# K-Ci > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/K-Ci > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/K-Ci.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-Ci > Source revision: 1332257354 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|American singer}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = K-Ci | image = | caption = | image_size = | birth_name = Cedric Renard Hailey | alias = {{hlist|Little Cedric|K-Ci}} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|9|2|mf=y}} | birth_place = [Charlotte, North Carolina](/source/Charlotte%2C_North_Carolina), U.S. | genre = {{hlist|[R&B](/source/Contemporary_R%26B)|[soul](/source/Soul_music)|[pop](/source/Pop_music)|[gospel](/source/Gospel_music)|[rock](/source/Rock_music){{cite web |last1=Hayley |first1=KCi |title=Tears in Heaven (biography) |url=https://www.k-cihailey.com/ |publisher=KCi Hayley official website}}}} | occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter}} | years_active = 1983–present | label = {{hlist|Atlanta International|AIR Gospel|[Uptown](/source/Uptown_Records)|[MCA](/source/MCA_Records)|[Epic](/source/Epic_Records)}} | current_member_of = {{hlist|[K-Ci & JoJo](/source/K-Ci_%26_JoJo)|[Jodeci](/source/Jodeci)}} | past_member_of = {{hlist|The Hailey Singers}} | website = }} '''Cedric Renard Hailey''' (born September 2, 1969), known professionally as '''K-Ci''' (formerly '''Little Cedric''' as a member of Little Cedric and the Hailey Singers), is an American singer, songwriter and member of [K-Ci & JoJo](/source/K-Ci_%26_JoJo) and [Jodeci](/source/Jodeci). Although Hailey is best known as the lead singer of Jodeci and second-lead singer of K-Ci & JoJo, he participated on different solo projects as K-Ci, most notably his 1994 cover of [Bobby Womack](/source/Bobby_Womack)’s "[If You Think You're Lonely Now](/source/If_You_Think_You're_Lonely_Now)", which peaked at number 17 on the [''Billboard'' Hot 100](/source/Billboard_Hot_100). ==Early life== Hailey was born in [Charlotte, North Carolina](/source/Charlotte%2C_North_Carolina), to Anita and Cliff Hailey{{cite magazine|title=K-Ci, JoJo Free After Tax Evasion Arrest|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/71652/k-ci-jojo-free-after-tax-evasion-arrest|author=[''Billboard''](/source/Billboard_(magazine)) |magazine=[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine)) |access-date=April 9, 2015|date=April 7, 2003}} both of whom were gospel singers. For a time, the Hailey family lived in [Baltimore](/source/Baltimore) where they performed gospel music. The family later returned to [Charlotte](/source/Charlotte%2C_North_Carolina) when Cedric was a teen. He attended [Garinger High School](/source/Garinger_High_School). ==Career== Along with younger brother, Joel (known professionally as "JoJo") and his father, Hailey recorded three gospel albums as "Little Cedric and the Hailey Singers"{{cite journal|last=Carpenter|first=Bil|year=2005|title=Uncloudy Days: The Gospel Music Encyclopedia|page=253}} beginning with the 1983 release ''I'm Alright Now'' by Atlanta International Records, Gospel.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/little-cedric-mn0000838147/discography|title=Little Cedric : Discography|author=[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)|website=[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)|access-date=April 9, 2015}} Though the album failed to place on any [''Billboard'' magazine](/source/Billboard_(magazine)) charts,{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/little-cedric-mn0000838147/awards|title=Little Cedric : Awards|author=[''Billboard''](/source/Billboard_(magazine))|website=[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)|access-date=April 9, 2015}} the next two releases, 1984's ''Jesus Saves'' and ''God's Blessing'' in 1985, both placed upon the ''Billboard'' [Gospel Albums](/source/Top_Gospel_Albums) chart; the former at No. 4 and the latter at No. 22. Cedric and Joel's gospel singing eventually connected them with the DeGrate brothers, Donald "[DeVante Swing](/source/DeVante_Swing)" DeGrate and [Dalvin DeGrate](/source/Dalvin_DeGrate), with whom they formed the R&B group [Jodeci](/source/Jodeci). As lead vocalist for the group, Hailey and [Jodeci](/source/Jodeci) would release three multi-platinum albums between 1991 and 1995. In 1996, the group announced a hiatus from recording and releasing music. Hailey continued to record with his brother as the duo [K-Ci & JoJo](/source/K-Ci_%26_JoJo), releasing five albums between 1997 and 2013. As K-Ci, he recorded the 1992 duet "I Don’t Want to Do Anything" with [Mary J. Blige](/source/Mary_J._Blige) on her debut album ''[What's the 411?](/source/What's_the_411%3F)''. Also, his cover of [Bobby Womack](/source/Bobby_Womack)'s "[If You Think You're Lonely Now](/source/If_You_Think_You're_Lonely_Now)" was featured on the soundtrack to the 1994 film, ''[Jason's Lyric](/source/Jason's_Lyric)''. It was released as a single and peaked at number 17 on the [Billboard Hot 100](/source/Billboard_Hot_100). ==Personal life== Hailey dated fellow [R&B](/source/Contemporary_R%26B) singer and then label-mate [Mary J. Blige](/source/Mary_J._Blige) from 1992 to 1997. Blige stated that they were engaged, which Hailey denied.{{Cite web|last=Sullivan|first=Caroline|date=January 31, 2002|title='My boyfriend was trying to kill me. There were weapons'|url=http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2002/feb/01/shopping.artsfeatures|access-date=June 25, 2021|website=The Guardian|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=MaGee|first=Ny|date=July 16, 2019|title=K-Ci Recalls Why He Called It Quits On Relationship with Mary J Blige|url=https://eurweb.com/2019/07/16/k-ci-recalls-why-he-called-it-quits-on-relationship-with-mary-j-blige/|access-date=June 25, 2021|website=EURweb.com}} The two Hailey brothers are cousins of R&B singers [Fantasia Barrino](/source/Fantasia_Barrino), [Dave Hollister](/source/Dave_Hollister), [Calvin Richardson](/source/Calvin_Richardson), and [Stephanie Mills](/source/Stephanie_Mills).{{Cite web|url=https://yourblackworld.net/2016/05/18/stephanie-mills-opens-up-about-who-shes-related-to/|title=Stephanie Mills Opens Up About Who She's Related To|date=May 18, 2016|website=Yourblackworld.net|access-date=December 8, 2021|archive-date=December 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211208211953/https://yourblackworld.net/2016/05/18/stephanie-mills-opens-up-about-who-shes-related-to/|url-status=dead}} Hailey's son Devin released a single in 2020 titled "Kick It 2 U".{{Cite web |date=2020-09-15 |title=Devin Hailey Releases Hot New Visual 'Kick It 2 U' {{!}} Son of K-Ci Hailey – Nephew of JoJo |url=https://urbanbridgez.com/2020/09/15/devin-hailey-releases-hot-new-visual-kick-it-2-u-son-of-k-ci-hailey-nephew-of-jojo/ |access-date=2024-06-01 |website=UrbanBridgez.com {{!}} R&B, Interviews, TV, Films |language=en-US}} ==Discography== {{Main|Jodeci discography}} {{main|K-Ci & JoJo discography}} ;with Jodeci *''[Forever My Lady](/source/Forever_My_Lady)'' (1991) *''[Diary of a Mad Band](/source/Diary_of_a_Mad_Band)'' (1993) *''[The Show, the After Party, the Hotel](/source/The_Show%2C_the_After_Party%2C_the_Hotel)'' (1995) *''[The Past, The Present, The Future](/source/The_Past%2C_The_Present%2C_The_Future_(Jodeci_album))'' (2015) ;with K-Ci & JoJo * ''[Love Always](/source/Love_Always)'' (1997) * ''[It's Real](/source/It's_Real_(K-Ci_%26_JoJo_album))'' (1999) * ''[X](/source/X_(K-Ci_%26_JoJo_album))'' (2000) * ''[Emotional](/source/Emotional_(K-Ci_and_JoJo_album))'' (2002) * ''[My Brother's Keeper](/source/My_Brother's_Keeper_(K-Ci_%26_JoJo_album))'' (2013) ;Solo album * ''[My Book](/source/My_Book_(album))'' (2006) ==References== {{Reflist}} {{Jodeci}} {{K-Ci & JoJo}} {{Authority control}} Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:American contemporary R&B singers Category:20th-century African-American male singers Category:20th-century American male singers Category:20th-century American singers Category:Musicians from North Carolina Category:Songwriters from North Carolina Category:African-American songwriters Category:21st-century African-American musicians Category:American male songwriters --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [K-Ci](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-Ci) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-Ci?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.