BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – Tyrese Gibson, Grammy-nominated R&B singer-songwriter, actor, author, television producer, former fashion model and MTV VJ said he had a “great meeting and conversation” with St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister, the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas during his recent visit to St. Kitts for the 18th Anniversary of the St. Kitts Music Festival.
“We discussed BIG PLANS and ideas for the island that the locals will greatly benefit from…, prayers and follow up will get this done… Please meeting you Dr. Denzil Llewellyn Douglas speak soon,” the 35-year-old said on his FaceBook page. He even posted a photo of himself and Prime Minister Douglas on his Facebook page.
Tyrese, born on December 30th 1978, is best known for his role as Roman Pearce in the Fast and Furious series. After releasing several albums, he transitioned into films, with lead roles in several major Hollywood releases.
According to the World Wide Web, Gibson was born and raised in Watts, Los Angeles, California. His mother, Priscilla Murray Gibson (née Durham), raised him and his three older siblings as a single parent after Gibson’s father, Tyrone Gibson, left. Gibson attended Florida A&M University.
Gibson’s career began when he was discovered on a bus. An appearance in a 1994 Coca-Cola advertisement, singing the phrase “Always Coca-Cola,” led to bigger fame. It led him to other appearances for Guess (clothing) and Tommy Hilfiger. After developing a successful modelling career, Tyrese could not push aside his wish to develop a career in the music industry, a goal he had aimed to achieve since he started singing at the age of 14.
In early 1998, Tyrese was signed as an artist to early RCA Records. Afterwards, he released his debut single “Nobody Else.” It quickly rose on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at #36. On September 29, 1998, he released his self-titled album Tyrese. It debuted on the Billboard charts at #17. Afterwards, he released the second single from the album “Lately.” It made it to #56 on the Billboard charts. Then, the album’s third single and highest charting single “Sweet Lady” became the album’s biggest hit, reaching #9 on the R&B charts. The single earned Tyrese a Grammy award for Best R&B Male Vocal Performance at the awards ceremony. The album eventually went on to be certified Platinum. Tyrese along with singers Ginuwine, RL of Next and Case were featured on the soundtrack of the The Best Man on the single “The Best Man I Can Be”.
On May 22, 2001, Tyrese released his second studio album 2000 Watts. The first single off the album was “I Like Them Girls” it charted on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at #15. The album went to be certified Gold selling over 500,000 copies. The third single off the album “Just a Baby Boy” with Snoop Dogg and Mr. Tan was featured on the soundtrack to his major acting debut film Baby Boy.
After RCA Records was disbanded Tyrese went on to sign to J Records. There he released his third studio album I Wanna Go There on December 10, 2002. His first single from the album and arguably his most successful single to date “How You Gonna Act Like That” debuted on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at #7.
On December 12, 2006, Tyrese released his fourth studio album Alter Ego, his first double disc album. It was also his first album in which he debuts his rapping persona. The first single off the album was “One” debuting on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at #26. The album itself is considered Tyrese’s lowest selling album to date. In 2007, Tyrese, Ginuwine and Tank founded TGT.
After taking time from music to focus on his family and his highly successful acting career, Tyrese decided it was time to return to his first love. In 2011, he signed himself and his newly founded label Voltron Recordz to EMI and announced he was working on a new album entitled Open Invitation. On August 16, 2011, Tyrese released the lead single “Stay” the music video for the single featured fellow actor and friend Taraji P. Henson It peaked on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at #11.[6] The second single “Too Easy” featured fellow actor and friend Ludacris. It peaked on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at #38. The third single “Nothing On You” peaked on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at #61. Open Invitation was released on November 1, 2011. It debuted on the US Billboard 200 albums chart at #9, sold 130,000 copies in its first week and has went on to sell over 400,000 copies. In 2013, the album earned Tyrese his third Grammy nomination at the 2013 Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album.
In early 2013, it was announced and confirmed after much speculation that Tyrese, Ginuwine, and Tank would be releasing their debut collaboration album, to be distributed by Atlantic Records. On April 10, 2013, Tyrese announced that he is working on a new album entitled Black Rose, Gibson rose to prominence as an actor when he starred in John Singleton’s Baby Boy in 2001.
(Photo courtesy of Tyrese Gibson’s FaceBook)
Gibson is best known for playing Roman Pearce in 2 Fast 2 Furious, the 2003 sequel to The Fast and the Furious alongside fellow actor and friend Paul Walker and Eva Mendes. Singleton was once again the director and it would not be the last for both of them. In 2005 they collaborated for the third time when Gibson co-starred with Mark Wahlberg in the action-crime drama Four Brothers. He went on to star in the action-drama Waist Deep with Meagan Good.
In 2007, Gibson landed his biggest role to date when he co-starred with the ensemble cast of Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel, John Turturro, Megan Fox, Anthony Anderson and Jon Voight in Transformers, directed and co-produced by Michael Bay. Steven Spielberg served as executive producer and the film went on to making nearly $710 million worldwide. Gibson returned once again in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) and Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011). In 2008, he co-starred opposite Jason Statham in Death Race, and then appeared in Legion in 2010. In 2011, he returned as Roman Pearce in Fast Five, and played the character again in the 2013 film Fast & Furious 6.
On May 8, 2012, Tyrese released his first book entitled How to Get Out of Your Own Way. It went on to be a New York Times best seller. On February 5, 2013, Tyrese co-authored his second book along with close personal friend Rev. Run entitled Manology: Secrets of Your Man’s Mind Revealed, which also went on to be a New York Times best seller. In 2013, Tyrese announced that he was working on a third book entitled Black Rose.
On December 2013 Tyrese laid flowers at the crash site of Paul Walker who was his best friend. He could be seen visibly crying. An emotional tribute song titled “My Best Friend”, featuring The Roots and Ludacris was released shortly after the accident. However, it was later found out to be fan made. Tyrese made an announcement on his twitter about the song saying “FYI me and Ludacris didn’t release a tribute song … It’s a nice gesture but it’s a fan made tribute … Thank u.” He briefly fell into depression after Walker’s death.
