
John Legend
Highest Rated: 100% Hitsville: The Making of Motown (2019)
Lowest Rated: 45% Soul Men (2008)
Birthday: Dec 28, 1978
Birthplace: Springfield, Ohio, USA
John Legend's brand of classy, soulful and politically-engaged music filled a niche on the contemporary R&B scene, beginning with his critically successful debut album Get Lifted (2004). The album marked the first time that mainstream music lovers heard Legend's smooth vocals bringing a certain suavity to hip-hop soul, most notably in the hit single "Ordinary People." Legend's sophomore release, Once Again (2006), exceeded the commercial and critical success that he enjoyed with his first album. Instead of shooting for a blend of soul, pop, and hip-hop as he did in his first release, the Grammy Award-winning singer headed for a more innovative, adult contemporary direction on Once Again, which featured the catchy mid-tempo "Save Room" and the rock-laced song "Stereo." Legend showcased his political convictions and maturing sound on albums such as Wake Up! (2010), a collaboration with hip-hop group The Roots and a solid effort from an undeniably versatile musician and vocal powerhouse. This social conscience led to Legend's greatest success, co-writing the Academy Award-winning "Glory" with rapper Common for the soundtrack to the civil rights drama "Selma (2014). He was born John Stephens on Dec. 28, 1978 in Springfield, OH. At an early age, Legend started playing gospel and classical piano under the tutelage of his grandmother. He attended Springfield North High School, where he graduated as salutatorian at age 16, before going off to attend the University of Pennsylvania as an English major. While in college, Legend put in time honing his budding music career by recording CDs with an a capella group, performing solo at various talent shows and open mic nights, and working as the music and choir director at Bethel A.M.E. Church in Scranton. It was during this time when Legend met hip-hop and R&B artist Lauryn Hill, who gave him his first big break by asking him to play the piano on her hit single "Everything is Everything" (1998). Helping his exposer, he was also making the rounds on the nightclub circuit in New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Legend was performing as an independent artist and distributing both his self-titled demo album (2000) and Live At Jimmy's Uptown (2001) when he was introduced by his college roommate to the then-emerging hip-hop artist Kanye West, who signed Legend as the first artist on his Getting Out Our Dreams (G.O.O.D.) label. In 2004, Legend released his official debut album Get Lifted to critical acclaim, thanks in part to the hit single "Ordinary People," a song which he originally wrote for the Black Eyed Peas. The LP went on to win three Grammy Awards in 2006 for Best R&B Album, Best R&B Male Vocal Performance, and the coveted Best New Artist honor. On Legend's sophomore release, Once Again, he collaborated with a stable of talented producers including West and Peas' frontman, will.i.am, to produce another critically-lauded, ballad-driven album with a more adult contemporary sound, evidenced with songs such as the mid-tempo, piano-based love ballad "Save Room" and the Grammy Award-winning track "Heaven (Only Knows). It also featured one of Legend's more upbeat tracks, "PDA (We Just Don't Care), about public displays of affection. While Once Again lifted Legend's career to new heights, it also made the singer the subject of a copyright infringement lawsuit in 2011. Songwriter Anthony Stokes alleged that Legend's song "Maxine's Interlude" was based on a demo track that he gave Legend following the singer's concert in 2004. Stokes claimed that he never heard back from Legend after he gave him the track and was taken aback after hearing Legend's single "Maxine's Interlude" on the Once Again album. In between song recordings, concert tours and live performances, Legend also dabbled in acting, guest starring on the musical drama series "American Dreams" (NBC, 2002-05), where he portrayed Stevie Wonder, and on the HBO comedy series "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (2000-2011) as himself. He also collaborated with established artists over the years, including West, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, Fergie, and Pink. For his next major release, Legend and hip-hop/neo soul band The Roots teamed up to record Wake Up!, a politically-profound R&B album where they covered songs pulled from '60s and '70s soulful music such as Marvin Gaye's "Wholy Holy" (1971) and Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes' "Wake Up Everybody" (1975). It also featured Legend's original composition, "Shine," which was included on the soundtrack to the educational reform documentary "Waiting for 'Superman'" (2010). In 2011, Legend announced his engagement to American model Chrissy Teigen, whom he had begun dating in 2007. That same year, the singer's hit song "Save Room" was included on the soundtrack to the romantic comedy "Crazy, Stupid, Love" starring Ryan Gosling and Steve Carrell. In 2012, Legend landed a regular television gig on "Duets" (ABC, 2012), a reality competition show where seasoned artists mentored, judged, and performed with aspiring singers, all of whom were competing for a recording contract. The following year, Legend released his fourth album, Love in the Future, which featured the hit single "All of Me." Legend teamed with rapper Common to write the song "Glory" for the soundtrack to the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. biopic "Selma" (2014); the collaboration won Best Original Song at the 2015 Academy Awards. Legend followed with the album Darkness and Light (2016) and continued his work in film, co-starring in and providing music for the romantic musical "La La Land" (2016) and duetting on the theme song of the live-action "Beauty and the Beast" (2017) with Ariana Grande. The following year, Legend starred in the title role of a live concert production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" (NBC 2018) that aired on Easter Sunday.
Photos
Highest Rated Movies
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | My Gift: A Christmas Special from Carrie Underwood | Unknown (Character) | - | 2020 |
89% | 72% | Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey | Producer | - | 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | With Drawn Arms | Executive Producer | - | 2020 |
74% | 43% | Between Two Ferns: The Movie | Self | - | 2019 |
100% | 77% | Hitsville: The Making of Motown | Self | - | 2019 |
100% | 58% | Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert | Unknown (Character) | - | 2018 |
57% | No Score Yet | All Rise | Executive Producer | - | 2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Crow: The Legend |
Crow (Character), Executive Producer, Music |
- | 2017 |
92% | 71% | Southside With You | Executive Producer | $6.3M | 2016 |
91% | 81% | La La Land | Keith (Character) | $151.1M | 2016 |
No Score Yet | 43% | Breaking Through | Executive Producer | - | 2015 |
No Score Yet | 83% | Can You Dig This | Executive Producer | - | 2015 |
81% | 78% | Soundtrack for a Revolution | Unknown (Character) | - | 2009 |
45% | 58% | Soul Men | Marcus Hooks (Character) | $12.1M | 2008 |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | 63% | The Voice |
Music Performer, Guest, Judge |
2016-2021 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Soul of a Nation | Music Performer | 2021 |
No Score Yet | 49% | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon |
Music Performer, Guest |
2018-2021 2015-2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Today With Hoda & Jenna | Guest | 2021 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Today |
Music Performer, Guest |
2018-2021 2016 2014 2008-2010 |
No Score Yet | 50% | The Kelly Clarkson Show |
Music Performer, Guest |
2019-2021 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Today 3rd Hour | Music Performer | 2021 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Entertainment Tonight | Guest | 2016-2021 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Good Morning America |
Music Performer, Guest |
2020 2013-2016 2009-2010 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Extra | Guest | 2019-2020 |
No Score Yet | 37% | Late Night With Seth Meyers | Guest | 2019-2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Austin City Limits | Music Performer | 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Access Hollywood | Guest | 2016-2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Jimmy Kimmel Live! |
Music Performer, Guest |
2020 2016-2017 2013-2014 2008 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | etalk | Guest | 2020 2008 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Tamron Hall | Guest | 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Budweiser Stage at Home | Music Performer | 2020 |
99% | 81% | Sherman's Showcase |
Unknown (Guest Star), Guest, Producer |
2019-2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Graham Norton Show | Music Performer | 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hollywood Game Night | Guest | 2020 2014-2015 |
94% | 64% | Atlanta's Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children | Executive Producer | 2020 |
67% | No Score Yet | Chrissy's Court | Guest | 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Ellen DeGeneres Show |
Music Performer, Guest, Host |
2018-2020 2015-2016 2013 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Desus & Mero | Guest | 2019-2020 |
85% | 76% | The Simpsons | Self (Guest Voice) | 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Cityline | Guest | 2020 |
93% | 73% | This Is Us | John Legend (Guest Star) | 2020 |
82% | 16% | A Little Late With Lilly Singh | Guest | 2019 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Great Performances | Unknown (Character) | 2019 |
95% | 77% | Rhythm + Flow | Executive Producer | 2019 |
100% | No Score Yet | AMC Visionaries: Rap Yearbook | Unknown (Character) | 2019 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Celebrity Family Feud | Guest | 2019 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | StoryBots | Guest | 2019 |
No Score Yet | 33% | The Late Late Show With James Corden |
Music Performer, Guest |
2019 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Access Hollywood Live | Guest | 2019 |
57% | 89% | Songland | Guest | 2019 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Daily Show With Trevor Noah | Guest | 2019 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Real Time With Bill Maher | Guest | 2019 2016 2012 2010 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | q | Guest | 2019 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen | Guest | 2019 2016 2012-2014 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Jonathan Ross Show |
Music Performer, Guest |
2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | CBS This Morning | Guest | 2018 2014 2012 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Today With Kathie Lee & Hoda | Guest | 2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Variety Studio: Actors on Actors | Guest | 2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Artists Den | Music Performer | 2017 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Carpool Karaoke | Music Performer | 2017 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | 2017 Billboard Music Awards | Music Performer | 2017 |
96% | 87% | Underground |
Frederick Douglass (Guest Star), Executive Producer |
2017 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | LIVE with Kelly | Music Performer | 2017 |
No Score Yet | 39% | The Late Show With Stephen Colbert |
Music Performer, Guest |
2017 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Entertainment Studios.TV | Guest | 2015-2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Entertainment Tonight Canada | Guest | 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Breakfast Club | Guest | 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Breakfast Club Power Hour | Guest | 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Sing It On | Executive Producer | 2015-2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Dish Nation | Guest | 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Greatest Hits | Music Performer | 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Kocktails With Khloé | Guest | 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | FABLife | Guest | 2015-2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | CBS News Sunday Morning | Guest | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The View |
Music Performer, Guest |
2015 2013 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Guest | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Live! With Kelly and Michael |
Music Performer, Guest |
2013-2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Lip Sync Battle | Contestant | 2015 |
63% | No Score Yet | CMT Crossroads | Unknown (Character) | 2014 |
68% | No Score Yet | American Idol |
Music Performer, Guest |
2014 2008 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Queen Latifah Show | Music Performer | 2014 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Conan | Guest | 2013 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Bethenny | Guest | 2013 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Wendy Williams Show | Music Performer | 2013 |
No Score Yet | 75% | Late Show With David Letterman | Music Performer | 2013 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Our World With Black Enterprise | Guest | 2013 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | 106 & Park | Unknown (Character) | 2013 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Project Runway | Guest | 2013 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Duets | Unknown (Character) | 2012 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Finding Your Roots | Guest | 2012 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Wall Street Journal Report With Maria Bartiromo | Guest | 2012 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Late Night With Jimmy Fallon | Music Performer | 2012 2010 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Gayle King Show | Guest | 2011 |
94% | 74% | Royal Pains | Himself (Guest Star) | 2011 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Weekly With Ed Gordon | Guest | 2010 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Extreme Makeover: Home Edition | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2010 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Colbert Report |
Music Performer, Guest |
2010 2008 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Lopez Tonight | Guest | 2010 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | ES.TV | Guest | 2010 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Oprah Winfrey Show | Guest | 2010 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | MTV Live | Unknown (Character) | 2009 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Late Night With Conan O'Brien | Music Performer | 2008 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Nightline | Music Performer | 2008 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Dancing With the Stars | Music Performer | 2008 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Early Show | Music Performer | 2008 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Sesame Street | Music Performer | 2006-2008 |
92% | 95% | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Himself (Guest Star) | 2007 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Las Vegas | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2007 |
QUOTES FROM John Legend CHARACTERS
No quotes approved yet.