Marvaless

Background

Marvaless was born Marva Jean Cooks II on August 28, 1975, and is from Sacramento, California. KQED reports that she started out as a battle rapper and came into recording through C-Bo. In 1992, a year after finishing high school, she began recording her debut with C-Bo for AWOL Records.

AWOL Records

Her first album, Ghetto Blues, came out June 30, 1994, on AWOL, produced by DJ Daryl and Xtra Large, with guests C-Bo and Pizzo. It reached No. 100 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Just Marvaless followed on January 24, 1995 (No. 71), produced by DJ Daryl and Mike Mosley. Wiccked (August 6, 1996) reached No. 48, with production from Rick Rock, DJ Daryl and Mike Mosley, and guests including Mac Mall, C-Bo, and The Conscious Daughters. Fearless (April 21, 1998, AWOL/Noo Trybe) was her highest-charting album at No. 43 and featured C-Bo, Killa Tay, Luni Coleone and Steady Mobb'n.

AllMusic notes her guest appearances with 2Pac, The Conscious Daughters, Mac Mall, Master P's West Coast Bad Boyz, and AWOL labelmates Lunasicc and C-Bo. KQED reports that she recorded "Never Be Peace" with 2Pac after writing to him while he was in prison.

Later Work

Later solo albums include Ghetto Blues 2001 (2001), Ready Made (2005) and Queen of the Mob (2010). She also made two duo albums: Bonnie and Clyde with Messy Marv (2003) and 3 Da Hard Way with The Jacka and Husalah (2005).

As of a 2025 KQED profile, she was still performing, had founded the nonprofit Marvaless Foundation, had written a book titled Quotes From the Queen, and was working on a solo album, Queen Caliphia, along with a duo album with her daughter, Lil Marvaless.