Happy Cinco De Mayo! Celebs You Didn’t Know Are Mexican

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Esperanza Spalding

A relative unknown, Esperanza Spalding became a household name after winning the 2011 Grammy for Best New Artist, beating out Justin Bieber and Drake while simultaneously making history by becoming the first jazz artist to win that award. Born to a Black father and a mother of Mexican descent, the 29-year-old has admitted she does not know her exact ethnic make up. “My mom had me late and grew up in a culture where diversity wasn’t exciting, like it is now,” she said. “Her family didn’t make a big effort to embrace and pass on their inherited lineage stories.” Trying to make up for lost time, Spalding has always had an interest in music from other cultures and even sings some songs in Portuguese.

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