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
Oh yea here are some pictures of East Indian men. Yea they sure look just like him lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiMBuNQnr2o
To mimi
Again what about the black skin ones,you keep leaving those people out,as if the lighter ones are the only ones.I’m just saying be fair,there’s not a country on this planet that don’t have black people in it
Even The Greatest Archeologist In The World Can Admit They Are Wrong!
You Need To Read Upon Books About Genetics Because U Are Just Being Ignorant! Ur Not A Physic, Or A Person Who Just Know These Things!
to total23
Were you talking to me,and What does this mean?I don’t get it
No I Am Not! Why Would I Say Something Like That To You Fuzzy! And Plus I Did Not Reply…..U Would Know If I Was Replying To. Just Like U Know That I Am Replying To U Now! Lol! U Still Don’t Get It!
Look respect your elders you little hoodlum,just kidding.ok misunderstanding check you later
I saw her dad on the show .Clearly he is a light skinned african american. He is not east indian/arab. First most east indians and arabs do not mix with each other.Second they usually do not abandon there kids,third he doesnt even look arab. I am muslim and I grew up with arabs and I am married to one.That was not an arab man.Chili’s dad is probably a muslim convert that is why he changed his name to Ali. That may not even be her real dad.
It Says Middle Eastern Not Eat Indian!
And East Indians And Arabs Do Mix Just Like Any Other Ethnicity! Look How White And Black People Never Used To Like Each Other But They Still Mixed, Whether With Racism Or Not! And Plus Not Every Arabs Think The Same Way, And Not Every East Indians Think The Same Way. East Indians Want U To Marry Within Ur Own Race But Yet I Have Seen So Many Half Black Half East Indians, Etc… Just Because U R Married To An Arab And Grew Up With Arabs Don’t Mean NOTHING!
yeah…my aunt’s dad is literally from the middle east, he actually moved back there from the bay area. he was really racist i guess all people in the world have some sort of thing against black people, not quite sure why but i guess thats the legacy of european colonialism. anyways even though she’s 1/2 pakistani…besides her hair i’ve seen more mixed looking black people. however, that goes to show that you never know what your genes will pick out for a combination. so you cant say just because she doesn’t look like what oyu want her to look, or just because her father doesn’t look like you- doesn’t mean he’s not what you are. No one has the right to take away someone’s ethnicity.lol
To OMG
It was taught that black skin was bad.See back in the day Pale(aka white) was thought to be a sin.Now since didn’t go well with the new people in charge,they flip the script.Now having black skin meant you were inferior,your ugly,that you were meant to serve.That when they invented the curse of Ham.Even Arabs thought this way
oh I completely understand, it’s still saddening to see particular races targeted even by people who have limited contact with them. In America Blacks are quite aware why they have inferiority complexes it’s the perks of enlightenment, but it’s saddening to see newer immigrant populations come over to bring more negative thoughts. The curse of Ham is not something just taught to Arabs it was the most poignant excuse White people used in America to keep slaves within their place….in order to commit such evil even to the point of twisting your religion you have to excuse your actions for enslavement and that was the route they chose. Interestingly enough, slaves considered themselves th eopposite and saw themselves sort of like the ensalved Hebrews in the Bible- but this is so off topic. I had to read and reread that same passage in the Bible to understand how it could be taken so out of context. I dare anyone to find 1 society in the world that does’t prize fair skin or where the people in power are not the lightest of the population.
Here Is A Video Where She Meets Her Father!
At 1:35
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx8C2OTPq-A&feature=related
great find Total23. He looks rather middle eastern.
Thanks! I New About The Video For Over A Year Now, Because I Was A Huge TLC Fan If You Were Too Compare To Today….But I Was Just Lazy To Post It!
TLC were such a influential group. TLC rock!
You Don’t Have To Tell Me Man….Lol I Love Them To Death….I Hope They Make A Comeback or a Comingthrough!
Ethnic, Wuts Your Ethnicity!?
Japanese. I forgot yours?
African Canadian!
nice!
This Chick is a Black women who happens to have a light skinned black father….why these people think anything light skinned with wavy hair cannot be of black decent is astonishing to me. Quite funny as we all know black come in all colors and variations…DUH
Chilli’s Father Is Not Black!
like i said earlier…black! even if her dad isnt she is a part of black culture and will undoubtedly tell u this HERSELF as she has in Many interviews over the years of her career. So it really doesnt matter if her dad is black or not…SHE IS
I agree chilli is a black girl with a light skinned dad. He looks like my uncle lol
chili doesnt look black. she looks more east indian. Look at her fuckin natural hair texture. Not charadteristic of black people now is it?
@mid:it depends on what black people your talking about.black people aren’t all the same,plus all the black people over there descend from from the very black people your trying to insult
Another thing ,WTF is a black person suspposed to look like,I’m sick of people telling us what we’re suspposed to look like
Actually she looks mixed with Native American moreso than East Indian they have they deep mocca brown skin. She looks like she is part blackfoot indian. However, she isn’t. I guess the lesson is it’s not about what she looks like it’s what she says she is. Her father may look like a light skin black man but if he says he isn’t he’s not. Wouldn’t that be retarded for a grown man to lie about his ethnicity. I doubt he would get on national t.v. and do that. Seems bizzare. The man is probably what he says he is.
that video on youtube proves that dude is black, no question about that @ total23 u must be blind or something.
I Am Not Blind Number 1, And The Picture Is Not All That Clear Number 2! And Number 3, Chilli Said So Herself That After Meeting Her Father That He Was Middle Eastern And East Indian Descent!
To total
What do you think her father is?Also don’t say he’s middle eastern or from india,because that means very little
I Think Her Father Is Whateever Her Father Is! Middle Eastern And East Indian Descent!
@total:but that doesn’t mean anything,it doesn’t stop him from being a black man.That’s just like me being Latino, but that doesn’t stop me from being a black guy
To Total23
Oh trying to get smart mouth with huh!Don’t have me come to Canada. That’s just like me saying American,which means I could be anything.Both Middle Eastern And East Indian have a whole lot of black people in it
Ok Yes I Am Aware Of That! But They Would Have Said He Was Black! You Think Chilli Wouldn’t Mention That He Was Black! Plus I Am Not Talking About Him Being Black No More, I Am Talking About How He Identifys Which Is By His Culture And Religion! Who Cares If Someone Is Black, White, Or East Asian etc. Culture And Religion Plays A Good Part In Life….Just Like You Fuzzy, When You Tell Dominicans That Look Black That They Are Black, But Then They Respond And Tell You That They Are Not Black, But Latino! Doesn’t That Prove That Culture Is More Of An Influence On A Person Rather Than Race? Which Is Why I Say He Is Middle Eastern And East Indian Descent!
To total 23
Well now see you should have said that’s the way you were looking at it.Actually it kinda funny,that’s how the north African arabs saw themselves as being different.Even if in many cases they were darker than the other Africans
Chilli Is Beautiful To Me.
And To MiMi, She Is Not Confused She Barely Knew Her Father And If She Said At One Point That She Was Rican Then She Probably Heard It From A Maternal Relative Of Hers And Assume! And Just Becuase Her Father Doesn’t Look Like Arab Doesn’t Mean That He Is Not. You Need To Do Your Research On Ethnicity Before Saying Things Like That!
Sorry but I am muslim and I am married to a palestinian from Ramallah. I know arabs.That is not an arab/east indian…
Every Single Ethnicity Come In Different Shades And Different Looks Due To Admixture. And It Does Not Say East Indian, It Says Middle Eastern.
Oh Sorry, I Meant To Say It Doesnot Say Arabs It Say Middle Eastern!
true! Middle eastern does not equal arab. Not everyone middle eastern is arabian people. Middle Easterners include Arabs, Turks, Kurds, and Iranian. All those elasticities and MORE are in the middle east. Come on its simple. Syrians/Lebanese/ Palestinians alone are barely even arabs in the true sense, those nations almost ALL its people are mixed roman, french, turkish, arab, and seriously, most lebanese do not even consider themselves arab, they say they are “Phoenician”.
TL;DR
Middle Eastern does not mean you are an arab.
BTW arabs are people just like anyone else, keep that in mind okay? that means they have different personalities, shades of skin, and features : ).
My step father is egytpian (arab) and he is high yellow, where as my bf is lebanese and he has whitish skin (though the other features make it obvious that he is arab).
And its true many arabs are self-important or racist, but um, THEY ARE HUMAN BEINGS, DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES. SOME ARE LIKE THAT, SOME ARE NOT.
p.s. Im black to, white a white-skinned arab future husband, does that tell you anything?
just like white people, not all arabs are racist.
Chili is mad confused.When she first came out she said she was half RIcan.Now all of sudden she is Arab and East Indian. First Arabs and Indians barely even mix. Most Indian people stick with there own kind.Next I see Sally and her dad was not an Arab.He was a lightskinned black man.Maybe half white but for sure not arab.I grew up with ARABS and I am married to one so I know how they look. Her dad looked like Sinbad or Renardo Rey from comic view.Obviously she does have something in her due to that hair ,but it for sure is not east indian/arab.
Ha Ha your comments are hilarious; “I grew up with arabs and I am married to one so I know how they look”.
ARAB IS NOT A RACE ANDTHEY COME IN ALL SHADES AND HAIR TEXTURE ARABS CAN LOOK LIKE P DIDDY TO LOOKING LIKE OMAR SHARIFF.
I doubt you grew up with arabs and its very unlikely you are married to one otherwise you would n’t have made such a ludicrious statement.
LOVE YA POST NO ONE RACE LOOKS A CERTAIN RACE . I HATE WHEN PPL MAKE IGNORANT COMMENTS LIKE THAT !
I MEANT CERTAIN WAY !
Yes I did grow up with arabs. My husband is from palestine also. Her dad is probably a muslim convert. Most middle eastern men do not impregnate women and abandon there kids. In fact in there culture the man gets the kids. Chili is full of shit.
Chilli Is Not Full Of Shit! Y Wood U Say That, That’s An Info That Her Father Gave Her….If Her Father Is Middle Eastern And East Indian Descent Then So Be It….
And I Like How U Said That “Most Middle Eastern Men Do Not Impregnate Women And Abandon There Kids”. Which Clearly Means There Are Middle Eastern Who Would.
And Plus Her Father Could Be Like A Second Generation American Or W/E So He Would Have A Different Personality That Of A Middle Eastern And An East Indian!
That man probably is not even her dad. Chili to me looks like she is probably a quarter Asian. Her dad does not even look like an Arab/Indian. Next clue they said he was in the military what Arab man is going to join and fight in the US military. Answer is none. He is probably half white and half black and probably Muslim that is why his name is Abdul Ali. I am black and I have an arabic first and last name,but not one trace of Arab in me. By the way here are some pictures of Arabic men. He does not look like NONE Of them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_W-WywcmGc&feature=related
To Mimi
I’m sorry to get in this,but you only are showing one kind of Arab men,they come in different colors to.Black skin Arab men are in every country over there,so he doesn’t have to look like the guys in the video
And That Is Her Real Father, The Sally Raquel Show W/E Did A DNA Test!
And The Brown Skin Could Be From His East Indian Ancestors!
To total23
Arabs are brown and black in color,they just like to promote the light skin ones,as if black skin people there don’t exist.From what I read,and the ones I’ve talk to,arabs have gotten pretty racist,they seem to believe black skin people are below them and are there to serve them;except the women who they like to make babies with
lmao. until i meet 1 person who has been to all middle eastern countries and has met PERSOnally every person in all the countries than i dont want to hear anymore about this im married to a…im from blach blach blah. Trust me, chili didnt know her father she probaably picked Rican because it’s one of the more well known ethnic groups in america and she couldnt figure out what she looked like. she is what she is so dont act high and mighty. and she doesnt look asian..tiger woods, kimora lee, amerie the singers look clearly mixed with asian. And theres a hell of a lot of africans especailyl easterna dn southern africans dark as can be with the most Asiatic eyes. we’re all one race dont forget that.
Men from the middle east in New York that own bodega’s, always seem to impregnate black/brown girls and leave them. My friend was 14 and got pregnant by a 35 year old Middle Eastern Muslim store owner. The Caribbean is filled with abandoned children from men from Lebanon (also store owners) that they call “Syrians”. Most of the businesses in Caribbean are owned by “Syrians and the Chinese.
not in puerto rico