Omarion

Omarion
Background information
Birth name	Omari Ishmael Grandberry
Born	(1984-11-12) November 12, 1984 Inglewood, California
Genres	R&B hip hop
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter rapper actor dancer
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1999–present
Labels	MMG Atlantic Roc Nation
Associated acts	B2K Bow Wow Chris Brown
Website	www.1omarion.com

Omari Ishmael Grandberry (born November 12, 1984), better known as Omarion, is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actor and dancer. He is best known as being the lead singer of the American R&B boy band B2K; the group achieved success with singles like "Bump, Bump, Bump", which reached number-one on the Billboard Hot 100. After the group's disbandment, Omarion released his debut solo album, O (2005), which debuted atop the Billboard 200 and received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 48th Grammy Awards. His second solo album, 21 (2006), contained his highest-charting single to date, "Ice Box", which reached the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. His third solo album, Ollusion (2010), was released on January 12, 2010, with the lead single, "I Get It In".^[1] His fourth solo album, Sex Playlist (2014), spawned the single, "Post to Be", which was certified platinum and reached number 13 on the Hot 100 chart in May 2015.

Omarion also ventured into acting, with appearances in films such as You Got Served, Fat Albert, Somebody Help Me and The Proud Family Movie.

Early life

Born in Inglewood, California, to Leslie Burrell and Trent Grandberry, Omarion is the oldest of seven children. At school he played on the football team and was also known for his quirky dance moves. Although he dropped out of school midway, Omarion began to perform at age five. Before he made it into the music business, he was in commercials for Kelloggs Corn Pops and McDonald's. He also made cameos in the R&B girl group Before Dark's music videos, before he embarked on a career in music. The smooth harmony singing that formed an integral part of the band B2K, helped him establish a solo career. His younger brother O'Ryan is also a singer.^[2]

Career

2005–07: O and 21

In early 2004, Omarion appeared in several films, most notably You Got Served in which he starred alongside Marques Houston, as well as his former B2K band mates.^[3] The movie centered on a group of friends in a hip hop dance crew who take part in underground dance competitions. That same year, he played the role of the school bully "Reggie" in the comedy Fat Albert, based on the animated series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids.^[4] On February 22, 2005, Omarion released his debut solo album O. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. The first single from the album was "O". The single peaked at #27 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The second single "Touch", peaked at #94 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album received a third and final release with, "I'm Tryna", which failed to chart. O has sold over 758,000 copies in the United States since its release. Omarion received a Grammy nomination for the album at the 48th Grammy Awards for Best Contemporary R&B Album.

Omarion in 2007.

On December 26, 2006 Omarion released his second album 21. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. The first single from the album was "Entourage". The second single "Ice Box", produced by Timbaland, peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is Omarion's most successful solo single to date,^[5] reaching gold certification by the RIAA.^[6] 21 has sold over 390,000 copies in the United States since its release.

2007–10: Face Off and Ollusion

Towards the end of 2007, he displayed his acting skills in the thriller Somebody Help Me. This movie was released exclusively on DVD and aired on BET in celebration of Halloween.^[7] Omarion has also made several appearances in a number of TV shows, including One on One. Omarion also played the voice of Fifteen Cent in The Proud Family Movie.^[8] His portrayal of a rapper, who gets involved with thugs, in the movie Feel the Noise, received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics.^[9][10] Omarion also co-produced Feel the Noise.^[11] In late 2007, Omarion and Bow Wow recorded a collaboration album entitled Face Off. The album sold over 100,000 copies in its first week and went on to sell over 500,000 copies, reaching gold certification by the RIAA.^[12] The first single from the album was "Girlfriend", followed up by "Hey Baby" as the second single. During this time, Omarion toured with numerous artists, including Bow Wow, Ciara, Yung Joc, Ne-Yo, Usher, Lloyd, Mario, Pretty Ricky, and Jibbs.

On March 30, 2009, Lil Wayne confirmed that Omarion was officially signed to Young Money Entertainment but only after four months he parted ways with the label, with both Lil Wayne and Omarion confirming he was out for business reasons.^[13][14][15] In early 2010, Omarion signed with EMI and created his own label, StarrWorld Entertainment.^[16][17] Omarion later re-released the single "I Get It In" with Lil Wayne replaced by Gucci Mane. Then he released his second single "Speedin'". He released his third studio album Ollusion, which sold 19,400 copies in its first week.^[18]

2011–present: Sex Playlist and Reasons

In 2010, Omarion became a judge on the fifth season of America's Best Dance Crew, replacing former judge Shane Sparks. He left after Season 5 to focus on his music career. In early 2011, Omarion worked on his first mixtape presented by DJ Drama, titled The Awakening. Originally to be released on April 27, 2011, the mixtape was instead released on May 11, 2011. In November 2011, Omarion was seen on set with Japanese star Koda Kumi. On December 6, 2011, it was revealed that he collaborated with the star on the song "Slow" for her 2012 album Japonesque and appeared in the music video. On May 2, 2012, Omarion signed with Rick Ross label Maybach Music Group and Warner Bros. Records. He then appeared on Self Made Vol. 2 and is set to release his debut EP through the labels. Also in 2012, Omarion signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation Management.^[19] On November 29, 2012, Omarion released his debut EP Care Package. On November 5, 2013 Omarion released his second EP Care Package 2.

On August 18, 2014 Omarion was cast to be a part of Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood along with his mother and girlfriend Apryl Jones while awaiting the arrival of the first child. In November 2014, Omarion released the lead single "You Like It" in promotion of his fourth studio album "You Like It" on February 14, 2014. The second single from the album called "Post to Be," features Chris Brown and Jhené Aiko.^[20] "Post to Be" gained substantial commercial success, reaching No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is Omarion's highest selling song.^[21] The song also peaked in the top ten on Urban Radio chart, Rhythmic chart, and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and reached gold status by the RIAA in May 2015.^[22] He released his fourth {double statement} studio album, Sex Playlist, on December 2, 2014.

In June 2015, Omarion stated in an interview that he wants to open his own dance studio by the end of the year.^[23] Omarion's new album is titled Reasons, and is scheduled to be released first quarter 2017.

Artistry

Omarion's music is generally R&B, while he also naturally incorporates Hip-hop elements. His musical influences include Michael Jackson, Boyz II Men, Bobby Brown, R. Kelly, Joe Thomas, Usher, Ginuwine and Dru Hill.^[24]

Personal life

On August 7, 2014, Omarion and his girlfriend Apryl Jones had a son named Megaa Omari.^{[25] [26]} On September 29, 2015, Omarion revealed via instagram that Apryl Jones became pregnant with his second child, a girl.^[27] Their daughter A'mei Kazuko was born on March 7, 2016.^[28]

Discography

• O (2005)
• 21 (2006)
• Ollusion (2010)
• Sex Playlist (2014)
• Reasons (2017)

Filmography

Awards and nominations

• American Music Awards

• BET Awards

• Urban Music Awards

• NAACP Image Awards

• Grammy Awards

• iHeartRadio Music Awards

• MTV Movie Awards

• Teen Choice Awards

References

External links

• Official website
• Omarion at the Internet Movie Database