45 Black Celebrities You're Probably Only Just Now About To Find Out Are Related

  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

1. Marsai Martin and Janelle Monáe are cousins.

Marsai Martin and Janelle Monáe embracing
Rich Polk / Getty Images for Essence

2. Nico Parker is Thandiwe Newton's daughter.

Thandiwe Newton with her arm around Nico Parker's shoulder
Gregg Deguire / WireImage

3. Yara Shahidi is Nas's cousin.

Nas with his arm around a smiling Yara Shahidi's shoulder
Stefanie Keenan / Getty Images for Harper's Bazaar

4. Bianca Lawson is Beyoncé's stepsister.

Bianca Lawson with a long braided ponytail
David Livingston / Getty Images, Kevin Winter / Getty Images

5. Rashida Jones is Quincy Jones's daughter.

Rashida Jones and Quincy Jones smiling at each other
Tommaso Boddi / Getty Images for Netflix

6. Ludacris and Monica are cousins.

Ludacris and Monica smiling together
Prince Williams / WireImage

7. Richard Pryor was Ludacris's distant cousin.

Close-up of Ludacris in a suit and tie
Prince Williams / WireImage, Jim Smeal / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

8. John David Washington is Denzel Washington's son.

Denzel Washington with his arm around John David Washington's shoulder
Bruce Glikas / Bruce Glikas / WireImage

9. Snoop Dogg is Brandy and Ray J's cousin.

Close-up of Snoop Dogg
Steve Granitz / FilmMagic, Kevin Mazur / Getty Images

10. Maya Rudolph's mom was Minnie Riperton.

Close-up of Maya Rudolph
Gregg DeGuire / FilmMagic, Harry Langdon / Getty Images

11. Gabrielle Union and Saweetie are cousins.

Gabrielle Union and Saweetie smiling
Issac Baldizon / NBAE via Getty Images

12. RuPaul is Cory Booker's cousin.

Close-up of RuPaul
David Livingston / Getty Images, Bonnie Biess / Getty Images

13. Coi Leray is Benzino's daughter.

Close-up of Coi Leray
Paul Archuleta / Getty Images, Paras Griffin / Getty Images

14. Redfoo of LMFAO is one of Berry Gordy Jr.'s kids.

Redfoo and Berry Gordy Jr. smiling and giving hand gestures
Jason Merritt / WireImage

15. Viola Davis and Mike Colter are cousins.

Close-up of Viola Davis in a strapless outfit
Steve Granitz / WireImage, Nicholas Hunt / Getty Images

16. Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem are cousins.

Kendrick Lamar in a jean jacket
Jeff Kravitz / FilmMagic, Mindy Small / Getty Images

17. Pharrell Williams and Timbaland are cousins.

Pharrell Williams and Timbaland in baseball caps
James Devaney / WireImage

18. Stacey Dash and Damon Dash are cousins.

Stacey Dash and Damon Dash embracing
Theo Wargo / WireImage

19. Fantasia is cousins with "All My Life" singers K-Ci & JoJo.

Close-up of Fantasia
Jamie Mccarthy / Getty Images for Primary Wave En, Johnny Nunez / WireImage

20. Da Brat and LisaRaye are sisters.

LisaRaye with her arms around Da Brat's shoulders
Thaddaeus Mcadams / Getty Images

21. Nia Long is comedian Sommore's half sister.

Close-up of Nia Long smiling in a strapless outfit
Lisa O'connor / AFP via Getty Images, Bennett Raglin / WireImage

22. The Jacksons are reportedly cousins with Stevie Wonder.

Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder smiling together
Ron Galella Ltd. / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

23. Shaq is cousins with actor and comedian Bill Bellamy.

Shaquille O'Neal and Bill Bellamy smiling together
Isaiah Trickey / FilmMagic

24. Mason Gooding from the Scream franchise is Cuba Gooding Jr.'s son.

Mason Gooding and Cuba Gooding Jr. applauding
Tm / GC Images

25. And Omar Gooding is Cuba's brother.

Cuba Gooding with his arm on Omar Gooding's shoulder
Variety / Penske Media via Getty Images

26. Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad are sisters.

Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad smiling on the red carpet
Paras Griffin / Getty Images for Tyler Perry Studios

27. Lori Harvey is Steve Harvey's daughter.

Marjorie Elaine Harvey, daughter Lori Harvey, and Steve Harvey on the red carpet
Neilson Barnard / Getty Images

28. Martin Lawrence is reportedly cousins with his House Party costar Christopher "Play" Martin.

Close-up of Martin Lawrence giving a thumbs-up
Pablo Cuadra / WireImage, Michael Tullberg / Getty Images

29. Aldis Hodge and Edwin Hodge are brothers.

Aldis Hodge and Edwin Hodge on the red carpet
Matthew Simmons / Getty Images for SBIFF

30. Spike Lee is cousins with former NBA baller Baron Davis.

Spike Lee in a New York Yankees baseball cap
Bruce Glikas / Bruce Glikas / WireImage, Paul Archuleta / Getty Images

31. Baby Tate is the daughter of "Hopeless" singer Dionne Farris.

Dionne Farris and Baby Tate smiling together
Prince Williams / WireImage

32. Young Dolph and Juice WRLD were cousins.

Close-up of Young Dolph
Prince Williams / WireImage

33. Marques Houston is actually related to J Boog from B2K — not Omarion.

Marques Houston, J Boog, and Jerome "Romeo" Jones on the red carpet

They're cousins.

Leon Bennett / FilmMagic

34. Steve Harris and Wood Harris are brothers.

Close-up of Steve Harris
George Pimentel, Allen Berezovsky / WireImage

35. Coco Jones is the daughter of former NFL star Mike Jones.

Close-up of Coco Jones
Lisa O'connor / AFP via Getty Images, Doug Pensinger / Getty Images

36. Lenny Kravitz and Al Roker are distant cousins.

Close-up of Lenny Kravitz in leather and sunglasses
Rich Fury / Getty Images, Walter McBride / Getty Images

37. Lenny's mom was actor Roxie Roker.

Lenny Kravitz with his arm around Roxie Roker's shoulder
Vinnie Zuffante / Getty Images

38. Eniko Hart and Jordan Craig are cousins.

Eniko Hart with Kevin Hart

39. Quincy Brown's dad is R&B singer Al B. Sure! and his stepdad is Sean "Diddy" Combs.

Close-up of Quincy Brown smiling
Arnold Turner / Getty Images for CMA Entertainment, JC Olivera / Getty Images, Jason Kempin / Getty Images

40. Donna Summer was Bobby Brown's distant cousin.

Close-up of Donna Summer
Visual China Group via Getty Images, Greg Doherty / Getty Images

41. Isley Brothers guitarist Ernie Isley is the father of R&B newcomer Alex Isley.

Ernie Isley performing onstage
Stephen J. Cohen / Getty Images, Paras Griffin / Getty Images

42. Whitney Houston was Dionne Warwick's cousin.

Whitney Houston and Dionne Warwick performing onstage together
CBS Photo Archive / CBS via Getty Images

43. Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady are cousins.

Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady in a sports arena
Jesse D. Garrabrant / NBAE via Getty Images

44. MC Lyte is cousins with "Brooklyn Girls" rapper Charles Hamilton.

Close-up of MC Lyte smiling
Charley Gallay / WireImage, Carlos Chavez / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

45. Brian J. White's father was basketball great Jo Jo White.

Close-up of Brian J White smiling
David Livingston / Getty Images, Gail Oskin / WireImage

How many of the celebs on this list came as a surprise to you? Can you think of any others who also have famous family connections? Let me know in the comments below!

Also, Black History Month is here! Join us from Feb. 1 to Feb. 28 (or all year long) and support our content celebrating the culture.

Black History Month "We are the present, we are the future" artwork
Logan Perrin / BuzzFeed