Real Name: Faith Evans
A.K.A.: Faith
Born: 1973 in Florida
Raised: Newark, New Jersey

 Perhaps not as well known as her late husband, the Notorious B.I.G., Faith Evans has actually been in the music business for a longer period of time as a singer and songwriter. Evans began singing at age two in her Newark, N.J., church, going on to perform in high school musicals, study both jazz and classical music, and even win the title of New Jersey Miss Fashion Teen. She attended Fordham University for a year, but left to pursue a career in the music industry. She wrote songs and sang background vocals for artists such as Pebbles, Color Me Badd, and Mary J. Blige before meeting rap sensation Biggie Smalls at a photo shoot. The two were married nine days later, and Evans guested on B.I.G.'s "One More Chance." Her self-titled debut album was released in 1995 and featured the hit single "You Used to Love Me." Separated from Smalls prior to his 1997 murder, Evans was nevertheless prominently featured on Puff Daddy's tribute to the late rapper, the monster hit "I'll Be Missing You;" her own Keep the Faith album followed in 1998.

-Steve Huey, All-Music Guide