Da Brat

Da Brat Headshot

Rapper • Actress

Birth Date: April 14, 1974

Age: 49 years old

Birth Place: Chicago, Illinois

With her brash, in-your-face style and tart-tongued lyrics, Da Brat burst onto the rap scene in 1994 with her debut album, "Funkdafied." The male-dominated industry was impacted immediately, as the charismatic and carefree girl from Chicago went on to become the first female solo rapper to go platinum. "Funkdafied" entered the Billboard Rap Album chart at No. 1, selling more than 62,000 copies in its first week alone. The title track from the album also went platinum, and stayed at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Rap singles chart for a record-breaking eleven weeks.

Born in Chicago on April 14, 1974, Da Brat, a.k.a. Shawntae Harris, began her musical career at her local church. But Shawntae didn't sing in the choir: she played drums instead, an experience which she credits as the source of her rhythm. In 1992, Da Brat got her shot at fame by winning a local MC contest, hosted by Ed Lover of "Yo MTV Raps" fame. The grand prize was an opportunity to meet teen rappers Kris Kross, then basking in the glow of their hit debut album, "Totally Krossed Out." This led to meeting top producer Jermaine Dupri in Atlanta, the man responsible for discovering the rap duo. Impressed with Da Brat's talent, Dupri got her into the studio to record with Mac Daddy and Daddy Mac on the title cut to their second album, "Da Bomb." Then Brat got the chance to show off her own stuff, recording the smash hit "Funkdafied." Success didn't phase the young, business-savvy Brat, who rapped about her experiences in the recording industry on her sophomore effort, "Anuthatatrum" (1997). Two more albums followed, "Unrestrictred" (2000) and "Limelite, Luv & Nightclubz" (2003), both of which sold well. But Da Brat was not to be satisfied with just a music career, and made the transition into movies, though not with the same impact as her explosion onto the music scene. She made her first appearance onscreen with a cameo as herself in "Kazaam" (1996), the unsuccessful kid's flick starring basketball superstar, Shaquille O'Neal. Brat's first supporting role was in "Full Court Press" (1997), a coming-of-age story about two teenaged basketball players, starring Hill Harper and Charles Scott. The film was screened at the First Look film series, the monthly screening program held at New York City's Tribeca Film Center, a facility founded in 1989 by Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal. Unfortunately, the film never made it into theaters or video stores.

Not to be deterred, Brat upped her profile with a starring role in "Glitter" (2001), the quasi-biopic of best friend Mariah Carey. Though "Glitter" made it to theaters, the much-maligned star vehicle was universally panned critics, though most of the derision was aimed at Carey. Sadly, the results at the box office weren't any more encouraging. Da Brat got her next role as Sabrina in the prison drama "Civil Brand" (2003), directed by Emmy-award winning director and producer Neema Barnette. Civil Brand made the festival rounds, including the 2002 Urban World Film Festival and the American Spectrum (non-competing) program at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. The film was released by Lions Gate on August 29, 2003. Like some rappers, however, Da Brat's life started to mimic her art: in March of 2000, she was involved in an altercation involving a female onlooker outside an Atlanta nightclub. The rapper pistol whipped the bystander after Brat's entourage insisted that the woman move away from the VIP line. In exchange for a guilty plea, Brat received a $1000 fine and eight hours of community service. A week after the incident, however, a pair of masked gunmen burst into Brat's apartment complex in the metro neighborhood of Buckhead, Atlanta, and fired several rounds into a limousine, injuring five. Though Brat was considered to be the target early on in the investigation, police later determined she was not. Perhaps fueled by publicity from the incidents, "Unrestricted" became her biggest hit to date, debuting on top of the R&B chart at No. 5 on the Billboard 200.

Credits

Da Brat's Birthday 10

Self
Show
2023

Sherri

Guest
Talk
2022

Growing Up Hip Hop: Relationship Goals: Da Brat & Jesseca's Love Story!

Self
Show
2022

Brat Loves Judy: Extras

Actor
Show
2022

The Real Queens of Hip-Hop: The Women Who Changed the Game -- An ABC News Special

Self
Show
2021

Brat Loves JudyStream

Executive Producer
Reality
2021

Brat Loves JudyStream

Self
Reality
2021

Urban One Honors: Women Leading the Change

Guest
Show
2021

Envy: A Seven Deadly Sins StoryStream

Actor
Movie
2021

Vibe: A 90's Summer

Music Performer
Show
2020

Vibe: Millenium Hip-Hop

Music Performer
Show
2020

Tamron Hall

Guest
Talk
2019

Power, Influence and Hip-Hop: The Remarkable Rise of So So Def

Actor
Show
2019

Vibe: Queens of Hip-Hop

Music Performer
Show
2019

J.D. Classics

Music Performer
Show
2018

'90s Bad Boy

Music Performer
Show
2018

Sister Circle

Guest
Talk
2017

Daily Blast Live

Guest
Show
2017

Growing Up Hip Hop Atlanta

Self
Show
2017

The Rap Game

Guest
Show
2016

The Rap Game

Guest Star
Show
2016

Rickey Smiley for Real

Actor
Da Brat
Show
2015

Rickey Smiley for Real

Self
Show
2015

Celebrity Family FeudStream

Guest
Game Show
2015

EmpireStream

Guest Star
Series
2015
84%

Mariah Carey Feat. Da Brat & Xscape: Always Be My Baby (Mr. Dupri Mix)

Music Performer
Show
2015

Demetria McKinney Feat. Da Brat: 100

Music Performer
Show
2014

JD Feat. Da Brat: The Party Continues

Music Performer
Show
2013

Destiny's Child Feat. Jermaine Dupri, Da Brat & Lil Bow Wow: Jumpin', Jumpin' (So So Def Remix)

Music Performer
Show
2012

Dish Nation

Host
Talk
2011

The Wendy Williams Show

Guest
Talk
2008

30 Days

Actor
Movie
2006

Wild 'N OutStream

Guest
Game Show
2005

Dem Franchize Boyz Feat. Bow Wow, Jermaine Dupri, Da Brat: I Think They Like Me

Music Performer
Show
2005

Destiny's Child feat. Da Brat: Survivor

Music Performer
Show
2004

Da Brat: Give It 2 You (Re-Mix)

Music Performer
Show
2004

Da Brat Feat. Tyrese: What'chu Like

Music Performer
Show
2004

Jagged Edge Feat. Jermaine Dupri, Da Brat, R.O.C., Lil Bow Wow & Tigah: Where the Party At (Remix)

Music Performer
Show
2004

Missy Elliott, Mariah Carey & Da Brat: Heartbreaker (Remix)

Music Performer
Show
2004

The Surreal Life

Self
Show
2003

Da Brat Feat. Cherish: In Love Wit Chu

Music Performer
Show
2003

Civil Brand

Actor
Sabrina
Movie
2002

Carmen

Narrator
Movie
2001

Carmen: A Hip Hopera

Narrator
Movie
2001

Glitter

Actor
Louise
Movie
2001
6%

Da Brat: That's What I'm Looking For

Music Performer
Show
2000

Mariah Carey Feat. Missy Elliott & Da Brat: Heartbreaker (Remix)

Music Performer
Show
1999

Kelly Price Feat. Jermaine Dupri, Da Brat: Secret Love (Remix)

Music Performer
Show
1998

Missy Elliott Feat. Da Brat: Sock It 2 Me

Music Performer
Show
1997

Rhyme & Reason

Actor
Movie
1997

Sabrina the Teenage WitchStream

Guest Star
Series
1996

Total Feat. Foxy Brown, Lil' Kim, Da Brat: No One Else (Remix)

Music Performer
Show
1996

All ThatStream

Music Performer
Series
1994

Da Brat: Give It 2 You

Music Performer
Show
1994

Da Brat: Fa All Y'All

Music Performer
Show
1994