Tyrese Gibson

Tyrese Darnell Gibson (born December 30, 1978), also known mononymously as Tyrese, is an American Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, actor, author, television producer, former fashion model and MTV VJ. He is best known for his roles as Joseph "Jody" Summers in Baby Boy and as Roman Pearce in the Fast and the Furious series. After releasing several albums, he transitioned into films, with lead roles in several major Hollywood releases.

Early life

Gibson was born and raised in Watts, Los Angeles, California.^[1][2] His mother, Priscilla Murray Gibson (née Durham), raised him and his three older siblings as a single parent after Gibson's father, Tyrone Gibson, left. Gibson attended Florida A&M University.^[3][4]

Music career

Music beginnings

Gibson's career began when he auditioned for a Coca Cola commercial at the suggestion of his high school music teacher. An appearance in a 1994 Coca-Cola advertisement, singing the phrase "Always Coca-Cola",^[5] led to bigger fame. It led him to other appearances for Guess and Tommy Hilfiger.

1998–99: Tyrese

In early 1998, Gibson was signed as an artist to early RCA Records. Afterwards, he released his debut single "Nobody Else". It quickly rose on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at #36. On September 29, 1998, he released his self-titled album Tyrese at the age of 19. It debuted on the Billboard charts at #17. In late 1998, Gibson became the new host of the weekday music video show MTV Jams on MTV and a host and VJ for the channel.^[6] Afterwards, he released the second single from the album "Lately". It made it to #56 on the Billboard charts. Then, the album's third single and highest charting single "Sweet Lady" became the album's biggest hit, reaching #9 on the R&B charts. The single earned Gibson a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Male Vocal Performance. The album eventually went on to be certified Platinum. Gibson along with singers Ginuwine, RL of Next and Case were featured on the soundtrack of the The Best Man on the single "The Best Man I Can Be".

2001: 2000 Watts

On May 22, 2001, Gibson released his second studio album, 2000 Watts. The first single off the album was "I Like Them Girls," which reached #15 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album went on to be certified Gold, selling over 500,000 copies. The third single off the album, "Just a Baby Boy," with Snoop Dogg and Mr. Tan, was featured on the soundtrack to the film Baby Boy, Gibson's first major acting role.

2002–03: I Wanna Go There

After RCA Records was disbanded Gibson went on to sign to J Records. There he released his third studio album I Wanna Go There on December 10, 2002. His first single from the album and arguably his most successful single to date "How You Gonna Act Like That" debuted on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at #7.

2006–07: Alter Ego

On December 12, 2006, Gibson released his fourth studio album Alter Ego, his first double disc album. It was also his first album in which he debuts his rapping persona. The first single off the album was "One" debuting on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at #26. The album itself is considered Gibson's lowest selling album to date. In 2007, Gibson, Ginuwine and Tank founded TGT.

2011–12: Open Invitation

After taking time from music to focus on his family and his highly successful acting career, Gibson decided it was time to return to music. In 2011, he signed himself and his newly founded label Voltron Recordz to EMI and announced he was working on a new album entitled Open Invitation. On August 16, 2011, Gibson released the lead single "Stay".the music video for the single featured fellow actor and friend Taraji P. Henson. It peaked on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at #11.^[7] The second single "Too Easy" featured fellow actor and friend Ludacris. It peaked on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at #38. The third single "Nothing On You" peaked on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at #61. Open Invitation was released on November 1, 2011. It debuted on the US Billboard 200 albums chart at #9, sold 130,000 copies in its first week and has gone on to sell over 400,000 copies. In 2013, the album earned Gibson his third Grammy nomination at the 2013 Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album.

2013–present: TGT and Black Rose

In early 2013, it was announced and confirmed after much speculation that Gibson, Ginuwine, and Tank would be releasing their debut collaboration album, to be distributed by Atlantic Records.^[8][9] On April 10, 2013, Gibson announced that he is working on a new album entitled Black Rose, expected to be released some time in 2014.^[10] It will serve as Gibson's final studio album. It will be a double album set to be released in the summer of 2015. On July 10, 2015, Black Rose was released and had debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 77,000 copies, making it Gibson's first number one album of his career.^[11]

Acting career

Gibson rose to prominence as an actor when he starred in John Singleton's Baby Boy in 2001.^[12]

Gibson is best known for playing Roman Pearce in 2 Fast 2 Furious, the 2003 sequel to The Fast and the Furious alongside fellow friend and actor Paul Walker and Eva Mendes.^[13][14] Singleton once again directed the blockbuster hit and in 2005 they collaborated for the third time when Gibson co-starred in the action-crime drama Four Brothers alongside Mark Wahlberg.^[15][16] He went on to star in the action-drama Waist Deep with Meagan Good.^[17][18]

In 2007, Gibson landed his biggest role when he co-starred with Shia LaBeouf, and the ensemble cast of Josh Duhamel, John Turturro, Megan Fox, Anthony Anderson and Jon Voight in Transformers, directed and co-produced by Michael Bay.^[19] Steven Spielberg served as executive producer and the film went on to making nearly $710 million worldwide. In 2008, he co-starred opposite Jason Statham in Death Race.^[20][21] Gibson returned once again for the sequels to Transformers, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) and Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011).^[22][23] In 2011, he returned as Roman Pearce in Fast Five, and played the character again in the films Fast & Furious 6 (2013) and Furious 7 (2015).^[24] He is set to reprise the role of Roman again in Fast 8

Writing

On May 8, 2012, Gibson released his first book, entitled How to Get Out of Your Own Way. It went on to be a New York Times best seller.^[25] On February 5, 2013, Gibson co-authored his second book along with close personal friend Rev. Run entitled Manology: Secrets of Your Man's Mind Revealed, which also went on to be a New York Times best seller.^[26][27][28] In 2013, Gibson announced that he was working on a third book entitled Black Rose.

Discography

• Tyrese (1998)
• 2000 Watts (2001)
• I Wanna Go There (2002)
• Alter Ego (2006)
• Open Invitation (2011)
• Three Kings (with TGT) (2013)
• Black Rose (2015)

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

Awards and nominations

American Music Awards

Black Movie Awards

Black Reel Awards

Grammy Awards

NAACP Image Awards

Literary Awards

Locarno International Film Festival

Soul Train Music Awards

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tyrese Gibson.

• Tyrese Gibson at the Internet Movie Database
• Tyrese Gibson at AllMovie