Kelly Price is a R&B and gospel singer. Beginning her career in 1992, she performed backing vocals for Mariah Carey on multiple songs, including Carey's Billboard Hot 100 number one singles "All I Want for Christmas Is You" and "Fantasy". In addition, she rose to wider prominence in 1997 following her uncredited guest appearances on the Billboard Hot 100 number-one single "Mo Money Mo Problems" by The Notorious B.I.G., as well as "Feel So Good" by Mase, prompting her to perform as a lead artist. Her debut album, "Soul of a Woman" (1998), was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
In 1998, Price was featured on Whitney Houston's song "Heartbreak Hotel" alongside Faith Evans, which peaked at number two on the chart and earned a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. Her second and fourth albums, "Mirror Mirror" (2000) and "Priceless" (2003), peaked within the top ten on the Billboard 200 chart. In 2016, she made uncredited appearances on Kanye West's songs "Ultralight Beam" and "Low Lights" for his album "The Life of Pablo".
Price has won a Soul Train Music Award, and she is a 9-time Grammy Award nominee.
"Unsung" is an hour-long music documentary program that airs on the television network TV One. It uncovers the stories behind well-known R&B and hip-hop music artists, bands, or groups which were ranked on the Billboard music charts with a string of hits, only to have their career derailed by a major crisis that caused them to be essentially unappreciated by later generations of contemporary R&B and soul music listeners. The series is produced by A. Smith & Co. Productions.
On June 1, 2016, "Unsung" returned with Season 9, Episode 1, featuring the story of Price as the main subject. For this episode, Shefik licensed to "Unsung" a photo he captured and archived during the late 1990s, of which he never shared publicly before in almost 20 years. Back in the 1990s, Shefik worked heavily as a music publicist, and Island Black Music / Island Records was among his clients (the record company that Price was signed to at the time).
This now historic photo comprised of Price, along with music mogul and 3-time Grammy Award winner Sean "Diddy" Combs, music producer and Grammy Award winner Stevie J., and 2-time Grammy Award winner Hezekiah Walker. Shefik captured the photo during a private studio recording session that he was personally invited to attend, for a proposed gospel album that Diddy was planning.
Additionally, Shefik was tasked by the production team of "Unsung" to film exterior clips of Price's family church in Queens, New York, which was then used as B-roll footage during the broadcasted episode.
Credits
- Producer: Nandi Pointer
- Footage/Images Courtesy: Shefik
Last Updated: January 9, 2024
