Family Ties in the Spotlight

A surprising number of famous Black figures share family roots that most fans never knew. The connections range from cousins in the music world to distant relatives in politics and sports, showing how intertwined celebrity families can be. For example, Cardi B’s grandfather had a child in Tennessee who is the father of rapper GloRilla, making them cousins. RuPaul’s DNA test revealed a distant link to Senator Cory Booker, who even appeared on “RuPaul’s Drag Race. ” Saweetie’s father is a first cousin of actress Gabrielle Union, and the pop star also has ties to MC Hammer through another relative. Actress Kerry Washington is a cousin of late General Colin Powell, while musician Pete Wentz’s mother was related to the same general through her grandfather. Olympic track star Denean Howard‑Hill and boxer Virgil Hill, Sr. are the parents of bobsledder Azaria Hill, who carries a competitive spirit from her family. The Williams brothers Tyler and Tyrel, both actors, have a younger sibling Tylen who also appears on TV. Redfoo and his older brother Sky Blu grew up together, with their family linked to Motown founder Berry Gordy. Actress Bianca Lawson’s mother is a niece of Gordy, and her stepfather once married Beyoncé’s mother, connecting her to the Knowles sisters. Actress Maya Rudolph lost her mother, singer Minnie Riperton, at a young age, and she often speaks about that loss.Meghan Markle’s great‑great aunt married Mookie Betts’ great‑great uncle, making the former princess and MLB star distant cousins. Singer Ciara discovered a DNA link to Derek Jeter, while Viola Davis and actor Mike Colter are cousins who finally met in 2019. Rapper Takeoff was the nephew of Migos member Quavo, and actors Niecy Nash, Danielle Brooks, and Sterling K. Brown share a family bond. Lenny Kravitz and meteorologist Al Roker trace back to a common ancestor, while actress Yara Shahidi’s cousin Nas inspired her Harvard journey. Comedy legend Tracy Morgan and rapper Nas are also third cousins. Monica’s family ties to Ludacris come from a shared uncle, and Charlamagne Tha God is related to singers Chlöe and Halle Bailey. Television actresses Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad are sisters, while Dionne Warwick is a cousin of Whitney Houston through their mothers. Late rappers Young Dolph and Juice WRLD were cousins, and Janelle Monáe met Marsai Martin at a Golden Globes after‑party. Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal and comedian Bill Bellamy share family ties, as do Ice Cube and Del The Funky Homosapien. Whoopi Goldberg’s DNA cousin is NFL star Tony Gonzalez, and Snoop Dogg connects to singers Brandy and Ray J. These stories remind us that fame often runs in families, sometimes in unexpected ways.