Rozonda Thomas
Rozonda Thomas in 2012, photo by PR Photos
Birth Name: Rozonda Ocielian Thomas
Place of Birth: Columbus, Georgia, U.S.
Date of Birth: February 27, 1971
Ethnicity: African-American, as well as 1/16th Bengali Indian, 1/16th African-Antiguan, possibly Native American
Rozonda Thomas, also known as Chilli, is an American dancer, singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. She has been a member of R&B/hip hop girl-group TLC, with Lisa Lopes and Tionne Watkins, replacing original member, and co-founder, Crystal Jones. The group was managed by Perri “Pebbles” Reid.
She is the daughter of Ava Thomas and Abdul Ali. Her great-grandfather’s brother was singer Bardu Ali. Rozonda has a son with her former partner, producer Dallas Austin.
She is African-American, and also has a Bengali Indian great-great-grandfather and an African-Antiguan great-great-grandmother.
Rozonda has been described as having Native American ancestry. It is not clear if this Native American ancestry has been verified/documented.
Rozonda’s paternal grandfather was Arfien Joseph Ali (the son of Arfien/Arfin Ali and Lucille/Lucile Lyons). Rozonda’s grandfather Arfien was born in Louisiana. Rozonda’s great-grandfather Arfien was born in Mississippi, and was the son of Moksad Ali, a Bengali Muslim trader, who was born in Hooghly, West Bengal, India, and of Ella Blackman, an African-American. Rozonda’s great-grandmother Lucille was the daughter of William Lyons and Lottie Green.
Rozonda’s paternal grandmother was Margaret Augusta Lane (the daughter of Clifford Lane and Augusta M. J. Bennett). Margaret was born in New York. Augusta’s father, Edmund Robert Bennett, was born on Saint John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, and was a bishop of the African Orthodox Church. Augusta’s mother, Marguerite Fields, was born in Iowa.
Rozonda Thomas (left) with Tionne Watkins and Lisa Lopes in 1995, photo by Prphotos
Sources: Rozonda Thomas meeting her father’s family – https://www.youtube.com
Rozonda’s paternal grandfather, Arfien Joseph Ali, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Marriage record of Rozonda’s paternal great-grandparents, Arfien/Arfin Ali and Lucille/Lucile Lyons – https://www.familysearch.org
Rozonda’s paternal great-grandfather, Arfien/Arfin Ali, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Information on Rozonda’s paternal great-great-grandparents, Moksad Ali and Ella Blackman – https://video.wedu.org
http://www.tajmahalfoxtrot.com
Rozonda’s paternal great-grandmother, Lucille/Lucile Lyons, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Marriage record of Rozonda’s paternal great-great-grandparents, William Lyons and Lottie Green – https://www.familysearch.org
Rozonda’s paternal grandmother, Margaret Augusta Lane, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
So sick of Americans and their racism. Chili is not just African American. She’s mixed race. Wiki has no issue saying she’s bengali and Arab
This is literally ALL you do on this site. You don’t have to share you misery with us in EVERY. SINGLE. POST. You have issues you need to work on; we are not your therapist.
Her paternal line is thoroughly mixed. African/European/South Asian. Her dad descends from multi-generational, African/European, and possibly, small amounts if Native American admixtures, but definitely African/European/South Asian.
Why is she listed as African-American and not Indian-American? Her ethnicity is what she identifies as.
You can take out Middle Eastern. Her own father denied it.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/marniali/2013/08/06/its-a-family-affair
She met her father and his family in 1996.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1oYQYBYj-E
In that video it’s mentioned that her father’s wife is named Connie. There is an obituary of a Byram Ali, who has a brother named Abdul E. Ali, whose wife is named Connie. Unfortunately I can’t access the text myself because of my country:
https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/obituaries/ali-byram/article_b96a19ce-aea4-5415-95b8-66f4ae899ae8.html
Maybe someone could look into this? The couple lives in Mays Landing, New Jersey, and there seem to be a Marnet Ali (the name of Chilli’s half-sister) who has lived in that same area.
This obituary is also of the same family:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKWG-ZZ8G
If it’s correct, then Chilli’s paternal grandfather would be Arfien Joseph Ali. Her paternal grandmother would be Margaret Augusta Lane (the daughter of Clifford Lane and Augusta). Augusta’s mother was from the Caribbean.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X7C2-J4Y
Bablah found the rest of her grandfather’s ancestry:
Her grandfather was Arfien Joseph Ali (the son of Arfien Ali and Lucille Lyons). Arfien was the son of Moksad Ali, who was born in Hooghly, West Bengal, India, and Ella Blackman. Lucille was the daughter of William Lyons and Lottie Green.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/ark:/61903/1:1:KQT2-Z5V
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKJC-LPYR
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJPQ-B3D
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MPYV-LFN
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKJ4-Q4VH
Rozonda’s great-grandfather’s brother was singer Bardu Ali
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bardu_Ali
So her ancestry would be:
African-American, 1/16th Bengali Indian, 1/16th Afro-Caribbean
Do you know if her Caribbean ancestry comes from Guyana, Trinidad or Suriname?
@Mixed Kidd
Her great grandmother was Augusta M. J. Bennett, daughter of Edmund Robert Bennet who was born in Saint John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, and of Marguerite Fields who was born in Iowa.
That would make Rozonda 1/16 Antiguan.
Edmund Robert Bennett was the bishop of African Orthodox Church.
@madman Why is Chili African-American over Bengali Indian?It depends on what she identifies as