Taral Hicks
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Born: September 21, 1974
Birthplace: The Bronx, NY
Zodiac Sign: Virgo
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Career and Life
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Taral Hicks is an actress and singer. Hicks is best known for acting in such films as 1993's American crime drama film A Bronx Tale and singing in such work as her 1997 debut studio album This Time, which peaked at No. 4 on Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles.
Hicks began her film career with a role in the critically acclaimed 1993 film, A Bronx Tale. Her subsequent film roles were minor: 1995's Cause with Sean Connery and Laurence Fishburne and 1996's Educating Matt Waters and The Preacher's Wife with Whitney Houston. She appeared in the movie Belly in 1998. In 2000, she appeared on screen in the short film, Are You Cinderella?, with actor Wood Harris. Her later roles were in independent films such as 2005's The Salon, with Vivica A. Fox, Dondre Whitfield, and Darrin Henson; 2006's Forbidden Fruits with Ella Joyce, Fredro Starr, and R&B singer Keith Sweat; 2007's Humenetomy; and 2010's Ex$pendable. Hicks featured in the HBO television series Subway Stories in 1997. Two guest roles followed: 2002's 100 Centre Street in the " Fathers " episode and a 2003 episode of Soul Food: The Series titled "The New Math."
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She co-starred in the musical stage play Tyler Perry's Aunt Bam's Place with Paris Bennett, Cassi Davis, Jeffrey Lewis, and Melonie Daniels. It had a 3-day run beginning August 30, 2011, in Atlanta, Georgia (Cobb Energy Center) and was filmed for a DVD release on June 12, 2012.
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In 1995, she signed a deal with Motown Records and released an album titled This Time. The song "Ooh, Ooh Baby," "written by and featuring Missy Elliott, is charted on the Billboard R&B singles chart. However, the lead single intended to debut her singing career was "Distant Lover," an up-tempo track produced by Teddy Riley. The album did not take off until the second single, "Silly," a remake of the classic R&B hit by Deniece Williams, was released. Featuring a black-and-white music video directed by Hype Williams, the single charted well on the R&B chart. After collaborating on the video for "Silly," Williams cast Hicks in his directorial film debut, 1998's Belly, as Keisha, DMX's girlfriend. The video for "Silly" appeared in one of the film's scenes. Hicks has expressed interest in pursuing a career in gospel music.
Hicks is a 1993 graduate of Grace Dodge Vocational High School in the Bronx, New York. She is the younger sister of actress and singer D'atra Hicks.
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