Biography
Part of New York City's hip-hop community, Angie Martinez began her career in radio. Brooklyn-born, she first encountered music through her mother's wide-ranging listening habits, as her mother served as program director at a jazz station. Martinez later gravitated toward hip-hop, and following a brief period answering phones at a Miami outlet, she returned to N.Y.C. to join the popular dance station Hot 97. Impressed by her improvisational rapping ability, KRS-One urged her to pursue the style herself, which resulted in the successful Redman collaboration "Heart Beat," additional work with Mary J. Blige, and her appearance on the Grammy-nominated track "Ladies Night" alongside Missy Elliot, Lil' Kim, Left Eye, and Da Brat. Shortly after those projects, Elektra offered her a contract, leading to the release of her debut album, Up Close and Personal, in 2001.
Singles
