KEKE WYATT

'KeKe Wyatt', (born 'Ketara Wyatt' in 1981 in Indianapolis, Indiana), is a recording artist.
=Biography=
A student of Chicago-based producer/songwriter Steve "Stone" Huff, KeKe originally started off her musical career auditioning for Destiny's Child when they were still named The Dolls. She first gained notoriety singing with MCA Records recording star Avant on his single ''My First Love'', a remake of the lush 1980s ballad by Rene & Angela. The success of that single prompted the release of her first single "Used to Love'', which went unnoticed. However, the follow-up "Nothing in This World", her second time dueting with Avant, became a huge smash single.
By 2004, KeKe had left MCA Records and signed with Cash Money Records. Her second album, ''Emotional Rollercoaster'', was originally set for release in early 2006. The set's first single, "Put Your Hands on Me" became the #1 most added urban track to radio in April 2005. However, the single failed to chart or gain radio airplay and her album was subsequently shelved.
Songs slated to appear on her second album included the first single "Put Your Hands On Me", "Look at What You Made Me Do", "Insecurity" (written by Bryan Michael Cox), "My Man", "Six Questions" (featuring Avant), "Cheaters", "Who Knows" (written by R&B singer Tank), "Peace On Earth" (remake of a Rachelle Ferrell single), and the title track (featuring Ginuwine).
Late 2006 saw the release of KeKe from her contract with Cash Money Records, and she has since signed with TVT Records. She has completed work on her third album ''Ghetto Rose'', set to be released on October 23rd, 2007. The title track is the set's lead single, which was released to Urban radio outlets late August/early September.



=Controversy=

Contents

Controversial Domestic Case

Self Comparison to Beyonce Knowles

Controversy Involving Race

Albums

Singles

Collaborations

Controversial Domestic Case

In 2002, on Christmas Eve, Wyatt was arrested for stabbing her fiancee with a kitchen knife. Wyatt, then 21, was accused by local Shelbyville, Kentucky authorities of stabbing Rahmat Morton, then 28, up to five times with a steak knife after a domestic dispute at their home. Morton, also Wyatt's manager, was allegedly taken to University of Louisville Hospital, where he was listed as a patient. Wyatt, however, was not charged with any crime.
The controversy came at a time when Wyatt's solo career had reached the national stage. The accusations helped propel her debut album ''Soul Sista'' into gold-certified status. The video for her third single, ''I Don't Wanna'', featured her real-life spouse playing her husband as well as their son in the beginning intro.

Self Comparison to Beyonce Knowles

In her July 2007 interview with AllHipHop.com^[1], controversy brewed when Wyatt was ''quoted'' as stating that she could sing better than entertainer Beyonce Knowles. Both Knowles and Wyatt are a former members of a childhood all girl group The Dolls.

''If you notice, I’m yellow. My natural hair is the color she dyes her hair. I have the little waist with the big booty. It’s all the same thing but I sing better, so [it was their loss]. Say I don’t [sing better than Beyonce].''

Controversy Involving Race

In her August 2007 interview with Essence Magazine^[1], the magazine ''quoted'' Wyatt as stating that she was ''Married to Jesus'' when asked if she was still married to Rahmat Morton. Wyatt went on to say that despite not being allowed to watch Roots (TV miniseries) as a child her mother, a Caucasian woman, referred to Wyatt and her siblings as the derogatory slur nigger:

''She didn’t want us to see how White people treated Black people because she probably thought we might start hating White people.''

''Hell, I thought my name was “n---er” for a long time (laughs)''.

Wyatt further explained the following about her mother:

''My mom was raised around African-American people all her life. She can cornrow and everything. All she knows is the African-American way of living, because her stepfather was Black and she was raised by his family. She will use the N-word like it’s going out of style. I say, “Mama you can’t just go around using the N-word,” and she’s like, “I don’t give a damn. I say what I want to say. N---a ain’t no color, it’s an ignorant person.” ''

Born to an African-American/Indian father and Caucasian mother Wyatt stated that she embraced her multiracial ancestry and identity, but felt loyal to Blacks/African-Americans. Despite this sentiment, she sparked dissension among Essence Magazine readers when she referred to Blacks as ''they'' even though Wyatt, herself, is of Black cultural heritage and has an African descended father with a Black phenotype. Wyatt continued on to say that she takes issue with individuals of the lighter spectrum who feel superior to those of the darker spectrum. However by Wyatt referring to her own grade of hair as ''pretty hair'' and to the ''broad noses'' of Black people she conjured counter sentiments towards ''old school'' negative stereotypes in her audience. Furthermore, the mentality she exhibited aligned with supremacist and imperialistic attitudes. Many Essence Magazine readers drew concern over Wyatt's statements, most of whom are of Sub-Saharan African descent:

I hate how everyone thinks that Black people are beneath them, even Asians, Whites and ...Mexicans. No, 'I’m not all Black', but I definitely 'stand up for the Black people'. 'They’ve' had it rough, 'they can’t help the fact that they’re skin is dark, or that their nose is a lil’ wider or that the curls in their hair might be tighter'. I don’t think that it’s fair for people who look like me—the light skin, pointy nose and 'pretty hair'—to think that dark-complected people are any less than them. Who am I? I’m not better than you. I breathe the same air and I bleed the same blood. Nobody is better than anybody else. We are all in this struggle called life. I think brown skin is beautiful because people like me have to lay out in the sun to try and look like you. 'My best friends are Black—I mean, Black-Black'—and I think that’s so beautiful. 'I think that’s why I decided to make my children Black'...I could have married a White dude and my kids probably would have looked completely White. That’s not what I wanted. Now, they can go outside and get a for-real tan (laughs). I think Black is beautiful. 'I stand for the African-American people until the day I die.'

= Fan Base =
The majority of Wyatt's fan base spans across Asia, Europe and America. Most specifically Japan and Korea; African descendants in the US and Europe.

Albums

★ ''Soul Sista'' (2001) #33 Billboard 200, #5 R&B RIAA Certification: 'Gold'

★ ''Emotional Rollercoaster'' (2006) (Shelved)

★ ''Ghetto Rose'' (2007)

Singles

Year	Title	Chart Positions			Album
		U.S.	U.S. R&B	UK
2002	"Used To Love"	-	#65	-	''Soul Sista''
2002	"Nothing In This World" (featuring Avant)	#27	#4	-
2003	"I Don't Wanna"	-	-	-
2005	"Put Your Hands On Me"	-	-	-	''Emotional Rollercoaster''
2007	"Ghetto Rose"	-	-	-	''Ghetto Rose''

Collaborations

★ with Avant: "My First Love" (2001) R&B: #4 US: #26

★ with Blackalicious & Lateef the Truth Speaker: "It's Goin' Down" (2003)


=References=
1. .
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=External links=

★ Official site

★ MCA Records site

★ Keke Wyatt on Myspace.com

★ Keke Wyatt Fan Club @ Yahoo Groups