Solé (born Tonya Michelle Johnston on July 17, 1973 in Kansas City, Missouri) is an American rapper.

Biography

Solé was born to to Phyllis Poke and James Johnston,. Her siblings are Sean, Chuck, Siera, and Tamika Johnston .

Solé is half African-American and half Blackfoot Native American. She held various job including working for AT&T and as a spa coordinator for a salon . She also attended cosmetology school; and attempted college where she studied Political Science and Psychology .

Personal

Solé met Ginuwine in June 1999 and began dating in October 1999 . Solè married Ginuwine on September 8 2003 in the Caribbean. They live in Georgia and Maryland. They have two daughters together and a total of five children:

• Dream (November 1, 2002)
• Story (March 29, 2001)
• Cypress (January 9, 1994) (Solé's previous relationship)
• Elgin Jr. (1992) (Ginuwine's son from previous relationship)
• De'jan (March 9, 1991) (Solé's previous relationship)

Musical career

Solé started her career as a hardcore female rap/hip-hop artist by attracting attention in the summer of 1999 with her appearance on J.T. Money's hit single "Who Dat". "Who Dat" reached #1 on the US Rap chart, #2 on the US R&B chart, and #5 on the US Hot 100. In September 1999 she released her debut album Skin Deep. It had two moderately successful singles: "4,5,6" (ASCAP's Female Rap Song of the Year) and "It Wasn't Me" (which features Her Husband R&B singer Ginuwine). According to Nielsen SoundScan, Skin Deep sold more than 300,000 copies in the U.S.

Solé is in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the fastest female emcee because she clearly rhymes five 3-letter syllables per second.

She has stated that if she decides to return to the music industry, she will produce music that is glorifying to the Lord.

Currently

Solé has since renounced her raunchy and hardcore image as well as her performing name. Now known as Tonya Lumpkin, her family faithfully attends church. Every Friday, Solé hosts an age 5-18 Girls Youth Group. In April 2005, Tonya joined Urban Change, a Christian urban outreach organization in Maryland, where she participated in the nationally recognized stage play Sexposé: The Remix. She is also a frequent participant in various speaking engagements throughout the MD/DC/VA area, where she uses her testimony to uplift and encourage young women towards sexual purity through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Solé now occupies her time taking care of her family as well as running her interior-decorating firm.

Discography

Skin Deep

#	Title	Songwriters	Producer(s)	Featured guest (s)	Length
1	I'm Coming (Interlude)		Focus		00:53
2	Spell My Name Right	B. Edwards Jr., R. Green Jr., T. Johnston	Christopher "Tricky" Stewart & Focus	Mr. Raia	04:11
3	Da Story	R. Green Jr., T. Clark, T. Johnston	Big Trev		03:38
4	Iy Yi Yi	C. Stewart, J. Melchor, R. Green Jr., T. Johnston, T. Parham	Christopher "Tricky" Stewart	Bobbi Bosselina, Miss Toi	04:16
5	4, 5, 6	C. Stewart, J. Thompkins, K. Burruss, T. Johnston	Christopher "Tricky" Stewart	J.T. Money, Kandi	04:16
6	Ain't Nobody Fuckin' Wit It	A. Yates, C. Stewart, T. Johnston	Christopher "Tricky" Stewart	Tech N9ne	04:26
7	We've Been Trying Too Long	C. Gip, C. Stewart, O. Harper, T. Johnston	Christopher "Tricky" Stewart	Big Gipp	04:05
8	Antoine's Interlude		Christopher "Tricky" Stewart & Focus		01:41
9	Young Niggas	B. Edwards Jr., C. Stewart, T. Johnston	Christopher "Tricky" Stewart & Focus		03:59
10	It Wasn't Me	C. Stewart, K. Burruss, O. Harper, T. Johnston	Christopher "Tricky" Stewart	J. Weav	03:28
11	Pain	B. Edwards Jr., C. Stewart, J. Johnson, R. Green Jr.	Christopher "Tricky" Stewart & Focus		04:18
12	4 The Love Of You	C. Charles, T. Johnston	Chuckey Charles	Tamar	04:20
13	Our World	C. Stewart, O. Womack, R. Freeman, T. Johnston	Christopher "Tricky" Stewart	Lo...	03:47
14	Accurate Math	C. Wolfe, O. Womack, R. Green Jr., R. Smith	Colin Wolfe & Rashad Smith		03:52
15	Get Up In It	K. Davis, T. Johnston	Christopher "Tricky" Stewart & K.D.		03:28
16	Who Dat	C. Stewart, D. Davis, J. Thompkins, T. Johnston, Tab	Christopher "Tricky" Stewart	J.T. Money	03:55
17	Never Thought I	C. Stewart, D. Sochacki, T. Johnston	Christopher "Tricky" Stewart		04:18

Chart positions

Charts	Peak position
Billboard 200	127
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	27

References

External links

• Part 1: Solé Explains Her New Direction In Life
• Part 2: Solé Explains Her New Direction In Life
• 11 Aug 8 Ginuwine & Sole Helping Collect 10,000 for back to school kids