Siya

American rapper

For other people called Siya, see siya (name). For the 2022 Hindi film, see Siya (film). For the rural locality in Russia, see Siya, Arkhangelsk Oblast.

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Siya

Birth name| Michele Andrea Sherman[1]
Born|  (1987-03-23) March 23, 1987 (age 38)
Barstow, California, U.S.
Origin| Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Genres|

* Hip hop

Occupations|

* Rapper
* songwriter

Instrument| Vocals
Years active| 2011–present
Labels| Empire,[2] R&B Money[3][4]
Website| siyamusic.com

Musical artist

Michele Andrea Sherman (born March 23, 1987), better known by her stage name Siya, is an American rapper. In 2012, she signed with Tank's R&B Money label imprint.[5] She starred in the Oxygen reality TV series Sisterhood of Hip Hop.[6][7] Siya has collaborated with artists such as Chris Brown, Sage the Gemini and Kirko Bangz. Siya has performed alongside artists such as Wyclef Jean at the world famous B.B. Kings, as well as opened up for Fat Joe and Fabolous during a concert at Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York. Currently starring in the BET Plus show Angel.

## Early life

[edit]

Siya was born in Barstow, California to an African American father and a Puerto Rican mother, and has three sisters.[8] Due to her mother's drug abuse and her incarcerated father, Siya was sent to live with her grandmother who raised her in the Eleanor Roosevelt housing projects in Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.[9][10] Siya began rapping at the age of seven and entered into the music industry at the age of 12. Siya's childhood influence was the rap group called Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.[11] She states: "What I loved about them was how melodic their music was and that they tried different shit."[11]

## Musical career

[edit]

Music became an outlet for Siya to comprehend her experiences and feelings. After moving to Atlanta to pursue her music career in her mid 20s she built a reputation and fan base for herself and caught the attention of well known artists and major labels. While some in the industry were afraid of how an openly gay female rapper would fit into the genre, Siya remained determined and refused to compromise her identity and stayed true to her style.[12][13][14]

R&B legend Tank soon found her and from there she was signed to Tank's label R&B Money LLC. Siya released her singles "I'm Gone", "Smoke Drink", and mixtape Elevator Dreams in 2011.

Siya released her singles "One Hunnid" and "Real MVP" in 2014.[15][16] She released a mixtape titled Better Late Than Never, and What Never Happened in 2015. She went on to release her debut studio album SIYAvsSIYA, on December 9, 2016.[17] The album included collaborations with artists such as Ashley Rose, Jake&Papa, Lyric Wright and Kreesha Turner with the debut single being "New York."

On February 6, 2017, Siya released a song titled "Front Door", in promotion for her six song extended play, Commitment.[18] The EP was released on February 10, 2017, under Tank's label imprint, R&B Money LLC.[19][20] The EP features the single "Don't You (Say Yes)" featuring Tank.[21] In 2017 she released "Houston Girls" ft Kirko Bangz & "Hot Girl" with her EP 383- For Roosevelt. In 2018 she released "No Race" and "Circle Watching" as a preview for her next EP Mad Energy expected to drop fall 2018.

## Discography

[edit]

### Albums

[edit]

* SIYAvsSIYA (2016)
* 383 – for Roosevelt (2017)
* Mad Energy (2018)

### Mixtapes

[edit]

* Elevator Music (2011)
* Better Late Than Never (2015)
* What Never Happened (2015)
* Commitment (2017)

## Filmography

[edit]

2023  | Film/TV Series  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

2014-2016  | Sisterhood of Hip Hop | Herself  | Main
2016  | Deuces | Diggs  |
2018  | The First Purge | Blaise  |
Street Dreams – Los Angeles | Hopper  |
2020  | No Escape | Sam  |
2021  | True to the Game 3: The Final Chapter of Gena & Quadir's Story | Fly  |
2023  | Baddies East | Herself  |
Angel | Diamond  | TV Series
2024  | Bad vs. Wild | Herself  | Guest
Station 19 | Jazzy  | Episode: “True Colors”

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "BELIEVE ME". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
2. ^ "Siya Signed To Empire Records - SENOBADDICTION.COM". senobaddiction.com.
3. ^ "Tank Launches New Label 'R&B Money' - Singersroom.com". singersroom.com. December 6, 2015.
4. ^ "Siya Teams Up With Tank for Sexy New Single 'Don't U (Say Yes)' [PREMIERE]". The Boombox. February 9, 2017.
5. ^ "Tank Launches Record Label – EURweb". October 20, 2012.
6. ^ McDonald, Helen (June 9, 2014). "Lesbian Rapper Siya Comes to Your TV on Reality Show about Women Rappers". Autostraddle.
7. ^ "About Siya". Sonicbids.
8. ^ "Instagram post by SIYA • Feb 4, 2015 at 6:14pm UTC". Instagram.
9. ^ Hilliard, Chloe A. (April 3, 2007). "Girls to Men". Village Voice.
10. ^ Bautista, Camille (February 17, 2015). "Bed-Stuy Rapper Seeks to Empower Women in Hip-Hop Reality Series". DNAinfo. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015.
11. ^ a b "Siya: "In the Gay World, I'm Considered a 'Stud'"". Oxygen Official Site. August 5, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
12. ^ "Lesbian Rapper Siya Comes to Your TV on Reality Show about Women Rappers". Autostraddle. June 9, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
13. ^ "SIYA is the Mainstream Lesbian Rapper You've Been Looking For". KitschMix. October 23, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
14. ^ Schwartzberg, Lauren (October 9, 2014). "Lesbian Hip-Hop Hits Prime Time". Vice. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
15. ^ "One Hunnid – Single by Siya on Apple Music". iTunes. August 12, 2014.
16. ^ "Real MVP – Single by Siya on Apple Music". iTunes. October 1, 2014.
17. ^ "SIYAvsSIYA by Siya on Apple Music". iTunes. December 9, 2016.
18. ^ "Siya Celebrates Valentine's Day Early With "Front Door"". hiphopdx.com. February 6, 2017.
19. ^ "Siya Drops 'Commitment' EP – XXL". XXL Mag. February 15, 2017.
20. ^ "Commitment EP". Google Play Music. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
21. ^ "Don't You (Say Yes) [feat. Tank] – Siya".

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Siya at AllMusic
* Siya at IMDb
* Siya discography at MusicBrainz

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States

Artists|

* MusicBrainz