Muni Long is a popular American singer and songwriter who has been making waves in the music industry with her catchy R&B songs and impressive vocals. She has also written hits for other artists such as Rihanna, Fifth Harmony, Kelly Clarkson, and Ariana Grande. But what is Muni Long’s ethnicity and where does she come from? Here are some facts about her background and heritage.
Early Life and Family
Muni Long was born as Priscilla Renea Hamilton on September 14, 1988, in Vero Beach, Florida. Her father was a member of the Navy and her family moved around a lot when she was growing up. She has stated that she began singing at age two but was not comfortable with singing around people until she was older. She also enjoyed participating in choir and student theater in school1
When she was a senior in high school, her father gave her a guitar and she started writing songs. She also discovered YouTube and began posting videos of herself singing in her bedroom. Her first video was a cover of “Cry Me a River” by Justin Timberlake that she submitted for a contest whose winner would perform with him at the Grammy Awards. She did not win the contest, but she gained a lot of attention and fans online
Career and Achievements
In 2009, Muni Long signed with Capitol Records under her birth name and released her debut album, Jukebox, which was a dance-pop project. The album did not perform well commercially, but it received positive reviews from critics. She then decided to focus on writing songs for other artists and became one of the most sought-after songwriters in the industry. She co-wrote hits such as “California King Bed” by Rihanna, “Worth It” by Fifth Harmony, “Love So Soft” by Kelly Clarkson, “Imagine” by Ariana Grande, and “Timber” by Pitbull featuring Kesha
In 2018, she returned to her solo career and released her second album, Coloured, under the name Priscilla Renea. The album showcased her versatility and explored Americana and country soul genres. She received critical acclaim for her songwriting and vocal skills on the album
In 2020, she adopted the stage name Muni Long (pronounced “money long”) and released her first EP under that name, Black Like This. The EP featured guest appearances from YFN Lucci and Sukihana and contained songs that celebrated her black identity and culture. She followed it up with another EP in 2021, Nobody Knows, which included collaborations with Ty Dolla Sign and Trey Songz
Her breakthrough single as Muni Long was “Hrs & Hrs”, which was released in 2021 and reached the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song also earned her a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance in 2023, making her the first independent artist to win that category. She also received three other Grammy nominations for Best New Artist, Best R&B Song (“Hrs & Hrs”), and Album of the Year (as a featured artist on Back of My Mind by H.E.R.)4
In 2022, she released her first full-length album as Muni Long, Public Displays of Affection: The Album, which was distributed by Def Jam Recordings. The album featured singles such as “Midnight Snack”, “Thot Thoughts”, and “Nasty” and received positive reviews from critics and fans alike.
Ethnicity and Heritage
Muni Long identifies as an African American woman and is proud of her ethnicity and heritage. She has said that she grew up listening to various genres of music such as gospel, soul, R&B, country, rock, pop, and hip-hop, which influenced her musical style and taste. She has also said that she wants to use her music to empower other black women and girls and to celebrate their beauty and diversity.
She has also expressed interest in learning more about her ancestry and roots. In an interview with Essence magazine in 2021, she said that she had taken a DNA test to find out more about her genetic makeup and history. She revealed that she had discovered that she had ancestors from Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo, Benin, Togo, Mali, Senegal, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, Ukraine, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece , Turkey , Armenia , Georgia , Azerbaijan , Iran , Iraq , Syria , Lebanon , Israel , Palestine , Jordan , Saudi Arabia , Yemen , Oman , United Arab Emirates , Qatar , Bahrain , Kuwait , Egypt , Sudan , Ethiopia , Eritrea , Somalia , Kenya , Tanzania , Uganda , Rwanda , Burundi , Malawi , Mozambique , Zimbabwe , Zambia , Botswana , Namibia , South Africa , Madagascar , Mauritius , Seychelles , Comoros , and Reunion. She said that she was amazed by the diversity of her heritage and that she wanted to visit some of the countries where her ancestors came from.
Muni Long is a talented and successful singer and songwriter who has a rich and diverse ethnic background. She is an inspiration to many people who appreciate her music and her message. She is also a proud and confident black woman who embraces her culture and identity.
