Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. She subsequently ventured into acting and gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller Money Train. Lopez's first leading role was in the biographical film Selena (1997), in which she earned an ALMA Award for Outstanding Actress. She earned her second ALMA Award for her performance in the 1998 film Out of Sight. She then starred in the romantic comedies such as The Wedding Planner (2001) and Maid in Manhattan (2002). Lopez had bigger commercial successes with Shall We Dance? (2004) and Monster-in-Law (2005).
In 1999, Lopez released her debut studio album On the 6, which spawned the number one hit single, "If You Had My Love". Her second studio album, J.Lo (2001), was a commercial success, selling eight million copies worldwide. J to tha L-O!: The Remixes (2002), became her second consecutive album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200. Her third and fourth studio albums—This Is Me... Then (2002) and Rebirth (2005)—peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. In 2007, Lopez released two albums, including her first full Spanish-language album, Como Ama una Mujer, and her fifth English studio album, Brave. She won the 2003 American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and the 2007 American Music Award for Favorite Latin Artist. To date, Lopez has sold over 25 million albums worldwide.Lopez was ranked the 27th Artist of the 2000–10 decade by Billboard.Jennifer Lopez was born and grew up in Castle Hill, a neighborhood in the Bronx, New York. She is the daughter of Puerto Rican parents Guadalupe (née Rodríguez), a kindergarten teacher, and David Lopez, a computer specialist, both born in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Lopez was raised Roman Catholic. She has two siblings, Lynda and Leslie. Lopez spent her entire academic career in Catholic schools, finishing at the all-girls Preston High School in the Bronx.
She financed singing and dancing lessons for herself from the age of 19. After attending Baruch College for one semester, Lopez divided her time between working as a notary public in a legal office, dance classes, and dance performances in Manhattan night clubs. She had a little part in the 1987 film My Little Girl. After months of auditioning for dance roles, Lopez was selected as a dancer for various rap music videos, a 1990 episode of Yo! MTV Raps and as a backup dancer for the New Kids on the Block and their performance of their song "Games" for the American Music Awards in 1991. She gained her first regular high-profile job as a "Fly Girl" dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color from 1991-1993. Soon after, Lopez became a backup dancer for Janet Jackson and made an appearance in her 1993 video "That's the Way Love Goes".
From her 2007 pregnancy Lopez had been writing her then-confirmed seventh studio album, Love? due for release in Summer 2010. It features productions from Danja, Jim Jonsin, Darkchild, Chris n Teeb (from Dropzone), Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, D'Mile Mike Caren, Jean Baptiste and The Neptunes. A song titled "Fresh Out The Oven" featuring Miami rapper Pitbull surfaced online in October 2009 but her record label said that it was simply a buzz single. It has since topped the Hot Dance Club Songs chart. The project's official lead single, "Louboutins", had its radio debut on November 23, 2009, following the song's premiere and performance at the 2009 American Music Awards. The song only managed to enter the Hot Dance Club Play chart six weeks after release and reaching number 1, however, it failed to enter any other chart, including the Billboard Hot 100. In late February 2010, it was confirmed that Lopez and Epic Records have parted ways.Lopez's manager, Benny Medina confirmed the news saying "Jennifer had a wonderful relationship with the Sony Music Group, and they have shared many successes together, but the time was right to make a change that best serves the direction of her career as an actress and recording artist, she is grateful and appreciative to everyone at Sony for all that they accomplished together." Lopez later released a statement to the media where she said that she had already completed her contractual obligations with Sony Music Entertainment and Epic Records and decided it was for the best to end the partnership on amicable terms. She added that she found a new "home" [record label] for the album 'Love?' and it will be coming out Summer 2010. Shortly after being spotted talking to Island Def Jam Music Group's chairman and CEO L.A. Reid, it was confirmed on March 19, 2010 that Lopez signed with Def Jam Recordings, and is working on new material for Love? with Red Zone Entertainment (Kuk Harrell, The-Dream and Tricky Stewart).
