Adina Howard

Infobox musical artist 2
Name = Adina Howard


Background = solo_singer
Born = Birth date and age|1974|10|07|mf=y
Origin = Grand Rapids, Michigan
Genre = R&B, Hip hop soul
Occupation = Singer/Songwriter
Years_active = 1995–present
URL = [http://www.myspace.com/AdinaHoward AdinaHowardOnline]

Adina Howard (b. November 14 1974, Grand Rapids, Michigan) is an American R&B singer who rose to prominence during the mid 1990s with her debut album, "Do You Wanna Ride?" and her debut single, "Freak Like Me". Howard is known for her sexual image and provocative songs. Some of her other minor hits include "It's All About You", "My Up And Down", "T- Shirt And Panties", "(Freak) And U Know It" and her most recent hit "Nasty Grind".

Musical Beginnings

Adina was living in Mesa, Arizona just before receiving her first Major Record deal, after she met producers Ray Hunter & Ron Keel. Ray’s first intent was to have Adina sing with a group named DE JA VU, but was talked out of the idea by then business partner Ron Keel. Ron immediately saw more potential in Adina then her just becoming the 3rd singer in an all girls singing group; she was definitely a star all by herself! At the Mrs. Black Arizona beauty pageant Adina was introduced to Livio Harris a singer and manager with the now defunct group FOUR SURE! The original plan was for Adina Howard to work with Raymond & Ron who were at the time setting up a deal with Livio Harris for a co-management deal. Before the deal was ever put in writing Adina and Livio Harris ran off to her first label and signed a record deal without even notifying Ray or Ron who had arranged for her to meet Livio.

The Mecca Don/Elektra Records Period

Her debut album "Do You Wanna Ride?", with the hit single, "Freak Like Me", was released in 1995 and achieved high sales figures. The song "Freak Like Me", as well as Howard's image, can be described as hyper-sexual. "Do You Wanna Ride?" has sold over 1.3 million copies to date worldwide.

A second album, "Welcome to Fantasy Island" (originally titled "Portrait Of A Lady"), garnered critical raves and a moderate hit with the lead single, "Freak & You Know It", but was shelved by Elektra Records in 1997, due to their decision that the album "did not contain any other singles" (need reference for this). The album was leaked to the internet in limited quantities. In 1998, she collaborated with Jamie Foxx on the slow jam, "T-Shirt & Panties" for the feature film "Woo", (Foxx originally intended it for his film "Booty Call"). During this time, she made her feature film debut in the independent film "High Freakquency", starring Deon Richmond and John Witherspoon.

The Second Coming

In 2003, six years after the shelving of her second album, news of her third album hit the net with various album title changes throughout the year from "Ride Again: 7/2" to "Two Can Play That Game". Also announced in 2003, Howard filmed another independent film called "Casanova's Demise," "directed by Tigre Hill.

By 2004, Howard officially released her third album (now called "The Second Coming") under Rufftown Records. With the distribution label and the record label in conflict, the album suffered without any publicity. A video for the first single, "Nasty Grind", played on BET during early morning hours. Even with the lack of publicity, it gathered over 40,000 units on store shelves.

Private Show-Present

2005, was to be the release of "The Second Coming: Remixed & UnCut", but that project was shelved to make way for a new full-length album, "Private Show". However, before her next album's release, she made a mixtape in 2005 called "Let You Hit" featuring various new tracks, unreleased tracks, and tracks from her past three studio albums.

On "Private Show" Howard recorded in St. Louis, New York City and Los Angeles. Along with a new album, Howard worked with Nineteen76 Productions to bring documentaries for her fansite. This is an attempt to explain her side of the story and show the fans how the album was made.

Howard completed the album's recording process in 2006, and it includes songs written by the Track Boyz, Francci, and others. She released phone ringtones of the entire "Private Show" album to the ringtone site FeedMyPhone.com

The album was released on June 26th, 2007 and sold 568 copies. It has since gone on to sell around 700 copies to date.

She has since been doing shows in the United States and Europe to promote the album, as well as online interviews & magazine layouts.

Adina recently completed work on her third film, "Poke the Sleeping Bear" which is being prepped for film festivals, and a deal with HBO or Showtime.

On a new YouTube.com video posted in April 2008 on her MySpace, Adina announced plans for a fifth studio album set for 2008, once her legal trials with Rufftown Entertainment are over. A new single "What Do I Do" was included on her official my space page in late 2008 and it is said to be her first single from her upcoming new album.

Discography

Albums

Full Length

* 1995: "Do You Wanna Ride?"
* 1997: "Welcome To Fantasy Island"
* 2004: "The Second Coming"
* 2007: "Private Show"
* 2008: TBA

Mixtapes

* 2005: "Let You Hit" (DJ Rip & HBI)
* 2008: "Grown N Sexy Mixtape" (The Fleet DJs)
* 2008: "Who's The King Again Pt 4" (DJ 2Mello)

ingles

Non-Album Appearances

* 1995: You Don't Have To Cry (Remix) (with Michael Speaks) (Michael Speaks' "No Equal" album)
* 1996: Damned If I Do (with Somethin' For The People) ("A Thin Line Between Love & Hate" Soundtrack/Somethin' For The People's Self-Titled album)
* 1996: For The Funk ("Sunset Park" Soundtrack)
* 1996: What's Love Got To Do With It? (with Warren G) ("Supercop" Soundtrack/Warren G's "Take A Look Over Your Shoulder" Import Edition album)
* 1997: Chocolate (Cuties & Condoms) (with Cydal) ("Bulletproof" Soundtrack/Cydal's "Cydalwayz" album)
* 1997: Next Experience (with Next & Castro) (Next's "Rated Next" album)
* 1998: Bomb Sexx (with Melieck Britt) (Melieck Britt's "First Touch" album)
* 2002: Been Around The World (with Pyg'z & Yuck Mouth) (Pyg'z's "It's A Beautiful Thang" album)
* 2002: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is (Talk Is Cheap) (Promotional Vinyl)
* 2002: Rough Riding (with Estevan) (Promotional Vinyl)
* 2004: Freaks (with Play-N-Skillz & Krayzie Bone) (Play N Skillz's "The Process" album)
* 2006: Damn Damn Damn (with Mark Morrison) (Mark Morrison's "Innocent Man")

Music Videos

* 1995: "Freak Like Me"
* 1995: "Freak Like Me (Slow Wind Remix)"
* 1995: "My Up and Down (Somethin' 2 Ride 2 Remix)"
* 1995: "Tonite (with A Few Good Men) (Cameo)
* 1995: "It's All About You (Too Slow U Blow Remix)"
* 1996: "What's Love Got To Do With It" (with Warren G)
* 1997: " [Freak] And U Know It"
* 2003: "Nasty Grind"

Filmography

* 1998: "High Freakquency" (Herself)
* 2002: "Luke's Peep Show" (Herself)
* 2003: "Casanova's Demise"
* 2008: "Poke the Sleeping Bear" (Rolanda)

External links

* [http://www.myspace.com/adinahoward - Adina's Official MySpace Page]

References