# Tyrese Gibson
**Tyrese Gibson** (born 1978), known mononymously as **Tyrese**, is an American R&B singer, songwriter, actor, model, author, and television producer who rose to fame through a [Coca-Cola](https://www.edgepedia.org/coca-cola) commercial, a platinum-selling debut album, and roles as Roman Pearce in the *Fast and Furious* films and Robert Epps in the *Transformers* franchise.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0879085/) • [2](https://wbssmedia.com/artists/detail/3304)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name and origin | Tyrese Darnell Gibson, born 1978 in Watts, Los Angeles, California; youngest of four children raised by his single mother, Priscilla Murray Gibson[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0879085/) • [2](https://wbssmedia.com/artists/detail/3304) |
| Break | A 1994 Coca-Cola casting call at Locke High School led to a memorable commercial, modeling for Guess and Tommy Hilfiger, and a recording contract with RCA in 1998[2](https://wbssmedia.com/artists/detail/3304) |
| Debut album | *Tyrese* (1998), certified platinum; "Nobody Else" reached the R&B top fifteen and the pop top 40, and "Sweet Lady" hit No. 1 on the R&B chart in 1999[2](https://wbssmedia.com/artists/detail/3304) • [3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/tyrese) |
| Awards | American Music Award for Favorite New Artist Soul/R&B (2000); six Grammy Award nominations over his recording career[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/tyrese) • [2](https://wbssmedia.com/artists/detail/3304) • [11](https://www.grammy.com/artists/tyrese/17506/) |
| Signature screen roles | Roman Pearce in the *Fast and Furious* franchise; Robert Epps in Michael Bay's *Transformers* films; lead in John Singleton's *Baby Boy* (2001)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0879085/) • [4](https://www.documentarytube.com/blog/from-rb-singer-to-hollywood-star-tyrese-gibsons-career-across-music-film-and-books/) |
| Albums sold | More than 3 million albums, from the 1998 RCA debut through 2011's *Open Invitation*[5](https://www.ticketmaster.com/tyrese-tickets/artist/723511) |
| Books | *How to Get Out of Your Own Way* (2011), a New York Times bestseller, and *Manology*, coauthored with Rev Run[6](https://www.grammy.com/news/video-tyrese-is-living-the-dream/) • [4](https://www.documentarytube.com/blog/from-rb-singer-to-hollywood-star-tyrese-gibsons-career-across-music-film-and-books/) |
## Early life in Watts
Gibson grew up in Watts, a neighborhood of South Central Los Angeles, raised by his mother, Priscilla Murray Gibson, after his father, Tyrone Gibson, left the family when Tyrese was six years old.[2](https://wbssmedia.com/artists/detail/3304) • [3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/tyrese) He attended Locke High School, where he played football and basketball, ran track, and was voted both most talented and class clown.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/tyrese) Music teacher Reggie Andrews encouraged him, and from age 14 he entered and won local talent shows around Los Angeles.[2](https://wbssmedia.com/artists/detail/3304) • [3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/tyrese) The household record collection of [Stevie Wonder](https://www.edgepedia.org/stevie-wonder), Jodeci, Donny Hathaway, and [Marvin Gaye](https://www.edgepedia.org/marvin-gaye) shaped his singing, which he at first considered a hobby.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/tyrese)
**The Coca-Cola commercial.** At 16, he answered a notice at Locke High School advertising an audition for an African American male, age 16 to 18, for a Coca-Cola commercial. Unable to get a ride, he took the bus and arrived two and a half hours late, but the director had been delayed in the same traffic, and Gibson won the part with his rendition of Stevie Wonder's "Ribbon in the Sky."[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/tyrese) The advertisement, showing him singing on a city bus with headphones on, became one of the company's most memorable campaigns and drew the attention of Los Angeles record labels, touching off a bidding war among major labels for the teenage singer.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/tyrese)
## Recording career
Gibson signed with [RCA Records](https://www.edgepedia.org/rca-records) in 1998 and released his debut single, "Nobody Else," which reached the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100; he co-wrote the single and performed its rap himself.[2](https://wbssmedia.com/artists/detail/3304) • [3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/tyrese) His self-titled debut album, *Tyrese*, appeared in the fall of 1998, was certified platinum, and produced the follow-up hit "Sweet Lady," which reached the top spot on the R&B chart in 1999.[2](https://wbssmedia.com/artists/detail/3304) • [3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/tyrese) The album cracked the top 20 of the Billboard 200 and sold more than 1 million copies.[6](https://www.grammy.com/news/video-tyrese-is-living-the-dream/)
The song "Sweet Lady" brought his first Grammy nomination, for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.[6](https://www.grammy.com/news/video-tyrese-is-living-the-dream/) Encyclopedia.com's profile, drawn from the *Contemporary Black Biography* series, lists it as a Grammy award won in 2000, while Grammy.com describes it as a nomination; Grammy.com, published by the Recording Academy, is the more specific source on Grammy history.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/tyrese) • [6](https://www.grammy.com/news/video-tyrese-is-living-the-dream/) In 2000 he won the American Music Award for Favorite New Artist Soul/R&B, beating rapper Eve and the trio 702.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/tyrese)
His second album, *2000 Watts* (2001), was certified gold and featured "Just a Baby Boy," from the soundtrack of the film *Baby Boy*, in which he also starred.[2](https://wbssmedia.com/artists/detail/3304) *I Wanna Go There* followed; AllMusic's discography dates it to 2002, while Grammy.com refers to it as "2003's I Wanna Go There," and it brought his second Grammy nomination, for "How You Gonna Act Like That."[7](https://www.allmusic.com/album/tyrese-mw0000035494) • [6](https://www.grammy.com/news/video-tyrese-is-living-the-dream/) *Alter Ego* (2006) was conceived as a double album, one disc of R&B and one of hip-hop recorded under the rap alias Black-Ty, with guest appearances from [Snoop Dogg](https://www.edgepedia.org/snoop-dogg), The Game, Kurupt, and Too $hort.[8](https://www.sonymusic.co.jp/artist/Tyrese/profile/)
After a five-year recording hiatus, he returned in 2011 with the independently produced *Open Invitation*, released on his own Voltron Recordz imprint with a partnership in EMI Music Services.[6](https://www.grammy.com/news/video-tyrese-is-living-the-dream/) • [9](https://www.bandsintown.com/a/1117634-tyrese-gibson?came_from=297) The album topped Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart, the single "Stay" became an R&B/hip-hop hit, and the record earned him further Grammy recognition.[6](https://www.grammy.com/news/video-tyrese-is-living-the-dream/) • [10](https://youknowigotsoul.com/tyreses-top-10-best-songs-presented-by-youknowigotsoul) He recorded it largely at his own house, with 14 producers, songwriters, and singers staying there for three weeks.[6](https://www.grammy.com/news/video-tyrese-is-living-the-dream/) His album *Black Rose*, dated 2015 by AllMusic (WBSS Media gives 2013), topped the Billboard 200 as an independent release and produced a multi-week No. 1 hit at Urban AC radio that brought a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Album.[7](https://www.allmusic.com/album/tyrese-mw0000035494) • [2](https://wbssmedia.com/artists/detail/3304) • [10](https://youknowigotsoul.com/tyreses-top-10-best-songs-presented-by-youknowigotsoul) Across his career he has collected six Grammy nominations in total.[2](https://wbssmedia.com/artists/detail/3304)
## Acting and television
Before film, Gibson built a television presence as host of MTV's hip-hop-oriented "MTV Jams" program and through guest appearances on the series *Martin*, *Sister, Sister*, *Moesha*, and *Hangin' with Mr. Cooper* in the late 1990s.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/tyrese) • [6](https://www.grammy.com/news/video-tyrese-is-living-the-dream/) He auditioned in 1999 for the lead role of Jody in [John Singleton](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-singleton)'s *Baby Boy*, a project originally intended for [Tupac Shakur](https://www.edgepedia.org/tupac-shakur); Singleton called him a natural for the part, and Gibson left the music business for six months to study acting full time to prepare.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/tyrese) The 2001 film became his screen breakthrough, and he earned a nomination for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for the performance.[4](https://www.documentarytube.com/blog/from-rb-singer-to-hollywood-star-tyrese-gibsons-career-across-music-film-and-books/) • [12](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-dec-06-wk-braxton6-story.html)
His move to franchise film came with 2003's *2 Fast 2 Furious*, directed by Singleton, in which he began playing Roman Pearce, a role he reprised across the *Fast and Furious* series.[6](https://www.grammy.com/news/video-tyrese-is-living-the-dream/) • [8](https://www.sonymusic.co.jp/artist/Tyrese/profile/) As Robert Epps, he appeared in [Michael Bay](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-bay)'s *Transformers* films, including *Transformers: Dark of the Moon* (2011).[4](https://www.documentarytube.com/blog/from-rb-singer-to-hollywood-star-tyrese-gibsons-career-across-music-film-and-books/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0879085/) Other screen credits include *Four Brothers*, *Waist Deep*, *Flight of the Phoenix*, *Annapolis*, *[Death Race](https://www.edgepedia.org/death-race-2008-film)*, and *Legion*.[4](https://www.documentarytube.com/blog/from-rb-singer-to-hollywood-star-tyrese-gibsons-career-across-music-film-and-books/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0879085/) A Cannes production biography written around *F9* counted six Fast films for Gibson at that point.[4](https://www.documentarytube.com/blog/from-rb-singer-to-hollywood-star-tyrese-gibsons-career-across-music-film-and-books/)
## Books, business, and philanthropy
In 2011 Gibson added New York Times bestselling author to his career with *How to Get Out of Your Own Way*, a candid account of his life and rise to fame; Hachette lists the title, and [Simon & Schuster](https://www.edgepedia.org/simon-and-schuster) lists *Manology: Secrets of Your Man's Mind Revealed*, coauthored with Rev Run.[6](https://www.grammy.com/news/video-tyrese-is-living-the-dream/) • [4](https://www.documentarytube.com/blog/from-rb-singer-to-hollywood-star-tyrese-gibsons-career-across-music-film-and-books/) His business activities have included founding the Los Angeles multimedia company Headquarter Entertainment and the Voltron Recordz label.[8](https://www.sonymusic.co.jp/artist/Tyrese/profile/) • [6](https://www.grammy.com/news/video-tyrese-is-living-the-dream/) His philanthropic work includes serving as an ambassador for Operation Hope: 5MK, a program aimed at reducing high-school dropout rates, and running his own Watts Foundation, which has worked toward building a state-of-the-art youth center in Los Angeles.[6](https://www.grammy.com/news/video-tyrese-is-living-the-dream/)
## TGT and parallel careers
Gibson formed the R&B trio TGT with singers Tank and Ginuwine, and the group released its long-awaited debut album, *Three Kings*, in August 2013, followed by theater tours across the United States.[5](https://www.ticketmaster.com/tyrese-tickets/artist/723511) His career is better understood as parallel work in music and film rather than a transition from one to the other: he released *Open Invitation* in 2011 and was discussing *Black Rose* in 2014, years after his screen career was established.[4](https://www.documentarytube.com/blog/from-rb-singer-to-hollywood-star-tyrese-gibsons-career-across-music-film-and-books/) He continues to tour; scheduled 2026 and 2027 dates include R&B Super Jam bills with SWV, Jaheim, Silk, and Next.[5](https://www.ticketmaster.com/tyrese-tickets/artist/723511)
## References
1. [Tyrese Gibson, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0879085/)
2. [Tyrese, WBSS Media](https://wbssmedia.com/artists/detail/3304)
3. [Tyrese 1978–, James M. Manheim, Contemporary Black Biography, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/music-popular-and-jazz-biographies/tyrese)
4. [From R&B Singer to Hollywood Star: Tyrese Gibson's Career Across Music, Film and Books, DocumentaryTube](https://www.documentarytube.com/blog/from-rb-singer-to-hollywood-star-tyrese-gibsons-career-across-music-film-and-books/)
5. [Tyrese Tickets, 2026–2027 Concert Tour Dates, Ticketmaster](https://www.ticketmaster.com/tyrese-tickets/artist/723511)
6. [Tyrese Is Living The Dream, GRAMMY.com (December 3, 2014)](https://www.grammy.com/news/video-tyrese-is-living-the-dream/)
7. [Tyrese, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/album/tyrese-mw0000035494)
8. [Tyrese profile, Sony Music Japan](https://www.sonymusic.co.jp/artist/Tyrese/profile/)
9. [Tyrese Gibson, Bandsintown](https://www.bandsintown.com/a/1117634-tyrese-gibson?came_from=297)
10. [The Top 10 Best Tyrese Songs, YouKnowIGotSoul](https://youknowigotsoul.com/tyreses-top-10-best-songs-presented-by-youknowigotsoul)
11. [Tyrese Grammy Awards and Nominations, Song & Bio](https://www.grammy.com/artists/tyrese/17506/)
12. ['Ali,' 'Steve Harvey' Top NAACP Image Nods](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-dec-06-wk-braxton6-story.html)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musicians and ensembles › Individual musical biographies › Pop and R&B singer-songwriters › R&B singers, 1990s and 2000s › R&B singers of the 2000s › Surnames A to L*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 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