Kid Sister

{{short description|American rapper}} {{About||the companion doll to My Buddy|My Buddy (doll)|the New Zealand TV series|Kid Sister (TV series)}} {{Infobox musical artist  | name = Kid Sister | image = Kid Sister.jpg | caption = Kid Sister in 2008 | background = solo_singer | birth_name = Melissa Lauren Young<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/search/workID/880563165 |title=BIG N BAD |website=ASCAP |publisher=American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers |access-date=May 3, 2023}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1980|7|3}} | birth_place = Markham, Illinois, U.S. | origin = Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | genre = {{hlist|Hip hop|neo soul}} | occupation = Rapper, singer, songwriter | years_active = 2006–present | label = Fool's Gold, Downtown, Universal Republic | current_member_of = Sault | website = {{URL|https://foolsgoldrecs.com/artists/kid-sister/}} }}

'''Melissa Lauren Young''' (born July 3, 1980), known professionally as '''Kid Sister''', is an American rapper and singer based in Chicago. She is known for her single "Pro Nails", which features Kanye West, and for her covert work as a member of the British music collective Sault.

==Biography== Kid Sister was born Melissa Lauren Young on July 3, 1980, in Markham.<ref>{{cite web|author=downtown |url=http://rcrdlbl.com/2009/11/05/kid_sister_s_ultraviolet_out_november_17th_just_day_s_away_ |title=Kid Sister's Ultraviolet Out November 17th – Just Day's Away!! |publisher=RCRD LBL |date=November 5, 2009 |access-date=November 5, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604171426/http://rcrdlbl.com/2009/11/05/kid_sister_s_ultraviolet_out_november_17th_just_day_s_away_ |archive-date=June 4, 2011 }}</ref> She started to rap in October 2006, becoming an MC at monthly dance parties hosted by DJ duo Flosstradamus (Josh Young, of Flosstradamus, is Melisa's brother), who were featured in MTV's ''My Block'' that same year.<ref name="social">{{cite web |last=Hopper |first=Jessica |url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/social-mixers/Content?oid=922790 |title=Social Mixers |work=Chicago Reader |publisher=Creative Loafing |date=August 4, 2006 |access-date=January 21, 2008}}</ref> She made ''URB'''s "The Next 1000" cover in April 2007,<ref>{{cite web |author=Tankboy |url=http://chicagoist.com/2007/03/15/chicago_kids_do_big_things.php |title=Chicago Kids Do Big Things |work=Chicagoist |publisher=Gothamist |date=March 15, 2007 |access-date=January 21, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919123418/http://chicagoist.com/2007/03/15/chicago_kids_do_big_things.php |archive-date=September 19, 2008 }}</ref> and was signed to DJ A-Trak's label, Fool's Gold, who released her first single "Pro Nails", which features Kanye West. Kid Sister later signed with Downtown Records,<ref>{{cite web |last=Bolden |first=Janeé |url=http://www.sohh.com/articles/article.php/13898 |title=Kid Sister Signs With Downtown Records |publisher=SOHH |date=February 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080616122850/http://www.sohh.com/articles/article.php/13898 |archive-date=June 16, 2008 |access-date=February 28, 2008}}</ref> who re-released "Pro Nails" to critical acclaim.

Kid Sister also appears on Tittsworth's "WTF", from his debut album ''12 Steps'', with Pase Rock.<ref>{{cite web |last=Queen |first=Neil |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article4479235.ece |title=WTF feat Pase Rock and Kid Sister by Tittsworth |work=The Times |publisher=Times Newspapers |date=August 8, 2008 |access-date=September 1, 2008}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> She had also finished a mixtape with A-Trak.<ref name="social"/> In Fall 2009, Kid Sister finished recording her debut studio album. The title was changed from ''Dream Date'' to ''Ultraviolet''. The album was produced by the likes of Rusko, The Count & Sinden, XXXChange, and Brian Kennedy, and includes a collaboration with English singer Estelle titled "First Ladies", which is a remake of Queen Latifah's 1989 acclaimed track "Ladies First" from her debut album ''All Hail the Queen''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rap-up.com/2008/10/20/kid-sister-estelle-pay-homage-to-hip-hops-first-ladies/ |title=Kid Sister & Estelle Pay Homage to Hip-Hop's First Ladies |work=Rap-Up |date=October 20, 2008 |access-date=July 10, 2009}}</ref>

Her single "Control" is featured in the 2009 music video game ''DJ Hero'', combined with Rihanna's "Disturbia". The album's lead single was "Right Hand Hi", produced by Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso of house DJ group Swedish House Mafia.<ref>{{cite web |last=Dombal |first=Ryan |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/35894-kid-sister-talks-album-delay-new-single/ |title=Kid Sister Talks Album Delay, New Single |publisher=Pitchfork Media |date=July 10, 2009 |access-date=July 10, 2009}}</ref>

"I think a lot of people are going to be surprised with the fact that there's a bunch of raw hip-hop records on there," said A-Trak. "It's not all up tempo clubby stuff. I think a lot of people are going to be impressed with her growth also because when she made a lot of the records that people have heard by now, she was just starting to rap."<ref>{{cite web |last=Dow |first=Danica |url=http://www.sohh.com/2008/08/sohh-exclusi-24.html |title=SOHH EXCLUSIVE: A-Trak Plans "Dream Date" W/ Kid Sister, Strikes Gold In New Label |publisher=SOHH |date=August 31, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911113737/http://www.sohh.com/2008/08/sohh-exclusi-24.html |archive-date=September 11, 2008 |access-date=September 1, 2008}}</ref>

In late 2010, Kid Sister released a mixtape titled ''Kiss Kiss Kiss'' and in 2014 she released a second mixtape, ''Dusk2Dawn: The Diary of Jane Jupiter'' in which she tackled more serious, personal subjects. In 2016, she began working on her second album with British producer Inflo. Kid Sister is a member of the British music collective Sault, along with Inflo and British singer-songwriter Cleo Sol.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/night-life/sault-untitled-rise | title=Sault Untitled Rise | magazine=The New Yorker }}</ref>

==Personal life== Kid Sister's ethnic background includes African American, Native American, and Caucasian.<ref>{{cite web |last=Cruz |first=Richard |url=http://www.formatmag.com/features/kid-sister/ |title=Kid Sister |publisher=Format Magazine |date=March 8, 2009 |access-date=July 6, 2009 |archive-date=May 17, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090517070223/http://www.formatmag.com/features/kid-sister/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In numerous interviews and magazine articles, she has revealed that she has struggled financially for years before becoming West's protégé.<ref>{{cite web |author=Mr Goldbar |url=https://www.foolsgoldrecs.com/2008/07/07/kid-sister-urb-photoshoot-on-vimby/ |title=Kid Sister URB Photoshoot on Vimby |publisher=Fool's Gold Records |date=July 7, 2008 |access-date=July 11, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.myspace.com/kidsister |title=article in press album on myspace page |publisher=Myspace |access-date=July 11, 2008}}</ref> She has also admitted to being 215 pounds at one point in her life. She continued in the same interview to state that she has been "thick" her whole life, but explained that this has had no bearing on her self-esteem, because at her core she is not a passive person.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.complex.com/CELEBRITIES/Complex-Women/Kid-Sister |title=Complex Women Kid Sister |work=Complex |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080711170247/http://www.complex.com/CELEBRITIES/Complex-Women/Kid-Sister |archive-date=2008-07-11 }}</ref>

Kid Sister has a degree in film from Columbia College Chicago and worked on two independent feature films during her studies: 9/11 drama ''The Guys'' (2002) starring Sigourney Weaver and Anthony LaPaglia; and ''Best Thief in the World'' (2003) starring Mary-Louise Parker and Audra McDonald.{{Citation needed|date=January 2009}} Kid Sister for a time concurrently worked for the retail chain Bath & Body Works, Little Threads, a children's clothing store, and Wild Hare, a reggae bar in Wrigleyville.<ref>{{cite web|last=Schroeder |first=Amy |url=http://venuszine.com/articles/music/features/4636/How_does_a_Catholic_school_girl_become_a_hip_hop_star |title=How does a Catholic school girl become a hip-hop star? |work=Venus Zine |date=September 1, 2008 |access-date=October 5, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101225044531/http://venuszine.com/articles/music/features/4636/How_does_a_Catholic_school_girl_become_a_hip_hop_star |archive-date=December 25, 2010 }}</ref>

==Discography== ===Albums=== * ''Ultraviolet'' (2009)

===Mixtapes=== * ''Kiss Kiss Kiss'' (2011) * ''DUSK2DAWN: The Diary of Jane Jupiter'' (2014)

===EPs=== * ''Kiss & Tell'' (2011)

===Singles===

====Solo==== {|class="wikitable" |- ! rowspan="2" style="width:20px;"|Year ! style="width:220px;" rowspan="2"| Title !colspan="5" |Peak chart positions ! style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|Album |- ! style="text-align:center; width:40px;"|US ! style="text-align:center; width:40px;"|US sales ! style="text-align:center; width:40px;"|UK<ref name="officialcharts.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artists/ |title=Kid Sister |publisher=Official Charts Company |access-date=2012-03-26 }}</ref> ! style="text-align:center; width:40px;"|UK dance ! style="text-align:center; width:40px;"|UK R&B |- | style="text-align:left;"|2007 |align="left"|"Control" | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="6"|''Ultraviolet'' |- | style="text-align:left;"|2008 |align="left"|"Pro Nails" (featuring Kanye West) | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 21 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |- | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"|2009 |align="left"|"Get Fresh" | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |- |align="left"|"Right Hand Hi" | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 97 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 31<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/r-and-b-singles-chart/20091206/114/ |title=2009-12-12 Top 40 R&B Singles Archive |publisher=Official Charts Company |date=2009-12-12 |access-date=2012-03-26}}</ref> |- | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"|2010 |align="left"|"Daydreaming" (featuring CeeLo Green) | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 132<ref>[https://www.zobbel.de/cluk/100501cluk.txt Retrieved May 3, 2010.]</ref> | style="text-align:center;"| 14<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/dance-singles-chart/20100425/104/ |title=2010-05-01 Top 40 Dance Singles Archive |publisher=Official Charts Company |date=2010-05-01 |access-date=2012-03-26 }}</ref> | style="text-align:center;"| — |- |align="left"|"Big 'n Bad" | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |- | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"|2011 |align="left"|"Look Out Weekend" (featuring Nina Sky) | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|''Kiss Kiss Kiss'' |- |align="left"|"Kiss Kiss Kiss" | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — |- | style="text-align:left;"|2019 |align="left"|"Long Way Back" | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;" rowspan="6"|''—'' |}

====As featured performer==== {|class="wikitable" |- ! rowspan="2" style="width:20px;"|Year ! style="width:290px;" rowspan="2"| Title !colspan="5" |Peak chart positions ! style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|Album |- ! style="text-align:center; width:40px;"|US ! style="text-align:center; width:40px;"|US sales ! style="text-align:center; width:40px;"|UK<ref name="officialcharts.com"/> ! style="text-align:center; width:40px;"|UK dance ! style="text-align:center; width:40px;"|UK R&B |- | style="text-align:left;"|2008 |align="left"|"Beeper" (The Count & Sinden featuring Kid Sister) | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| 69 | style="text-align:center;"| 1 | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"|Non-album single |- | style="text-align:left;"|2010 |align="left"|"Do Do! Do!" (Carte Blanche featuring Kid Sister) | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"|''Black Billionaires'' |- | style="text-align:left;"|2010 |align="left"|"Im'ma Get It" (Paul Wall featuring Kid Sister and Bun B) | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"|''Heart of a Champion'' |- | style="text-align:left;"|2022 |align="left"|"The Darkest Part" (Danger Mouse and Black Thought featuring Raekwon and Kid Sister) | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| — | style="text-align:center;"| Cheat Codes |}

==Awards and nominations== *BET Awards **2008: Best Female Hip-Hop Artist (nominated)

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

==External links== * [http://www.spin.com/reviews/kid-sister-dream-date-downtown Review] by ''Spin'' * [http://music.thedigitalfix.co.uk/content/feature/10054/kid-sister-interview.html Interview with Kid Sister at The Music Fix prior to the UK release of ''Ultraviolet'']{{Dead link|date=June 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20101203163247/http://venuszine.com/clips/video/music/18/Kid_Sister Venus Zine Presents: Kid Sister]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sister, Kid}} Category:1980 births Category:21st-century American women rappers Category:Living people Category:Midwest hip-hop musicians Category:People from Markham, Illinois Category:Rappers from Chicago Category:Universal Music Group artists Category:Songwriters from Illinois Category:African-American songwriters Category:21st-century American rappers Category:American women in electronic music Category:Downtown Records artists Category:21st-century African-American rappers Category:20th-century African-American musicians Category:20th-century African-American women Category:21st-century African-American women rappers