The first singer to receive five Grammy Awards at once after releasing her debut album, Songs in A Minor, which included "Fallin'," in 2001. Her hit album Girl on Fire earned her a 15th career Grammy Award in 2014 when it was named Best R&B Album.
She appeared on an episode of The Cosby Show, studied Mozart and Chopin, and graduated from the Professional Performing Arts School as valedictorian.
Her album Songs in A Minor sold over twelve million copies.
She was born to Terria Joseph and Craig Cook and raised alongside her brother Cole. She married Rapper Swizz Beatz on July 31, 2010. They had a son named Egypt in October 2010 and a second son named Genesis in December 2014.
She sang on Jay Z's multi-platinum single "Empire State of Mind."
