Yolanda Brown (singer)
| LaLa Brown | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
Yolanda Rose Brown May 20, 1986 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died |
October 19, 2007 (aged 21) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Homicide |
| Resting place | Graceland Cemetery, Milwaukee |
| Children | 1 |
Yolanda Rose "LaLa" Brown (May 20, 1986 – October 19, 2007) was an American R&B singer best known for being featured on the track "S.E.X." with Lyfe Jennings, which reached #3 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart[1] and peaked at #37 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 2006.[2] Brown and her producer JeTannue "Kool Aid" Clayborn were murdered October 19, 2007 at their studio in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.[3] The case remains unsolved as of 2015.
Early life
Yolanda Rose "LaLa" Brown was born on May 20, 1986 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Maria and William Brown. Brown's mother is Puerto Rican, and her father is African American. She was the youngest of five children.[3] Her parents said that she had a talent for entertainment from her first steps. She was said to always sing and dance around the house. It was no surprise when she wanted to pursue a music career at the age of eleven, Brown started singing professionally when she was 11 years old. With the stage name Pre-mere she sang at weddings and some bars. Brown attended Fredrick Douglas Elementary School, Jackie Robinson Middle School, and Milwauke High School of the Arts (formerly West Division High School). Even before she was able to attend school, Brown was a mascot cheerleader at Custer High School. At the age of 16 in 2002, Brown gave birth to daughter Amirrah Airreal Brown.[3]
Career
In fall 2005, Brown traveled to Atlanta, Georgia to pursue a music career, and while in Atlanta she was in a nightclub in October 2005, She decided to go to Atlanta in hopes of running into the right people and it would be the place to be discovered by artists, producers, and songwriters. She finally got the big break she was hoping for when Lyfe Jennings asked her to be on his new track "S.E.X." She was featured singing and appeared in the music video. The track "S.E.X." was a cautionary tale warning young women about the pitfalls and dangers of unprotected sex and appeared on his second studio album The Phoenix. She then toured with Lyfe Jennings, but was released following an argument with Jennings. In June 2007, she returned to Milwaukee to become a solo artist and began working on her debut solo album. Before her death, Brown recorded three songs "I'm Feeling It", Rescue Me", and "Give Them What They Want", a song she wrote about her life.
Death
On October 19, 2007, Brown and her boyfriend JeTannue "Kool Aid" Clayborn were shot and killed by an unknown gunman in the Milwaukee Loud Enuff Productionz recording studio in her hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Both had been dead at least a day before they were discovered. They were reportedly dating. Although autopsies were scheduled on both Brown and Clayborn results had not been released. She is survived by her mother, father, siblings, other family members and her daughter Amirrah Airreal Brown whom she gave birth to at the age of 16 in 2002.[3] Her funeral was held on October 25, 2007 at the Mason Temple Church of God in Christ, at 609 N 35th Street in Milwaukee. Hundreds of people attended the funeral service for LaLa Brown including her family and Lyfe Jennings. After the funeral, she was buried at the Graceland Cemetery.[4] The case was featured on America's Most Wanted in February 2010.[5] As of October 2012, the case had not been solved and police continued to search for a motive for the killings.[6] On October 22, 2012, TV One aired a Celebrity Crime Files episode about La La Brown's Life and Death.[7]
References
- ↑ "Lyfe Jennings Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- ↑ "Lyfe Jennings Hot 100 Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 Spice, Linda; Dobberstein, John (October 23, 2007). "Singer's promising career cut short". Journal Sentinel. Milwaukee, WI.
- ↑ DeLong, Katie (October 2007). "Raw Video: Funeral Held For LaLa Brown". WTMJ TV 4. Archived from the original on August 7, 2009. Retrieved October 2007. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ Vielmetti, Bruce (February 19, 2010). "La La Brown murder featured on America's Most Wanted". Journal Sentinel. Milwaukee, WI.
- ↑ Terry, Jermont (October 17, 2012). "Police seek motive in La La Brown murder". WTMJ TV 4. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
- ↑ "LaLa Brown: Double Homicide". Celebrity Crime Files. Season 1. October 22, 2012. TV One.
Further reading
- Nunnally, Derrick (November 7, 2007). "Cops seize gun, make arrest during LaLa Brown investigation". Journal Sentinel. Milwaukee, WI.
- Spruill, Jonathan (December 5, 2007). "Brown's life has lessons for Milwaukee". On Milwaukee.
- Terry, Jermont (October 10, 2012). "Families of La La Brown, her producer hoping for breakthrough in murder investigation". WTMJ TV 4. Retrieved October 17, 2012.