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Home · Celebrity

Island Flavor: Stars with Caribbean Roots

Their roots run all the way to the Caribbean. Sure, the likes of Rihanna have made no secret of their island flavor—case in point is her annual trip back home to the Barbados to participate in Carnival. But did you know some of your favorite singers, actors and athletes had Caribbean roots? Find out who. You may find a few surprises.

By Yolanda Sangweni · August 9, 2013October 27, 2020
01
Rihanna

We’re pretty sure you already know Rihanna is from Barbados.

PRIMADONNA/GEMAIRA/Splash News
02
Nicki Minaj

This Trini gal was born in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago.

Getty Images
03
Nia Long

The Best Man star’s mother is from Trinidad.

J. Countess/Getty Images
04
Maxwell

Our eternal crush is half Puerto Rican and Haitian.

Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images
05
Lenny Kravitz

The rocker’s grandfather was born in the Bahamas.

Jim Spellman/ Getty
06
Doug. E. Fresh

The hip hop legend was born in Barbados.

Jamie McCarthy/ Getty
07
Garcelle Beauvais

Beauvais was born in Haiti.

David Livingston/Getty Images
08
Laz Alonso

This Latin lover is of Afro-Cuban heritage.

Jerritt Clark/ Getty
09
Zoe Saldana

The Star Trek star was born in the Dominican Republic.

Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
10
Estelle

The British songbird’s father is from Grenada.

Mike Pont/FilmMagic
11
Tia and Tamera

Tamera Mowry-Housley and Tia Mowry’s mom is from the Bahamas.

Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images
12
Tatyana Ali

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alum is half Trinidadian and Panamanian.

Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic & Mike Windle/Getty Images
13
Sanya Richards-Ross

The Olympic medalist was born in Kingston, Jamaica.

14
Melanie Fiona

The Toronto-born singer’s parents are Guyanese.

Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
15
Naomi Campbell

The supermodel’s mother Valerie was born in Jamaica.

Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images and Karwai Tang/WireImage

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