Dalvin DeGrate

Dalvin Ertimus DeGrate (born July 23, 1971; Hampton, Virginia), better known by his stage name Mr. Dalvin, is an American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, record producer, and rapper, best known as one-quarter of the R&B group Jodeci.

Early Life

DeGrate was born in Hampton, Virginia, to Donald and Mary DeGrate; his father was a minister, and Dalvin and his siblings were raised in a household steeped in gospel music. The family later relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina, where his passion for music continued to develop. He is the younger brother of Donald "DeVanté Swing" DeGrate, with whom he grew up singing gospel music as part of a family group before the two later formed the core of Jodeci. Growing up exposed to both gospel and secular music shaped the diverse musical palette he would draw on throughout his career.
 

Career

DeGrate co-founded Jodeci in 1988 with his brother, DeVanté Swing, after connecting with fellow gospel-singing brothers Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey and Joel "JoJo" Hailey. With limited funds, the newly formed quartet travelled to New York City to audition directly for Uptown Records CEO Andre Harrell, performing "Come and Talk to Me" and "I'm Still Waiting" live; Harrell signed the group on the spot, placing them under the guidance of then-label intern Sean "Puffy" Combs.

Jodeci's name was drawn from parts of its members' names, though Dalvin's own entry into the group came about at the last minute. The group's 1991 debut album, Forever My Lady, reached number one on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart and was eventually certified triple platinum, led by the number-one R&B single "Forever My Lady" alongside "Stay" and the gold-certified "Come and Talk to Me." Dalvin, who rarely took lead vocals within the group, contributed rap verses, songwriting, and production, and occasionally played drums onstage, with credits on the group's follow-up albums Diary of a Mad Band and The Show, the After Party, the Hotel.

He released his debut solo album, Met.A.Mor.Phic, on April 18, 2000, led by the single "Why Can't We." He later recorded a second solo album, Met.A.Mor.Phic 2: The Rivalry of a Singer and a Rapper, for Def Jam Recordings, featuring guest appearances by Method Man, Redman, and Ludacris, before leaving the label amid a dispute and founding his own imprint, DeGrate Productions.

Jodeci reunited in 2015, releasing the album The Past, the Present, the Future via Sphinx Music Entertainment and Epic Records, which reached number six on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and featured guest appearances by B.o.B. and Mila J. Dalvin continued releasing solo material independently, including the single "Vindication (Get Money)," featuring GOODZ, in 2017, and "GoodTimez," featuring Tali, in 2020.

On his 52nd birthday in July 2023, he released the solo EP FAMOUS, for which he wrote, produced, performed lead and background vocals, and served as studio engineer, with additional production from his nephew, Justin Burton. Jodeci's most recent single, "Action," was released in May 2025.

Personal Life

DeGrate was previously in a relationship with Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins of TLC during the mid-to-late 1990s. He remains close with his brother, DeVanté Swing, with whom he shares both a musical and family bond stretching back to their childhood gospel performances. As part of Jodeci, DeGrate has been credited with helping shape one of the defining sounds of 1990s R&B, blending gospel-rooted harmony with hip hop attitude and swagger, and the group's catalogue continues to influence contemporary R&B artists.

Current Activities

DeGrate continues to perform with Jodeci, which reunited with management group P Music Group in 2021 and has maintained an active touring schedule since, including the 2022 Culture Tour alongside New Edition and Charlie Wilson, the 2023 Summer Block Party Tour with SWV and Dru Hill, and a run of 2026 tour dates marking the 35th anniversary of Forever My Lady and the 30th anniversary of The Show, the After Party, the Hotel.