Sean Kingston
He crashed onto the charts as a teenager with a sunny, reggae-infused pop hit that defined the sound of 2007.
Born 1990 (age 36)·American singer·Birthday: February 3·Millennials
Biography
Born Kisean Paul Anderson in Miami and shaped by the rhythms of Kingston, Jamaica, Sean Kingston became an overnight pop sensation at just 17. His debut single 'Beautiful Girls,' a doo-wop and reggae hybrid built on a Ben E. King sample, shot to number one, making him one of the youngest artists to top the Hot 100 that decade. His self-titled debut album presented a buoyant, genre-blending persona, but maintaining that initial stratospheric success proved difficult. While later projects didn't capture the same massive audience, Kingston solidified his role as a hitmaker behind the scenes, collaborating with artists like Justin Bieber and writing for others, his early work leaving a permanent mark on the late-2000s pop landscape.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Sean was born in 1990, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Sean Was Born
The biggest hits of 1990
#1 Movie
Home Alone
Best Picture
Dances with Wolves
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Sean's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1990Born
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1995Started school
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2003Became a teenager
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Could drive
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2008Could vote
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2011Turned 21
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2020Turned 30
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 36 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Debut single 'Beautiful Girls' reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2007.
- His self-titled debut album peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart.
- Co-wrote the hit song 'Eenie Meenie' for Justin Bieber and Sean Kingston.
Did You Know?
He is the grandson of Jamaican reggae producer Lawrence 'Jack Ruby' Lindo.
He survived a near-fatal jet ski accident in 2011.
His stage name is a combination of his grandfather's first name and his birthplace of Kingston, Jamaica.
“"I'm not trying to be the next anybody, I'm trying to be the first Sean Kingston."”
