Mel B

Mel B in 2010, Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com

Birth Name: Melanie Janine Brown

Place of Birth: Harehills, Leeds, Yorkshire, England, U.K.

Date of Birth: 29 May, 1975

Ethnicity:
*father – African-Nevisian
*mother – English, possibly Welsh

Mel B, or Scary Spice, is a British musician, television personality, actress, dancer, and model. She is a member of girl group Spice Girls, along with Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton, Melanie C, and Geri Halliwell. She is also known as Melanie B, Melanie Brown, Mel G, Melanie G, and Melanie Gulzar.

Her father, Martin Brown, who is black, is from Saint Kitts and Nevis. Her mother, Andrea Dixon, who is white, is English. She is a maternal first cousin of actor and director Christian Cooke. A picture of Mel, with her father and ex-husband, Stephen Belafonte can be seen here. A picture of Mel and her mother can be seen here.

Mel has three children: a daughter with her former husband, Dutch dancer Jimmy Gulzar; a daughter with American actor and comedian Eddie Murphy; and a daughter with her former husband, film producer Stephen Belafonte. Mel has extended family in Wales.

One of Mel’s paternal great-grandmothers was named Celian Martin Powell.

Mel’s maternal grandfather is named Stanley Dixon.

Mel’s maternal grandmother is named Eileen Mary English.