Raising Fame

From his beginnings as a child star, Usher always knew he wanted fame and fortune and believed he had the talent to make it happen, especially under the guidance of his mom, Jonnetta Patton. Hear the story in an all-new Raising Fame See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lucille gave birth to Shaq when she was just 15 years old. But, age did not deter her from being a great mother. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singer-songwriter-producer-actor John Legend earned the moniker of "legend" early in a star-studded musical career. But an unusual and complicated upbringing lies behind this man's epic success. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes we don’t realize how much our parents have sacrificed for us. Kevin Durant reflects about how his mom raised both he and his brother. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Raising teenagers ain’t easy! Diane Barrino-Barber, Fantasia’s mother, details what is was like as a parent when Fantasia became a teen mom. As one herself, she felt defeated and as if there was a generational curse on their family. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ms. Cloerinda Porter-Ford chose life every day! Though she was born with a degenerative disability, she did not let that stop her from living life. May she rest in eternal peace. Get to know her and Billy Porter in a new way on an all-new episode of Raising Fame See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sonya and Lucille sit down with Hall of Fame basketball legend, billionaire businessman, team owner and philanthropist, Magic Johnson and his mom, Christine, who he says shaped him into the legend we've come to love. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We probably all remember a kid like Chance in school growing up!  If it weren’t for those curse words and getting into trouble, we may have never gotten to know Chance the Rapper as we do today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Award-winning actress Danielle Brooks and her parents share the extraordinary tale of her rise from a small-town South Carolina girl with big dreams to superstar of stage and screen. Dad marvels, “who knew we had a superstar in our midst.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the span of just a few months, the four Edwards children lost both their mother and grandmother to cancer. Their father wasn’t in their lives. That left the four siblings to fend pretty much for themselves. Here’s the incredible story of the two oldest siblings -- Antoine and Antoinette -- who were appointed by their mother as guardians before she passed. They were essentially still kids themse...

Some call the Oregon Ducks senior point guard one of the best kept secrets in college basketball…but if you’re in the Pacific Northwest, and pulling for him to win Pac-12 Player of the Year, you know he’s a local legend. His dad, a former college tight end and his mom, a former college gymnast, taught him that old fashioned grit could more than make up for his lack of size…and he proved them right...

Call her mom, call her CEO. Dr. Michelle Carter most certainly sat at the head of the table in shaping the icon that her son, Vince, would become. It didn’t happen by accident, and it wasn’t always easy as a black single woman taking her place in the conference room. But step by step, the educator and mother put into place the building blocks that would allow young Vince to grow up to become Vinsa...

“Rob wants you to think he’s a dumb jock”—but that’s all marketing, says Gordy Gronkowski, better known as Papa Gronk and the father of five professional athletes, including the best tight end of all time, former Patriot Rob Gronkowski. Here’s Gordy’s story of how he once had to market himself, and later his children, and how he systematically built an athletic empire in his basement and in his ki...

Fairy tales begin with “once upon a time” and usually involve a prince, a frog, or some fairy dust. The Williams sisters’ tale took a different route: grit, work, talent -- and a generous dose of intentional parenting. Many have heard the story of their father’s involvement in their rise to dominance in the sport of tennis. Here in a rare and candid interview, their mother, Oracene Price, gives HE...

Some are late bloomers. Others peak early and burn out. Megan Rapinoe was born a superstar, and she’s shining brighter than ever, with a World Cup Golden Boot and Golden Ball and, to cap it off, the 2019 Ballon D’Or for the best player in the sport of women’s soccer. Here’s her parents’ story of raising the fiery phenom who would grow up to defy the U.S. President and inspire young athletes around...

Anyone who watched Michael Phelps win Olympic gold, after gold, after gold, is familiar not just with his 24-karat smile in the water but also with the beaming face of his mother, Debbie, in the stands. In this candid interview, Debbie talks about raising the boy who would become the most decorated Olympian of all time. She speaks with great openness about the fact that raising a superstar isn’t a...

While many of his Warriors teammates wear their passion on their sleeves, Klay is a made of a different material. Quiet, intense and even mysterious, Klay is hard to read -- even his most ardent fans find him unknowable. Now in a rare interview, Julie and Mychal Thompson (himself a former #1 NBA draft pick) sit down together to talk openly with their friends Dell and Sonya Curry about raising the...

He was snubbed by the school he wanted. He was benched by the school he got. Instead of lying down and giving up, Joe Burrow took that chip on his shoulder and hauled it along to a national championship, a Heisman trophy, and a shot at #1 in the NFL draft. Hear his parents’ story of raising the superstar who got knocked down but keeps getting up, and up, and up. See omnystudio.com/listener for pri...

After 20 years as a New England God, Tom Brady is flying south to Tampa Bay. In this exclusive interview, his parents share their immediate reaction to their son’s huge decision...why they’re so excited about the move…their thoughts about Bill Belichick and Bruce Arians...how the Florida weather might benefit their son’s “aging” bones…and what Tom’s ambitions are for this season and beyond. Then t...

At 6’10”, 270 lbs., Duke freshman center Vernon Carey Jr. is more than just a chip off his offensive lineman dad’s block. Born when his mom and dad were teens but surrounded by caring family, Vernon Jr. and his parents grew up together. His parents’ fortunes changed when dad became a star for the Miami Hurricanes and later for the Dolphins. They taught him “Do it right, or don’t do it at all.” Lis...

Michigan State’s Coach Izzo is a passionate leader who looks for fire in his players as a sign of their true commitment. Along comes Cassius Winston, star Spartans point guard who simmers with a much quieter intensity. When Cassius’s younger brother died in November, Izzo had to balance supporting – and pushing – his young star. Here’s his parents’ story of raising the strong, steady young Cassius...

You don’t become the assist king and defensive boss of the NBA just by chance. You are RAISED to become that icon. And sure enough, as Charles and Robin Paul tell it, CP3 was shaped by some tough love and strong guidance into the superstar he is today. Listen to their story of raising the legend and his older brother, and how Chris was trained from an early age to become the assist master, philant...

She’s simply the best. The best college player, male or female, of all time. Mentored by Kobe and shattered by his loss. Setting records perhaps never to be broken. And while this is a thrill for her parents, none of it is shocking. Hear the detailed story of how Sabrina set her sights on greatness from the earliest age; how she competed fearlessly in face of bigger, older and stronger male player...

As a little boy, Obi watched his father’s epic street ball exploits and learned his dad’s nickname, “Dunkers Delight.” As it turned out, the apple fell close to the tree. Hear his parents’ roller coaster tale of the ups and downs of raising Obi into a dunk master himself…and how that little boy went from an unexpected arrival in their lives to a Dayton folk hero and projected top NBA draft pick. S...

Coco Gauff’s parents knew when she was three years old that they had a phenom on their hands. They just didn’t know what kind. Fiercely competitive, highly focused and naturally athletic, Coco showed star-promise as a mere toddler. In this open and revealing interview, her parents share the story of Coco’s childhood, and how they collectively narrowed her focus down to tennis. They speak about her...