Faith Evans will always have to live with this unfortunate title. Even though she had separated from Notorious BIG before he got shot. As a solo artist she was at one point one of the most successful singer songwriter of the hip-hop soul genre even penning hits for Usher and Mary J. Blige. Evans has sold over 3 million records predominantly in the US. She has also collaborated in highly successful artists such as Whitney Houston, Jay-Z and of course her mentor Puff Daddy. Faith Evans has a polarizing public image as an artist and a mother and her sometimes run-ins with the law only add fuel to fire. Faith Evans has also done two feature films and has signed a new contract to make a reality show about her life, her family and the recording of her new album.

Faith Evans - The Notorious First Lady

"Everybody wasn't always too big on my mother having me. I believe at least probably my father. I don't think he wanted her to have the baby. So I really think that's what made her name me Faith. She had to keep the faith. -- Faith Evans on her parents and..." - Faith Evans

Rap's Most Famous Widow

Faith Evans will always have to live with this unfortunate title. Even though she had separated from Notorious BIG before he got shot. As a solo artist she was at one point one of the most successful singer songwriter of the hip-hop soul genre even penning hits for Usher and Mary J. Blige. Evans has sold over 3 million records predominantly in the US. She has also collaborated in highly successful artists such as Whitney Houston, Jay-Z and of course her mentor Puff Daddy. Faith Evans has a polarizing public image as an artist and a mother and her sometimes run-ins with the law only add fuel to fire. Faith Evans has also done two feature films and has signed a new contract to make a reality show about her life, her family and the recording of her new album.

The Early Life

Faith Evans had a tragic childhood as she was abandoned by her biological father before she was born; her then 19 year old mother put her up with her family who were foster parents to many kids. Her mother eventually came back and started living close by as Faith did not want to leave the house she had got used to. At a very early age she showed her natural talent at singing and joined a Baptist church singing choir. She dropped out of college as she was pregnant with her first child with music producer Kiyamma Griffin.

She moved to LA and was doing session work and as a back-up vocalist. It is then she was heard by Puff Daddy and he was immediately signed her to his Bad Boy Entertainment in 1994. In the beginning he asked her to write songs for Usher and his beloved protégé Mary J Blige. She spent a lot of time in the studio in LA recording demos and honing her skills. Before the release of her first album she starts a relationship with label mate Notorious B.I.G. They get married as well but the relationship in all accounts is a tumultuous one.

Her first album "Faith" produced by Puff Daddy spawned a hit single "You Used to Love Me". The song written by Evans herself is the first glimpse of her relationship with her rapper husband. The album went to be certified platinum peaking at No. 22 on the US charts

Tragedy and Sophomore

On March 9 1997, Evan's husband BIG is shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in LA. The world watched as the entire Rap community was on hand on Brooklyn for the funeral seeing an uncontrollable Faith Evans. She went into seclusion and depression following the incident. Puff Daddy was able to record a single "I'll Be Missing You" as a tribute to her husband. Evans managed to sing and the record was a multi-platinum effort! Based on the sample tune by The Police "Every Breathe You Take"; In fact the legendary Sting (front man of the Police) joined Puff Daddy on stage during the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards for a live performance.

In 1998, Faith Evans released her next album "Keeping the Faith" in 1998, again produced by Puff Daddy. Another platinum effort but lacked a super-hit single. The song "Never Let you Go" was a semi-hit. After a successful 18-city tour Evans was busy in her personal life again.

The First Lady

Evans released her third album "Faithfully" in Nov of 2001 which was to be her last with Puff Daddy. She realized that there would be no progression in her career with the record label and therefore amicably ended the relationship.

She signed with Capitol Records and released in 2005 to mixed reviews though it was her strongest chart performance peaking at No.2 She worked with an ensemble of hip-hop and soul producer which defined the sound of the album. The production now included her second husband Todd Russaw. The album has sold over 900,000 records.

Faith Evans does have her personal life in order and her fans are eagerly awaiting her new album and reality show.

• Faith Evans in her tell-all memoir explicitly mentions the sexual advances by rapper Tupac Shakur in his hotel room when she had gone to collect money for a single they recorded together.
• Faith Evans played Oscar winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr. mother in the movie "Fighting Temptations"
• Her only No.1 Single is the collaboration with Puff Daddy "I'll be missing you" a tribute to her murdered husband The Notorious B.I.G

• Unlimited Music Access
• Music File Sharing
• Country Based Radio Channels
• Easy, Fast and Safe!
• 100% Free!