[6] She has a younger sister, Chudney Lane Silberstein, and an older half-sister, Rhonda Ross Kendrick.

When her mother married Arne Næss Jr. in 1985, Tracee gained three step-siblings: Katinka, Christoffer, and folk singer Leona Naess.

Following a speech at the American Music Awards, Internet trolls commented on her condition, leading her to post an Instagram video saying, "I know y'all make fun of my eyes, you know what I mean?

"[10] Ross made her big-screen debut in 1996, playing a Jewish/African-American woman in the independent feature film Far Harbor.

The following year, she debuted as host of The Dish, a Lifetime TV magazine series keeping tabs on popular culture.

Ross's biggest career achievement came when she landed the lead role in the hit UPN/The CW series Girlfriends, starring as the show's protagonist Joan Carol Clayton — a successful (and often neurotic) lawyer looking for love, challenges, and adventure.

[18] In 2011, Ross appeared in four episodes of CSI as the estranged wife of Laurence Fishburne's character.

[19][20] Ross starred in the sitcom Reed Between the Lines with Malcolm-Jamal Warner airing on BET starting in October 2011.

[27] Ross's 2016 nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series was the first for an African-American woman in that category in 30 years.

She emerged victorious with performances of Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass" and Pat Benatar's "Love Is a Battlefield".

In 2015, Ross was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts (honoris causa) by Brown University.

[31] As of 2018, as CEO of Pattern Beauty LLC of El Segundo, California, Ross produces a line of "Juicy and Joyful" beauty hair care products made with safe ingredients for curls and promotes support organizations to empower women and people of color.

[32][33] In 2019, Ross created, alongside Kenya Barris, a prequel spin-off of Black-ish called Mixed-ish.

[34][35] Ross will star in and executive produce the adult animated comedy television movie Jodie, but the film lacks a studio or distributor.

[37] In 2020, Ross played the leading role of Grace Davis, a legendary superstar singer, in the musical comedy-drama film The High Note for Focus Features.

[45] In 2022, after the series finale of Black-ish, Ross appeared as Lainie in the seventh episode of the revived The Kids in the Hall, released in May 2022.

[46] She produced The Hair Tales, a limited docuseries for hulu and Oprah Winfrey Network.

[49] Also in 2023, she starred opposite Eddie Murphy in the holiday comedy Candy Cane Lane directed by Reginald Hudlin.