Mashonda Karima Dean (née Tifrere; born January 9, 1978) is an American R&B singer from Boston, Massachusetts. In 2004, she married record producer Swizz Beatz and signed with his record label Full Surface Records, an imprint of J Records to release her debut studio album, January Joy (2005). In 2011, Dean joined the first season of VH1's reality show Love & Hip Hop: New York.

Musical career

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. 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). 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'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. In March 2009, she released a mixtape titled The Renovation Series.. Mashonda took time off from her music career to raise her son.

Other ventures

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

Personal life

Mashonda began dating the record producer Kasseem Dean, known as Swizz Beatz, in 1998. 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. Mashonda and Dean married in 2004. 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. The divorce was finalized in May 2010, with the couple citing irreconcilable differences.

Discography

Studio albums

Mixtapes

Singles

Guest appearances

Filmography