Julio Iglesias

Born: September 23, 1943 in Madrid, Spain
Years Active: 70 's, 80 's, 90 's, 00's
Genre: VOCAL

Julio Iglesias was the most popular Latin singer of the '70s, '80s, and beyond, selling over 300 million albums around the world. He was a smooth, romantic crooner, and his appeal translated to many different countries in many different languages.


Initially, Iglesias planned to be a lawyer. As he studied, he was a goalkeeper for the Real Madrid football team. His career as an athlete was ended after an automobile accident in the mid-'60s. While he was recovering, Iglesias started playing guitar and writing songs. Before he began a musical career, he finished his law studies at Cambridge University. In 1968, he was a contestant at the 1968 Spanish Song Festival at Benidorm, singing his original song "La Vida Sigue Igual." Iglesias won the first prize at the contest, which led to a record contract with Discos Columbia, an independent record label.

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Luther Vandross

 

Born: April 20, 1951
Died: July 1, 2005

Luther Vandross was one of the most successful R&B artists of the 1980s and '90s. Not only did he score a series of multi-million-selling albums containing chart-topping hit singles and perform sold-out tours of the U.S. and around the world, but he also took charge of his music creatively, writing or co-writing most of his songs and arranging and producing his records. He also performed these functions for other artists, providing them with hits as well. He was, however, equally well known for his distinctive interpretations of classic pop and R&B songs, reflecting his knowledge and appreciation of the popular music of his youth. Possessed of a smooth, versatile tenor voice, he charmed millions with his romantic music.


Vandross was born in New York City on April 20, 1951, and grew up in the Alfred E. Smith housing projects in lower Manhattan. Both of his parents, Luther Vandross, Sr., an upholsterer, and Mary Ida Vandross, a nurse, sang, and they encouraged their children to pursue music as a career. Vandross Sr.'s older sister Patricia Van Dross was an early member of the Crests in the mid-'50s (appearing on their early singles, but leaving before they achieved success with "Sixteen Candles"), and Vandross himself began playing the piano at the age of three and took lessons at five, although he remained a largely self-taught musician. After the death of his father in 1959 when he was eight years old, he was raised by his mother, who moved the family to the Bronx. While attending William Howard Taft High School, he formed a vocal group, Shades of Jade, with friends Carlos Alomar, Robin Clark, Anthony Hinton, Diane Sumler, and Fonzi Thornton. All five, along with 11 other teenage performers, were also part of a musical theater workshop, Listen, My Brother, organized by the Apollo Theater in Harlem that recorded a single, "Listen, My Brother"/"Only Love Can Make a Better World," and appeared on the initial episodes of the children's television series Sesame Street in 1969. After graduating from high school that year, Vandross attended Western Michigan University, but dropped out after a year and returned home. He spent the next few years working at odd jobs while trying to break into the music business.

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 Jeffrey Osborne

 

Born: March 9, 1948

Jeffrey Osborne began his professional singing career in 1969 with a popular funk and soul group called Love Men Ltd. The band moved to Los Angeles in 1970 and changed its name to L.T.D. Osborne was originally brought on as the drummer and eventually became the lead vocalist. After more than ten years with the band, he decided to pursue a solo career, which produced such Top 40 hits as "Don't You Get So Mad," "Stay With Me Tonight," and "Love Power," which he performed with Dionne Warwick.

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 Frederick Anthony "Freddie" Jackson

 

Frederick Anthony "Freddie" Jackson (born on October 2, 1956) is an American soul singer. He was an important figure in R&B during the 1980s and early 1990s. Among his well-known hits are "Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake)", "Jam Tonight", "Do Me Again," and "You Are My Lady".

Jackson was trained as a gospel singer from an early age, singing at the White Rock Baptist Church. There he met Paul Laurence, who would later become his record producer and songwriting partner. After completing school, Jackson joined Laurence's group LJE (Laurence-Jones Ensemble) and played the New York nightclub scene. During the early 1980s, Jackson moved to the West Coast and sang lead with the R&B band 'Mystic Merlin', but soon returned to New York to work with Laurence at the Hush Productions company. He sang on demo recordings of Laurence's compositions, and also served as a backing singer for Melba Moore after she saw his nightclub act.

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Imagination

 

Imagination were a trio from the U.K. that put a synthesized and often clubby spin on soul groups from the '70s. In fact, a couple of '70s groups have direct ties to Imagination; Leee John and Ashley Ingram spent time during that decade playing supportive roles in the Delfonics and Chairmen of the Board, prior to Imagination's formation. Along with drummer Errol Kennedy, vocalist John and bassist Ingram formed the group in 1981. By the end of that year, they already had their first album released and a minor hit in the form of that album's title track, "Body Talk." The group's second album, 1982's In The Heat Of The Night, was their most successful, spawning a trio of U.S. R&B chart hits in the form of "Just An Illusion" (number 27), "Music And Lights" (number 52), and "Changes" (number 46). Those singles were even more popular in their home country, with the first pair reaching the Top Five. The remix collection Night Dubbing appeared the following year, as did the group's third proper album, Scandalous. The group's success fizzled until their mid-'90s breakup (at the time, Leee John was the only remaining original member), though 1984's "This Means War" was able to put a dent in the U.S. R&B chart. John remained active in the entertainment industry, hosting U.K. television programs and continuing his recording career as a solo artist and collaborator. Since the group's split, several compilations have been released; Music Club's The Very Best Of Imagination is the best place to start.

Illusion
Illusion
Illusion
Illusion

Searching for a destiny that's mine
There's another place another time
Touching many hearts along the way
Yeah
Hoping that I'll never have to say

It's just an illusion (Ooohhh ah ah) - illusion (Ooohhh ah ah) - illusion.
Follow your emotions anywhere
Is it really magic in the air?
Never let your feelings get you down
Open up your eyes and look around
It's just an illusion (Ooohhh ah ah) - illusion (Ooohhh ah ah) - illusion.

Could it be that it's just an illusion putting me back in all this confusion?
Could it be that it's just an illusion now?
Could it be that it's just an illusion putting me back in all this confusion?
Could it be that it's just an illusion now?

Could it be a picture in my mind? Never sure exactly what I'll find.
Only in my dreams I turn you on
Here for just a moment then you're gone.
It's just an illusion (Ooohhh ah ah) - illusion (Ooohhh ah ah) - illusion.

(Ooohhh ah ah) - illusion (Ooohhh ah ah) - illusion
(Ooohhh ah ah) - illusion (Ooohhh ah ah) - illusion.

Could it be that it's just an illusion putting me back in all this confusion?
Could it be that it's just an illusion now?
Could it be that it's just an illusion putting me back in all this confusion?
Could it be that it's just an illusion now? . . .

James Ingram

Born: February 16, 1956 in Akron, OH
Years Active: 80 's, 90 's
Genre: R&B

James Ingram began performing with the band Revelation Funk in the early '70s, moving from Akron, Ohio to Los Angeles in 1973. During the '70s, Ingram supported Ray Charles on the road with backup vocals and piano, played keyboards behind the Coasters on Dick Clark's oldies revues, and was Leon Haywood's musical director. After hearing a demo of him singing "Just Once," Quincy Jones asked Ingram to perform on his new album. Released in 1980 on The Dude, the number 17 "Just Once" was Ingram's first success, resulting in three Grammy nominations -- Best New Artist, Best Pop Male Vocal, and Best R&B Vocal -- winning in the two latter categories. Throughout the '80s, Ingram had steady popular success singing duets, but all of his solo albums failed to make a dent in the charts; in 1990 he scored his first solo hit, "I Don't Have the Heart."

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Dante Thomas-Miss Califonia

Dante Thomas almost gave up on his dream of becoming a singer like Donny Hathaway or Stevie Wonder. On his first attempt, straight out of high school, he left his hometown of Salt Lake City, UT, and hopped a bus for the Big Apple, where he didn't know a soul. He spent his first night in New York on a bench at the Port Authority bus station. The singer made some headway but soon discovered that New York wasn't for him. He went home to Utah with thoughts of finding a regular job. His dream continued to pull at him, however, and he decided to give it a second chance. Fortune rewarded Thomas' persistence. He scored a big hit with his first single, "Miss California." The release went gold in France, Sweden, and Germany, and sold exceptionally well throughout all of Europe. When it hit the airwaves in the U.S., the record claimed a place on the charts in the Top 20. A tour that billed Thomas alongside 'N Sync further broadened the vocalist's fan base.

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Kenny Thomas

Kenny Thomas grew up on Hillside Estate in Stamford Hill and went to Cardinal Pole RC School in Hackney . He was a boxer and a BT technician before turning his hand to a singing career. His breakthrough came in 1991 with his debut hit "Outstanding", a cover of a Gap Band song, which went to number 12 in the UK Singles Chart.[2] He placed another three singles in the UK chart that year including his biggest hit in the July "Thinking About Your Love", which peaked at number four and stayed on the chart for 13 weeks, and "Best Of You", which peaked at number 11 and was in the chart for 7 weeks.[2] The former hit was produced by Tim Lever and Mike Percy formerly of the band, Dead or Alive. Thomas' debut album Voices (1991) made number three in the UK Albums Chart and selling over 600,000 copies.

At the annual BRIT Awards, in February 1992 he was nominated for an award in two categories, Best British Male Vocalist and Best British Newcomer. His second album in 1993 Wait For Me produced by Ian Green and including contributions from Nu Colours and The Young Disciples, made number 10 in the album chart. The lead single from the album "Trippin On Your Love" originally recorded by The Staple Singers made number 17 in the singles chart. Two more singles from the album followed, both of which failed to make a big impact on the charts. The single "When I Think of You" was released in 1995, this was taken from his intended third album, which remained un-released due to a split with the record label.

His career enjoyed a brief revival in 2005 when he took part in the televised singing contest on ITV's Hit Me Baby One More Time. He was joined by other one time big pop stars including Shakin' Stevens and Shalamar; the show was eventually won by Stevens.

Thomas supported Level 42 on their autumn 2006 tour of the UK. July 2006 also saw the release of a new studio album called Crazy World. In 2010, Thomas became a qualified acupuncturist, and he is releasing a new album, Breathe, in September 2011. Producers on the album include such UK-based studio-bods as Mark Jaimes & Danny Saxon, 5AM, Sir Piers and The Drizabone Soul Family.
[
Personal life

Kenny is married to the South African singer and songwriter Francisca Blasich and they have a daughter together called Angela.

Discography
Albums

* Voices (1991) UK #3
* Wait For Me (1993) UK #10
* The Best (1999)
* Greatest Hits (2001)
* Crazy World (2006)
* Breathe (2011)

Singles

* "Outstanding" (1990)
* "Outstanding" (reissue) (1991) UK #12
* "Thinking About Your Love" (1991) UK #4
* "Best Of You" (1991) UK #11
* "Tender Love" (1991) UK #26
* "Stay" (1993) UK #22
* "Trippin' On Your Love" (1993) UK #17
* "Piece By Piece" (1993) UK #36
* "Destiny" (1994) UK #59
* "When I Think Of You" (1995) UK #27
* "Crazy World" (2006)
* "The Show Is Over" (2011)

Cynthia-Latin Freestyle singer

Latin Freestyle singer Cynthia

Cynthia Torres, better known as Cynthia is a Spanish-American Freestyle music singer of Puerto Rican descent, she began her career at the age of sixteen singing in a group with future fellow freestyle artist Sa-Fire, which landed Cynthia an audition for a record producer, two weeks later, she landed a contract for the Micmac Records, in her first (self titled) album Cynthia made her major breakthrough in 1990 with the classic club hits "Change on Me" and "Endless Nights "She had a second successful album" Cynthia II "Since signing with Tommy Boy Records in 1992 his career has been somewhat less successful with only some minor club hits

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SURFACE

When you think of the group Surface, the term disco dancefloor doesn't come to mind. The '80s soft soul vocal trio known for such lush ballads as "Closer Than Friends" and the million-selling singles "Shower Me With Your Love" and the number one pop hit "The First Time" had one of its first charting records as artists signed to dance music pioneer Salsoul Records. "Falling in Love," co-written by Surface member David Conley, doesn't have much in common with the aforementioned titles other than the group name and a (presumably) Conley flute solo. The single made it to number 84 R&B in summer 1983 and the U.K. pop charts. Singer Bernard Jackson who grew up in Stamford, CT, got into the music business through his cousin who lived in New York. Seizing the opportunity, he relocated to New York and began performing around the city.

While doing a show in Stamford, his godfather suggested that he contact his nephew David Townsend who was also in the music business. Townsend, a former touring guitarist for the Isley Brothers, was the son of singer/songwriter/producer Ed Townsend who had a hit with "For Your Love" in summer 1958 and wrote the Impressions' "Finally Got Myself Together (I'm a Changed Man)" and co-wrote Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On." Around 1973, Townsend joined a band called the Port Authority where he met David "Pic" Conley. Townsend, whose father shared hit songwriting tips with him, began writing songs with Conley. After Townsend and Conley met Jackson it was decided that they'd write songs together.

The trio became staff writers for EMI Music. Their songs were covered by New Edition ("Let's Be Friends" from their 1985 MCA LP All for Love) and Sister Sledge ("You're So Fine"). The trio became performers using the name Surface and moved to Los Angeles. An EMI Music executive brought one of their songs, "Let's Try Again," to the attention of Larkin Arnold of Columbia Records. Arnold's previous successes include Natalie Cole and Peabo Bryson. He signed the group to Columbia and their first single "Let's Try Again" charted number 80 R&B in late 1986. The debut album Surface included the smooth and sweet "Happy," which hit number two R&B for two weeks in early 1987, "Lately" (number eight R&B), and the reissued "Let's Try Again." The next LP, 2nd Wave yielded "I Missed" (number three R&B), "Closer Than Friends" (number one R&B for two weeks in early 1989), the wedding standard "Shower Me With Your Love" (gold, number one R&B/number five pop), "You Are My Everything" (number one R&B for two weeks), and "Can We Spend Some Time" (number five R&B). Jackson brought the sheet music to a song he had written in 1986 to his friend, songwriter Brian Simpson, who had a recording studio in his garage. After listening to the finished demo tape, Jackson thought that he had a hit. Hiring a mobile 24-track recording studio truck to capture his vocal in the best professional conditions, Jackson sang "The First Time" in Simpson's house. "The First Time" was the first single from Surface's 3 Deep album and went gold hitting number one R&B and holding the number one pop for two weeks in early 1991.

While "The First Time" was topping the charts, Surface was one of the presenters at the American Music Awards and were enthusiastically congratulated. The hits continued with "All I Want Is You" (number eight R&B, early 1991) and "Never Gonna Let You Down." "You're the One" billed as Surface featuring Bernard Jackson made it to number 24 R&B, summer 1991. The group's last charting single was "A Nice Time for Lovin'" included on their 1991 greatest hits LP The Best Surface: A Nice Time for Loving. Conley and Townsend also produced sides on Rebbie Jackson ("Reaction") that are on The Rebbie Jackson Collection from U.K. label Expansion distributed by Sony/3MV.

Eddy Grant

Eddy Grant (born Edmond Montague Grant, 5 March 1948 born in Plaisance, Guyana) is a British reggae musician.

When he was still a young boy, his parents emigrated to London, UK, where he settled. He lived in Kentish Town and went to school at the Acland Burghley Secondary Modern at Tufnell Park. He had his first number-one hit in 1968, when he was the lead guitarist and main songwriter of the multiracial group The Equals, with his self-penned song "Baby Come Back". The tune also later topped the UK Singles Chart again when it was covered by Pato Banton. Another Equals' hits included "Viva Bobby Joe". In 1971, Grant went home to Guyana following a collapsed lung and heart infection which put him out of action at the beginning of that year. He promptly left The Equals to pursue his solo career.

Also a shrewd businessman, in 1972 he set up the first black-owned recording studio in Europe, Coach House, and began recording his own music on his Ice Records. As a result, he is thought to be the only major recording artist who owns the rights to all his songs. In 1979, Grant scored a hit "Living on the Frontline" under a distribution deal with Columbia Records, which bought the masters to all of his recordings with the Equals and set up a record pressing plant.

In 1981, Grant relocated to Barbados and built the Blue Wave studio complex. Around this time, Grant moved Ice Records distribution in Europe to RCA and recorded the album, Killer on the Rampage. The relationship with RCA proved particularly fruitful as the album would spawn his hits "I Don't Wanna Dance" and "Electric Avenue". Both of these tracks made the UK Top five, with "I Don't Wanna Dance" going to number one in the UK chart in September / October 1982.

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Keith Sweat

Keith Sweat, born on , 1961 in Harlem, New York, is an American R&B/soul, singer-songwriter, record producer and a major contributor to the New jack swing era.

Biography

Sweat has a college degree in communications.

Before becoming a recording artist, Sweat worked for the commodities market in the New York Mercantile Exchange. He sang at nightclubs throughout New York City until he was discovered and offered a recording contract with Elektra Records in 1987.

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Teddy Pendergrass

Born: March 26, 1950
Died: January 13, 2010

Teddy Pendergrass started singing gospel music in Philadelphia churches, becoming an ordained minister at ten years old. While attending public school, he sang in the citywide McIntyre Elementary School Choir and in the All-City Stetson Junior High School Choir. A self-taught drummer, Pendergrass had a teen pop vocal group when he was 15. By his late teens, Pendergrass was a drummer for local vocal group the Cadillacs.

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Commodores

Formed: 1967 in Tuskegee, AL
Years Active: 70 's, 80 's, 90 's
Genre: R&B

Renowned for the R&B hits "Just to Be Close to You," "Easy," and "Brickhouse," to name but a few, Commodores were one of the top bands during their long tenure at Motown. The group is credited with seven number one songs and a host of other Top Ten hits on the Billboard charts, and their vast catalog includes more than 50 albums.

The members of Commodores, all of whom attended Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, came together as a result of two groups disbanding: the Mystics and the Jays. Initially formed to simply play music as a pastime and to meet girls, the lineup consisted of William King (trumpet), Thomas McClary (guitar), Ronald LaPread (bass), Walter "Clyde" Orange (drums), Lionel Richie (saxophone), and Milan Williams (keyboards). The members nearly went stir-crazy trying to pick a name for the group, but with no success. As a last resort, Orange gave King a dictionary and told him to pick a name -- that name was the Commodores. With Clyde Orange the only learned musician in the group, Commodores began spreading their music throughout their base, which included Tuskegee, Montgomery, and Birmingham, AL.

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Kool & The Gang

Kool & The Gang's story starts in the Jersey City projects. They were teenagers, studying Miles Davis albums and James Brown singles, jamming in basements, partying for the people in a swirl of Black consciousness. In 1969 they made their first record. Still teenagers, and full of confidence, they named that first record after themselves. Their confidence and creativity produced a string of loose-but-tight, "fun" records, culminating in the Pop Chart smash Jungle Boogie. Kool & The Gang didn't need a singer then: the horns were the lead voice; the fans chanted along. Their songs were featured in films like Rocky and Saturday Night Fever.

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Color me badd

Color me badd, formed in 1987, and consisted of four members, these are, Mark Caderon, Bryan Abrams, Sam Watters, & Kevin Thornton, all hailing from Oklahoma City. CMB got there big break, after performing for Robert 'kool' Bell, ( from kool & the gang ), he loved it! he told them to move to New York to sign a record deal, which they did, and the rest as they say is history!!!

There first single 'I wanna sex you up' which appeared on the 'New Jack City' soundtrack, exploded into the U.S.charts, going top 5, and stayed around for over a year! their debut album, 'CMB' was also a huge hit, both going platinum!!! CMB got their first number 1 with the single 'I adore mi amor' and the next single 'All 4 love' also hit number 1. The album also spawned other top 20 singles, which were, 'Slow motion' & 'Thinkin' Back' Here in the U.K. 'I wanna sex you up' entered the charts at 24, but after continuous air play, reached the Number 1 spot and stayed there for 4 weeks!! the album 'CMB' peaked at number 2, and stayed in the top 40 for over 4 months. next released was 'all 4 love' which reached the number 3 position, 'I adore mi amor',number 37, & 'Heartbreaker' ,number 52, were also released.

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The Pointer Sisters

Formed: 1971 in East Oakland, CA
Years Active: 70 's, 80 's, 90 's, 00's
Genre: R&B

The Pointer Sisters are an eclectic and versatile pop/R&B group who hail from Oakland, California. The four original members were June, Anita, Ruth and Bonnie Pointer. The ladies are the daughters of Reverend Elton Pointer and his wife Sarah and the sisters of brothers Fritz and Aaron. They began their music careers singing in their father's church. Bonnie and June formed a duo called Pointers, A Pair. Anita soon joined the group and the duo became a trio. They started out touring and performing as well as supplying backing vocals for such artists as Boz Scaggs, Grace Slick, Sylvestor James, and Elvin Bishop.

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SNAP FEATURING TURBO B

Snap are unconventional musical trailblazers,which is why they have become one of the most internationally successful German pop acts in history.
With their dancefloor anthem "The Power" the name Snap became, practically, overnight, the worldwide trademark for top class dance music and this was strengthened by the succession of hits that followed - "Oops Up", "Cult Of Snap" and "Mary Had A Little Boy".

Snap is a dance act who decided against reproducing their first hit sound many times over just to capitalise on the current trend. Instead they offer a broad based musical experience with a constant flow of innovative ideas. Their debut album, "World Power" went on to become one of dance music's few mega-sellers.

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DAZ EFX

Das EFX was formed by Drayz (Andre Weston, 9 September 1970, New Jersey, USA) and Skoob (b. Willie Hines, 27 November 1970, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA; Skoob is ‘books’ spelled backwards), two easy-natured rappers whose success story was of the genuine rags to riches variety. As college friends who had met during English classes, they entered a rap contest at a small Richmond, Virginia nightclub. Luckily for them Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith of EPMD were in attendance, and, despite not winning, they walked off with an instant record contract. The judgement shown by EPMD proved impeccable when Das EFX’s debut release, Dead Serious, charted strongly. Soon they were touring together, despite the fact that neither Drayz nor Skoob were old enough to legally enter the premises on some of the dates. As rap aficionados began to look once more to the old school and its freestyle vocals, Das EFX were the perfect modern proponents, with their jagged, cutting rhymes and sweet wordplay. They developed a wonderful habit of making words up if they could not find something appropriate in the dictionary to shore up their rhymes: ‘We’re not too worried about really putting heavy messages in our records - we just try and make sure all the lyrics are super dope’. It was a style that was to be, in typical hip-hop fashion, quickly adopted and mimicked by a hundred other artists, and by the time of their follow-up some of its impact had been lost. Their debut self-production, ‘Freak It’, followed in 1993, and was the first release to see them drop their familiar tongue-flipping style, which detractors accused them of copying from UK rappers such as the Demon Boyz. The advent of west coast gangsta funk saw the duo suffering a blow to their credibility, allied to criticisms that their style possessed only novelty value. Toughening up their stance, they silenced some of these detractors with 1998’s streetwise Generation EFX.

HOUSE OF PAIN

Formed: 1990 in Los Angeles, CA
Years Active: 90 's
Genre: RAP

"Jump Around," an impossibly infectious and catchy single, instantly elevated House of Pain from an unknown white hip-hop group to near-stars when it became a massive crossover hit in 1992. It made the band and it also broke the band, consigning them to the level of one-hit wonders. House of Pain continued to release records after their eponymous 1992 debut and "Jump Around," yet none of them gained much attention, partially because of the band's self-consciously loutish behavior. Led by rapper Everlast, the group celebrated their Irish-American heritage by wearing green, drinking prodigious amounts of beer, and swearing constantly. It certainly earned them attention at the outset, particularly when it was tied to a single like "Jump Around," but the bottom quickly fell out of their career. The group's second album, 1994's Same as It Ever Was, went gold, but it failed to generate a hit single, and by the time of 1996's Truth Crushed to Earth Shall Rise Again, the band had been forgotten.


Everlast (born Erik Schrody, August 18, 1969) became fascinated by hip-hop while he was in high school, eventually becoming part of Ice-T's Rhyme Syndicate. His association with Ice-T led to a contract with Warner Bros., who released his debut album, Forever Everlasting, in 1990. After the record bombed, Everlast formed House of Pain with his high school friend Danny Boy (born Daniel O'Connor) and DJ Lethal (born Leor DiMant), a Latvian immigrant. Released on Tommy Boy Records, the group's eponymous 1992 debut was co-produced by Muggs, who masterminded Cypress Hill's groundbreaking debut. Muggs gave "Jump Around" its distinctive, incessant beat, which merged a deep bass groove with drum loops and Public Enemy-styled sirens. On the back of Kris Kross' spring hit "Jump," "Jump Around" became a huge hit in the summer of 1992, peaking at number three on the pop charts. Both the single's video and the remainder of House of Pain celebrated the group's Irish heritage in a tongue-in-cheek fashion that quickly became shtick. Throughout their 1993 tour, the group ran into trouble with promoters and the law, culminating in Everlast's March arrest for possessing an unregistered, unloaded pistol at Kennedy Airport. He was sentenced to community service, and later that year, the group began work on their second album.


Like its predecessor, 1994's Same as It Ever Was was produced by Muggs. Upon its summer release, the record was greeted with surprisingly strong reviews and sales, debuting at number 12 on the charts. However, the sales quickly slowed as "On Point" failed to become a hit. Most of the next two years were spent in seclusion, and the group returned in the fall of 1996 with Truth Crushed to Earth Shall Rise Again, a record that was ignored by both the press and the public. Everlast returned in 1998 as a solo act, and gained critical acclaim for his debut, Whitey Ford Sings the Blues.

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Brand Nubian Biography

Brand Nubian

When Brand Nubian busted out in 1990 with the abum One for All, they represented an exciting new direction for hip-hop. Afrocentric, conscious, philosophical, and musically influenced as much by jazz as by funk and R&B, the group introduced the talents of Grand Puba, who went on to release two solo albums and produce other artists. Brand Nubian, meanwhile, released another album, In God We Trust, which featured the classic "Punks Jump Up to Get Beat Down." But since 1993 or so, the marketplace has heard little from this innovative group. Until now.

With the recent release of Foundation, the original members of Brand Nubian?Grand Puba, Lord Jamar, Sadat X, and DJ Alamo?return in classic form. Now signed directly to Arista Records, a label whose rap product has primarily been acquired through joint ventures or distributed labels, Brand Nubian is set for a renewed presence in the market. The group came to the attention of Arista A&R exec Drew Dixon after they performed a track on the Money Talks soundtrack.

No doubt, there was a plan to break up," notes Puba of the days when members went their separate ways. "But it wasn't really no major thing. Plus the flavor changes [in hip-hop] made it perfect for us to come back; like nature, everything changes course." Puba says members decided to come back together in 1996, and began recording a number of tracks. When they got their Arista deal in 1997, recording began in earnest.

While the sound of rap and how it is accepted in the maintsream has altered somewhat since Brand Nubian's first incarnation, the group says that its return to the marketplace fills a void for conscious lyrics that has not been satisfied in the current run of West Coast hardcore and East Coast materialistic party rhymes. "There's always been a balance of positive and negative in hip-hop, but there's not too much positive shit out right now," explains Puba. "The market got bigger, and it's a lot harder to tell the truth on certain things and become a big star when you're opposing the people that's paying you. But you still have to take that chance if you truly believe in what you believe in."

And while the group is aware of the other elements of hip-hop, just as when they first came together, they are only intent on doing their own thing. With production by Grand Puba, DJ Premier, Lord Finesse, Alamo, Buck Wild, and Diamond D, among others, the group's tracks are just as head-noddin' and thought provoking as the lyrics. First single "Don't Let It Go to Your Head," which bites its melody and chorus from the Gamble & Huff-produced Jean Carne tune of the same name, cautions hip-hop new jacks against believing their own hype with a rhyme flow that is articulate, witty, and right on target. The track "Probable Cause" breaks it down about the injustices young black men suffer at the hands of the police, while "I'm Black And I'm Proud" keeps it on the positive tip. But the Nubians can also party with style, as they do on "Let's Dance," a straight uptempo groove featuring Busta Rhymes, and the vocals and melody of Rebbie Jackson's "Centipede."

According to Jeff House, VP of Street Promotion and Marketing for Arista, the label serviced a 12-inch, "The Return" b/w "Brand Nubian" for a five-week run starting August 19, then shipped a promo CD of the new single "Don't Let It Go to Your Head" on September 4. The video for the track was aired on BET Sept. 25, and House says that play for the track is coming in from major stations like

WGCI-Chicago and KKBT-Los Angeles. "It's a very radio friendly, R&B-ish?but still street at the same time?record, and we're looking to do very well with it," says House.

"It felt like it hasn't been that long," confides Lord Jamar, "As soon as we got back into the studio, we picked up right where we left off."

Cypress Hill

Cypress Hill is an American hip hop group from South Gate, California. Originally called DVX, the name was changed after Mellow Man Ace left in 1988. Cypress Hill was the first Latino group to have platinum and multi-platinum albums, selling over 18 million albums worldwide.

History

Early works

Cypress Hill's self-titled first album was released in August 1991. The lead single was the double A-side "The Phuncky Feel One"/"How I Could Just Kill A Man" which received heavy airplay on urban and college radio. The other two singles released from the album were "Hand On The Pump" and "Latin Lingo", the latter of which combined English and Spanish lyrics. The success of these singles led to the album selling two million copies in the US alone. DJ Muggs, Cypress Hill's producer, subsequently produced House of Pain's first album, then worked on other Soul Assassins projects like Funkdoobiest. The band made their first appearance at Lollapalooza on the side stage in 1992.

Black Sunday, the group's second album, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 in 1993, recording the highest Soundscan for a rap group up until that time. Also, with their debut still in the charts, they became the first rap group to have 2 albums in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 at the same time. With "Insane in the Brain" becoming a crossover hit, the album went triple platinum in the U.S. and sold about 3.25 million copies.

Cypress Hill was banned from Saturday Night Live after Muggs smoked a joint on-air and the band trashed their instruments while playing their second single "I Ain't Goin' Out Like That". The band headlined the "Soul Assassins" tour with House of Pain and Funkdoobiest as support, then performed on a college tour with Rage Against the Machine and Seven Year Bitch. In 1993, Cypress Hill also had two tracks on the Judgment Night soundtrack, teamed up with Pearl Jam and Sonic Youth.

The band played at the 1994 Woodstock Festival, introducing their new member Eric Bobo, formerly a percussionist with the Beastie Boys. Rolling Stone magazine named the band as the best rap group in their music awards voted by critics and readers. Cypress Hill played at Lollapalooza for two successive years, topping the bill in 1995. They also appeared on the The Simpsons episode "Homerpalooza". Prior to Bobo joining the crew, Panchito "Ponch" Gomez sat in as a percussionist when not acting.

Their third album Cypress Hill III: Temples of Boom was released in 1995, selling 1.5 million copies and reaching number 3 on the Billboard 200 on the strength of the hit single "Throw Your Set in the Air". Cypress Hill also contributed a track "I Wanna Get High" to the High Times sponsored Hempilation album to support NORML.

Currently managed by Velvet Hammer Music and Management Group

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