LightSkinKeisha
{{Short description|American rapper (born 1994)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = LightSkinKeisha
| image = LightSkinKeisha 85 South Show Podcast 2.png
| alt =
| caption = LightSkinKeisha in 2024
| birth_name = Samantha Deshaun
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1994|09|04}}
| birth_place = Decatur, Georgia, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality =
| other_names = Big Bank Beisha
| occupation = {{hlist|Rapper|singer|songwriter|actress|influencer}}
| years_active = 2014–present
| known_for =
| notable_works =
| spouse = {{marriage|Coca Vango|2024}}
| children = 1
| module = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes
| background = person
| origin = Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
| genre = {{hlist|Hip hop|R&B}}
| instruments = Vocals
| label = Hitco
}}
}}
Samantha Deshaun (born September 4, 1994), known professionally as LightSkinKeisha, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, actress, and influencer. She started her online career in 2014, posting comedic videos to Instagram and YouTube, several of which went viral.
She released her debut single as a rapper, "Weather", in 2017. After signing with L.A. Reid's record label Hitco in 2018, she released six mixtapes from 2018 to 2023: That's Just the Bottom Line (2018)—which featured her breakout singles "Believe Dat" and "Ride Good"—Act Up SZN (2019), Talk That Talk, Clones (both 2020), Break the Bank (2021), and Thought I Was Done? (2023).
On television, she appeared on the ninth season of the reality television series Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta (2020) and made her acting debut as BruShandria Carmichael on the Starz television series Power Book II: Ghost (2020–2024).
Life and career
Samantha Deshaun was born on September 4, 1994{{Cite Instagram |user=lightskinkeisha |postid=Cwx0nLERUNO |title=Thank you God for another year of life, and to the new life growing within me! Happy Birthday to me ☺️🖤🎉🤰🏽 |date=September 4, 2023}} in Decatur, Georgia{{cite web |last1=Ju |first1=Shirley |title=LightSkinKeisha has been working nonstop during quarantine while you've been slacking |url=https://www.revolt.tv/article/2020-11-25/65123/lightskinkeisha-has-been-working-nonstop-during-quarantine-while-youve-been-slacking |website=Revolt |access-date=May 4, 2024 |date=November 25, 2020}} and raised in Atlanta by a single mother along with her seven siblings.{{cite web |last1=Ayoola |first1=Elizabeth |title=This 'Power Book II: Ghost' Star Is A New Mom — And Officially A Married Woman |url=https://www.essence.com/lifestyle/lightskin-keisha-married/ |website=Essence |access-date=May 3, 2024 |date=February 8, 2024}} She started cheerleading competitively at age 7 and competed for 13 years until she began working in the service industry.{{cite web |last1=Gaillot |first1=Ann-Derrick |title=How LightSkinKeisha turned viral moments into good-ass music |url=https://www.thefader.com/2018/11/14/lightskinkeisha-treadmill-ride-good-interview |website=The Fader |access-date=May 3, 2024 |date=November 14, 2018}}{{cite web |last1=Alston |first1=Trey |title=LightSkinKeisha Takes No Days Off |url=https://www.papermag.com/lightskinkeisha-takes-no-days-off |website=Paper |access-date=May 3, 2024 |date=March 11, 2022}}
LightSkinKeisha's stage name was inspired by the character Kisha from the 1998 film Belly, whom she described as "dark-skin Kisha".{{cite web |author1=DJ Smallz Eyes |title=Light Skin Keisha Reveals Origin Of Her Name and Ethnicity |website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d9-OrKHB4Y |access-date=May 4, 2024 |format=YouTube video |date=September 11, 2017 |quote="My name came from{{nbsp}}... well, have you ever seen the movie Belly? So, you know, Kisha. She's like a dark skin Kisha{{nbsp}}... I just love the role that she played."}} She first became popular as an influencer for comedic videos she posted to her Instagram and YouTube accounts starting in 2014, wherein she discussed her relationships and everyday life.{{cite web |last1=Seabrook III |first1=Robby |title=LightSkinKeisha Freestyle: Watch Atlanta Rapper Make It Look Easy |url=https://www.xxlmag.com/lightskinkeisha-freestyle/ |website=XXL |access-date=May 3, 2024 |date=November 28, 2018}} A video of her rapping about "burnt pussy lips" went viral and soundtracked twerking videos on YouTube and Dubsmash. Her debut single as a rapper, "Weather", was released on SoundCloud in the summer of 2017 and gained traction on the service. She released her single "Treadmill" in June 2018 along with an animated web series for the song.{{cite web |title=Atlanta Rising Star LightSkinKeisha Drops New Single, 'Treadmill' |url=https://respect-mag.com/2018/06/lightskinkeisha-treadmill/ |website=Respect |access-date=May 3, 2024 |date=June 5, 2018}} Her song "Believe Dat" was released in August 2018 with a music video filmed at Magic City.{{cite web |last1=Hussein |first1=Wandera |title=LightSkinKeisha's 'Believe Dat' video will make you want to shake your ass |url=https://www.thefader.com/2018/08/24/lightskinkeisha-believe-dat-shake-your-assssss |website=The Fader |access-date=May 3, 2024 |date=August 24, 2018}} In 2018, LightSkinKeisha was signed to the L.A. Reid-owned record label, Hitco. Her debut mixtape, That's Just the Bottom Line, was released in December 2018 and included "Believe Dat" and her breakout song "Ride Good" featuring B. Smyth.{{cite web |last1=Maduakolam |first1=Emmanuel |title=LightSkinKeisha Drops Her New Project 'That's Just the Bottom Line' |url=https://hypebeast.com/2018/12/lightskinkeisha-thats-just-the-bottom-line |website=Hypebeast |access-date=May 5, 2024 |date=December 14, 2018}}{{cite web |last1=Woods |first1=Aleia |title=Big Sean, 6ix9ine, LightSkinKeisha and More: New Projects This Week |url=https://www.xxlmag.com/big-sean-6ix9ine-lightskinkeisha-new-projects/ |website=XXL |access-date=May 3, 2024 |date=September 4, 2020}} On July 26, 2019, she released the mixtape Act Up SZN on streaming through Hitco.{{cite web |last1=Burton |first1=Brittany |title=LightSkinKeisha Talks 'Act Up SZN', BET Awards & Being A Rising Superstar |url=https://respect-mag.com/2019/07/lightskinkeisha-talks-act-up-szn-bet-awards-being-a-rising-superstar/ |website=Respect |access-date=May 3, 2024 |date=July 21, 2019}}
LightSkinKeisha was nominated for the iHeartRadio Music Award for Best New R&B Artist in 2020.{{cite magazine |last1=Aniftos |first1=Rania |title=Billie Eilish, Lizzo, Jonas Brothers & More Nominated for iHeartRadio Music Awards: See Full List |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/iheartradio-music-awards-2020-nominations-8547519/ |magazine=Billboard |access-date=May 3, 2024 |date=January 8, 2020}} LightSkinKeisha released the mixtapes Talk That Talk and Clones in February and September 2020, respectively, with "B.R.A.T." (featuring Blac Youngsta) released as the lead single of Clones. She was featured on the Saucy Santana song "Back It Up", which was released as a single from his debut album, Pretty Little Gangsta, in August 2020 with a music video.{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Aaron |title=Saucy Santana's 'Back It Up' Video With LightSkinKeisha Gets Messy |url=https://uproxx.com/music/saucy-santana-back-it-up-video-lightskinkeisha/ |website=Uproxx |access-date=May 3, 2024 |date=August 13, 2020}} She released her mixtape Break the Bank in 2021, which was preceded by the singles "Blue Hunnids" and "Freaky Dancer", which featured Trina. Her single "Pop Shit Queen" was released in February 2022.{{cite web |last1=Inman |first1=DeMicia |title=ICYMI: Music Releases You Probably Didn't Hear In Feb. 2022 |url=https://www.vibe.com/music/music-news/icymi-music-releases-feb-2022-1234649867/ |website=Vibe |access-date=May 3, 2024 |date=February 27, 2022}} She released the project Thought I Was Done? in May 2023.
LightSkinKeisha appeared on the reality television series Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta in its ninth season in 2020.{{cite web |author1=Miss2Bees |title=Lightskin Keisha is Unsure About Returning to 'Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta' |url=https://thesource.com/2020/10/09/exclusive-lightskin-keisha-is-unsure-about-returning-to-love-and-hip-hop-atlanta/ |website=The Source |access-date=May 3, 2024 |date=October 9, 2020}}{{cite web |title=Video: VH1's 'Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta' - First Look Clip & Cast |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/video/2020/02/18/video-vh1s-love-and-hip-hop-atlanta-first-look-clip-and-cast-108313/20200218vh101/ |website=The Futon Critic |access-date=May 5, 2024 |date=February 18, 2020}} Also in 2020, she began starring on the Courtney A. Kemp-created Starz crime drama television series Power Book II: Ghost as BruShandria Carmichael, an outspoken college student, and appeared on the show's first three seasons.{{cite web |last1=Germain |first1=Tabie |title=LightSkinKeisha recalls the reassuring "Power Book II" talk she had with Michael Rainey Jr. |url=https://www.revolt.tv/article/2022-02-10/151944/lightskinkeisha-power-book-2-role-engagement-reality-tv |website=Revolt |access-date=May 5, 2024 |date=February 10, 2022}}
Musical style
LightSkinKeisha's music is hip hop and R&B. Chris Kelly of The Washington Post wrote in 2019 that LightSkinKeisha's music "offer[ed] sexually empowered lyrics and the outsize swagger of [her] male counterparts".{{cite news |last1=Kelly |first1=Chris |title=Three up-and-coming female rappers show their talent — briefly — at Fillmore Silver Spring |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/three-up-and-coming-female-rappers-show-their-talent--briefly--at-fillmore-silver-spring/2019/03/08/ad011984-419b-11e9-85ad-779ef05fd9d8_story.html?=undefined |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=May 3, 2024 |date=March 8, 2019}} Aleia Woods of XXL described her rapping flow as "in-your-face", while The Source wrote that she had a "demanding attitude" in her music.{{cite web |author1=Miss2Bees |title=Kissie Lee Links Up With Lightskin Keisha for 'Sheesh' |url=https://thesource.com/2021/03/05/kissie-lee-links-up-with-lightskin-keisha-for-sheesh/ |website=The Source |access-date=May 3, 2024 |date=March 6, 2021}} Robyn Mowatt of Okayplayer wrote that LightSkinKeisha's music was "filled with brash soliloquies and catchy lines paired with bouncy trap beats".{{cite web |last1=Mowatt |first1=Robyn |title=How LightSkinKeisha's Rap Confidence Landed Her a Role in The 'Power' Universe |url=https://www.okayplayer.com/originals/lightskinkeisha-power-book-ii-ghost-interview.html |publisher=Okayplayer |access-date=May 5, 2024 |date=February 4, 2022}}
Personal life
LightSkinKeisha has stated that she was homeless in early 2018 and alternated between living in hotels and in her car.{{cite web |last1=Seabrook III |first1=Robby |title=The Break Presents: LightSkinKeisha |url=https://www.xxlmag.com/lightskinkeisha-interview-the-break/ |website=XXL |access-date=May 4, 2024 |date=December 19, 2018}} LightSkinKeisha got engaged to rapper Coca Vango in 2022 and married him in January 2024.{{cite web |last1=Trapp |first1=Malcolm |title=LightSkinKeisha And Coca Vango Welcome A Baby Boy And Announce Their Marriage: 'He's Everything We Prayed For' |url=https://www.rap-up.com/2024/02/07/lightskinkeisha-and-coca-vango-welcome-a-baby-boy/ |website=Rap-Up |access-date=May 5, 2024 |date=February 7, 2024}} Their son, Amin, was born on January 14, 2024.{{cite web |last1=Andaloro |first1=Angela |title=LightSkinKeisha and Coca Vango Welcome Baby After Secretly Tying the Knot: 'Truly Blessed' (Exclusive) |url=https://people.com/lightskinkeisha-and-coca-vango-welcome-baby-after-they-quietly-wed-exclusive-8558299 |website=People |access-date=May 3, 2024 |date=February 7, 2024}}
Discography
=Mixtapes=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of extended plays, with selected details ! scope="col" style="width:11em;"| Title ! scope="col" style="width:18em;"| Details |
| scope="row"| That's Just the Bottom Line
|
|
|---|
| scope="row"| Act Up SZN
|
|
| scope="row"| Talk That Talk
|
|
| scope="row"| Clones
|
|
| scope="row"| Break the Bank
|
|
| scope="row"| Thought I Was Done?
|
|
=Singles=
==As lead artist==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Year ! scope="col" colspan="1" | Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Album |
| scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| US R&B/HH Air. Peak positions on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart for:
|
|---|
| scope="row"| "Weather"
| rowspan="2"| 2017 | — | rowspan="3" {{N/A|Non-album singles}} |
| scope="row"| "Cash Shit"
| — |
| scope="row"| "Treadmill"
| rowspan="4"| 2018 | — |
| scope="row"| "Believe Dat"
| 39 | rowspan="3"| That{{'}}s Just the Bottom Line |
| scope="row"| "Ride Good" {{small|(featuring B. Smyth)}} | 26 |
| scope="row"| "I'm Gucci"
| — |
| scope="row"| "Hey LightSkin" {{small|(featuring Yella Beezy)}} | rowspan="3"| 2019 | — | {{N/A|Non-album single}} |
| scope="row"| "On Read" {{small|(featuring Kash Doll)}} | — | Act Up SZN |
| scope="row"| "PBWA"
| — | Talk That Talk |
| scope="row"| "Queen Kong"
| rowspan="2"| 2020 | — | rowspan="2"| Clones |
| scope="row"| "B.R.A.T." {{small|(featuring Blac Youngsta)}} | — |
| scope="row"| "FDH"
| rowspan="6"| 2021 | — | Break the Bank |
| scope="row"| "Sheesh" {{small|(with Kissie Lee)}} | — | My Love |
| scope="row"| "Drama"
| — | {{N/A|Non-album single}} |
| scope="row"| "Blue Hunnids"
| — | rowspan="3"| Break the Bank |
| scope="row"| "Margarita"
| — |
| scope="row"| "Freaky Dancer" {{small|(featuring Trina)}} | — |
| scope="row"| "Pop Shit Queen"
| rowspan="3"| 2022 | — | rowspan="4"| Thought I Was Done? |
| scope="row"| "Play Me"
| — |
| scope="row"| "Gimme Head"
| — |
| scope="row"| "Ass on Me"
| rowspan="2"| 2023 | — |
| scope="row"| "Fine AF"
| — | {{N/A|Non-album single}} |
==As featured artist==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of singles as featured artist ! scope="col"| Title ! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Album |
| scope="row"| "Poppin' Champagne" {{small|(Showtime Showtime featuring LightSkinKeisha)}} | 2017 | {{N/A|Non-album single}} |
|---|
| scope="row"| "Sassy" {{small|(Blacc Zacc featuring LightSkinKeisha)}} | rowspan="3"| 2019 | Trappin Like Zacc |
| scope="row"| "On His Face" {{small|(Trina featuring LightSkinKeisha)}} | The One |
| scope="row"| "Atlanta" {{small|(Stevie B. featuring LightSkinKeisha)}} | {{N/A|Non-album single}} |
| scope="row"| "Back It Up" {{small|(Saucy Santana featuring LightSkinKeisha)}} | rowspan="3"| 2020 | Pretty Little Gangsta |
| scope="row"| "Falling Apart" {{small|(Lil Migo featuring LightSkinKeisha)}} | {{N/A|Non-album single}} |
| scope="row"| "It's a Vibe" {{small|(Saucy Santana featuring LightSkinKeisha and DreamDoll)}} | It{{'}}s a Vibe |
| scope="row"| "Top Bitch" {{small|(Chinese Kitty featuring LightSkinKeisha)}} | 2021 | SMD |
| scope="row"| "I'm Dat Girl" {{small|(36 Rich featuring LightSkinKeisha)}} | rowspan="2"| 2022 | rowspan="2" {{N/A|Non-album singles}} |
| scope="row"| "Outside" {{small|(J3X featuring LightSkinKeisha)}} |
==Guest appearances==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of guest appearances |
| scope="col" style="width:12em;"| Title
! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Other artist(s) ! scope="col"| Album |
|---|
| scope="row"| "Do It"
| rowspan="4"| 2018 | Latto | Mulatto |
| scope="row"| "Light Skin Like Keisha"
| Ace Cino | Mafia Life |
| scope="row"| "Okay Bitch"
| Tokyo Vanity, Tasha Catour | B.A.P.S |
| scope="row"| "Snow"
| Coca Vango | Jugg Baby |
| scope="row"| "4 Play"
| rowspan="4"| 2019 | L.I. Tha Great | The Collective Project |
| scope="row"| "Nasty Wit It"
| Nechie | SSN: Southside Nechi (The Full Story) |
| scope="row"| "Freak Freak"
| Coca Vango, Renni Rucci | Mr. Vango |
| scope="row"| "Gymnastics"
| Trip Rexx | Lopsided |
| scope="row"| "PowerPuff Girls"
| rowspan="2"| 2020 | Kelow LaTesha, Rico Nasty | TSA |
| scope="row"| "Bankroll"
| Coca Vango | From Rags to Jugg Riches |
Filmography
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Title !Role !Note |
| 2019
|Herself |Episode: "Ski Mask the Slump God/LightSkinKeisha" |
| 2020
|Herself |Recurring (season 9) |
| 2020–2024
|BruShandria Carmichael |Recurring role; 22 episodes |
| 2022
|The Real Housewives of Atlanta |Herself |Episode: "The Edge of Fashion" |
References
{{reflist}}
Category:21st-century American women rappers
Category:African-American women rappers
Category:21st-century African-American actresses
Category:21st-century American actresses
Category:People from Decatur, Georgia
Category:Actresses from Atlanta
Category:American Internet celebrities
Category:American trap musicians
Category:American television actresses
Category:African-American television personalities
Category:Southern hip-hop musicians
Category:American women hip-hop singers
Category:American contemporary R&B singers
Category:21st-century American women singers
Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters
Category:African-American women singer-songwriters
Category:American women singer-songwriters