Taraji Penda Henson (born September 11, 1970) is an African American actress and singer. She is best known for her role as pregnant prostitute Shug in Craig Brewer's Hustle & Flow (2005).

Henson was born in Washington, DC, and attended oxon Hill High School in Oxon Hill, MD. Henson's first and middle names are of Arabic origin, meaning "hope". She claims to be a descendant of Matthew Henson, co-discoverer of the North Pole However, Henson had no American children with his wife, and only one Eskimo child with his companion Akatingwah All of Matthew Henson's Inuit descendents live Read more...

She has appeared in the films Baby Boy (2001), Hair Show (2004), Hustle & Flow (2005), Four Brothers (2005), and Talk to Me, and 2007 film Smokin Aces and was a cast member on Lifetime Television's The Division and ABC's Boston Legal for one season.

Henson made her singing debut in Hustle & Flow; she provided the vocals for the Three 6 Mafia track "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp". Read more...