Born Charles Ray Wiggins on May 14, 1966, in Oakland, California, Raphael Saadiq grew up as the second-youngest of fourteen siblings and half-siblings. His childhood was marked by significant tragedy, as several siblings passed away during his youth. One brother was murdered when Raphael was seven, another died of a heroin overdose, and a third struggled with drug addiction and later took his own life. Additionally, one of his sisters died in a car crash during a police chase. Despite these devastating experiences, Saadiq remained resilient and chose not to let personal loss dictate his musical expression, once remarking, “You don’t always have to show what’s behind the curtains.”
In the mid-1990s, Raphael adopted the surname “Saadiq,” which means “man of his word” in Arabic. Though this led to speculation that he had converted to Islam, Saadiq clarified that this was not the case. He was drawn to the meaning and sound of the word and used it to distinguish himself professionally from his brother, Dwayne Wiggins.
Saadiq began his musical journey early, learning to play bass guitar at six and singing in a local gospel choir by age nine. By the time he was twelve, he joined the gospel group The Gospel Hummingbirds. At 17, just before his eighteenth birthday in 1984, he auditioned for Sheila E.’s backing band, which was preparing to tour with Prince on the Parade Tour. Choosing the name “Raphael” for the audition, he earned a spot as the band’s bass player. Touring with Prince proved formative, offering him a deep education in the music industry and performance.
After the Prince tour, Saadiq co-founded the R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné! with his brother Dwayne Wiggins and cousin Timothy Christian. Raphael served as lead vocalist and bassist. The trio achieved substantial success in the late 1980s and 1990s, producing hits that helped define the sound of contemporary R&B at the time.
One of Saadiq’s most notable solo achievements was the 1995 single “Ask of You,” which peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and #19 on the Billboard Hot 100. The track introduced him as a strong solo presence beyond his group work.
| Birth Date: | 14 May, 1966 |
| Age: | 53 yrs |
| Citizenship: | United States of America |
| Birth Place: | Oakland |
| Gender: | Male |
| Twitter Id: | Rayraysaadiq |
| Net Worth 2021: | 16 million |
