Ready For Success
Who: Tevin Campbell
Hit We Love: “I’m Ready,”
“Tomorrow (A Better You, A Better Me)” “Can We Talk”
Watch Tevin on “The Mo’Nique Show” HERE
Hometown: Waxahachie, Texas
What He’s Up To Now: Still singing and performing.
The Story: Tevin Campbell is in rare company – he worked with two living legends – Quincy Jones and Prince – and was almost signed to a third’s label. That third legend would be the one and only Michael Jackson, who almost signed Campbell to his own label. Discovered by flutist Bobbi Humphrey when he was just 11-years-old, he soon came to the attention of Jones and was featured on his acclaimed “Back On The Block” album. His beautiful voice won the attention of Prince who asked him to be a part of his “Graffiti Bridge” soundtrack. The movie may have been a bust, but real Prince fans know that Campell’s performance of the song “Round and Round” is a highlight of the film and the soundtrack. Campbell went on to a solo career while still a teenager, scoring a hit CD and single with “I’m Ready” in 1993. “Can We Talk” also hit that year for Campbell and he became a staple of 90’s R&B with a string of memorable records. He is an eight-time Grammy nominee, and winner of a 1994 Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B Soul Single for “Can We Talk.” Campbell also acted, making guest appearances on hit shows like “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” and “Moesha.”
But by 1999, his star had waned and Campbell took a hiatus from the music business after an arrest for soliciting a lewd act from an undercover police officer. (He pled no contest to misdemeanor solicitation, paid a fine and attended drug and HIV counseling classes.) He told Mo’Nique during a recent appearance on her BET show that he needed the break to “find himself” after achieving so much success at an early age. In 2005, he joined the cast of the Broadway hit “Hairspray,” remaining with the show for three years. Campbell told Mo’Nique that Jones would love to see him record again, but that he “fell in love with Broadway,” and would like to continue doing live theater.
“The music industry’s just not the same as it was before. But I would like to record,” he told Mo’Nique. “Singing is my life. So we’ll see.”
