Chaka Kan, whose real name is Yvette Marie Stevens, is an American singer, often nicknamed "The Queen of Funk" and who has won 10 Grammy Awards and sold around seventy million records worldwide.
She began her musical career at the age of 11 by creating the group "The Crystalettes".
At the end of the 1960s, she joined the “Black Panther” movement and was renamed Chaka Adunne Hodarhi Karifi by an African shaman.
Paranthesis closed at the beginning of the 70s and return to music via small local groups near Chicago. In particular a certain "Lyfe" where she will meet there the one who will become some time later her husband namely Hassan Khan.
The real starting point for her career was in 1972 when she became the singer of the group "Rufus" and officially took the stage name Chaka Kan.
The band's debut album was released in 1973 but had only limited success.
Stevie Wonder himself is going to give them a big boost when he writes for them "Tell me somethnig good", a single released in 1974 that will propel them to center stage overnight.
Success confirmed for the next five years as they will be certified six times Platinum at the album sales level.
During these years, the singer gained notoriety in particular thanks to her extraordinary stage performances. And it was in 1978 that she decided to stand on her own feet.
Ashford & Simpson are going to write her first title "I’m every woman" and it’s a real hit. The album from which he came will sell more than a million copies.
The second album "Naughty" was released in 1980 and proved to be more disappointing than the previous one. Album that will only produce a minor hit "Clouds".
We have to wait until 1983 to see her return to success thanks to her participation in the title "Ain’t nobody" by the group ... Rufus. Ultimate and final participation.
The year 1984 will be the year of consecration for her with the release of the album "I feel for you" whose Single of the same name will be a real hit on a global level and seriously revive the singer's career.
Two other albums will be released later, "Destiny" in 1986 and "CK" in 1988, albums which once again will unfortunately not live up to the expected success.
She will nevertheless have a last success in 1990 on the title "I'll be good to you" in collaboration with Ray Charles and Quincy Jones.
The adventure will continue thereafter but the success encountered will no longer have anything to do with what it experienced during the 70s and 80s.
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
70s Decade :
I’m every woman 1978
Stuff like that 1978
Life is a dance 1979
80s Decade :
Clouds 1980
Papillon (Aka Hot Butterfly) 1980
Get ready, get set 1980
What cha’ gonna do for me 1981
We can work it out 1981
I know you, I live you 1981
Any old Sunday 1981
Got to be there 1983
Tearin' it up 1983
Best in the West 1983
Ain't nobody 1983
I feel for you 1984
This is my night 1985
Through the fire 1985
Eye to eye 1985
(Krush groove) Can't stop the street 1985
Own the night 1985
The other side of the world 1986
Love of a lifetime 1986
Tight fit 1986
Earth to Mickey 1986
Higher love 1986
It’s my party 1988
Baby me 1989
I'll be good to you 1989
90s Decade :
The places you find love 1990
Love you all my lifetime 1992
You can make the story right 1992
I want 1992
Don't look at me that way 1993
Feels like heaven 1993
Love me still 1995
Watch what you say 1995
Never miss the water 1996
Missing you 1996
Spoon 1998
The longer we make love 1998
2000s Decade :
All good? 2000
Angel 2007
Disrespectful 2007
You belong to me 2007
One for all time 2008
2010s Decade :
Soul survivor 2010
It's not over 2013
Like sugar 2018
Hello hapiness 2019
2020s Decade :
Woman like me 2022
RUFUS Adventure :
Clips :
1974...the first steps. Who would imagine in this year 1974 the immense career that awaits this young singer in the years and especially the decades to come ? Not many people, that's for sure...
1978 ... the intergalactic hit that will launch his solo career for good. Probably one of the biggest dance hits of the 1970s. For a baptism of fire, the least we can say is that it starts off on a high !
1978...suddenly her price skyrocketed. The proof here since we find her on a title of Quincy Jones accompanied by Ashford & Simpson, only big names. It all smells good !
1979...surprisingly, the bellows will fall as quickly as it went up. While we thought she was going to smash everything in the years to come, it is rather the opposite that will happen with a very strong deceleration in success on the Charts side. Can and must do better !
1980... rhythm, it's serious groove and that's enough in any case to put her back in the saddle somewhat. Nothing extraordinary but we at least avoided the direct exit from the road...
1980 ... we are still far, very far from the incredible success encountered on "I'm every woman". She will therefore have to work again and again to regain such a level of success, it is clear...
1980...and yet there is talent in this young singer, that's for sure. It is obvious that at some point things will start up again, it cannot be otherwise...
1981 ... another title with certain quality. But that is not enough to mask a rather sluggish start to the decade ...
1981 ... come on, a little duo to restart the machine. And not just any duo ! With MISTER Tom Jones, just that. The class !
1981...some titles will pass downright 'through' when they are far from deserving. The singer is really struggling to maintain herself at the highest level consistently. So don't give up...
1981...this title will do a little better but nothing more. We will therefore have to be a little patient to see her win a new prestigious star...
1983 ... here she arrived in Intimist mode and my faith, it works pretty well. It won't be the Ultimate Slow of the year, but we'll be happy with it ...
1983 ... a year 1983 that saw her ramp up impressively. The sluggish start of the decade is now a thing of the past ...
1983 ... definitely, this year 1983 has some nice surprises in store, that's clear. And yet, despite a certain quality, this title will go completely under the radars ...
1983 ... a year 1983 which ended in apotheosis with this title which will surely remain as one of his most emblematic. The start of a consecration which is timely and which puts her back in the race in a spectacular way ...
1984 ... then, suddenly, the miracle ! THE crazy dance hit that makes the singer definitively join the musical legend of the 80s. After having signed one of the biggest Dance hits of the 70s, she signs here her equivalent version 80s. MAS-TER-FUL !
1985 ... a colorful suite with serious grooves. The Dance hits will follow one another in an impressive way and make the singer one of the phenomena of the moment and this undoubtedly !
1985 ... in full possession of her means, she gives us here a beautiful Ultimate Slow which shows that she knows how to excel in all areas. The mark of the Greatest !
1985 ... a BIG year 1985 with a plethora of titles and quality on every level. The titles released will not experience the same level of success but the quality is omnipresent !
1985...too bad the singer couldn't maintain a stable level of success worthy of the name. She puts the best possible will into it, but that is not always enough...
1985... that does not prevent her from continuing to unroll quietly. Regardless of the result in the Charts, the main thing for her is to simply have fun...
1986...the year 1986 will not see any major improvements in terms of success, at least at the beginning of the year. It could be that the sequel has a nice surprise...
1986...and the nice surprise, here it is ! Here she reconnects with big-caliber success and returns to the race once again in spectacular fashion. With her, nothing is ever over !
1986 ... this Ultimate Slow will not remain as the most brilliant of the decade, nor of its discography, but nevertheless has a certain interest. We take !
1986...once again the deceleration in the Charts will be violent but in any case she is not discouraged in any way. Because she knows that everything is always possible in music...
1986...the beginning of high-level collaborations. We will find her more and more in the years to come in the company of other singers and it will rather succeed for her, to say the least...
1988 ... we go back to Dance, the area where she feels best, that's undeniable. Another title of certain quality, nothing transcendent but effective, that's clear !
1989...a pretty title full of finesse which once again shows that she is good in all areas. But we've known that for a long time !
1989...she does it again with Quincy Jones and another luxury partner who is none other than Ray Charles, just that. Who could have imagined this legendary artist in Dance mode, not many people that's for sure...
1990...new luxury trio once again with Quincy Jones but this time it's Siedah Garrett who will be the third person in the trio. A trio that will not really meet the enormous level of success encountered by the previous one...
1992 ... here she has arrived in this new decade of the 90s, a decade that will prove to be a little more complicated to manage than unfortunately expected ...
1992 ... an adventure that continues smoothly. Admittedly the level of success is in free fall but she is far from demerit and that is above all the essential
1992...once again she alternates a softer piece and a much more Dance piece. The art of varying the pleasures and above all of avoiding the side that is a little too repetitive...
1993 ... only one title on the clock for this year 1993 but better the quality than the quantity as they say. And on this one, this good old adage is fully confirmed !
1993...another collaboration of shock but especially of charm on a title which works my faith very well. After the respective talent of the 2 protagonists will unfortunately not be enough to make it a global class success...
1995... this title will even manage to pass 'through'. Definitely, times have been hard for some time for the singer and all the efforts made are not enough to bring her back to the front of the stage on a lasting basis...
1995... most of the titles where she gets out of it are more or less the result of collaboration. Fortunately, the others continue to believe in her and want to involve her in their personal projects. The minimum is thus preserved...
1996...after 2 years where not much will have happened, the singer returns in this year 1996 in a certain form. Form which allows her to obtain her last notorious hit...
1996...new luxury collaboration which sees her push the song with 3 female colleagues and not the least. When the younger generation meets the idols of the past, the result can only be up to par. And it definitely is !
1998...new bad patch with this title which will not be classified. Despite an obvious desire to do well, some titles will not be able to catch the general public. Hard law of the trade...
1998...idem, one could have imagined that associating the time of a song with Barry White was going to cause sparks. Unfortunately, on this one, the wick will not have taken...
2000...it's still the young generation who will bring her back into the race once again. And how since this title will experience a level of success that the singer had not known for some time …
2007 ... she will even attempt the transition to the 2000s. A daring bet but above all a lost bet except on this title. But anyway, what a career !
2007...come on, the adventure isn't quite over even if the singer is doing more extras than anything else now. But some luxury figuration it should be underlined all the same...
2007...new charming duo to attempt the impossible. The 2 artists must have had fun singing together but the general public did not follow, that's the least we can say...
2008 ... she still manages to stay ranked in the R&B Charts which is always better than nothing as they say. While waiting for better, if it happens one day of course...
2010...even the younger generation can no longer get its head above water. Things are getting more and more complicated, it is clear...
2013...another outstretched hand that will have no effect. She benefits from an obvious Aura with young singers, but her enormous talent is no longer synonymous with success on its own for a long time...
2018...nothing and no one seems to be able to tell her to step down. She continues to believe in it against all odds and surely does not intend to stop there again...
2019...you still have to remember that she started her career in the early 70s ! And here she is again determined to attempt the transition to the next decade, who would have believed it. To be continued...
2022...and as expected, here she is again ! With each passing decade, it is the core fans who rejoice to the highest degree by saying one more !
Top Bonus : 2022...the same title as before but which looks nothing like it. How to do something new with something new...
Wiki :
Official Website :
https://chakakhan.com/ Greatest Hits :
Discography :