OK, so every teen-ager hasn't grubbed with Michael Jackson, rubbed elbows with Whitney Houston or lounged at the Grammy Awards. But considering their folks' grand state of celebrity, these are pretty much regular city kids.
Recently, these fortunate sons spoke about how their parents' fame shaped their childhoods - and inspired their plans.
It's a busy Thursday night on Delaware Avenue and "Z" is on a mission. He walks inside a Wings to Go, where folks are scattered across the room watching a Flyers' game and getting their grub on. No one pays him any mind. He's just another bachelor in this city on a mission to find a good Buffalo wing.
Had his momma - Philly's treasured diva - tagged along, this scene would have played out much differently.
"The only question I don't like is when people ask me, `What's it like having Patti Labelle as your mother?' She's the only mother I've known for 25 years, it's normal to me," said Edwards, whose first name means "beautiful" in Swahili.
Lauryn Hill rocked the music world with her heartfelt tribute to her son Zion last year. It wasn't the first time an R&B artist had praised her baby boy on a record.
Patti LaBelle's classic ballad, "You Are My Friend," was co-written by her manager and husband of almost 30 years, Armstead Edwards, in honor of their son. Zuri Edwards said it wasn't till he was about 10 that he realized his mother was famous.
"I went to a concert, and I remember thinking, `What's all the yelling about?' " he said.
Over the years, he has come to realize that Mom ain't everyone's cup of tea. And no matter who you are, it's hard to hear folks talk about your mother.
"I've heard people say that she sings too loud. When I was younger, it used to bother me and I was ready to fight. But now I'm mature, and I realize that everyone has their opinion," he said.
