Amil

Amil is a given name. Notable people with the name include:

Amil (rapper)

Amil Kahala Whitehead (born September 19, 1978), known mononymously as Amil, is an American female rapper, singer, and songwriter from New York City. She was prominent in the late 1990s as a Jay-Z protégé, most notably on the single "Can I Get A..." from the Rush Hour soundtrack.

Early life

Amil was born September 19, 1978 in New York, New York. She is of African American, Native American (specifically Cherokee), and Caucasian descent.

Early career

In 1997, Amil was involved with an all-female group called "Major Coins". The group met Jay-Z, who was looking for a woman to provide vocals on his third album, Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life. The part for the female rapper was really for her friend, but when Jay-Z asked Amil to freestyle and liked it, he decided to put her on the song instead. Amil, wanting to remain loyal to her friend, did not prefer to be put on the song, but Jay-Z allowed them both to do a version of the song.

Soon after Major Coins broke up, Amil decided to follow a solo career with Jay-Z's label, Roc-A-Fella Records, joining the 1999 Hard Knock Life Tour. After the tour, she appeared on songs with Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Jermaine Dupri, AZ, DJ Kay Slay, LL Cool J and Funkmaster Flex.