band's self-titled debut CD, released by Hollywood Records in March 2009.

Early life

Hough grew up one of five children in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. He has four sisters, Sharee, Marabeth, Katherine and Julianne. His sister Julianne Hough is also a professional dancer. All four of Hough's grandparents were dancers, and his parents met while on a ballroom dancing team in college, in Idaho.

When Hough was twelve, his parents sent him to London to live and study with dance coaches, Corky and Shirley Ballas. Hough's sister Julianne joined him in London several months later. Originally intending to stay for a year, Hough remained in London for ten years. (Julianne returned after five years.) The Ballases helped tutor the two Hough children alongside their own son, Mark Ballas, schooling them at the Italia Conti Academy. They received training in song, theater, gymnastics and many forms of dance, including jazz, ballet and tap. The three children formed their own pop music trio 2B1G ("2 Boys, 1 Girl") and performed at dance competitions in the UK and the U.S., and showcased UK television show.

Dancing

He attended and subsequently taught at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts.

Hough played the role of Ren McCormack in both the UK Tour and the West-End run of Footloose the Musical, which ran from April until November 2006.

Before this, Hough's theatre work included playing the lead in Jesus Christ Superstar at the Millfield Theatre, and dancing in the company in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium.

Hough is a former IDSF World Youth Latin Champion (2002) for Poland with Aneta Piotrowska. He has won the LA Outstanding Dancer of the Year and the New York Dance Alliance Outstanding Dance awards.

Hough is one of Bruno Tonioli's panelists on BBC One's DanceX, the first episode of which aired on July 14, 2007.

Hough also performed in and choreographed Cheryl Cole's Parachute music video, after being introduced to her by mutual friend, Bruno Tonioli.

Dancing with the Stars

Hough made his first appearance on Dancing With The Stars in Season 4 (Week 6) as a guest instructor with Julianne and Apolo Anton Ohno. He then joined the cast of professional instructors in Season 5 of Dancing With The Stars and was paired with Jennie Garth. Hough and Garth competed in the semi-finals and were the ninth couple eliminated from the competition.

For Season 6, Hough was paired with actress Shannon Elizabeth. They were eliminated from the show in week 7.

For Season 7, Hough was partnered with model/TV host Brooke Burke. In rehearsal on October 4, 2008, Hough tripped and fell, hitting his head on the floor and momentarily blacked out. He was sent to the hospital, but sustained no injuries. Hough and Burke earned the mirror ball trophy and won Season 7.

For Season 8, Hough was paired with rapper Lil' Kim. They were eliminated from the show in week 9.

For Season 9, Hough was partnered with model Joanna Krupa. They were eliminated during week 9, the semi-finals, on November 17, 2009, finishing fourth.

For Season 10, Hough won with partner Nicole Scherzinger, the lead singer from the singing group Pussycat Dolls and former member of Eden's Crush.

For Season 11, Hough won with actress Jennifer Grey, known for her film roles on Dirty Dancing and Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

For Season 13, Hough will be partnered with Actress and TV Host Ricki Lake. Known best as the original Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray.

Hough's current DWTS pro average is 26.67. Joanna Krupa's Argentine Tango is not included in his average.

He is the first professional dancer to ever win three Mirror Ball Trophies.

It was announced by Access Hollywood that Derek would not be returning to the 12th season of Dancing with the Stars to be a part of the movie Cobu 3D but its reported that he will be returning on season 13.

Performance history

Season 5: Celebrity partner Jennie Garth (Average - 25.7) :

rowspan="2"	Week #
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"
	2		Quickstep/"Suddenly I See"		7		7		7		Safe
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"
	4		Paso Doble/"Because We Can"		8		10		9
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Mambo/"Mambo Baby"Rock N' Roll/"Rockin' Robin"
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Viennese Waltz/"Runaway"Rumba/ "Fallen"
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Jive/"It Takes Two"Foxtrot/ "I've Got You Under My Skin"
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Tango/"The Take Over, The Breaks Over"Cha-Cha-Cha/ "Mustang Sally"

Season 6: Celebrity partner Shannon Elizabeth (Average - 24.5) :

rowspan="2"	Week #
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Cha-Cha-Cha/"Shut Up and Drive"
	2		Quickstep/"Swing with Me"		8		8		8		Safe
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Jive/"Goody Two-Shoes"
	4		Viennese Waltz/"Keep Holding On"		9		10		9
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Rumba/ "True Colors"Country Western/"Cotton-Eyed Joe
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Tango/"Tanguedia III"Mambo/ "Ain't Nothing Wrong With That"

Season 7: Celebrity partner Brooke Burke (Average - 27.1) :

rowspan="2"	Week #
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Cha-Cha-Cha/"Are You My Woman (Tell Me So)"
	1		Quickstep/"Lover, Come Back to Me"		9		8		9		Safe
	2		Paso Doble/"Palladio, First Movement"		8		8		8		Safe
	3		Viennese Waltz/"Daughters"		9		10		9		Safe
	4		Samba/"Hip Hip Chin Chin"		9		8		9		Safe
	5		Jitterbug/"Don't Be Cruel"		10		9		10		Safe
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"
	7		Foxtrot/"Lullaby of Birdland"Group Paso Doble/ "Rocks"		1010		109		1010
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Tango/"Tango Diabolo" Mambo/ "Cuban Mambo"
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Jive/"The House is Rockin'" Salsa/ "Barbarabatiri"
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Samba/"Blame It On the Boogie"Freestyle/"You're the One That I Want"Viennese Waltz/"Daughters"

(*)Due to Len Goodman's absence in week 6 the 10 was awarded by stand-in guest judge Michael Flatley

Season 8: Celebrity partner Lil' Kim (Average - 25.8) :

rowspan="2"	Week #
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Cha-Cha-Cha/"Nasty"
	2		Quickstep/"Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend"		8		7		8		Safe
	3		Samba/"Remedio P'al Corazon"		8		8		9		Safe
	4		Argentine Tango/"Taquito Militar"		9		8		10		Safe
	5		Viennese Waltz/"I'll Be"		9		8		9		Safe
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Jive/"Jailhouse Rock"
	7		Rumba/"Lost Without U"		9		8		9
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Paso Doble/"El Gato Montes"Team Tango/"Womanizer"
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"

Season 9: Celebrity partner Joanna Krupa (Average 25.5):

rowspan="2"	Week #
	rowspan="2" style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Salsa/"Meddle"Foxtrot/"The Best Is Yet to Come"
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Jive/"What I Like About You"
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Samba/"La Bomba"
	4		Lambada/"Dançando Lambada"		9		8		9		Safe
	5		Argentine Tango/"Whatever Lola Wants"**		8		8		8
	rowspan="2" style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Rumba/"The Look of Love"Team Tango/"You Give Love a Bad Name"
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"
	style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Viennese Waltz/"Hallelujah"Cha-Cha-Cha/"Can't Get You Out of My Head"Salsa/"Lal Luz Del Ritmo"

Due to Len Goodman's absence in week 2 the 7 was awarded by stand-in guest judge Baz Luhrmann. Due to illness Derek Hough was unable to perform, Joanna Krupa performed this dance with Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

Season 10: Celebrity partner Nicole Scherzinger (Average 27.5) {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! rowspan="2" style="background:#ccc;"|Week # ! rowspan="2" style="background:#ccc;"|Dance/Song ! colspan="3" style="background:#ccc;"|Judges' score ! rowspan="2" style="background:#ccc;"|Result |- style="background:#ccc;" | style="width:10%;"|Inaba | style="width:10%;"|Goodman | style="width:10%;"|Tonioli |- |1 |Viennese Waltz/ "Hold You In My Arms" |9 |7 |9 |No Elimination |- |2 |Jive/"SOS" |10 |8 |10 |Safe |- |3 |Quickstep/"Anything Goes" |8 |6 |9 |Safe |- |rowspan=2|4 |Rumba/"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" - Technique |9 |8 |8 |rowspan=2|Safe |- |Rumba/"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" - Performance |8 |8 |9 |- |5 |Tango/"Oh, Pretty Woman" |10 |9 |10 |Safe |- |rowspan=2|6 |Samba/"María" |9 |7 |10 |rowspan=2|Safe |- |Swing Marathon/"In the Mood" |colspan="3" style="text-align: center;" | 10 |- |rowspan=2|7 |Waltz/"You Light Up My Life" |9 |9 |9 |rowspan=2|Safe |- |Cha Cha Cha/"Telephone" |9 |9 |9 |- |rowspan=2|8 |Foxtrot/"Haven't Met You Yet" |10 |9 |10 |rowspan=2|Safe |- |Paso Doble/"Spanish Guitar" |10 |10 |10 |- |rowspan=2|9 |Argentine Tango/"El Capitalismo Foraneo" |10 |10 |10 |rowspan=2|Safe |- |Cha-Cha-Cha/"Kiss" |10 |9 |10 |- |rowspan=2|10 Night 1 |Rumba/"The Lady in Red |9 |9 |10 | rowspan="2" style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|No Elimination |- |Freestyle/"A Little Less Conversation |9 |9 |9 |- |rowspan=2|10 Night 2 |Argentine Tango/"El Capitalismo Foraneo" |colspan="3" style="text-align: center;"| 30 | style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Winner |- |Jive/"Proud Mary |10 |10 |10 |rowspan=2|Winner |} Hough won Season 10 of Dancing with the Stars on May 25, 2010

Season 11: Celebrity partner Jennifer Grey (Average - 27.2) : {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- style="text-align:Center; background:#ccc;" | rowspan="2"|Week # | rowspan="2"|Dance/Song | colspan="3"|Judges' score | rowspan="2"|Result |- style="text-align:center; background:#ccc;" | style="width:10%; "|Inaba | style="width:10%; "|Goodman | style="width:10%; "|Tonioli |- | style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|1 | style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Viennese Waltz/"These Arms of Mine" | style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|8 | style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|8 | style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|8 | style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;"|Safe |- style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;" | style="test-align:center' background:#faf6f6;"|2 | style="test-align:center' background:#faf6f6;"|Jive/"Shake It" | style="test-align:center' background:#faf6f68"|8 | style="test-align:center' background:#faf6f6;"|8 | style="test-align:center' background:#faf6f6;"|8 | style="test-align:center' background:#faf6f6:"|Safe |- style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;" | style="test-align:center' background:#faf6f6;"|3 | style="test-align:center' background:#faf6f6;"|Samba/"A Little Respect" | style="test-align:center' background:#faf6f6;"|8 | style="test-align:center' background:#faf6f6;"|8 | style="test-align:center' background:#faf6f6;"|8 | style="test-align:center' background:#faf6f6;"|Safe |- style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;" | style="test-align:center' background:#faf6f6;"|4 | style="test-align:center' background:#faf6f6;"|Argentine Tango/"La Cumparsita" | style="test-align:center' background:#faf6f6;"|9/10 | style="test-align:center' background:#faf6f6;"|9/9 | style="test-align:center' background:#faf6f6;"|9/10 | style="test-align:center' background:#faf6f6;"|Safe |- style="text-align:center; background:#faf6f6;" |5 |Foxtrot/"Love and Marriage" |8 |8 |9 |Safe |- |rowspan=2|6 |Paso Doble/"So What" |6 |7 |7 |rowspan=2| Last to be called Safe |- |Rock n' Roll Marathon/"La Grange" |colspan="3" style="text-align: center;" |9 |- |7 |Tango/"Shut Up" |10/9 |9 |9 |Safe |- |rowspan=2|8 |Quickstep/"Let's Face the Music and Dance" |9 |9 |9 |rowspan=2|Safe |- |Rumba/"Waiting For a Girl Like You" |10 |10 |10 |- |rowspan=2|9 |Cha-Cha-Cha/"Mercy" |10 |10 |10 |rowspan=2|Safe |- |Waltz/"Way Over Yonder" |10 |10 |10 |- |rowspan=2|10 N/1 |Paso Doble/"Habanera" |10 |10 |10 |rowspan=2|No Elimination |- |Freestyle/"Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance)" |10 |10 |10 |- |rowspan=2|10 N/2 |Viennese Waltz/"These Arms of Mine" |10 |10 |10 |rowspan=2|Winner |- |Cha-Cha-Cha/"Raise Your Glass" |9 |9 |10 |} Season 13: Celebrity Partner Ricki Lake: {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! rowspan="2" style="background:#ccc;"|Week # ! rowspan="2" style="background:#ccc;"|Dance/Song ! colspan="3" style="background:#ccc;"|Judges' score ! rowspan="2" style="background:#ccc;"|Result |- style="background:#ccc;" | style="width:10%;"|Inaba | style="width:10%;"|Goodman | style="width:10%;"|Tonioli |- |1 |Viennese Waltz/ | | | | |}

Derek Hough and Jennifer Grey hold the most perfect scores in all 11 seasons of Dancing With the Stars. They have 6 perfect 30s.

Derek Hough won Season 11 of Dancing with the Stars on November 23, 2010.

Other

Hough was an extra in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (released as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in the United States), the film adaptation of British author J. K. Rowling's bestselling novel. He appeared in an uncredited role as a "Hogwarts schoolboy".

On April 25th, 2011, Hough made a guest appearance as a dance instructor on Better With You.

Hough will also be starring with BoA in a movie titled ''Cobu 3D

References

External links

Category:1985 births Category:American ballroom dancers Category:American male singers Category:American Latter Day Saints Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Utah Category:People from Salt Lake City, Utah Category:Reality television judges

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