BRE Z

Calesha Murray, born on July 22, 1987, and known professionally as Bre-Z, is an American rapper and actress. She has a leading role as Tamia Cooper in the series "All American". Originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Bre-Z grew up in Wilmington, Delaware. Her grandmother gave her the nickname "Bre-Z" at birth after she cried incessantly until a window was closed, which prompted them to call her "breezy." She discovered that it wasn't her real name when she started elementary school. Growing up with short hair, many people often mistook her for a boy. In sixth grade, she decided to pursue a career in music. Influenced by her mother's work in the entertainment industry, Bre-Z recalls waking up to the sounds of Wu-Tang Clan in her living room, which reinforced her desire to be involved in entertainment from an early age. After graduating high school in 2005, she attended Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. In 2008, she relocated to Atlanta when her mother found employment there, and Bre-Z started cutting hair to earn money. She has been cutting hair since she was 10 years old and comes from a family of barbers, with her grandfather, father, and mother all working in the same field. While barbering, she had the opportunity to cut hair for artists like Akon and Ludacris. In a bold move, she moved to Los Angeles in 2014 to chase her musical dreams with just one dollar in her bank account. Bre-Z began her music career at the age of 14, showcasing her talent through spontaneous performances around Philadelphia. She was inspired by her brother, who rapped, and initially performed his songs until she started writing her own. At 15, she met Freeway from the Roc-A-Fella Records rap group State Property, who invited her to the studio and helped her record her first song. She went on to collaborate with well-known artists such as Dr. Dre, Jennifer Lopez, and The Game. At 24, Bre-Z moved to Los Angeles to further her music career. In 2015, she landed a role as Freda Gatz after auditioning through a connection at the barbershop; this was her first audition and her debut in acting. Throughout her time on the show, she contributed to the soundtrack multiple times, occasionally performing her own verses. In November 2018, Bre-Z served as the Grand Marshal for the homecoming parade at Xavier University.