Samantha Deshaun (born September 4, 1994), known professionally as LightSkinKeisha, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, actress, and influencer. She started her online career in 2014, posting comedic videos to Instagram and YouTube, several of which went viral.
She released her debut single as a rapper, "Weather", in 2017. After signing with L.A. Reid's record label Hitco in 2018, she released six mixtapes from 2018 to 2023: That's Just the Bottom Line (2018)—which featured her breakout singles "Believe Dat" and "Ride Good"—Act Up SZN (2019), Talk That Talk, Clones (both 2020), Break the Bank (2021), and Thought I Was Done? (2023).
On television, she appeared on the ninth season of the reality television series Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta (2020) and made her acting debut as BruShandria Carmichael on the Starz television series Power Book II: Ghost (2020–2024).
Life and career Samantha Deshaun was born on September 4, 1994 in Decatur, Georgia and raised in Atlanta by a single mother along with her seven siblings. She started cheerleading competitively at age 7 and competed for 13 years until she began working in the service industry.
LightSkinKeisha's stage name was inspired by the character Kisha from the 1998 film Belly, whom she described as "dark-skin Kisha". She first became popular as an influencer for comedic videos she posted to her Instagram and YouTube accounts starting in 2014, wherein she discussed her relationships and everyday life. A video of her rapping about "burnt pussy lips" went viral and soundtracked twerking videos on YouTube and Dubsmash. Her debut single as a rapper, "Weather", was released on SoundCloud in the summer of 2017 and gained traction on the service. She released her single "Treadmill" in June 2018 along with an animated web series for the song. Her song "Believe Dat" was released in August 2018 with a music video filmed at Magic City. In 2018, LightSkinKeisha was signed to the L.A. Reid-owned record label, Hitco. Her debut mixtape, That's Just the Bottom Line, was released in December 2018 and included "Believe Dat" and her breakout song "Ride Good" featuring B. Smyth. On July 26, 2019, she released the mixtape Act Up SZN on streaming through Hitco.
LightSkinKeisha was nominated for the iHeartRadio Music Award for Best New R&B Artist in 2020. LightSkinKeisha released the mixtapes Talk That Talk and Clones in February and September 2020, respectively, with "B.R.A.T." (featuring Blac Youngsta) released as the lead single of Clones. She was featured on the Saucy Santana song "Back It Up", which was released as a single from his debut album, Pretty Little Gangsta, in August 2020 with a music video. She released her mixtape Break the Bank in 2021, which was preceded by the singles "Blue Hunnids" and "Freaky Dancer", which featured Trina. Her single "Pop Shit Queen" was released in February 2022. She released the project Thought I Was Done? in May 2023.
LightSkinKeisha appeared on the reality television series Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta in its ninth season in 2020. Also in 2020, she began starring on the Courtney A. Kemp-created Starz crime drama television series Power Book II: Ghost as BruShandria Carmichael, an outspoken college student, and appeared on the show's first three seasons.
Musical style LightSkinKeisha's music is hip hop and R&B. Chris Kelly of The Washington Post wrote in 2019 that LightSkinKeisha's music "offer[ed] sexually empowered lyrics and the outsize swagger of [her] male counterparts". Aleia Woods of XXL described her rapping flow as "in-your-face", while The Source wrote that she had a "demanding attitude" in her music. Robyn Mowatt of Okayplayer wrote that LightSkinKeisha's music was "filled with brash soliloquies and catchy lines paired with bouncy trap beats".
Personal life LightSkinKeisha has stated that she was homeless in early 2018 and alternated between living in hotels and in her car. LightSkinKeisha got engaged to rapper Coca Vango in 2022 and married him in January 2024. Their son, Amin, was born on January 14, 2024.
Discography Mixtapes +List of extended plays, with selected details Title Details That's Just the Bottom Line Released: December 14, 2018 Label: Craft Recordings Formats: Digital download, streaming Act Up SZN Released: July 29, 2019 Label: Self-released Formats: Digital download, streaming Talk That Talk Released: February 11, 2020 Label: Self-released Formats: Digital download, streaming Clones Released: September 2, 2020 Label: Self-released Formats: Digital download, streaming Break the Bank Released: October 14, 2021 Label: Self-released Formats: Digital download, streaming Thought I Was Done? Released: May 16, 2023 Label: Self-released Formats: Digital download, streaming
Singles As lead artist +List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions Title Year Peak chart positions Album USR&B/HHAir.Peak positions on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart for: "Ride Good": "Believe Dat": "Weather" 2017 — rowspan="3" "Cash Shit" — "Treadmill" 2018 — "Believe Dat" 39 Thats Just the Bottom Line "Ride Good" 26 "I'm Gucci" — "Hey LightSkin" 2019 — "On Read" — Act Up SZN "PBWA" — Talk That Talk "Queen Kong" 2020 — Clones "B.R.A.T." — "FDH" 2021 — Break the Bank "Sheesh" — My Love "Drama" — "Blue Hunnids" — Break the Bank "Margarita" — "Freaky Dancer" — "Pop Shit Queen" 2022 — Thought I Was Done? "Play Me" — "Gimme Head" — "Ass on Me" 2023 — "Fine AF" —
As featured artist +List of singles as featured artist Title Year Album "Poppin' Champagne" 2017 "Sassy" 2019 Trappin Like Zacc "On His Face" The One "Atlanta" "Back It Up" 2020 Pretty Little Gangsta "Falling Apart" "It's a Vibe" Its a Vibe "Top Bitch" 2021 SMD "I'm Dat Girl" 2022 rowspan="2" "Outside"
Guest appearances +List of guest appearances Title Year Other artist(s) Album "Do It" 2018 Latto Mulatto "Light Skin Like Keisha" Ace Cino Mafia Life "Okay Bitch" Tokyo Vanity, Tasha Catour B.A.P.S "Snow" Coca Vango Jugg Baby "4 Play" 2019 L.I. Tha Great The Collective Project "Nasty Wit It" Nechie SSN: Southside Nechi (The Full Story) "Freak Freak" Coca Vango, Renni Rucci Mr. Vango "Gymnastics" Trip Rexx Lopsided "PowerPuff Girls" 2020 Kelow LaTesha, Rico Nasty TSA "Bankroll" Coca Vango From Rags to Jugg Riches
Filmography YearTitleRoleNote2019Wild 'n OutHerselfEpisode: "Ski Mask the Slump God/LightSkinKeisha"2020Love & Hip Hop: AtlantaHerselfRecurring (season 9)2020–2024Power Book II: GhostBruShandria CarmichaelRecurring role; 22 episodes2022The Real Housewives of AtlantaHerselfEpisode: "The Edge of Fashion"
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