Trivia

Duetted with Robert Palmer when he was recording future hit "Addicted to Love." Even though Palmer was thrilled with the collaborative end product, Khan's vocals had to be erased from the master tape due to the fact that she had two other singles on release at the same time (conflict of interest issues). When "Addicted to Love" topped the American charts in May 1986, it did so without Khan's vocals, although she did receive a vocal arrangement credit for her efforts.

Became a grandmother in 1992 at age 39, when daughter Millini (then 18), gave birth to her daughter Raeven.

Chaka means "fire" in many African languages!

"I Feel for You", one of her signature songs, was originally recorded by Prince on his 1979 debut album.

She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6623 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on May 19, 2011.

Her daughter Milini Khan was a member of the group, "Pretty in Pink.".

Daughter of Charles Stevens and Sandra Coleman (who is her personal manager).

Sister of Kathleen Burrell and Tammy McCrary (who is her manager).

Despite releasing her first solo album in 1978, Khan continued to work with Rufus sporadically until 1983. During this period, they recorded the albums "Masterjam" (1979), "Camouflage" (1981), and the live set "Rufus & Chaka Khan Live! Stompin' at the Savoy" (1983), which featured four new studio cuts, including the top ten hit "Ain't Nobody".

She acquired the name Chaka Khan when she joined the Black Panther Party.

Was 18 years old when she joined Rufus, the band that made her famous.

Her song "Never Miss the Water" was featured in episode #3.15 ("The One Where Ross and Rachel Take a Break") of Friends (1994).

Ranked #17 on VH1's 100 Greatest Women of Rock N Roll

Mother of Milini Khan and Damien Holland.

Her famous recording "Ain't Nobody" was adopted by Welsh football fans during their team's historic run to the semi-finals of Euro 2016. They changed the lyrics to "Ain't nobody like Joe Ledley".

The eldest of five children, her siblings Taka Boom and Mark Stevens also work in the music industry.

The 1985 song "Through the Fire" was written expressly for her by composers David Foster, Tom Keane and Cynthia Weil .

She has performed with the SAS (Spike Edney's All Stars) Band.

Friends with the late Natalie Cole.

Her granddaughter was the reason she chose to be sober.

Sister of singers Taka Boom (of The Undisputed Truth and The Glass Family) and Mark Stevens (of The Jamaica Boys).

She attended the elementary school of Saint Thomas the Apostle Church, in Hyde Park, Illinois.

Is fluent in German, French and Spanish.

She has been nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times as a solo artist, and four times as a member of Rufus featuring Chaka Khan; the first time in 2012, as a member of Rufus.

She is a bit of a chocolatier, and in 2004, her line of gourmet chocolates, "Chakalates," was sold in twenty Neiman Marcus stores across the United States.

At only 16, in 1969, Khan dropped out of Calumet High School in Chicago, Illinois, and ran away to a commune. At that time, Khan's mother hadn't heard from her, and called the police. Her mother didn't know Khan was living with friends.

Khan was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music during the inauguration of its president, Roger H. Brown. [December 2004].

When she was only 11, she (along with her sister Yvonne) formed her very 1st singing group "The Crystalettes." Two years later, she later joined "The Shades of Black.".

Though she rarely attended any classes, Khan attended Calumet High School and was President of the Appro Student Organization.

Nobody in her family had ever taken Khan seriously when she wanted to be a singer; yet that's what she became.

Khan's music absolutely ran in her family. Her father Charles Stevens had a passion for jazz tunes and Sandra Coleman loved pop/R&B tunes.

Best known as the lead singer of Rufus (1972 - 1983).

Khan attended several civil rights rallies with her father's second wife, Connie, a strong supporter of the movement, and joined the Black Panther Party after befriending a fellow member, activist and Chicago native Fred Hampton in 1967. Her mother was in a crisis, when she couldn't tolerate Khan's militant behavior.

She was born in Chicago, Illinois, but was raised in the Hyde Park area, an island in the middle of the madness of Chicago's rough South Side housing projects.

At one point, she wanted to be an anthropologist, an archaeologist, a botanist or a nun, eventually becoming a singer.

When Khan was only 9, she besought her parents to get along, as they had been continuously fighting. That backfired, and unfortunately, her parents separated, and she lived with her mother.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame committee announced that Khan and her former band Rufus were jointly nominated for induction to the Hall. It was the collective's first nomination 13 years after they were first eligible. The group was nominated partly due to Khan's own storied reputation, including her own solo career in conjunction with her years with Rufus. [27 September 2011].

Khan was inducted as an honorary member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. [2020].

She is a strict vegetarian, saying she adopted the diet to lose weight and combat high blood pressure and Type-2 diabetes.

Was supposed to join the band The Ikettes, that was founded by Ike Turner, but refused to participate because she was happy with her commitment to Rufus. She also stated Ike's attention was certainly a boost.

Compared to Khan, herself, her daughter Milini Khan was also born in Chicago, Illinois, as well.

Before she joined Rufus, she was asked to replace Baby Huey of Baby Huey & the Babysitters, after Huey's death, in late 1970.

At 17, despite Khan's joining Rufus, she was too young to sign a deal for ABC Records. Consequently, her mother had to co-sign the contract for Khan. Khan reluctantly had her mother do that.

Over the years, she had struggled with drug abuse and alcoholism. Her drug use, which at times included cocaine and heroin, ended in the early 1990s. Khan had an on-and-off struggle with alcoholism, until 2005, declaring herself sober.

All of her solo albums had declined in sales. Khan had blamed Warner Bros. Records for failing to market her music. [1988].

After Chaka gave birth to Milini Khan, she had to boil Milini all of her fruits and vegetables and would puree them herself, in order to feed them to her.

The band played the song on the television show Soul Train (1971), when creator, executive producer and host Don Cornelius, who knew the band from Chicago and who was a good friend of their drummer, Andre Fischer, allowed them to perform three songs, rather than the customary two. The band brought the Tower of Power horn section with them.

The only female member of "Rufus," and the only member to almost stay throughout the band's term.

Prior to her staying with Rufus, she signed a new contract with Warner Bros. Records in 1978, to pursue her solo career. As a result, she did not participate in the band Rufus' recordings "Numbers" (1979), "Party 'Til You're Broke," (1980) and "Seal in Red," the band's last album (1983). Around the same time, the band disbanded and she was free to then continue her solo career.

Had Milini Khan when she was 20.