Profile of K-Ci Hailey on Famous Like Me

K-Ci (born Cedric Hailey on September 2, 1969 in Charlotte, North Carolina) is an African-American R&B/soul singer and songwriter, one-half of the duo K-Ci and JoJo and one-quarter of the R&B quartet Jodeci. He is the older brother of fellow Jodeci and K-Ci and JoJo member Joel "Jo-Jo" Hailey

The main lead singer for Jodeci and the second lead singer for K-Ci and JoJo, much of K-Ci's performance and singing style, defined by a emotive, gospel-flavored rasp, is inspired by soul star Bobby Womack. K-Ci covered Womack's 1981 hit single "If You Think You're Lonely Now" as a single for the Jason's Lyric soundtrack in 1994.

As Womack inspired him, K-Ci inspired another R&B star, Mark "Sisqó" Andrews of the late-1990s R&B group Dru Hill. However, Sisqó and Dru Hill were initially blamed, including by K-Ci himself, of not just using his style as a inspiration, but of outright copying it to fuel their own success.

For a brief time during 1992 and 1993, K-Ci had a much-publicized romantic relationship with R&B singer and Uptown Records labelmate Mary J. Blige. Both artists perform on "I Don't Want To Do Anything" from Blige's What's the 411? album, and Blige often toured with Jodeci. Blige and K-Ci split up in 1993; Blige has gone on record a number of times stating that the split was because of alleged domestic violence and drug use.

Later in 1993, K-Ci and fellow Jodeci member DeVante Swing were involved in an incident with a woman K-Ci met in a club. They later went back to Devante's house. The woman filed charges against the two saying K-Ci fondled her breasts while Devante pointed a gun at her.

In 2001, K-Ci got into more trouble with the law as he was charged with indecent exposure after he fondled his erect and exposed penis at a show in Los Angeles. He pleaded no contest, paid a fine, and was put on probation.

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