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Heather B. Gardner

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Heather B. Gardner (born November 13, 1971),[1] billed professionally as Heather B., is an American rapper, reality television personality, and a radio host who first gained fame as a member of the hip hop group Boogie Down Productions[2] before becoming a cast member on The Real World: New York, the 1992 inaugural season of MTV's reality show The Real World.[3]

Heather B. Gardner
Gardner at a September 13, 2011 book signing for Common's memoir in Manhattan
Gardner at a September 13, 2011 book signing for Common's memoir in Manhattan
Background information
Also known asHeather B.
Born (1971-11-13) November 13, 1971 (age 53)
OriginJersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
GenresRap, hip hop
Occupation(s)Rapper, reality television personality, radio host
Years active1990–present
LabelsElektra, Pendulum, MCA, Sai Records International, GIWOM Entertainment

Career

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From February 16 to May 18, 1992, Gardner filmed The Real World: New York, the first season of MTV's reality television series, The Real World, on which she appeared as a cast member.[4] The series premiered May 21 that year. On the show, she was depicted as a hip-hop artist with the group Boogie Down Productions, on the verge of getting her big career break.[5] During the season, she is seen recording her first album.[5][6] According to MTV's biography for her: "She has a lot of drive and dedication to whatever she is doing. She makes friends quickly and always speaks her mind regardless of the consequences."[5]

Gardner was affiliated with the rap group Boogie Down Productions,[3] and was signed to Pendulum Records in 1995. In 1996, she released her first album, Takin' Mine. The single "All Glocks Down", an anti-gun violence anthem, received radio play, as did the follow-up single "If Headz Only Knew."[7]

Gardner scored a minor role in the 1995 film Dead Presidents as "Peaches". In 1997, Gardner signed with MCA Records and in 1998 she released the single, "Do You," which had a considerable amount of television and radio airplay.

She was identified by XXL magazine as being in their 1998 photograph A Great Day in Hip Hop.[8]

In 2002 Gardner produced her second album, Eternal Affairs, with production from Pete Rock and DJ Premier. The album met with positive reviews.[citation needed]

Outside of her music career, Gardner has appeared in various projects and television specials related to The Real World. She also appeared in the film The Wedding Video directed by Real World alum Norman Korpi, and a 2005 television commercial for America Online anti-virus software.[9] Gardner's third studio album, Open Bar, which was executive-produced by DJ Premier.[10]

As of 2012, Gardner is the co-host of the Sirius Satellite Radio show Sway in the Morning with former MTV reporter Sway Calloway.[11] In 2016 the duo appeared in the twelfth episode, "Soliloquy of Chaos," of Luke Cage, interviewing Method Man, about being rescued by Cage during a hold-up of a Harlem bodega.[12]

She appeared as herself in the 2018 Bruce Willis film Death Wish.

In 2021, she portrayed the character Aunt Ruth in the Jussie Smollett movie B-Boy Blues, Smollett's adaptation of the novel series written by James Earl Hardy.

Personal life

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Gardner married fellow hiphop artist born E. Gray, a former member of the group Bravehearts who goes by the professional name Horse. In a 2010 interview with The Urban Daily Gardner related that she met Gray on a subway train 15 years prior, and that they had been married for nine years, commenting, "It's like everybody else's house and we're a real family. We got a dog and pain-in-the-ass neighbors. He did music and I do music."[13][14]

Discography

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Albums

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Singles

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Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1995 Dead Presidents Peaches
2011 Turnpike Heather Elms
2013 Somewhere Inbetween Short film
2018 Death Wish Heather B. Uncredited
2021 B-Boy Blues Aunt Ruth

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2016 Luke Cage Heather B. Episode: "Soliloquy of Chaos"
2023 Sistas Cheryl 6 episodes

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2009). Joel Whitburn's Music Stars: Brief Bios of Every Recording Artist Who Ever Charted. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 114. ISBN 978-0-8982-0176-5.
  2. ^ "Heather B Birthday". National Today. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Kurutz, Steve (2008). "Heather B." Allmusic. All Media Guide. Retrieved February 21, 2008.
  4. ^ "SoHo Loft". realworldhouses.com. November 28, 2010
  5. ^ a b c "The Real World: New York: Cast: Heather B". MTV. 1992. Archived from the original on November 8, 2010. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
  6. ^ "Julie and Eric...Could it be Love?". The Real World: New York. Season 1. Episode 2. MTV.
  7. ^ "Chart Listing For The Week Of Feb 06 1993". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. February 6, 1993. Archived from the original on May 26, 2008. Retrieved February 21, 2008.
  8. ^ "Hip-Hop America". XXL. Vol. 3, no. 1 #7. New York: Harris Publications. December 1998. pp. 86–118.
  9. ^ Cooper, Gael Fashingbauer. "Will reality TV return to 'Paradise'?". Today Reality TV. MSNBC. March 15, 2005
  10. ^ AbduSalaam, Ismael. "Heather B. Returns With DJ Premier For 'Open Bar'". AllHipHop. March 12, 2010
  11. ^ Chudnofsky, Lisa. "Heather B From The First Season Of 'Real World': Where Is She Now?". MTV. Archived from the original on March 23, 2013. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  12. ^ Cecchini, Mike (October 1, 2016). "Luke Cage: Complete Marvel Comics Easter Eggs and Reference Guide – Luke Cage Episode 12: Soliloquy of Chaos". Den of Geek.
  13. ^ "Heather B: Rap Infamy, Radio and 'The Real World'". Rock the Bells. March 4, 2021. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  14. ^ "Heather B On Her Marriage To Horse From the Bravehearts". TheUrbanDaily. May 24, 2010. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 5, 2023 – via YouTube.
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