Class Acts: Tyrese

Catch the Renaissance man at UNCF 2012.

Class Acts: Tyrese - Tyrese is an R&B sensation that's been making the ladies swoon since the late '90s. The doubly talented actor also has played several lead roles in box office hit films and proven his skills beyond music and film. Check out the singer-performer's rise to fame and the journey of his career before he hits the stage at the UNCF: An Evening of Stars.(Photo: Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for Centric)

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Class Acts: Tyrese - Tyrese is an R&B sensation that's been making the ladies swoon since the late '90s. The doubly talented actor also has played several lead roles in box office hit films and proven his skills beyond music and film. Check out the singer-performer's rise to fame and the journey of his career before he hits the stage at the UNCF: An Evening of Stars.(Photo: Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for Centric)

LA Kid - Tyrese Gibson is the baby of four siblings, raised by his single mother, Priscilla Durham, in Los Angeles. Surprisingly, the singer got his big break on a bus and made an appearance in a 1994 Coca-Cola ad, singing "Always, Coca-Cola." (Photo: Vince Bucci/Getty Images)

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LA Kid - Tyrese Gibson is the baby of four siblings, raised by his single mother, Priscilla Durham, in Los Angeles. Surprisingly, the singer got his big break on a bus and made an appearance in a 1994 Coca-Cola ad, singing "Always, Coca-Cola." (Photo: Vince Bucci/Getty Images)

The Music Breakout Year - In 1998, the singer released his self-titled, platinum-selling debut album, Tyrese. His hit single, "Sweet Lady," would reach No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and land his first Grammy nomination for Best R&B Male Vocal Performance. In his rising success, the new R&B star also landed a role in fellow young celeb Usher's classic "My Way" video.  (Photo: RCA Records)

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The Music Breakout Year - In 1998, the singer released his self-titled, platinum-selling debut album, Tyrese. His hit single, "Sweet Lady," would reach No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and land his first Grammy nomination for Best R&B Male Vocal Performance. In his rising success, the new R&B star also landed a role in fellow young celeb Usher's classic "My Way" video.  (Photo: RCA Records)

The Bright Sophomore - Tyrese released his sophomore album, 2000 Watts, in 2001. Its singles, "I Like Them Girls" and "What Am I Gonna Do," got plenty of radio play. Plus, "Just a Baby Boy" was featured on the Baby Boy soundtrack. The NAACP also nominated him for an Image Award for Outstanding Hip Hop Artist.(Photo: RCA Records)

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The Bright Sophomore - Tyrese released his sophomore album, 2000 Watts, in 2001. Its singles, "I Like Them Girls" and "What Am I Gonna Do," got plenty of radio play. Plus, "Just a Baby Boy" was featured on the Baby Boy soundtrack. The NAACP also nominated him for an Image Award for Outstanding Hip Hop Artist.(Photo: RCA Records)

Baby Boy (2001) - Taraji P. Henson is one of the most versatile actors to grace the big and small screens. Drama, comedy, romance — the sexy 43-year-old can do it all. Henson is poised to have her biggest year ever with the upcoming sequel to Think Like a Man and a leading role in Lee Daniels' television drama Empire. We take a look back on her life in film... A fresh face to the Hollywood scene, Henson got her break on the big screen in John Singleton’s Baby Boy.(Photo: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures)

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Baby Boy - One of the most iconic urban films of all time, Baby Boy (2001) was Tyrese's major breakthrough in the movie industry. Playing the lead role of Jody, he would tell the story of an unemployed bike mechanic coming of age as a Black man in America. (Photo: Columbia Pictures)

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Tyrese & Norma Mitchell - Tyrese filed for divorce from his wife Norma Mitchell after being married just ten months. The couple already had a daughter prior to being married.(Photo: Mark Davis/Getty Images)

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Family Life - The star married Norma Mitchell in 2007, but they divorced in 2009. However, there is one precious remnant of their union: Tyrese's daughter, Shayla Somer Gibson, who was born the same year they got married.  (Photo: Mark Davis/Getty Images)

Tyrese - After a five year hiatus from music making, the singer and actor returned to R&B with his LP Open Invitation. Now he is looking to snag the Best R&B/Soul Male Artist trophy.  (Photo:  Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

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His Biggest Hit - The singer's third studio album, I Wanna Go There, holds his most successful single yet, "How You Gonna Act Like That," which earned his second Grammy nomination. The track peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it a smash hit. (Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Rap Premiere - The crooner decided to prove he was multi-talented on his fourth album, Alter Ego. With one CD being his classic R&B side and the other displaying his rap skills, the artist surprised his fans with music in the two genres. The album debuted at No. 23 on the Billboard 200 and featured celebs like Lil Jon, Snoop Dogg and R. Kelly.(Photo: Brian Dowling/PictureGroup)

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Rap Premiere - The crooner decided to prove he was multi-talented on his fourth album, Alter Ego. With one CD being his classic R&B side and the other displaying his rap skills, the artist surprised his fans with music in the two genres. The album debuted at No. 23 on the Billboard 200 and featured celebs like Lil Jon, Snoop Dogg and R. Kelly.(Photo: Brian Dowling/PictureGroup)

Movie Stardom - The actor has starred in numerous films in the Fast & Furious series, showcasing his love for speed. He also played a role in the 2007 hit movie Transformers and has been cast as an action hero in various films. (Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

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Movie Stardom - The actor has starred in numerous films in the Fast & Furious series, showcasing his love for speed. He also played a role in the 2007 hit movie Transformers and has been cast as an action hero in various films. (Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

Father Knows Best - Tyrese celebrated the holiday with the box office success of Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon with his baby girl, Shayla, at the beach in Malibu, California.\r(Photo: Fame Pictures)

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Personal Activism - The father of one has been very outspoken about dads playing a stronger role in their children's lives. With a quest to inspire more absentee fathers to change their behaviors, he wrote a poem about fatherhood and appeared on the HLN network.(Photo: Fame Pictures, Inc)

Wonder-ful New Year - Actor-singer Tyrese Gibson joins the legendary Stevie Wonder as he performs at the Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on New Year's Eve. (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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Open Invitation - With the lead single "Stay," the celeb released his fifth studio album, Open Invitation, in 2011. The song peaked at No. 11 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The album is Tyrese's highest charting album to date with a No. 9 premiere on the Billboard 200. Excitedly, the R&B star will perform some of his hits at the UNCF: An Evening of Stars.(Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images for The Cosmopolitan)