Martin was raised in Newark, New Jersey, by parents who encouraged her love for music. As a child, she could be found competing in, and winning, many singing competitions, going on to appear in such children's programs as Big Blue Marble, Kids Are People Too and Captain Kangaroo. At age 15, she traveled to London to star as one of the three singers/narrators in the film version of Little Shop of Horrors. A graduate of the Arts High School in Newark, she then moved to Hollywood, where she became a star on the hit series, Rags to Riches.

Campbell-Martin later became a member of the American Film Institute and the Writer's Boot Camp where she honed her talents. She then produced the film short, A Luv Tale, about two women who fall in love with each other. The film would go on to win many awards including the Audience Choice Award at the Black Hollywood Film Festival.

Her first main movie role was as Chiffon, one of three girl group singers in the 1986 film Little Shop of Horrors with Rick Moranis. In 1992, she received a starring role in the hit comedy series Martin as Gina Waters, but left the show in its final season after filing a sexual harassment lawsuit against Martin Lawrence.

She has also appeared in many other movies, such as Boomerang, Another 48 Hrs., School Daze, Homeward Bound II, House Party, and House Party 2, and she had a minor role in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Her most current work is as a star in the comedy My Wife and Kids as Janet Kyle. In 2003, Campbell-Martin received the NAACP Image Award for "Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series."

Campbell-Martin is also an accomplished vocalist, leading Be Alone Tonight for Spike Lee's School Daze. She also put out an album, Tisha, in 1993. She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, former New York Knicks player and fellow actor Duane Martin, and their son, Xen. She is currently writing a cookbook, as well as a novel.