Taral Hicks

Taral Hicks (born September 21, 1974) is an American actress and R&B singer.

Hicks is best known for her acting in such films as 1993's American crime drama film A Bronx Tale and her 1997 debut R&B studio album This Time which featured a cover of Deniece Williams' "Silly" that peaked at No. 4 on Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles.

Hicks began her film career with a role in the critically acclaimed 1993 film, A Bronx Tale.

Hicks is a 1993 graduate of Grace Dodge Vocational High School in the Bronx, New York.

She is the younger sister of actress and singer D'atra Hicks.

Raised in Teaneck, New Jersey, Hicks graduated from Teaneck High School in 1994.

Her subsequent film roles were small: 1995's Just Cause with Sean Connery and Laurence Fishburne, and 1996's Educating Matt Waters and The Preacher's Wife with Whitney Houston.

In 1995, Hicks signed a deal with Motown Records and released an album titled This Time.

The single "Ooh, Ooh Baby", written by and featuring Missy Elliott, charted on the Billboard R&B singles chart.

However, the lead single intended to debut her singing career was "Distant Lover", an uptempo track produced by Teddy Riley.

The album did not take off until the second single, "Silly", a remake of the classic R&B hit by Deniece Williams, was released.

Featuring a black-and-white music video directed by Hype Williams, the single charted well on the R&B chart.

Hicks featured in the HBO television series Subway Stories in 1997.

She appeared in the movie Belly in 1998.

After collaborating on the video for "Silly", Williams cast Hicks as in his directorial film debut, 1998's Belly, as Keisha, DMX's girlfriend.

The video for "Silly" appeared in one of the film's scenes.

Hicks has expressed interest in pursuing a career in gospel music.

In 1999, Hicks began dating Loren Dawson, and the couple married in 2001.

In 2000, she appeared on screen in the short film, Are You Cinderella?, with actor Wood Harris.

Two guest roles followed: 2002's 100 Centre Street in the episode titled "Fathers", and a 2003 episode of Soul Food: The Series titled "The New Math".

Hicks co-starred in the musical stage play Tyler Perry's Aunt Bam's Place with Paris Bennett, Cassi Davis, Jeffrey Lewis, and Melonie Daniels.

Her later film roles were in independent films such as 2005's The Salon, with Vivica A. Fox, Dondre Whitfield, and Darrin Henson; 2006's Forbidden Fruits with Ella Joyce, Fredro Starr, and R&B singer Keith Sweat; 2007's Humenetomy; and 2010's Ex$pendable.

It had a 3-day run beginning August 30, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia (Cobb Energy Center) and was filmed for a DVD release on June 12, 2012.