The singer was born as Eunice Waymon on February 21, 1933. “Nina” was her nickname and “Simone” was inspired by Simone Signoret, a French actress she was a fan of.

Nina Simone “Kanyed” Kanye when Rihanna sang a few verses of her 1968 hit “Do What You Gotta Do” on The Life of Pablo.

If Nina Simone said: “I’ll cut a b**ch”—she meant it! In one infamous incident, Nina was furious when an audience member would not stop talking during her set. She leapt

from the stage and cut him with a knife. In a 1999 interview with the BBC, Nina said she attempted to kill a record company executive with a

gun for not paying her. Don’t mess with Nina's coins!

But not like you think—it was her mother, Mary Kate Waymon, who was the minister. Being a preacher’s daughter, she was brought up in the Methodist faith and Simone began

signing and performing in the church. (Her father, John Divine Waymon, was a handyman.) 

When Nina met her second husband-to-be, Andrew Stroud, he was a New York City police officer. But soon after they fell in love, he left his post there to become

her manager full time. Smart move.

For about a month, anyway. Simone and Bowie met in the mid-70s, when she took her daughter Lisa to one of his concerts. Simone was at a low point in

her life then, and so Bowie called her every night for four straight weeks to offer his advice and support until she felt better.

Simone was known for her statement jewelry and colorful African-inspired dresses. But in 1967, she wore the same white crochet fishnet jumpsuit for the entire year. “I wanted people to

remember me looking a certain way,” she said. “It made it easier for me.” Easier for her wardrobe consultant, too!

If you think it’s amazing that Nina Simone has been eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 1986 and is only just getting in…Get this: She released

over 40 albums during her long career including studio albums, live versions, and compilations, and scored 15 Grammy nominees. But her highest-charting (and her first) hit, “I Loves

You, Porgy,” peaked at #2 on the U.S. R&B charts. 

Simone—who preferred to be called “Doctor Nina Simone”—was awarded three honorary degrees in music and humanities from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Malcolm X College, and Curtis Institute of Music. 

Nina lived right next door to the Civil Rights leader in Mount Vernon, New York. They share and eerie connection: February 21st is the day that Nina Simone was born;

it is also the day that Malcolm X died. Mind blown!