Biography
Bre-Z, the rapper and actress who grew up in Philadelphia, advanced steadily from her early days behind the barber chair into Hollywood prominence by taking on the role of the resilient MC Freda Gatz in the Fox series Empire. Building on that platform, she circled back to her primary passion by issuing her first project, the 2018 release The Grl.
Born Calesha Murray in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she was brought up in Wilmington, Delaware by a mother devoted to Wu-Tang and a father who worked as a barber. From childhood onward she embraced both household pursuits, starting to cut hair at age ten while also competing in rap performances at local talent shows. Her sound reflected the influence of 2Pac, Jay-Z, Cam'ron, Missy Elliott, MC Lyte, and Jadakiss, which drew the notice of Roc-A-Fella rapper Freeway and led to his contributions on her earliest recordings.
She relocated to Atlanta with her mother in 2008 and supported herself as a celebrity barber whose clients included Akon and Ludacris. After several years in that city she shifted to Los Angeles, where her barbershop contacts helped her land an audition for Empire and win the part of the hard-edged rapper Freda Gatz. Murray remained with the series from 2015 to 2017, recording the soundtrack cuts "Boom Boom Boom Boom" with Terrence Howard plus "Shine on Me" and "My Own Thing" with Jussie Smollett. Taking cues from Angela Bassett, Queen Latifah, Kerry Washington, and Taraji P. Henson, she broadened her acting portfolio with an appearance in the 2017 miniseries The New Edition Story and a lead role as Tiana "Coop" Cooper on the CW drama All American.
Outside her television schedule, Murray kept releasing rap material, beginning with the early-2018 single "Best of Me" featuring Lil' Mo. Later that summer she independently issued her debut effort, The Grl., which included guest spots from Iman., Robbie Celeste, and RaVaughn.
Born Calesha Murray in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she was brought up in Wilmington, Delaware by a mother devoted to Wu-Tang and a father who worked as a barber. From childhood onward she embraced both household pursuits, starting to cut hair at age ten while also competing in rap performances at local talent shows. Her sound reflected the influence of 2Pac, Jay-Z, Cam'ron, Missy Elliott, MC Lyte, and Jadakiss, which drew the notice of Roc-A-Fella rapper Freeway and led to his contributions on her earliest recordings.
She relocated to Atlanta with her mother in 2008 and supported herself as a celebrity barber whose clients included Akon and Ludacris. After several years in that city she shifted to Los Angeles, where her barbershop contacts helped her land an audition for Empire and win the part of the hard-edged rapper Freda Gatz. Murray remained with the series from 2015 to 2017, recording the soundtrack cuts "Boom Boom Boom Boom" with Terrence Howard plus "Shine on Me" and "My Own Thing" with Jussie Smollett. Taking cues from Angela Bassett, Queen Latifah, Kerry Washington, and Taraji P. Henson, she broadened her acting portfolio with an appearance in the 2017 miniseries The New Edition Story and a lead role as Tiana "Coop" Cooper on the CW drama All American.
Outside her television schedule, Murray kept releasing rap material, beginning with the early-2018 single "Best of Me" featuring Lil' Mo. Later that summer she independently issued her debut effort, The Grl., which included guest spots from Iman., Robbie Celeste, and RaVaughn.
Albums
Singles
