Mashonda

Mashonda Karima Dean (née Tifrere; born January 9, 1978) is an American R&B singer from Boston, Massachusetts.

In 1998, Mashonda signed a publishing deal with Warner Chapel Music.

She subsequently wrote for singer Monifah and worked with Full Force.

The following year, she signed a recording contract with Columbia Records.

Mashonda began dating the record producer Kasseem Dean, known as Swizz Beatz, in 1998.

In 1999, she was featured on American rapper Jay-Z's single "Girl's Best Friend", for the soundtrack to the film Blue Streak.

The song, produced by Swizz Beatz, was also included as a hidden track on Jay-Z's fourth studio album Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter (1999).

Mashonda's vocals also featured on American rapper Eve's song "Gotta Man", produced by Beatz, from her debut studio album Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady (1999).

She became pregnant, but suffered a miscarriage in 2000.

She was the stepmother to Dean's son from a previous relationship, Prince Nasir; he was born during her pregnancy and she named him.

In 2004, she married record producer Swizz Beatz and signed to his record label Full Surface Records, an imprint of J Records to release her debut studio album January Joy (2005).

Mashonda went on to make guest appearances on American rapper Cassidy's "Get No Better", produced by Beatz, from his album Split Personality (2004), and American rapper Fat Joe's Beatz-produced song "Listen Baby", from his 2005 album All or Nothing.

Mashonda and Dean married in 2004.

Mashonda's debut album January Joy, produced by Beatz, Kanye West, and Raphael Saadiq, was released in November 2005 in Japan.

The album was supported by two singles, co-written by Beatz: "Back of da Club", featuring Beatz, and "Blackout" featuring Snoop Dogg.

Their son, Kasseem Dean, Jr., was born in 2006.

In 2008, the couple announced their break up.

According to Dean, they had already been separated for nine or ten months by June of that year.

In March 2009, she released a mixtape titled The Renovation Series..

Mashonda took time off from her music career to raise her son.

Mashonda was the author of a column, "Pandora's Box", on Vibe Vixen.

The divorce was finalized in May 2010, with the couple citing irreconcilable differences.

In 2011, Mashonda was a member of the first season of VH1's reality show Love & Hip Hop: New York.

Mashonda authored a book on co-parenting, titled Blend: The Secret to Co-Parenting and Creating a Balanced Family (2018), with contributions from co-parents Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys.