Kandi Burruss Tucker (born Kandi Leniece Burruss; May 17, 1976 in College Park, Georgia) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, record producer, and television personality. She is a former member of the group Xscape. Burruss currently stars as one of six members in the Bravo reality television series The Real Housewives of Atlanta since its second season premiere on July 30, 2009.

Kandi Burruss was born in College Park, Georgia to her father Reverend Titus Burruss Jr., and mother Joyce Jones. Kandi had an older brother, Patrick, who died when she was younger. She first appeared on the BET series, Teen Summit, at age 15. Kandi attended Tri-Cities High School in East Point, Georgia.

Burruss and ex-boyfriend Russell "Block" Spencer of Block Entertainment had a daughter named Riley Burruss on August 22, 2002. In late 2008, Kandi began a relationship with Ashley "A.J." Jewell and after dating several months, the couple became engaged to be married in January 2010.

Fighting for her life: Asheley Jewell is in a critical condition in hospital after she was shot while riding in a car with friends in Atlanta

But on October 22, 2009, after sustaining head injuries in a brawl, Jewell died. Kandi and three of her friends started a "sex and relationship" web series on Ustream titled Kandi Koated Nights.

The show began to air on television beginning in 2011. On January 15, 2013, Kandi announced via Twitter that she was engaged to Todd Tucker, a former line producer for The Real Housewives of Atlanta, whom she has been dating since 2011 while filming for the fourth season. On April 4, 2014, the couple got married.

XSCAPE

(Now & Then)

Xscape was a female American R&B quartet which began as a quintet. The group had 6 top 10 hit songs on the Billboard Hot 100 during the 1990s including "Just Kicking it", "Understanding," "Who Can I Run To", "Keep On, Keepin' On", "The Arms of the One Who Loves You", and "My Little Secret". The original lineup of the group consisted of sisters LaTocha and Tamika Scott, Kandi Burruss, Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, and Tamera Coggins, though Coggins departed the group before their debut album was released.

La Tocha Scott

Tameka Scott

Kandi Burrus

Tameka "Tiny" Harris

Tamera Coggins-Wynn

Keisha Miles

Then

After Coggins left the group in 1991, Xscape became a quartet. They were later discovered by Jermaine Dupri while singing at an annual Martin Luther King, Jr. festival in Atlanta. Dupri immediately signed the group to his up and coming So So Def label. He debuted the quartet at his birthday party in 1991. The group released their debut album, Hummin' Comin' at 'Cha, on October 12, 1993.

The album peaked at number seventeen the U.S. Billboard 200 and number three on the Top R&B Albums chart. It was a critical and commercial success, certified platinum within a year, and launched two top 10 singles. The debut single, "Just Kickin' It", and second single, "Understanding", both entered the top 10 of the official Hot 100 and becameplatinum and gold certified number-one hits on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The follow-up singles, "Love on My Mind" and "Tonight", did not achieve the same success.

In 1994 the group appeared on an episode of Beverly Hills 90210 where they appeared at a benefit booked by Steve Sanders. The group later appeared on The Mask soundtrack.

At the conclusion of Hummin' Comin' at 'Cha, the group appeared on "Freedom (Theme from Panther)" for the movie of the same name, and the film's soundtrack in 1995.