

American recording artist,
songwriter, model, actor and
inspirational speaker. He is best known for his debut single
“If You Leave.”
|EARLY LIFE & EDUCATION|
Rashaad was born in Detroit, Michigan into a family of gifted singers, musicians, and
ministers. He sang his first solo at age 6 and his first professiona
l recording (“I Love The
Lord”) at age 12. Rashaad attended Perkins Middle School before graduating from
John R. Buchtel High School in Akron, Ohio, where he regularly performed in the school
talent shows as well as directing his high school’s legendary go
spel choir (The Buchtel
Gospel Choir later known as the Ben Drone Chorale “BDC”).
|MUSICAL CAREER|
While a junior in high school, Rashaad secretly recorded a HipHop and R&B song he
had written called “Hey Lover,” with one of his friends. Secular music was
not encouraged in the Carlton household, but the recording was only supposed to be for
fun. His classmate’s uncle (in whose studio they recorded), heard the track, liked it and
unbeknownst to Rashaad submitted it to a local radio station which played it o
n the air. The response he received was impressive and this gave him the confidence he
needed to pursue a professional music career more aggressively. Rashaad would later
say that this was his “accidental” secular debut recording.
After graduating, Rashaad went on to write and record numerous songs as a solo artist
as well as writing and recording with “AK’s Finest: 6ix Fyggaz”, a HipHop/R&B group out
of Akron, Ohio. He also wrote songs for two gospel albums, both of which he would go on to record the lead vocals. “So Good To Me” was released on the album titled
“Worthy” by the gospel group ‘BDC’ and “Hold On To Your Faith”, co
–
written by
Rashaad, was released on Minister Darrell Williams & Anointed Praise’s self titled album respectively. In 2004, Rashaad moved to California to pursue a spiritual calling and further his music career. He quickly became one of Sacramento’s premier voices and was deemed by
many of his fans and peers alike as a consummate vocalist. Rashaad has since gone on to bring his vocal magic to various stages, including legendary ‘Yoshi’s Oakland’ and LA’s ‘Whiskey a Go Go.’
In 2012, Rashaad was nominated for three awards (Best R&B Artist, Best Male Urban
Soul Artist and the Rising Star “Verge” Award), won the award for “Best Urban Soul
Artist” at the Sounds Of Soul Music Awards and in 2015, was nominated and won “Best Male Artist of the Year” at the Taste of Soul Music Awards. In January 2016, his single, ‘If
You Leave’ was awarded the prestigious “Akademia Music Award” for Best Song (So
ul). Rashaad has developed a following in the US, the UK as well as various other countries
around the world. His live, soulful performances have garnered him the honorific title
“Prince of Soul” by his fans. During the summer of 2013, Rashaad became one of the founding members of a new super group consisting of legendary platinum recording artists Ricky Bell
(New Edition, Bel Biv DeVoe), Dalvin DeGrate (Jodeci), and Shazam Conner (HTown) called ‘Abbey Road’.
In 2016, Rashaad recorded a song written by the legendary Quincy Jones and
produced by veteran super producer Derek “DOA” Allen titled, “I Thank Heaven” for the
Robert Brookins tribute album, “LEGACY”.In January
2017, four years after his debut release, Rashaad released a new single titled
“Just Stay With Me” on his own record label ShaadieBoy Records from his upcoming EP titled ‘Life & Love: The Prelude’. Rashaad sites Marvin Gaye, Rachelle Ferrell, Donny Hathaway, Luther Vandross and
Whitney Houston as a few of his biggest musical influences.|LIVE ARTIST COLLABORATIONS| |AWARDS|
The Whispers
Sounds of Soul “Best Urban/Soul Artist” [2012]
Howard Hewitt
Taste of Soul “Male Artist of the Year” [2015]
JR Castro
NCEMA
“R&B/Soul Artist of the Year [2015]
Pete Escovedo
Akademia
Music Award “Best Song (Soul)” [2016]
Morris Day & The Time
Certificate of Recognition (CA Senate) [2016]
Keyshia Cole
Bay Area BMA “Best Male Vocalist” [2016]
Rhonda Ross
Sunshine Anderson
Q Parker of 112
Teddy Riley
Dave Hollister
Blackstreet
Adina Howard