{{Short description|American contemporary R&B singer}} {{rewrite|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox person | name = | image = File:Raz B - April 6 2012.jpg | caption = Raz B in 2012 | birth_name = De'Mario Monte Thornton | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|06|13}} | birth_place = Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. | years_active = 1998–present | occupation = {{flatlist| * Singer * actor * rapper }} | module = {{Infobox musical artist |embed=yes | genre = R&B and hip hop | instrument = Vocals | past_member_of = {{flatlist| * B2K }} }} }} '''De'Mario Monte Thornton''' (born June 13, 1985), known as '''Raz-B''', is an American singer, rapper and actor, He is a founding member of R&B boy band B2K.
==Career== Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Raz B was a creator and member of the group B2K as a teen. During his time in the group, B2K released their album, ''Pandemonium!'', and performed on an accompanying tour. The group's first feature film, ''You Got Served'', was released in 2004, shortly before they announced their break-up.
Distributed through his own production company, RazBeatz Entertainment, Raz released his first single, ''Fire'', in May 2007. ''Fire'' officially debuted on the ''Billboard'' charts (the week of 5/12/07). Landing a spot on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart and debuting at No. 2, it also hit the Billboard Hot Singles Sales chart at No. 2.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/2007-05-12/r-b-hip-hop-songs |title=Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales |publisher=billboard.com |access-date=2009-02-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140609032814/http://www.billboard.com/charts/2007-05-12/r-b-hip-hop-songs |archive-date=June 9, 2014 }}</ref> There was no promotion behind the single as it debuted, because Raz B was pushing his music on an independent level.
On March 19, 2010, Raz B released his first mixtape titled ''Boy 2 King.'' In 2011, Elayne Rivers, Raz B's longtime publicist, announced that he would be going on tour in China. Throughout the tour, Raz B performed shows in various parts of China.
On August 19, 2013, during a performance in Zhejiang province, Raz B tried to stop a fight in the audience and was hit in the face with a glass bottle. Initial reports were that he had fallen into a coma,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1712513/b2k-raz-b-coma/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805000108/http://www.mtv.com/news/1712513/b2k-raz-b-coma/|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 5, 2020|title=B2K'S RAZ-B IN A COMA|date=August 16, 2013|website=MTV|access-date=May 2, 2017}}</ref> but subsequent reports were that this was misinformation, labelled as a hoax,<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/21/raz-b-coma-hoax-manager-elayne-rivers_n_3786962.html | work=Huffington Post | first=Brennan | last=Williams | title=It Was All A Hoax? | date=August 21, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.cnn.com/2013/08/19/showbiz/raz-b-coma-hoax/?hpt=en_c2 | work=CNN | title=Raz B coma report was a hoax, manager says - CNN.com | date=August 19, 2013}}</ref> and that he would make a full recovery.
==Albums with B2K== {| class="wikitable" |- ! style="vertical-align:top; text-align:left; width:40px;"|Year ! style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"|Album ! style="vertical-align:top; text-align:center; width:40px;"|US ! style="vertical-align:top; text-align:center; width:40px;"|US R&B ! style="vertical-align:top; text-align:center; width:40px;"|UK |- style="vertical-align:top;" | style="text-align:left; "|2002 | style="text-align:left; "|''B2K (Gold)'' | style="text-align:center; "|2 | style="text-align:center; "|1 | style="text-align:center; "|- |- style="vertical-align:top;" | style="text-align:left; "|2002 | style="text-align:left; "|''B2K: The Remixes – Volume 1'' (EP) | style="text-align:center; "|129 | style="text-align:center; "|47 | style="text-align:center; "|- |- style="vertical-align:top;" | style="text-align:left; "|2002 | style="text-align:left; "|''Pandemonium! (Platinum)'' | style="text-align:center; "|10 | style="text-align:center; "|3 | style="text-align:center; "|35 |- style="vertical-align:top;" | style="text-align:left; "|2002 | style="text-align:left; "|''Santa Hooked Me Up'' (EP) | style="text-align:center; "|132 | style="text-align:center; "|35 | style="text-align:center; "|- |- style="vertical-align:top;" | style="text-align:left; "|2003 | style="text-align:left; "|''The Remixes – Volume 2'' (EP) | style="text-align:center; "|192 | style="text-align:center; "|38 | style="text-align:center; "|- |- style="vertical-align:top;" | style="text-align:left; "|2004 | style="text-align:left; "|''B2K Greatest Hits'' | style="text-align:center; "|- | style="text-align:center; "|76 | style="text-align:center; "|- |}
===Singles with B2K=== {| class="wikitable" |- style="background:#ebf5ff;" ! style="width:30px;" rowspan="2"| Year ! style="width:175px;" rowspan="2"| Single ! colspan="4"|Chart positions ! style="width:100px;" rowspan="2"| Album |- style="background:#ddd;" ! style="width:40px;"| <small>US Hot 100</small> ! style="width:40px;"| <small>US R&B</small> ! style="width:40px;"| <small>US Rhythmic Top 40</small> ! style="width:40px;"| <small>UK singles</small> |- style="background:#efefef;" |align="left"|2002 |align="left"|''Uh Huh'' | style="text-align:center;"|37 | style="text-align:center;"|20 | style="text-align:center;"|14 | style="text-align:center;"|35 | style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"|''B2K'' |- style="background:#f0f8ff;" |align="left"|2002 |align="left"|''Gots Ta Be'' | style="text-align:center;"|34 | style="text-align:center;"|13 | style="text-align:center;"|14 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"|''B2K'' |- style="background:#efefef;" |align="left"|2002 |align="left"|''Why I Love You'' | style="text-align:center;"|73 | style="text-align:center;"|19 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"|''B2K'' and ''Pandemonium!'' |- style="background:#f0f8ff;" |align="left"|2002 |align="left"|''Bump, Bump, Bump'' <small>(with P. Diddy)</small> | style="text-align:center;"|1 | style="text-align:center;"|2 | style="text-align:center;"|1 | style="text-align:center;"|24 | style="text-align:left;"|''Pandemonium!'' |- style="background:#efefef;" |align="left"|2003 |align="left"|''Girlfriend'' | style="text-align:center;"|30 | style="text-align:center;"|19 | style="text-align:center;"|15 | style="text-align:center;"|10 | style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"|''Pandemonium!'' |- style="background:#f0f8ff;" |align="left"|2003 |align="left"|''Feelin' Freaky'' <small>(Nick Cannon featuring B2K)</small> | style="text-align:center;"|92 | style="text-align:center;"|46 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"|''Nick Cannon'' |- style="background:#efefef;" |align="left"|2003 |align="left"|''What A Girl Wants'' | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|47 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"|''Pandemonium!'' |- style="background:#f0f8ff;" |align="left"|2003 |align="left"|''Uh Huh 2003'' | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|31 | style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"|''The Remixes - Volume 2'' |- style="background:#efefef;" |align="left"|2004 |align="left"|''Badaboom'' <small>(feat. Fabolous)</small> | style="text-align:center;"|59 | style="text-align:center;"|29 | style="text-align:center;"|22 | style="text-align:center;"|26 | style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"|''You Got Served'' Soundtrack |- style="background:#f0f8ff;" |align="left"|2008 |align="left"|''Body Up'' <small>(without Omarion)</small> | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;"| |}
<small>*In the beginning of 2008, a song titled ''Body Up'' was leaked; Raz-B leads this song with B2K members J-Boog & Lil' Fizz. Omarion did not take part in the group's return.</small>
===Discography as solo artist=== {| class="wikitable" |- |align="left"|''Raz B'' * Released: FIRE in May 2007 <small>(Single sold in F.Y.E. stores)</small> <small>(digital download)</small> and was the No. 120 Independent selling single on Billboards. * Singles: ** ''Fire'' ** ''Go Girl'' ** "Follow My Lead" prod. by Excel Beats ** "Official" ** "Na Na Na" |} <nowiki>*</nowiki>Boy 2 King: The Mixtape EP. Released: March 19, 2010 <small>(digital download)</small> *Paradox-EP. Released March 20, 2012.[https://www.allmusic.com/album/paradox-ep-mw0002506034]
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%" ! colspan=4 style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film |- ! Year ! Film ! Role ! Notes |- | 2004 | ''You Got Served'' | Vick | Credited as DeMario Thornton |- | 2005 | ''Pieces of a Dream'' | | |- | rowspan=2|2009 | ''Love Sick Diaries'' | | |- | ''Caged Innocence'' | | |- |2014 |''Homies兄弟'' |Raz B |Starring [https://instagram.com/shanghai_craft Parres Craft] |- ! colspan=4 style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Television |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 2006 | ''Noah's Arc'' | Tashi | 1 episode |- | 2023 | Bad Boys | Himself | Main Cast Member (Season 2) |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.razb2k.com/}} * {{IMDb name|id=1215800}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Raz-B}} Category:1985 births Category:Living people Category:African-American male singer-songwriters Category:American male singer-songwriters Category:African-American male dancers Category:American male dancers Category:American male film actors Category:American contemporary R&B singers Category:B2K members Category:African-American male actors Category:Musicians from Cleveland Category:Record producers from Ohio Category:Singer-songwriters from Ohio Category:21st-century African-American male singers Category:21st-century American male singers Category:Dancers from Cleveland