Free (rapper)
| Free Marie | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Marie Antoinette Wright |
| Also known as | Free (2000-present) Marie Antoinette (1996-2000) |
| Born | February 7, 1968 |
| Origin | Dorchester, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, rapper, music producer, television personality, radio personality |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Website | Freesworld.com |
Marie Antoinette Wright (born February 7, 1968), better known by her stage name, "Free", is an American media personality, television producer and philanthropist. She rose to fame as the first host of BET's 106 & Park. She was later a disc jockey at KKBT 100.3 The Beat in Los Angeles and is the former co-host of the Ed Lover Morning Show on Power 105.1 in New York City.
Born Marie Antoinette Wright, she is of African American descent. She began her journey in the arts as a child in Boston, MA. She attended the Roxbury Center for Performing Arts for 11 years and traveled and toured as part of a young dance troupe. Inspired by hometown group New Edition, she was part of a few groups in Boston performing and winning talent shows, while honing her singing and rap skills. One of her biggest breaks in her dancing career was performing in the 1991 rap music video "Good Vibrations" by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch.
Free left Boston to immerse herself in her true passion: music. One of Free's stepping-stones was an internship at a radio station in MA, where she began to make a name for herself. She then made career moves between LA and New York in an effort to build the structure of her calling. She appeared on "Patriots", the second track on Can-I-Bus, the debut album from critically acclaimed rap artist Canibus. This appearance was her first major appearance and the album eventually went gold. Her appearance on the album was a direct result of her professional connection with Wyclef and his Refugee Camp crew.
“What influenced me to chase after my dreams was music itself; its power and creative medium.” Fate led her to a casting held by BET, where executives choose her to co-host their signature show based in NYC: "106 & Park Top 10 live". During her 5 years at 106 & Park, Free interviewed notable people such as Michael Jackson, Denzel Washington, Aaliyah, Halle Berry, Maxwell, and Alicia Keys.
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