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For the name, see Solé (surname).
Solé
Birth nameTonya Michelle Johnston
Also known asMrssole, Aja Shah
Born (1973-07-17) July 17, 1973 (age 51)
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
GenresHip hop
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
  • actress
  • wellness practitioner
Years active1993–present
Labels
Websiteiamsole.com

Tonya Michelle Johnston[1][2][3] (born July 17, 1973), known professionally as Solé, is an American rapper from Kansas City, Missouri.[3]

Early life and education

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Solé was born on July 17, 1973 in Kansas City, to Phyllis Frazier and James Johnston,[4][5] Her siblings are Sean and Charles (Chuck) Johnston, Sierra and Tamika Gamble.[6] She is of West African, East African, Tamil (South Indian), Native American descent through her mother side and North African and Eastern European descent through her father side. She attended cosmetology school and college in the early 1990s where she studied Political Science and Psychology before securing a record deal with Dreamworks Records and RedZone Entertainment[7]

Career

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[citation needed]

Solé descended from a family of musical talent, song writers, singers and musicians. She began rapping at the age of 6 and formed a group called Divine with her best friend Shurhea Mitchell in 1986. They would perform at local talent shows and in 1990 they won a trip to the BRE (Black Radio Exclusive) in New Orleans, to perform at a showcase in front of record label execs and other artists. They were offered a record deal by JDK Records and flew to New York to record. Her father, who was managing them at the time, didn't feel it was a good deal so they went back home and started college.

She once again began recording in 1997 with Tech N9ne and Don Juan of Kansas City fame and traveled to LA to record.[citation needed] She met Thabiso Nkhereanye who introduced her to Christopher Tricky Stewart of Red Zone Entertainment, who signed her to a production deal.[citation needed] Her career took off as a hardcore female hip hop artist by attracting attention in the summer of 1999 with her appearance on J.T. Money's hit single "Who Dat," which reached number 1 on the US Rap chart, remaining there for 8 weeks (a record at the time), winning number 2 on the US R&B chart, and number 5 on the US Hot 100. Who Dat won "Rap Single of the Year" at the 1999 Billboard Music Awards as well. [citation needed]

In September 1999, she released her debut album Skin Deep, which was an overall success[citation needed] in the United States attaining Gold status and garnered her a nomination for "Rap Artist of the Year" at the Billboard Music Awards. She also went on to win several ASCAP Music awards that same year.[citation needed]

Her highly anticipated [citation needed] return to music was guided by a desire to offer music that is empowering and inspiring, reflective of the path that she embarked upon when she left the industry.[citation needed]

In 2011 she was featured on “Naal Naachna" by UK based Bhangra artist Jassi Sidhu lead singer of British Indian bhangra band B21.[citation needed]

In February 2012 she featured on a song called "A New Look" by Focus.[8]

In 2017 she was featured on "SocMed Digital Heroin" from Public Enemy 30th-anniversary album "Nothing Is Quick In The Desert". [citation needed]

On September 29, 2019, Solé released her second album Encoded.[9]

Personal life

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Solé met Ginuwine in June 1999[10] and began dating in October 1999.[10] The two became engaged in August 2000. They resided in Brandywine, Maryland.[11][12] They have two daughters together: Story (born March 29, 2001)[13] and Dream Sarae Lumpkin (born November 1, 2002).[14] Solé married Ginuwine on September 8, 2003 in Grand Cayman.

Solé has four daughters in total and one granddaughter. Her daughters De'jan Nicole Lee, born in 1992, and Cypress Soleil Lee, born in 1995, are from a previous relationship. Her granddaughter, Sage Lotus Lee, was born May 17, 2020.

In 2014, Solé filed for divorce; Ginuwine announced their separation in November of that year.[15] Their divorce was finalized July 22, 2015.[16]

On August 27, 2017, Solé married Public Enemy band member and rapper Professor Griff, taking his last name Shah and legally changing her full name to Aja Shah.

Discography

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Studio albums

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Year Album Chart Positions
US US Hip-Hop
1999 Skin Deep 127 27
2019 Encoded — —

Singles

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Solo

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Year Title Peak chart positions
[17][18][19][20][21][22] 		Album
Billboard Hot 100 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot Rap Singles Rhythmic Top 40
1999 "4, 5, 6" (featuring JT Money and Kandi) 21 9 1 24 Skin Deep
2000 "It Wasn't Me" (featuring Ginuwine) — 44 — 19
2019 "Encoded" — — — — Encoded
"Pranayama" — — — —
"Under the Veil" — — — —
"The Formula" — — — —
"Daughter of The Earth" — — — —
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Year Title Peak chart positions[23][24] Album
Billboard Hot 100 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot Rap Singles
1999 "Baby" (Before Dark feat. Sole) — 48 — Daydreamin'
"Who Dat" (JT Money feat. Sole) 5 2 1 Pimpin' on Wax
"—" indicates singles that did not chart.

Guest appearances

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Year Song Artist(s) Album
1999 "Straight Thuggin'" (also featuring Twista) Kane & Abel Rise to Power
"Clueless" (also featuring Larone Burnette) Tech N9ne The Calm Before the Storm
"Let Him Go" Tamar Braxton Tamar: Just Cuz
"Better Than Me" (Mario Winans Remix) Terry Dexter Better Than Me (single)
2001 "Get Up On It" Tyrese 2000 Watts
"Contagious (Mercenary Mix)" The Isley Brothers Contagious (Remix)
2002 "Costa Nostra" Don Juan Mizery Won't Stop
2003 "Sex" Ginuwine The Senior
2011 "Naal Nuchuna" Jassi Sidhu Singing Between the Lines
2012 "A New Look" Focus...

References

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  1. ^ Garner, Joshua (April 22, 2010). "Genuine home-grown talent". Gazette.net. Post-Newsweek Media, Inc. Retrieved May 18, 2010. with his wife, Tonya Lumpkin, a former rapper known as Solé
  2. ^ "Tonya M. Johnston on ASCAP". ASCAP. Retrieved April 14, 2009.
  3. ^ a b "Sole-Me.com - Official Sole Website". Archived from the original on June 20, 2000. Retrieved April 14, 2009.
  4. ^ "Solé on NNDB". Soylent Communications. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
  5. ^ "Strictly Sole". Archived from the original on February 5, 2005. Retrieved March 30, 2017. (Fact 7)
  6. ^ "Strictly Sole". Archived from the original on February 5, 2005. Retrieved March 30, 2017. (Siblings and their ages)
  7. ^ "Strictly Sole". Archived from the original on February 5, 2005. Retrieved March 30, 2017. (Fact 9)
  8. ^ "Twitter / MrsSole: @shurhea "A New Look"". Archived from the original on December 2, 2012. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  9. ^ "Sole | Solé". Mysite. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  10. ^ a b "Strictly Sole". Archived from the original on February 5, 2005. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
  11. ^ "Obama Made Voting Cool Even For Ginuwine". Usnews.com. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  12. ^ Bedard, Paul (June 18, 2009). "Lives In MD Suburbs". Usnews.com. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  13. ^ Sole/Ginuwine have daughter Archived December 13, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ "Adam's Rib". Archived from the original on December 22, 2004. Retrieved July 24, 2008. G tells Niki of Sister 2 Sister mag that his second daughter was born on November 1 and that he has had a vasectomy
  15. ^ "Ginuwine addresses divorce rumors | S2SMagazine.com". Archived from the original on February 6, 2015. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  16. ^ Fitzgerald, Trent (August 5, 2015). "Ginuwine Is Officially a Bachelor, Finalizes Divorce". The Boombox.
  17. ^ "The Billboard Hot 100 - 4, 5, 6". Billboard.com. February 12, 2000. Archived from the original on March 27, 2014. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
  18. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs - 4, 5, 6". Billboard.com. February 12, 2000. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
  19. ^ "Hot Rap Singles - 4, 5, 6". Billboard.com. August 5, 2000. Retrieved August 14, 2008. [dead link]
  20. ^ "Rhythmic Top 40 - 4, 5, 6". Billboard.com. March 25, 2000. Retrieved August 14, 2008. [dead link]
  21. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs - It Wasn't Me". Billboard.com. June 17, 2000. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
  22. ^ "Rhythmic Top 40 - It Wasn't Me". Billboard.com. July 1, 2000. Retrieved August 14, 2008. [dead link]
  23. ^ "Billboard - Singles Chart History (Before Dark)". Retrieved February 1, 2009.
  24. ^ "Billboard - Singles Chart History (JT Money)". Retrieved February 1, 2009.
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