Da Brat Bio
Shawntae Harris-Dupart (née Harris; born April 14, 1974), known professionally as Da Brat, is an American rapper, actress, songwriter, and media personality. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, she burst onto the music scene in the early 1990s and secured platinum success with Funkdafied (1994) as one of hip-hop’s first widely acclaimed female solo acts. She signed with Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def label and became a fixture in the 1990s rap landscape, earning multiple award nominations and mainstream recognition. Beyond music, Da Brat expanded into acting and television, appearing in films such as Kazaam (1996) and Glitter (2001), and later taking part in reality and talk formats. Her career, marked by resilience and versatility, spans more than three decades of performances, collaborations, and evolving public presence.
Early Life and Background
Shawntae Harris was born on April 14, 1974, in Chicago, Illinois, and was raised primarily on the West Side of Chicago. Her father, David Ray McCoy, was a businessman, and her mother, Nadine Brewer, was a city bus driver. Her parents never married, and Harris was subsequently raised in two different households. She lived part-time with her mother and part with her grandmother, attending an Apostolic church four times a week and singing in the choir. Harris is the paternal half-sister of actress LisaRaye McCoy.
Harris attended Kenwood Academy during her sophomore and junior year, where she ran track and played basketball. She graduated from the Academy of Scholastic Achievement, a continuation charter school that caters to at-risk students in 1992. Her early exposure to music through church and her upbringing in Chicago’s West Side laid the foundation for her future career in hip-hop.
Path to Rap
In 1992, Da Brat’s big break occurred when she won the grand prize in a local rap contest sponsored by Yo! MTV Raps. As part of her prize, Brat met the young rap duo Kris Kross and was introduced to their producer, Jermaine Dupri. Brat was eventually signed to Dupri’s So So Def label, with Dupri remaining a collaborator, friend, and fixture throughout the entirety of Brat’s career. This connection proved instrumental in launching her professional music career.
Her debut album, Funkdafied (1994), entered the Billboard hip hop albums chart at number 11. The album went platinum, making her the first solo female rapper to exceed one million records sold. The album’s lead single, Funkdafied, reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart and number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. Her follow-up single from the album, Give It 2 You, reached number 26 on the Hot 100.
Da Brat Career
Early Career (1992–1995)
Following the success of her debut album, Da Brat quickly established herself as a force in hip-hop. Funkdafied achieved platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America, becoming the first album by a female hip hop solo act to do so. The album’s lead single of the same name peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. Her guest appearance alongside Lisa Lopes, Missy Elliott, and Angie Martinez on Lil’ Kim’s 1997 single Not Tonight further elevated her profile in the industry.
Breakthrough (1996–2003)
In 1996, Da Brat released her second full-length album, Anuthatantrum, which included the single Ghetto Love featuring T-Boz of TLC. That same year, she made her feature film debut in Kazaam, starring Shaquille O’Neal. Over the course of the 1990s, Brat came to be recognized for her comedic timing, her laidback attitude, and her many memorable guest spots on other artists’ songs.
She was featured with Kris Kross on the title track of their album Da Bomb (1993), as well as on their third album, Young, Rich and Dangerous (1996). A long-time friend of singer Mariah Carey, Brat contributed a rap verse to the So So Def remix of Carey’s number 1 single Always Be My Baby in 1996, which also featured Dupri and fellow So So Def group Xscape.
The late 1990s saw Da Brat featured in many high-profile collaborations. She appeared on a remix of Dru Hill’s 1997 song In My Bed, the So So Def remix of Mariah Carey’s number 1 single Honey, and recorded a hit remix of Ladies’ Night (Not Tonight) with Lil’ Kim, Lisa Left-Eye Lopes, Angie Martinez, and Missy Elliott. The quintet gave an Ancient Egypt and Roman-themed performance of the song at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards.
Brat was featured in Sock It 2 Me by Missy Elliott, off of Elliott’s debut album Supa Dupa Fly (1997), and starred in its accompanying music video. In 1999, she was featured with Krayzie Bone of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony on Mariah Carey’s I Still Believe (Imagination Remix), which creatively sampled the melodies of Pure Imagination from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971).
Notable Works and Milestones
In early 2000, Da Brat released her third full-length album, Unrestricted, preceded by the single That’s What I’m Looking For, which was featured on the soundtrack to Big Momma’s House (2000). She also released What’chu Like, featuring R&B singer Tyrese. In 2001, she reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles chart on the remix of Mariah Carey’s Loverboy, along with Cameo and rappers Ludacris and Shawnna. That same year, she appeared as friend Louise in Mariah Carey’s 2001 movie Glitter.
In 2003, Brat released her fourth album, titled Limelite, Luv and Niteclubz, including the single In Love wit Chu which peaked at number 9 on the Billboard rhythmic chart. At the same time, she appeared on the fourth season of VH1’s The Surreal Life.
Continued Success (2005–Present)
In 2005, she made a comeback when she was featured on the remix of the song I Think They Like Me by Dem Franchize Boyz, which also featured Bow Wow and Jermaine Dupri. The song peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles chart and number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2007, she participated in the fifth season of the VH1 reality series Celebrity Fit Club.
She released her new single Is It Chu? on iTunes and other digital services on July 2, 2013. She works for the Rickey Smiley Morning Show as a co-host since July 2015 and is part of the Dish Nation cast out of Atlanta. Since 2016, Da Brat has appeared on the reality TV series The Rap Game as a mentor to young talent. In 2017, Da Brat joined the reality TV series Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta, which follows Atlanta legends and children of Atlanta legends.
Da Brat Award Nominations
Throughout her career, Da Brat has received recognition from major award organizations. She has received two Grammy Award nominations for her musical achievements. Additionally, she has earned nominations from the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, BET Awards, and Billboard Awards, reflecting her impact on the music industry across multiple genres and platforms.
Da Brat Awards Won
While Da Brat has received multiple Grammy Award nominations throughout her career, her most significant achievement remains being the first solo female rapper to achieve platinum status with her debut album Funkdafied in 1994, a milestone that paved the way for future generations of female hip-hop artists.
Da Brat Family
Da Brat is the paternal half-sister of actress LisaRaye McCoy. She was born to father David Ray McCoy, a businessman, and mother Nadine Brewer, a city bus driver. Her parents never married, and she was raised in two different households, living part-time with her mother and part with her grandmother.
Personal Life
Da Brat publicly came out in March 2020 through an Instagram post where she announced her relationship with Jesseca Dupart, CEO of Kaleidoscope Hair Products. In an interview with Variety, she discussed coming out as bisexual and why it took her 25 years to do so. On February 22, 2022, Da Brat and Dupart married in Georgia.
Da Brat announced in February 2023 that she was expecting her first child. She had surgery to remove fibroids and polyps prior to an embryo transfer procedure and suffered a miscarriage before the current pregnancy. She gave birth to their son, True Legend, on July 6, 2023. Prior to her marriage, Da Brat dated Allen Iverson in the late 1990s.