# Tameka Foster
**Tameka Foster**, later known professionally as **Tameka Foster Raymond** (born 1971 in [Oakland, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/oakland-california)), is an American celebrity stylist, fashion designer, author, and television personality known for styling recording artists including Usher, Lauryn Hill, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, [Toni Braxton](https://www.edgepedia.org/toni-braxton), Nas, Ciara, Chris Brown, and [Aretha Franklin](https://www.edgepedia.org/aretha-franklin), and for her marriage to Usher from 2007 to 2009.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4806370/) • [2](https://cultdejour.com/pages/about)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1971, Oakland, California[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4806370/) |
| Education | Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, graduated 1994[3](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/tameka-foster.html) |
| Career | Celebrity wardrobe stylist and designer whose clients have included Jay-Z, Lauryn Hill, Toni Braxton, Nas, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Ciara, and Chris Brown[4](https://thegrio.com/2012/05/31/tameka-raymond-talks-life-after-usher/) |
| Marriage to Usher | August 3, 2007 to November 4, 2009, divorced, two children[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4806370/) |
| Children | Five sons: Darrin, Ryan Glover Jr., Kile, Usher Raymond V, and Naviyd Ely Raymond[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4806370/) |
| Television | Cast member of VH1's *Atlanta Exes* (2014)[3](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/tameka-foster.html) |
| Books | Memoir *Here I Stand: in a Beautiful State* (2023); *Soul... Now What!?* (2026)[5](https://citylifestyle.com/articles/still-standing) • [6](https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/10/07/tameka-foster-raymond-meaning-behind-soul-now-what/) |
| Philanthropy | Founded The Lost Ones Foundation (2009) and Kile's World Foundation, in memory of her son Kile Glover[3](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/tameka-foster.html) • [7](https://heragenda.com/power-agenda/tameka-foster-raymond/) |
## Early life and entry into fashion
Foster grew up in Oakland, where her first exposure to the fashion business came working at her Aunt Sadie's boutique as a young girl.[7](https://heragenda.com/power-agenda/tameka-foster-raymond/) She became a mother at 19 to her firstborn son Darrin and moved from Oakland to Los Angeles with him as an infant, attending the Fashion Institute of Design & [Merchandising](https://www.edgepedia.org/merchandising) while balancing school, retail work, and single motherhood.[8](https://theurbandaily.com/3689914/mompreneurs-tameka-foster/) She has said her initial goal was to become a buyer or to own a retail boutique.[9](https://hellobeautiful.com/575567/exclusive-tameka-not-just-a-stylist/)
While in school she worked as a dresser behind the scenes at fashion shows, including [Giorgio Armani](https://www.edgepedia.org/giorgio-armani) shows.[9](https://hellobeautiful.com/575567/exclusive-tameka-not-just-a-stylist/) Her break into styling came through a friend, Todd Russo, then working at Biv 10 Records alongside [Michael Bivins](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-bivins), who asked her to style the groups Subway and 702; clients followed by word of mouth.[9](https://hellobeautiful.com/575567/exclusive-tameka-not-just-a-stylist/) • [7](https://heragenda.com/power-agenda/tameka-foster-raymond/)
## Styling career
Foster described her early years as self-taught: she bought clothing on her own credit cards and waited on returns, unaware at first of industry practices like pulling clothes and studio services.[8](https://theurbandaily.com/3689914/mompreneurs-tameka-foster/) Over time she built a client roster spanning soul legends and contemporary chart-toppers, from [Patti LaBelle](https://www.edgepedia.org/patti-labelle), Chaka Khan, and Aretha Franklin to Jay-Z, Usher, Mary J. Blige, Toni Braxton, Nas, Ciara, Chris Brown, and [Janelle Monáe](https://www.edgepedia.org/janelle-monae).[2](https://cultdejour.com/pages/about) • [4](https://thegrio.com/2012/05/31/tameka-raymond-talks-life-after-usher/) Her work has appeared in fashion publications from *Harper's Bazaar* to *InStyle*.[2](https://cultdejour.com/pages/about)
**Business ventures.** Beyond styling, she taught fashion styling at American InterContinental University and designed imaging for artists' complete tours.[4](https://thegrio.com/2012/05/31/tameka-raymond-talks-life-after-usher/) She owned two boutiques and an indoor children's play facility before closing those businesses after her son's death in 2012.[7](https://heragenda.com/power-agenda/tameka-foster-raymond/) In 2016 she founded CULT de JOUR, a modern luxury brand of made-to-order jackets built from rare vintage and discontinued military pieces, inspired by her work with [Lauryn Hill](https://www.edgepedia.org/lauryn-hill) and the Fugees in the late 1990s; a percentage of proceeds supports veterans organizations.[2](https://cultdejour.com/pages/about) She received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Art Institute of Atlanta in November 2010.[2](https://cultdejour.com/pages/about) In 2025 she showed the Eli Kish By Tameka Foster collection at Atlanta Fashion Week at Atlantic Station.[8](https://theurbandaily.com/3689914/mompreneurs-tameka-foster/)
## Marriage to Usher and public profile
Foster worked as Usher's personal stylist for about five years, and the two, friends for nearly seven years, began dating in November 2005.[10](https://www.essence.com/news/ushers-fiancee-tameka-foster-speaks-out-1/) Their engagement in early 2007, and the fact that she was seven years older than the then 29-year-old singer, drew heavy tabloid coverage; they married on August 3, 2007 and divorced on November 4, 2009, with two sons, Usher Raymond V and Naviyd Ely Raymond.[11](https://www.essence.com/news/usher-and-tameka-raymond-when-a-man-love/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4806370/) A custody battle followed the divorce and kept her in tabloid coverage.[4](https://thegrio.com/2012/05/31/tameka-raymond-talks-life-after-usher/)
In 2014 she joined the cast of VH1's reality series *Atlanta Exes*, and later said the show forced her to see herself critically and to own her part in conflicts.[3](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/tameka-foster.html) • [12](https://rhapsodani.wordpress.com/2014/09/20/tameka-raymond-exclusive/)
## Loss of her son Kile and philanthropy
In July 2012 her 11-year-old son, Kile Ishmael Glover, died after a jet ski accident.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4806370/) • [7](https://heragenda.com/power-agenda/tameka-foster-raymond/) She responded by closing her boutiques and children's facility, and launched Kile's World Foundation in his honor, marked publicly at a foundation launch at the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta on March 29, 2013, which would have been his birthday.[7](https://heragenda.com/power-agenda/tameka-foster-raymond/) • [8](https://theurbandaily.com/3689914/mompreneurs-tameka-foster/) She also created the animation series *The Odd Life of Kile Lyles* in his memory.[7](https://heragenda.com/power-agenda/tameka-foster-raymond/)
Her earlier charity, The Lost Ones Foundation, founded in 2009, mentors teenage girls who have strayed off the path of success, teaching self-respect and self-love.[3](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/tameka-foster.html) • [13](https://jeremiahcopeland.wordpress.com/2012/05/29/jcfeatures-exclusive-interview-with-tameka-raymond/) She is also co-founder of Oakland Natives Give Back, a volunteer role she has held since August 2008.[14](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tameka-foster-raymond-3322976a)
## Writing
Foster's memoir, *Here I Stand: in a Beautiful State*, covers her childhood influences, coming of age in Oakland, and the losses that shaped her, including the death of her son; an audio version was produced with music producer Drumma Boy.[5](https://citylifestyle.com/articles/still-standing) • [15](https://rightondigital.com/2023/09/28/watch-tameka-foster-raymond-shares-fashion-tips-discusses-new-book/) In 2026 she published a second book, *Soul... Now What!?*, reflecting on faith, motherhood, grief, and reinvention.[6](https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/10/07/tameka-foster-raymond-meaning-behind-soul-now-what/)
## References
1. [Tameka Raymond, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4806370/)
2. [About, CULT de JOUR](https://cultdejour.com/pages/about)
3. [Tameka Foster, Famous Birthdays](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/tameka-foster.html)
4. [Tameka Raymond talks life after Usher, TheGrio (May 31, 2012)](https://thegrio.com/2012/05/31/tameka-raymond-talks-life-after-usher/)
5. [Still Standing: Tameka Raymond's Signature Style and New Book, SOFU Lifestyle / City Lifestyle](https://citylifestyle.com/articles/still-standing)
6. [Tameka Foster Raymond on the Meaning Behind, "Soul... Now What!?", Atlanta News First (October 7, 2026)](https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/10/07/tameka-foster-raymond-meaning-behind-soul-now-what/)
7. [A Peek Inside Her Agenda: Tameka Foster-Raymond, Her Agenda (October 21, 2019)](https://heragenda.com/power-agenda/tameka-foster-raymond/)
8. [Mompreneurs: Tameka Foster Talks Style, Longevity, & Expansion, The Urban Daily (January 5, 2026)](https://theurbandaily.com/3689914/mompreneurs-tameka-foster/)
9. [EXCLUSIVE: Tameka, Not Just A Stylist!, HelloBeautiful (November 6, 2009)](https://hellobeautiful.com/575567/exclusive-tameka-not-just-a-stylist/)
10. [Usher's Fiancee Tameka Foster Speaks Out, Part I, Essence](https://www.essence.com/news/ushers-fiancee-tameka-foster-speaks-out-1/)
11. [Usher and Tameka Raymond: When a Man Loves a Woman, Essence](https://www.essence.com/news/usher-and-tameka-raymond-when-a-man-love/)
12. [Tameka Raymond Is Not The Bad Guy Of 'Atlanta Exes', RhapsoDani (September 20, 2014)](https://rhapsodani.wordpress.com/2014/09/20/tameka-raymond-exclusive/)
13. [Exclusive Interview with Tameka Raymond, JeremiahCopeland.com (May 29, 2012)](https://jeremiahcopeland.wordpress.com/2012/05/29/jcfeatures-exclusive-interview-with-tameka-raymond/)
14. [Tameka Foster Raymond, LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tameka-foster-raymond-3322976a)
15. [Tameka Foster Raymond Shares Fashion Tips & Discusses New Book, RightOn! Digital (September 28, 2023)](https://rightondigital.com/2023/09/28/watch-tameka-foster-raymond-shares-fashion-tips-discusses-new-book/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Food, customs, and everyday culture › Clothing, textiles, and domestic crafts › Fashion and commercial models*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license