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Introduction
Chaka Khan, born Yvette Marie Stevens, is an American recording artist known from the funk band, Rufus. She is from Chicago Illinois. Khan is known as the Queen of Funk and Soul and she has sold 70 million records worldwide and she has won 10 Grammys.
Khan gained her recognition when her band Rufus released their debut album in 1973.
Early Life
Chaka Khan was born in Chicago Illinois on the 23rd of March, 1953. She is the eldest of five children born to Sandra Coleman and Charles Stevens.
Khan was raised as a Catholic, she got inspired to do jazz because of her grandmother. Her grandmother introduced her to jazz and funk which was one of the reasons why she wanted to start her career as a funk and jazz queen.
Khan dropped out from her high school and started to perform in small groups around Chicago.
Career
Khan became active in the black power movement in 1969.
She joined Black Panther Party and her, later on, started to work with organizations that helped kids to eat breakfast. Following year she said goodbye to high school and dropped out to pursue her career as a singer.
She started to perform with small groups around Chicago and following that year she joined Rufus. The world got its first taste of Khan’s voice when the band released their debut album in 1973, which gained a big success.
The follow-up album Rags To Rufus was also a big smash. Stevie Wonder-penned for the band with the song Tell Me Something Good which sold more than a million copies. Rufus received a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance.
Rufus continued to have a number of successes over the next coming year. The band has scored a 10 top hit Sweet Thing which was written by Chaka Khan which climbed to the top of the R&B charts and was also a 5 top hit.
Khan started her solo career in the late 1970’s. She released her debut album Chaka Khan in 1978 which featured the No. 1 R&B hit. Though the popularity of her albums eventually declined with shifting musical trends she still put forth critically acclaimed music. She won a Grammy in 1990 and following that year she started to feature in soundtracks.
Khan has collaborated with some worldwide famous artists of all time. She had a big success with her band Rufus, and also during her solo career. Khan is the queen of funk and Jazz. -> Taken from Wealthy Gorilla - Chaka Khan Net Worth
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