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Raphael Saadiq (born Charlie Ray Wiggins on May 14 1966 in Oakland, California) is well-acclaimed African-American music artist. He is a singer, songwriter, writer and producer associated with the neo soul music movement.
Saadiq has been playing music since the age of six. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, he played bass at church and school. He also enjoyed his on-stage moments at various local events of his hometown.
Saadiq made a name for himself as the lead vocalist in the rhythm and blues and dance trio Tony! Toni! Toné!. He went by his birth name when in Tony! Toni! Toné!, where he was joined by his brother Dwayne Wiggins, and his cousin Timothy Christian. He adopted the name of Raphael Saadiq in the mid-1990s.
After the 1996 Tony! Toni! Toné! album, House of Music, (when he performed under his current name) Saadiq started his solo career. He produced a few solo tracks, but Saadiq's next big project became the R&B supergroup Lucy Pearl. He recorded the self-titled album with Dawn Robinson (En Vogue) and Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest). This group only lasted for one album. His solo album Instant Vintage, released in 2002, also earned 5 Grammy nominations.
Saadiq also has helped produce songs for various other artists, notably with D'Angelo, with whom he collaborated in songwriting and production for D'Angelo's albums. His 2000 collaboration "Untitled" won D'Angelo a Grammy award. Other artists he has collaborated with include The Roots, Macy Gray, Snoop Dogg, Kelis, Q-Tip as well as many others.
In 2002, Saadiq founded his own record label, Pookie Entertainment. His label mates are JOI and Truth.
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