What Happened to Donell Jones?

Donell Jones released numerous chart-topping hits before his life did a complete 180. The father of six went from hustling on the streets to going on tour with Alicia Keys and writing songs for R&B girl group 702. But the Chicago native’s personal struggles led him down a path that sidetracked his career.

Here’s what really happened to Donell Jones.

Donell Jones ‘struggled’ during his early years

Donell Jones was born on May 22, 1973, in the Southside of Chicago. From the start of his life, he was surrounded by musicians, including his dad who was a gospel singer. According to Okay Player website, Donell began singing at the age of eight. When he turned 12, he wrote his first song, entitled “Love Can’t Win.” Two years later, he received an electric guitar for Christmas. It was the start of what would later become his passion for creating timeless music.

His parents got divorced, and although his dad was still around, Donell and his siblings were raised by his mom. He told the HuffPost that they struggled a bit, but love held them together.

Singing for the girls

His mom bought him a keyboard and Donell taught himself how to play the instrument. As he got older, music was still his passion, but it served a different purpose. He told Parlé Magazine that he joined the choir in high school and began singing to girls in the cafeteria because he loved the attention he received.

As a teenager, there was one girl who really caught his eye. He and Kishina Hunter began dating and their rocky relationship would become a source of inspiration for one of his most iconic songs.

Donell Jones lived life on the streets

He told Souleo website he joined a Chicago gang and sold just enough substances to buy a few pairs of sneakers. One day, he got locked up after an officer found substances in his pocket. When Donell was booked for the charge, the officer falsely accused him of robbery.

He already had one brother who was locked up for taking someone’s life, and Donell could see his own life going down the same wrong path. He thought for sure he would spend the rest of his life locked up for something he didn’t even do. Thankfully, the cops realized the culprit was a guy who looked similar to Donell. So he was free to go.

He stopped hanging with the wrong crowd and at the age of 16, he got a job at McDonald’s. During one of his shifts, his manager overheard him singing and he was impressed. The manager was putting together a group, and he asked Donell to try out. Donell blew him away with his performance, and he was given a spot in the group Porché.

Catching a big break

The group traveled around Chicago and performed at local events. They became somewhat popular, but they failed to get a record deal.

In June 1992, Kishina gave birth to their daughter, Keyana, making Donell a first-time dad at the age of 18. With more responsibilities on his plate, he knew he needed to find a way to financially provide for his family. So he continued singing with Porché until they caught their big break.

In 1993, he and the group traveled to the Black Radio Exclusive in Washington DC. Hardly anyone showed up at the event, so Donell and the group went outside and started singing to everybody who was checking in and out of the venue. They caught the attention of Eddy Ferrell, the former member of Heavy D & The Boyz. Eddy signed them to his new label, Untouchables Entertainment, which was a joint venture with LaFace Records.

Donell and the rest of Porché moved into Eddy’s home in New Jersey. While the group spent their time going out to nightclubs and partying with celebrities, Donell never joined them. He chose to spend hours inside Eddy’s recording studio instead.

The group did manage to complete one song, entitled “Make You Feel Real Good.” But they eventually broke up and were sent back to Chicago.

The call that changed Donell Jones’ life

Donell received a call that would change his life forever when Eddy reached out and told him he needed someone to write songs for him. Donell was flown out and sang in front of Eddy and L.A. Reid. And he was immediately signed to LaFace Records.

He teamed up with Faith Evans and Usher to write Usher’s song “Think of You.” And it was a hit. But Donell was more than just a writer. He also assisted with the vocal arrangements on Madonna’s 1994 album Bedtime Stories.

LaFace Records decided it was time for him to record a solo album. He released My Heart. It reached number 30 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, thanks in part to his cover of Stevie Wonder’s song, “Knocks Me Off My Feet.”

Experiencing fame

He and Kishina had welcomed their third daughter, and that’s when he experienced fame on a whole new level. He told Unsung there was drinking every night and different girls around all the time. He was on cloud nine, and things with Kishina began to deteriorate. He still loved her, but he also loved the new life he was experiencing away from her. It was that tug-of-war with his feelings that would provide the perfect inspiration for his next project.

Back in the studio, he began writing and producing his sophomore album. With a studio right there in his basement, he was able to record for 13 to 14 hours every day. In 1999 the platinum-selling album Where I Wanna Be was released. The title track by the same name was inspired by his relationship with Kishina.

The album also included “Have You Seen Her,” “Shorty (Got Her Eyes on Me).”, and “U Know What’s Up,” featuring Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez. That song sat on the Billboard charts for eight weeks and helped Donell snag an American Music Award for Best New R&B Artist.

A serious charge

Less than two months after the album was released, he and two friends were riding in a limo when they allegedly asked the driver to take them to the Washington Heights area of Manhattan to purchase some substances. When the driver refused, Donell and his friends allegedly got physical with the man. Then, they allegedly took control of the vehicle. Donell was hit with misdemeanor charges, including harassment and possession of a weapon. According to MTV, he was also ordered to stay at least 200 yards away from the limo driver.

Donell Jones and his two girlfriends

Despite his problems with the law, his career was still on track and the money was rolling in. Kishina (pictured, left) gave birth to his fourth daughter in 2000, and they moved their family to Atlanta. That’s when Kishina found out Donell had a girlfriend on the side.

Kishina was willing to stay with him, but she told Donell he had to get rid of the other woman. He refused to let his side piece go. So one day, Kishina told him she was going to the store. She grabbed their four kids, got on a plane, and moved back to Chicago. Donell eventually made things official with the other woman, but that relationship fizzled out as well.

Label changes

LaFace Records was dissolved when L.A. Reid was appointed Chairman and CEO of Arista Records. In result, Donell moved to Arista in 2001 and began working on his new album. Life Goes On was released in 2002 and was certified gold. The title track was a success, and the song “You Know That I Love You” became a top 20 hit. But there were no other hits on the album. The label wasn’t happy with how the album performed, so they reportedly stopped promoting it.

In 2003, Arista merged with Jive Records. Arista already had very successful acts, including Joe and Justin Timberlake. Donell didn’t know how he would be able to shine among all the other talented male artists.

The label hired all of the producers without his consent, and Donell couldn’t understand why. He had producer credits on his first three albums, and he felt the label was just eating into his budget by hiring people for a job he could’ve done himself. Deep down inside, he believed Arista was trying to sabotage his career.

Battling alcoholism

The creative differences pushed Donell to start drinking more and more. He told Souleo website he would have at least a 12 pack of beer and some Grey Goose every day. He called himself an angry drunk who would curse people out and start altercations. Whether he was attending an award show or just chilling at home, he was always under the influence.

In 2004, Donell was visiting Kishina and their children. He drove them to a birthday party while intoxicated. Donell got pulled over and was booked for driving under the influence, and following that incident, he decided to go to rehab.

He was able to kick his habit long enough to record the 2006 album Journey of a Gemini. He told Unsung the album was his apology to his family members for his years of self-medicating and for his bad behavior, which his children described as “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”

The album debuted at number one on the Billboard R&B chart. But the sales numbers kept declining. The label refused to film any more music videos, and promotion for the album came to a screeching halt. Donell thought the album was shelved because of how vocal he had been over his hate for Arista records. With the stress of his failing career on his shoulders, he started drinking and partying.

Meeting a new love

He was at a nightclub in 2006 when he met a woman named Jazz. She walked up to him and asked him for a cigarette. Donnell said she has been by his side ever since. In 2007, she gave birth to his fifth daughter.

Back to treatment

After releasing a hits compilation, he was dropped from Arista in 2008. Donell slid into a deep depression. He began drinking heavily, and his family begged him to go to treatment, but he declined. One night, after drinking a gallon of vodka, he prayed for help to battle his addiction. When he woke up the next morning, he called his mom and agreed to go to rehab. Since then, he has maintained his sobriety.

Donell Jones is back on top

Donell released a collection of unreleased songs in 2009, before signing with the independent label eOne Music. He bounced back with the albums Lyric in 2010, and Forever in 2013, which included a song dedicated to the King of Pop. Forever debuted at number 3 on the R&B Charts, and Donell was back at the top of his game in more ways than one.

After eight years of dating, he and Jazz headed to the courthouse and got married in 2014. She gave birth to his sixth child, a baby boy, in 2016.

Donell’s music has evolved, and he has matured as well. He no longer drinks, and after more than 30 years, he was able to kick his nicotine habit. He’s now a grandfather, and he told VH1 he no longer feels self-conscious about his bald head. He’s even confident enough to step out without wearing a hat.

He started his own label, CandyMan Music, and he has teamed up with other artists. He co-wrote Jacquees 2018 song, entitled “23.” And in 2019, he collaborated with Jon B on the song “Understand,” and issa bop!

His love for music is something that will never change, and he’s at his best when he’s writing about his personal experiences. Decades from now, we have no doubt music lovers will still feel connected to his classic ballads, his exceptional songwriting skills, and his smooth R&B vocals.

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