Valaria Marie Young (born June 13, 1958) is an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

recording artist from

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

, who achieved success during the 1980s. She is now based in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

Career

She was discovered by George Clinton, who hired her as a background vocalist in 1977 for

The Brides of Funkenstein The Brides of Funkenstein were an American Soul and Funk girl band, originally composed of singers Dawn Silva and Lynn Mabry. History Previously background singers for Sly Stone, singer of Sly and the Family Stone, Lynn Mabry and Dawn Silva jo ...

, one of the many acts in his Funkadelic stable. In 1980, she recorded and toured with

Roy Ayers Roy Ayers (born September 10, 1940) is an American funk, soul, and jazz composer, vibraphone player, and music producer. Ayers began his career as a post-bop jazz artist, releasing several albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure at Pol ...

. Young became a background vocalist for

The Gap Band The Gap Band was an American R&B and funk band that rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s. The band consisted of three brothers: Charlie, Ronnie, and Robert Wilson, along with other members; it was named after streets (Greenwood, Archer, an ...

the same year and was featured with the group on the funk hit "

Oops Up Side Your Head "I Don't Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops!)" (re-titled "Oops Up Side Your Head" on the single as well as being known by other titles such as "Oops Upside Your Head") is a 1979 song recorded by the R&B group the Gap Band. Released off the ...

". She recorded five albums with the group and also toured with them. It was not until she met

Rick James James Ambrose Johnson Jr. (February 1, 1948 – August 6, 2004), better known by his stage name Rick James, was an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, James began his musical career in ...

that she became popular as a solo artist. James promoted her as the "Black Marilyn Monroe", and brought Young to

Berry Gordy Berry Gordy III (born November 28, 1929), known professionally as Berry Gordy Jr., is a retired American record executive, record producer, songwriter, film producer and television producer. He is best known as the founder of the Motown record la ...

, who signed her to

Motown Records Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmant ...

on James' recommendation. James produced her debut album ''Seduction'', which was released in 1985, it included the singles "Mind Games" and the title track "Seduction", as well as "Piece of My Heart" and "

If You Should Ever Be Lonely "If You Should Ever Be Lonely" is a song by American singer Val Young, it was released in 1985 as the first single from her album ''Seduction'' issued by label Motown. The single peaked at number twenty-one on the U.S. Billboard R&B Songs chart. ...

", which were successful follow-ups in 1986. James ran into serious conflict with Motown over the status of his spin-off acts, and Young subsequently left the label signing to Amherst Records, a

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from South ...

-based label, releasing her second album ''Private Conversations'' in 1987. Three tracks from this album were produced by James with the title being released as a single. Young went on tour with

Bobby Brown Robert Barisford Brown (born February 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter and dancer. Brown, alongside frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, is noted as one of the pioneers of new jack swing: a fusion of hip hop and R&B. Brown started h ...

in 1988 after he released his ''Don't Be Cruel'' album, and she was in high demand for performing live and recording background vocals for several artists:

Bobby Womack Robert Dwayne Womack (; March 4, 1944 – June 27, 2014) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. Starting in the early 1950s as the lead singer of his family musical group the Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing guit ...

Kurtis Blow Kurtis Walker (born August 9, 1959), professionally known by his stage name Kurtis Blow, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record/film producer, b-boy, DJ, public speaker and minister. He is the first commercially successful rapper ...

Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...

, Sylk E Fyne,

Wayman Tisdale Wayman Lawrence Tisdale (June 9, 1964 – May 15, 2009) was an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and a smooth jazz bass guitarist. A three-time All American at the University of Oklahoma,

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...

Evelyn "Champagne" King Evelyn "Champagne" King (born July 1, 1960) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. She is best known for her hit disco single "Shame", which was released in 1977 during the height of disco's popularity. King had other hits from ...

Yo-Yo A yo-yo (also spelled yoyo) is a toy consisting of an axle connected to two disks, and a string looped around the axle, similar to a spool. It is an ancient toy with proof of existence since 500 BCE. The yo-yo was also called a bandalore in ...

El DeBarge Eldra Patrick "El" DeBarge (born June 4, 1961) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He was the focal point and primary lead singer of the family group DeBarge. Popular songs led by El DeBarge include " Time Will Reveal", " Who's Hold ...

Miki Howard Alicia Michelle "Miki" Howard (born September 30, 1960) is an American singing, singer and actress who had a string of Top 40, top 10 hit songs in the mid-1980s and early 1990s, including "Baby, Be Mine (Miki Howard song), Baby, Be Mine" (1987) ...

Gerald LeVert Gerald Edward Levert (July 13, 1966 – November 10, 2006) was an Americans, American singer-songwriter and producer. Levert was best known for singing with his brother, Sean Levert, and friend Marc Gordon of the vocal group LeVert. Levert ...

Teena Marie Mary Christine Brockert (March 5, 1956 – December 26, 2010), known professionally as Teena Marie, was an American singer-songwriter, musician, composer, arranger, and producer. She was known by her childhood nickname Tina before taking the sta ...

2pac Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...

MC Eiht Aaron Tyler (born May 22, 1971), better known by his stage name MC Eiht (pronounced MC eight), is an American rapper and actor. Many of his songs are based on his life in Compton. His stage name was partly inspired by the numeral in KRS-One's na ...

Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III (born June 6, 1959) and Terry Steven Lewis (born November 24, 1956) are an American R&B/pop songwriting and record production team. They have enjoyed great success since the 1980s with various artists, most ...

Eddie Murphy Edward Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and singer. He rose to fame on the sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'', for which he was a regular cast member from 1980 to 1984. Murphy has als ...

Teddy Riley Edward Theodore Riley (born October 8, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer credited with the creation of the New Jack Swing genre. Riley credits Barry Michael Cooper with giving the genre its name.Hogan, Paul. " Tedd ...

Michael Bivins New Edition is an American R&B/Pop group from the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1978 by Bobby Brown. Their name is taken to mean a 'new edition' of the Jackson 5. The group reached its height of popularity in the 1980 ...

New Edition New Edition is an American R&B/Pop group from the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1978 by Bobby Brown. Their name is taken to mean a 'new edition' of the Jackson 5. The group reached its height of popularity in the 198 ...

and many other artists. Young appeared in the songs " To Live & Die in L.A.", " Black Jesus", "Teardrops & Closed Caskets", plus on the album '' Still I Rise'', and the track "Never Forget", a tribute dedicated to

Tupac Shakur Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the Li ...

by former Outlawz member

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

. In 2009, she was featured as a background singer for

Raphael Saadiq Raphael Saadiq (; born Charles Ray Wiggins; May 14, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He rose to fame as a member of the multiplatinum group Tony! Toni! Toné! In addition to his solo and group ...

in his PBS televised concert ''Live From The Artists Den''. In 2013, Young sang backing vocals on Eddie Murphy and Snoop Lion's single "Red Light", she also appeared in the official music video. In 2014, Young began touring with Candice "Candi" Ghant and Farah Melanson as the new lineup of

The Mary Jane Girls The Mary Jane Girls were an American girl group formed in 1983, best known for their songs "In My House", " All Night Long", "Candy Man", and their cover version of " Walk Like a Man". They were protégées of musician Rick James and disbanded ...

. In 2019, Young partnered with entertainment manager, Lawrence "youngBiz" Dixon, to revamp her and The Mary Jane Girls' career.

Discography

Studio albums

*''Seduction'' (1985) *''Private Conversations'' (1987)

Singles

* "Mind Games" * "Seduction" * "

" * "A Piece of My Heart" * "Private Conversations" * "Don't Make Me Wait" * "Stop Doing Me Wrong"

Guest appearances

*1988: "Don't Cha Wanna Be Loved" (from the Mixmasters album ''Mixmasters'') *1990: "LovelyLittleLady" (from the

Glenn Medeiros Glenn Alan Medeiros (born June 24, 1970) is an American former musician, singer, and songwriter who achieved chart success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He is best known on the national and international music scene for his 1987 global s ...

album ''Glenn Medeiros'') *1991: "I Adore You" (from the

Tone Lōc Anthony Terrell Smith (born March 3, 1966), better known by his stage name Tone Lōc (), is an American rapper, actor, and producer. He is known for his raspy voice, his hit songs " Wild Thing" and "Funky Cold Medina", for which he was nomin ...

album ''

Cool Hand Lōc ''Cool Hand Lōc'' is the second and final studio album by American rapper Tone Lōc. It was released on November 19, 1991 via Delicious Vinyl. Production was handled by Michael Ross, Matt Dike, Tony Joseph, Quicksilver, Def Jef, Sir Jinx and Tone ...

'') *1992: "I Want U 4 Me" (from the Big Bub album ''Comin' At Cha'') *1994: " Situation: Grimm" and "Ask of You" (from the

Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...

Soundtrack ''

Higher Learning ''Higher Learning'' is a 1995 American drama, drama film written and directed by John Singleton and starring an ensemble cast. The film follows the changing lives of three incoming freshmen at the fictional Columbus University: Malik Williams (Om ...

'') *1994: "The World In My Hands (We Are One)" (from the

Snap! Snap! is a German Eurodance group formed in 1989 by Record producer, producers Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti. The act has been through a number of line-up changes over the years, including American singers, songwriters and rappers Thea A ...

album ''

Welcome to Tomorrow ''Welcome to Tomorrow'' is the third and most recent studio album by German Eurodance project Snap! It was released in 1994 on Arista/Ariola Records and made the top ten in Germany and Switzerland. Background In 1993, Snap! producers Micha ...

'') *1995: "Mirror Mirror" (from the

Smooth B Nice & Smooth is an East Coast hip hop duo from New York City that consists of Gregory O. "Greg Nice" Mays (born May 30, 1967) and Darryl O. "Smooth B" Barnes (born August 3, 1967) plus their deejay Tedd "DJ Teddy Tedd" Whiting. The duo released f ...

album '' One Million Strong'') *1995: "Neighborhoodsta Funk" (from the

Poppa LQ The Regime (stylized as The ReGime) is an American hip hop collective created by Yukmouth in 1997, and originally included fellow rappers Tech N9ne, Phats Bossi, Madmax, Poppa LQ, Dizzle Don and Govnormatic. Not long after the original forma ...

album '' Your Entertainment, My Reality'') *1995: "Smooth" (from

Tha Dogg Pound Tha Dogg Pound is an American hip hop duo made up of rappers Kurupt and Daz Dillinger. They were signed to Death Row Records in their early careers and were key to the label's success. Kurupt and Daz went on to release solo albums starting in ...

album ''

Dogg Food ''Dogg Food'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo Tha Dogg Pound, released on Halloween 1995. Its controversial lyrics were the subject of shareholder protest. The album was supposed to be released in July 1995, but as a result of ...

'') *1996: "Never Leave Me Alone" (from the

Nate Dogg Nathaniel Dwayne Hale (August 19, 1969 – March 15, 2011), known professionally as Nate Dogg, was an American singer and rapper. He gained recognition for providing guest vocals for a multitude of hit rap songs between 1992 and 2007, earning the ...

single " Never Leave Me Alone") *1996: " To Live & Die in L.A." (from the

Makaveli Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...

album '' The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory'') *1997: "Dirty Hoe's Draws" (from the

album '' G-Funk Classics, Vol. 1: Ghetto Preacher'') *1997: "Four Seasons" (from the

Infinite Mass Infinite Mass is a Swedish hip hop group formed in 1991. In 1992 the group won the talent show Swedish Championship of Rap. The same year, they achieved fame by participating in the movie '' Sökarna,'' and released the single "Shoot the Racist" ...

album ''Alwayz Somethang'') *1997: "Hellrazor" (from the

2Pac Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...

album ''

R U Still Down? (Remember Me) ''R U Still Down? (Remember Me)'' is the sixth studio album and second double album by American rapper, 2Pac, released on November 25, 1997. It is his second posthumous release and the first to be released without his creative input and contains p ...

'') *1997: "Nowhere 2 Hide" (from the

DJ Pooh A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music festival), mobile ...

album ''

Bad Newz Travels Fast ''Bad Newz Travels Fast'' is the only studio album by American rapper and record producer DJ Pooh. It was released July 15, 1997, through Big Beat/Atlantic Records. Recording sessions took place at Digital Shack Studios in Sherman Oaks and at the ...

'') *1997: "Will I Rize" (from the Death Row soundtrack ''

Gridlock'd ''Gridlock'd'' is a 1997 American black comedy crime film written and directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall and starring Tupac Shakur, Tim Roth, Lucy Liu, and Thandiwe Newton. It was the directorial debut of Curtis-Hall, who also has a small role in t ...

'') *1998: "Choppin up That Paper" (from the Do or Die album ''

Headz or Tailz ''Headz or Tailz'' is the second studio album by American hip hop group Do or Die (group), Do Or Die. It was released on April 7, 1998, via Rap-A-Lot Records, Rap-A-Lot/Virgin Records. Recording sessions took place at Hippie House Studios and Knoc ...

'') *1998: "In California" and "Only For U" (from the

Daz Dillinger Delmar Drew Arnaud (born May 25, 1973), known professionally as Daz Dillinger (formerly Dat Nigga Daz and commonly Daz), is an American rapper and record producer. In the 1990s at Death Row Records, aided the catapult of West Coast rap and ga ...

album ''

Retaliation, Revenge and Get Back ''Retaliation, Revenge and Get Back'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Daz Dillinger, released on March 31, 1998 through Death Row Records and Priority Records. The promotional singles released from the album were "In California" and ...

'') *1998: "Just Another Day" (from the

album '' G-Funk Classics, Vol. 1 & 2'') *1998: "Y Do Thugz Die" (from the

Luniz Luniz (formerly the LuniTunes) is an American hip hop duo from Oakland, California, formed by Yukmouth and Numskull. They were signed to Virgin Records, Noo Trybe Records, and C-Note Records. They were the flagship act for C-Note Records. The g ...

album ''

Lunitik Muzik ''Lunitik Muzik'' is the second studio album by American hip hop duo Luniz. It was released on November 11, 1997 through Noo Trybe/C-Note Records. Production was handled by Tone Capone, Mike Dean, Bosko, Quincy Jones III, Raphael Saadiq, Redm ...

'') *1999: "Black Jesuz", "The Good Die Young" and "Teardrops and Closed Caskets" (from the 2Pac + Outlawz album '' Still I Rise'') *1998: "C'est la Vie" and "Money" (from the

Gonzoe Kausion was an American rap group composed of Cel, Gonzoe, and Kaydo that was signed to Ice Cube's Lench Mob Records in 1995. They released their debut album, ''South Central Los Skanless'', on October 10, 1995. The album peaked at number 37 on ...

album '' If I Live & Nothing Happens'') *1998: "Change Gone Come" (from the

album ''

Smokefest Underground The discography of American rapper Snoop Dogg consists of 19 studio albums, five collaborative albums, 17 compilation albums, three extended plays, 25 mixtapes, 175 Single (music), singles (including 112 as a featured artist), and 16 promotiona ...

'') *1999: "G-Spot" (from the

Warren G Warren Griffin III (born November 10, 1970) is an American rapper and producer known for his role in West Coast rap's 1990s ascent.Steve Huey"Warren G: Biography" ''AllMusic.com'', Netaktion LLC, visited May 8, 2020. Along with Snoop Dogg and N ...

album '' I Want It All'') *1999: "Thicker than Water" (from the

album '' Section 8'') *2000: "Black Rain" and "When I Go" (from the

Outlawz Outlawz (formerly known as Outlaw Immortalz) are an American hip hop group founded by rapper Tupac Shakur in late 1995 after Shakur's release from prison. Collectively, they were best known for their association with Shakur. Most of the group m ...

album ''

Ride wit Us or Collide wit Us ''Ride wit Us or Collide wit Us'' is the debut album by rap group Outlawz, not counting their collaborative ''Still I Rise (album), Still I Rise''. It was released on November 7, 2000, on Outlaw Recordz and Bayside Entertainment. Track listing ...

'') *2000: "The Truth" and "Hit Me on the Hip" (from the Richie Rich album '' The Game'') *2000: "West Coast Lowrider" (from the

Frost Frost is a thin layer of ice on a solid surface, which forms from water vapor in an above-freezing atmosphere coming in contact with a solid surface whose temperature is below freezing, and resulting in a phase change from water vapor (a gas) ...

album '' That Was Then, This Is Now, Vol. 2'') *2001: "Personal Business" (from the Bad Azz album '' Personal Business'') *2002: "Noble Justice" (from the

Young Noble Rufus Cooper III (born March 21, 1978), also known by his stage name Young Noble, is an American rapper who was part of Tupac Shakur's rap group Outlawz. Noble joined the Outlawz in early 1996, and was the last member to be added to the group by ...

album ''

Noble Justice ''Noble Justice'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Young Noble Rufus Cooper III (born March 21, 1978), also known by his stage name Young Noble, is an American rapper who was part of Tupac Shakur's rap group Outlawz. Noble joined ...

'') *2003: "Do My Thang" (from the

Yukmouth Jerold Dwight Ellis III (born October 18, 1974), better known by his stage name Yukmouth, is an American rapper from East Oakland, Oakland, California. He is the founder of The Regime, Smoke-A-Lot Records and Godzilla Entertainment. He is a mem ...

album ''

Godzilla is a fictional monster, or '' kaiju'', originating from a series of Japanese films. The character first appeared in the 1954 film ''Godzilla'' and became a worldwide pop culture icon, appearing in various media, including 32 films produc ...

'') *2003: "What's A Pimp?" and "Don't Act Like That" (from the

Too Short Todd Anthony Shaw (born April 28, 1966), better known by the stage name Too Short (stylized as Too $hort), is an American rapper and record producer. He became famous in the West Coast hip hop scene in the late 1980s, with lyrics often based on ...

album ''

Married to the Game ''Married to the Game'' is the fifteenth studio album by American rapper Too Short. It was released on November 4, 2003 through Jive Records, making it his 12th album on the label. Track listing Charts References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ma ...

'') *2004: "Makavelli Never Lied" (from the

album '' La Doña'') *2004: "Never Forget" (from the Mob Life Records compilation ''On the Grind'') *2005: "California" (from the

RBX Eric Dwayne Collins (born October 8, 1969) better known by his stage name RBX (standing for "Reality Born Unknown"), is an American rapper and songwriter from Long Beach, California. Early life and education Contrary to popular belief, Collins i ...

album '' The Shining'') *2005: "One Night" (from the

Jay Tee James Trujillo, better known by his stage name Jay Tee, is a rapper, songwriter and hip hop producer from Vallejo, CA. He has been a part of the city's scene since the early 1990s as the lead member of N2Deep and Latino Velvet along with Baby ...

album ''

The Thousandaire ''The Thousandaire'' is an album by Vallejo, California rapper Jay Tee, from N2Deep/Latino Velvet. Track listing #"Let's Get It On" #"Sexy Flame" #"Get Together" #"It Ain't Even Like That" #"One Night" (featuring Val Young) #"You Told Me" #"Fee ...

'') *2006: "Hollywood" and "Don't Need None" (from the Muszamil album '' Reparation Is Due'') *2006 "FREE" (from the DUB B album " The SeaReal Way) *2010 "Got To Be SeaReal" (from the DUB B album " Fruition) Unreleased *"Street Life" (Unreleased) (Snoop Dogg featuring 2Pac &

Prince Ital Joe Joe Paquette (May 5, 1963 – May 16, 2001), better known by his stage name Prince Ital Joe, was a Dominican rapper of reggae and ragga best known for his collaborations with Marky Mark and Death Row Records artists. Prince Ital Joe also did so ...

)

References

External links

Val Young
at

Discogs Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the la ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Young, Val American women singers American rhythm and blues musicians American dance musicians Living people 1958 births Singers from Detroit 21st-century American women

Career

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

Guest appearances

See also

References

External links