Keisha Epps: The Remarkable R&B Singer Behind Total’s Lasting Musical Legacy

Keisha Epps holds a meaningful place in 1990s R&B history. As a member of the American vocal group Total, she helped bring a distinctive blend of soulful harmonies, hip-hop influences, and confident performances to mainstream music. Her career began long before many people recognized her as actor Omar Epps’s wife.

Also professionally known as Keisha Spivey, the singer performed alongside Kima and Pamela Long during Total’s successful years with Bad Boy Records. Songs such as “Can’t You See,” “Kissin’ You,” and “Trippin'” helped establish the group as one of the era’s most memorable R&B acts.

Her story extends beyond those recordings. She has returned to performing, explored acting, and supported her family’s creative interests.

This article covers Keisha Epps’ music career, her years with Total, her acting debut, marriage to Omar Epps, family background, and recent performances.

Quick Bio

Detail	Information
Professional Name	Keisha Epps
Also Known As	Keisha Spivey
Profession	Singer and actress
Music Genre	R&B, hip-hop soul
Associated Group	Total
Record Label	Bad Boy Records
Notable Albums	Total (1996), Kima, Keisha & Pam (1998)
Notable Film	The Devil You Know (2022)
Husband	Omar Epps
Children Together	K’mari and Amir Epps
Known For	Her contributions to Total and 1990s R&B

Who Is Keisha Epps?

Keisha Epps is an American R&B singer who gained recognition as one of the three members of Total, a group associated with the influential Bad Boy Records sound of the mid-to-late 1990s.

Her identity within entertainment has two particularly recognizable elements. Music listeners associate her with the recordings and performances that helped define Total’s career, while film and television audiences may recognize her through her marriage to Omar Epps.

However, reducing her public identity to that relationship would overlook her professional achievements. She participated in major R&B recordings, performed on nationally recognized tours, and later developed an interest in acting.

Her experience illustrates how artists from an earlier musical era can remain relevant through live performances, collaborations, and renewed audience interest.

Early Background and the Formation of Total

Total’s beginnings are closely tied to New Jersey and the shared musical interests of its founding members.

The group describes how Keisha encouraged Kima to pursue singing. Kima recalled that they knew each other in school and that Keisha approached her after hearing her sing.

That encouragement became an important early step in their professional relationship.

The pair eventually connected with Pamela Long through a producer who believed their voices would work well together. After meeting and exploring the possibility of performing as a group, the three singers formed Total.

They developed during a time when New York and New Jersey were central to emerging hip-hop and contemporary R&B.

The group later caught the attention of Sean Combs and became associated with Bad Boy Records.

Although major music biographies don’t extensively document Keisha’s childhood, the group’s early history offers useful insight into her initiative and involvement in Total’s formation.

The Breakthrough That Introduced Total to R&B Audiences

Total emerged as the boundaries between R&B and hip-hop became increasingly fluid.

Rather than relying entirely on conventional vocal arrangements, the group combined melodic singing with rhythm-driven production and a strong musical identity.

Their connection with Bad Boy Records placed them within a recording environment that included some of the most recognizable names in 1990s hip-hop.

Total contributed vocals to recordings associated with The Notorious B.I.G., including “Juicy” and “One More Chance.”

These appearances helped introduce the group’s sound to listeners before the release of its first studio album.

Another important moment arrived with “Can’t You See,” which featured The Notorious B.I.G. and appeared on the New Jersey Drive soundtrack.

The recording highlighted the combination of R&B vocals and hip-hop production that would become closely associated with Total.

As part of the trio, Keisha’s work helped shape a musical identity that reached audiences across both genres.

The Albums and Songs That Defined Her Music Career

Total released its self-titled debut album in 1996 through Bad Boy Records and Arista Records.

The project featured several recordings tied to the group’s success, including “No One Else,” “Kissin’ You,” and “Can’t You See.”

“Kissin’ You” showcased the group’s softer, melodic approach, while tracks like “No One Else” reflected the stronger hip-hop influences in its production.

The group returned in 1998 with its second studio album, Kima, Keisha & Pam.

That record included “Trippin’,” a collaboration involving Missy Elliott, and “Sitting Home.”

The album further cemented Total’s ties to prominent producers and songwriters in contemporary R&B.

Both albums became important parts of the group’s recorded legacy. The debut earned platinum certification in the United States, while the second earned gold certification.

For Keisha, these recordings form the foundation of her professional career and explain why music enthusiasts still associate her name with the R&B sound of the 1990s.

Returning to the Stage After Total’s Original Success

Following the group’s initial recording era, Total’s members pursued different personal and professional directions.

The group nevertheless maintained an audience interested in its original music.

In 2016, Keisha reunited with Kima and Pamela Long for the Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour. The performances brought Total’s catalog back to audiences who remembered the group’s original success.

The reunion also introduced its recordings to listeners who had discovered 1990s R&B through streaming platforms and later musical influences.

Further live performances followed.

In 2024, Keisha and Kima participated in the Queens of R&B Tour, which featured established performers including Xscape and SWV.

Their partnership became especially visible in 2025.

In October of that year, the two singers discussed Total’s history and their participation in performances alongside 112 during the Room 112 tour.

They also explained that Pamela Long chose not to join their performances, and they expressed respect for her decision.

During a November 2025 television appearance, Keisha and Kima reflected on their careers and performed familiar Total songs.

These activities showed that Keisha’s involvement in music didn’t end with the group’s original album releases.

Her Acting Debut in The Devil You Know

Keisha Epps expanded her entertainment career beyond music with an acting appearance in the 2022 thriller The Devil You Know.

Directed by Charles Murray, the film stars Omar Epps as Marcus Cowans.

Keisha portrays Tisha Cowans, a family member central to the story.

The project gave her a chance to work in a different creative discipline while appearing in a production with her husband.

In interviews about the film, Omar explained that Keisha studied acting under Tasha Smith and took the opportunity seriously.

Her participation is particularly notable because it provides an identifiable screen credit beyond her long-established singing career.

Although music remains her principal professional association, the film reflects her willingness to explore another area of entertainment.

Marriage to Omar Epps

Keisha Epps is married to American actor Omar Epps, whose screen career includes Love & Basketball, House, and Power Book III: Raising Kanan.

The couple married in the mid-2000s and have remained together for many years.

Their relationship has attracted attention because both individuals have established careers in entertainment.

Omar’s work in film and television has made him familiar to international audiences, while Keisha’s involvement with Total connects her to an influential period in American music.

Their professional paths have occasionally overlapped, most notably through their participation in The Devil You Know.

Omar has also discussed marriage in interviews, describing the importance of commitment and working through disagreements.

Their public appearances together have included entertainment premieres, industry ceremonies, and promotional events.

Although their marriage is part of their public story, Keisha’s achievements as a performer deserve recognition on their own, separate from her husband’s acting career.

Children and the Family’s Creative Interests

Keisha and Omar Epps have two children together, a daughter named K’mari and a son named Amir.

Their daughter has pursued her own musical interests.

K’mari has released recordings and developed her songwriting, reflecting a creative interest shared with her parents.

In 2024, she opened for the Queens of R&B Tour, featuring Xscape and SWV.

Keisha has publicly expressed pride in her daughter’s musical abilities and creative development.

The family’s connection to entertainment therefore spans generations.

Omar also has an older daughter from a previous relationship.

While the family’s entertainment connections occasionally attract attention, Keisha and Omar’s publicly documented work offers a more meaningful basis for understanding their professional and personal lives than speculation about private matters.

Why Keisha Epps Still Attracts Public Interest

Several reasons explain why readers keep searching for Keisha Epps.

Some discover her through Omar Epps and want to understand his wife’s professional background.

Others recognize her from Total and want to revisit the group’s recordings or learn about what its members have done since.

Her return to performing has renewed attention.

The continued popularity of 1990s R&B keeps artists associated with the period relevant to listeners who appreciate the genre’s development.

Total’s recordings also fit into a wider story involving influential record labels, producers, and the relationship between hip-hop and R&B.

Keisha’s acting appearance adds another dimension to that professional history.

Taken together, these connections explain why interest in her extends beyond one stage of her career.

Understanding Her Career Through Reliable Information

Keisha’s documented history includes two Total studio albums, major group recordings, reunion performances, an acting credit, and a longstanding marriage to Omar Epps.

These established details provide a clear picture without depending on unsupported online claims.

Some celebrity biography pages publish precise estimates of personal wealth, age, or other details without explaining where those figures originated.

Such claims are unnecessary for understanding her artistic contributions.

A more useful account focuses on the music she helped create, the performances she has undertaken, and the professional developments that can be supported by credible reporting.

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FAQs

1. Who is Keisha Epps?

Keisha Epps, also known as Keisha Spivey, is an American R&B singer and actress. She gained recognition as a member of the 1990s vocal group Total.

2. Is Keisha Epps Omar Epps’ wife?

Yes. Keisha is married to actor Omar Epps, known for his roles in House, Love & Basketball, and other film and television productions.

3. What music group was Keisha Epps part of?

She was a member of Total, alongside Kima and Pamela Long. The group recorded songs including “Can’t You See,” “Kissin’ You,” and “Trippin’.”

4. Does Keisha Epps have children?

Yes. Keisha and Omar have two children together, K’mari and Amir. Their daughter K’mari has also pursued music and songwriting.

5. Has Keisha Epps appeared in movies?

Yes. She appeared as Tisha Cowans in the 2022 thriller The Devil You Know, which also stars her husband, Omar Epps.

A Musical Legacy That Continues

Keisha Epps’ career connects several chapters of modern American entertainment. Her early work with Total helped shape the R&B landscape of the 1990s, while later performances have let audiences reconnect with the group’s music.

Her acting debut and continued involvement in entertainment demonstrate that her professional story extends beyond the recordings that first brought her recognition.

Although public interest frequently focuses on her marriage to Omar Epps, her lasting contribution is also found in the songs, collaborations, and performances that helped make Total a memorable name in R&B.