Omarion was born Omari Ishmael Grandberry on November 12, 1984, in Inglewood, California. His family recognized his natural affinity for the spotlight at an early age, and Omarion began performing at the young age of five. His earliest jobs in the spotlight consisted of appearing in commercials for Kellogg’s Corn Pops and McDonald’s.
At the age of seventeen, it appeared that Omarion’s dreams of one day becoming a superstar were fast becoming a reality when he became the lead singer of the boy band B2K. Managed by Chris Stoke, the group also included among its members Dreux Frederic, DeMario Thornton, and Jarell Houston. Although the group was relatively short-lived, and would eventually part ways in 2004, Omarion undeniably gained valuable experience and attention during his time as a group’s front man. Their first album was only mildly successful, but the second effort, Pandemonium, gained more widespread attention. It reached the top 10 on the charts, and the group had their first #1 single: "Bump, Bump, Bump." Their last set of recordings was a soundtrack for the film You Got Served, in which Omarion starred alongside Marques Houston and his fellow band mates. After the release of the soundtrack, the group announced they were calling it quits.
In 2001 he was featured on BOW WOW's hit song "Let Me Hold You". The song reached #4 of the Billboard 100, becoming Omarion's first top-ten single as a solo artist.
Omarion is obviously not one to be easily disheartened. After the breakup of his band, he was determined to continue on with his music career with or without the rest of the boys from B2K. His first album O, released only about a year after of the breakup of his first group, exceeded everybody’s expectations. It topped the charts, and eventually sold enough copies to be certified platinum. He also worked with Bow Wow on the single "Let Me Hold You." Although his second effort, which is titled 21, did not enjoy the immediate success that his first did, several of the singles appear to be gaining momentum. "Ice Box," produced by Timbaland, is Omarion’s most popular single so far in his career. Still in his early twenties, there is nowhere for this rising star to go but up.
In addition to appearing in You Got Served, Omarion appeared in several movies and series during 2004. They include The Bernie Mac Show, One on One, and the flick Fat Albert, with Kenan Thompson, Kyla Pratt, and Jermaine Williams. His most recent appearances are those in the 2007 film Somebody Help Me, with Marques Houston, Sonny King, and Alexis Fields, and Reggaeton.
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