Every lover of ’80s and ’90s R&B songs would probably know Michel’le. But what about Michel’le kids? What is known about them?
Michel’le Denise Touissant, known as Michel’le (pronounced MEESH-uh-lay), is a songwriter, R&B singer, and urban contemporary vocalist. She rose to fame in the late ’80s and early ’90s. She is well known for her squeaky, childlike voice, contrasting her strong, aggressive vocals and singing style. Her major hits include “No More Lies” and “Something in My Heart.”
When she was 16, Michel’le recorded “Turn Off the Lights” for World Class Wreckin’ Cru, Dr. Dre’s R&B group with DJ Yella, which preceded N.W.A. Months after the song’s release, she and Dr. Dre began dating. Since then, Michel’le has had two children (a son and a daughter). Who are they? Are they into the music industry like their parents?
Michel’le’s two children are Marcel Young and Bailei Knight. Both children live private lives, and there’s very little information about them.
Michel’le shares Marcel Young with the rap legend Dr. Dre. The songwriter first met Dr. Dre in 1981, when she was 16 and he was 22. The pair were members of an American electronic music group called World Class Wreckin’ Cru and started dating soon after they met. A short while after, Michel’le had her son, Marcel Young.
Michel’le Kids: Meet Marcel Young
Michel’le and Dr. Dre welcomed their first and only child together, Marcel Young, in 1991. However, before that, Dr. Dre. had fathered six children with different women.
You would think that being Dr. Dre’s son, Marcel Young would constantly be in the spotlight. But the 32-year-old prefers to live a quiet life. Not much is known about him as he has no social media presence — the only times he appears on social media is when Michel’le includes him in her posts.
Young’s last public appearance was in 2015 or 2016, when his mother featured him on her show, On Watch Beyond the Headlines: Michel’le. While Young’s occupation and relationship status is unknown, he’s still in contact with his father, although no one knows how close they are. According to Michel’le, her son has a strong relationship with her and his younger sister, Bailei Knight.
Michel’le Kids: Bailei Knight
Years after her separation from Dr. Dre, Michel’le found love again, but this time in Suge Knight, the co-founder and former C.E.O. of Death Row Records. The couple had a daughter named Bailei Knight on November 28, 2002, and beyond that, very little is known about Bailei’s early life and upbringing.
What is known about Bailei, though, is that she’s African American and was only five when her parents’ marriage officially ended. Michel’le had filed for divorce two years earlier, accusing Suge Knight of domestic violence. This wasn’t Knight’s first run-in with the law, as he had served a jail term prior.
After her parents’ divorce, Bailei lived with her mother, who raised her independently. Like Young, not much is publicly known about her life, not even the schools she attended.
Also, although her profession is generally unknown, there are rumors that she might pursue an entertainment career like her mother. The speculation is primarily because Michel’le has often posted videos of her singing on social media.
A Look at Marcel Young and Bailei Knight’s Mum, R&B Singer, Michel’le
Michel’le Denise Toussant, born on December 5, 1970, is a renowned American R&B vocalist. Michel’le’s music career is nothing short of successful. Her songs topped charts, including the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
However, we can’t say the same about her relationships. Michel’le had a tough time with love. She met Dr. Dre when she was 16, and they started dating a few months later. They got engaged and had a son together.
Dr. Dre’s drinking, infidelity, and abusive behavior caused problems in their relationship. Michel’le suffered physical injuries from Dre’s abuse, and she left him after discovering he was engaged to another woman.
She then married Suge Knight, who helped her get clean from drugs and alcohol. Sadly, Suge was also physically abusive toward her, which led to their 2007 divorce.
In 2015, Dr. Dre apologized to the women he had harmed in a statement to The New York Times. He did so after facing criticism for excluding his history of mistreating women in the movie Straight Outta Compton. Michel’le didn’t believe Dr. Dre’s public apology for his past abuse towards women was genuine. Her reason was that he never apologized to her privately.
Surviving Compton: A Biopic on Michel’le’s Life
In 2016, a Lifetime biopic, “Surviving Compton: Dr. Dre, Suge & Me,” was released. The movie shows Michel’le’s beginnings as a Los Angeles native. It chronicles her experiences, beginning with her contributing vocals for the World Class Wreckin’ Cru’s single “Turn Off the Lights.”
It also covered when she got signed to Eazy E’s Ruthless Records and her abusive relationships with Dr. Dre and Suge Knight. If there’s one thing everyone can learn from the movie, it’s how much of a survivor the R&B singer is.
Today, neither of Michel’le kids has a strong father-child relationship with their fathers. This is typical with people whose fathers weren’t present for much of their childhood. However, reports claim Young and Knight are both on good terms with their fathers.
Sadly, the same can’t be said for Owen Wilson and the daughter he abandoned and never met.