Syleena Johnson

Biography

Syleena Johnson (née Thompson; born September 2, 1976) is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter and actress. She is best known for her guest appearance on Kanye West's 2004 single "All Falls Down", which peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100. She signed with Jive Records to release three albums: Chapter 1: Love, Pain & Forgiveness×Chapter 1: Love, Pain & Forgiveness18 March 2002 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1The Beginning (intro)0:472I Am Your Woman4:293You Said4:124Baby I'm So Confused2:265Meanwhile... (interlude)0:466Everybody Wants Something4:407You Got Me Spinning4:298Hit on Me4:289And Then (interlude)1:1010He's Gonna Do You In4:3711You Ain't Right4:4512Ain't No Love4:5413One Day5:0114I'd Rather Be Wrong4:4315All of Me3:4816The End (outro)1:05 (2001), Chapter 2: The Voice×Chapter 2: The Voice26 November 2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1The Voice (intro)4:342Faithful to You3:303Now That I Got You3:374Dear You3:395Guess What3:326I'm Gon' Cry3:317It That You4:308Tonight I'm Gonna Let Go3:549If You Play Your Cards Right6:0210No Words3:4711So Willingly3:4712Guitars of the Heart5:4113I Believe in Love3:5214Outro (interlude)1:0015Tonight I'm Gonna Let Go (remix) (feat. Busta Rhymes, Rampage, Sham & Spliff Star)4:1816Joined at the Hip3:55 (2002), and Chapter 3: The Flesh (2005), each of which received critical acclaim and modest commercial reception. She returned to work with West for his tenth album, Donda (2021), where she performed on the spoken-word song "Donda Chant".

Early life

Johnson, born on September 2, 1976, is the daughter of R&B Hi Records singer Syl Johnson (1936–2022) and Brenda Thompson, who was the first black female police commissioner of Harvey, Illinois. Johnson has two older sisters, Syleecia and Sylette.

Music career

In 1998, Johnson released her demo, Love Hangover, and her debut studio album, Chapter 1: Love, Pain, and Forgiveness, in 2001. Her debut single, "I Am Your Woman", co-written by American former singer-songwriter R. Kelly, charted at number 43 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
In 2004, Johnson was featured as a vocalist on Kanye West's single "All Falls Down", from his debut album, The College Dropout, after West was unable to use the original sample recorded by Lauryn Hill during her 2002 MTV unplugged performance. A year later, she guest appeared on Cuban Link's album Chain Reaction, on the track "Life Goes On".
In 2005, Johnson released her third album Chapter 3: The Flesh×Chapter 3: The Flesh13 September 2005 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1The Flesh (interlude)2:352Hypnotic4:513He Makes Me Say3:254Special Occasion4:065More3:566Bull’s‐Eye (Suddenly)4:217Classic Love Song3:258Phone Sex5:049Slowly4:2510Time3:3811Still Open4:3512Another Relationship4:1913Leave Me Alone3:3714Apartment for Rent3:5515Only a Woman4:3216The Flesh (outro)1:23, which became her highest-charting album on Billboard. Chapter 4: Labor Pains was released on January 13, 2009. In 2009, Johnson appeared on a single with KRS-One, Twista and Crucial Conflict titled "Self Destruction". Johnson starred in TV One reality series R&B Divas: Atlanta from 2012 to 2014; lasting three seasons. As of 2012, she was managed by DYG Management. On September 23, 2013, Johnson and Musiq Soulchild released a duet album titled 9ine.
Johnson was featured on "Donda Chant", the opening track to Kanye West's tenth album Donda, released in August 2021.

Personal life

In August 2000, Johnson married former Illinois State University college basketball player Marcus Betts. Betts graduated in December 2000 and became her manager for her first two albums.
On July 1, 2007, she married Kiwane Garris. Garris, a fellow Chicagoan, is a worldwide journeyman basketball player, having played for various NBA and EuroLeague teams. On August 1, 2007, after forty-eight hours of labor, their son Kiwane Garris Jr. was born. On February 6, 2011, she gave birth to their second son Kingston.
Johnson is a member of Zeta Phi Beta sorority. In June 2015, Johnson graduated from Drake University, where she received her bachelor's degree in nutrition science, summa cum laude, 21 years after she enrolled. She was also inducted into the Alpha Beta Kappa honors society for her academic achievements.

Studio albums

Chapter 1: Love, Pain & Forgiveness (2001)
Chapter 2: The Voice (2002)
Chapter 3: The Flesh (2005)
Chapter 4: Labor Pains (2009)
Chapter 5: Underrated (2011)
Chapter 6: Couples Therapy (2014)
Rebirth of Soul (2017)
Woman (2020)
Legacy (2024)