Karyn White
The beautiful Karyn White was originally a LaFace protégé. Her debut album “Karyn White” from 1989 featured classic LaFace jams such as “The Way You Love Me”, “Superwoman”, and “Secret Rendezvous”. Then for her follow-up (1991’s “Ritual Of Love”), Karyn teamed up with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (she had married Terry Lewis, actually) and then released “Romantic”, a huge hit for Karyn. Notably, her second single from that album “The Way I Feel About You” had a distinctly fresh ‘Rhythm Nation-era’ Janet Jackson vibe to it.
Alas, her commercial success began to fade by 1992 when the New Jack Era that spawned her came to an end. She released one more album in 1994, but it was unfortunately overlooked by the masses, who were most likely distracted by the likes of then recent LaFace newcomer Toni Braxton.
Keith Sweat
A quintessential New Jack Swing icon, Keith Sweat’s ‘Make It Last Forever’ album practically kicked off the New Jack Era. Selling over 3 million copies, Sweat’s debut album featured the hits “I Want Her” (made it to #5 on the Pop charts), the title track, “Something Just Ain’t Right”, and “Don’t Stop Your Love”. In 1990, he followed up with ‘I’ll Give All My Love To You’ featuring “Make You Sweat”, “Merry Go Round”, and the title track which has now become a classic. Keith Sweat’s last New Jack hits were from his 1991 ‘Keep It Comin’ album, featuring the title track and “Why Me Baby” featuring LL Cool J.
By 1992, Keith Sweat took a backseat, and introduced the world to Silk, a Hip-Hop/Soul group whose “Freak Me” would become one of the biggest hits of 1993. Keith Sweat remained relatively quiet for a few more years until 1996, when he released his self-titled album featuring the hits “Twisted” and “Nobody”. In 1997, Sweat would go on tour with Teddy Riley’s BLACKstreet and a reunited New Edition; later that year, Keith Sweat joined forces with Johnny Gill and Gerald Levert to form LSG. The group’s first single “My Body” was a hit among urban audiences.
Keith Sweat will forever be considered a New Jack Swing icon, and a solid mainstay urban music.
Kid'N'Play
Christopher Reid (Kid) and Christopher Martin (Play) made up this lighthearted, and quintessentially “new jack” hip-hop duo. Originally dancers for Salt’N’Pepa, Kid’N’Play struck out on their own thanks to their producer Hurby ‘Luv Bug’ Azor, who’d also been responsible for Salt’N’Pepa. In 1988, their album 2 Hype impressed listeners across North America, and by 1990 they were stars of a feature film, and had dolls and a Saturday morning cartoon on NBC. In 1991, they released House Party 2, which for the most part did not live up to the original. A third film entitled “Class Act” also failed to live up to critical (and commercial) expectations, and by the fall of 1992, the end of the New Jack Era also meant the end for Kid’N’Play as a commercial powerhouse.
In 1993, they released House Party 3, but that one fared even worse than House Party 2. Over the last several years, Chris Martin has gotten involved with Gospel projects (i.e. plays, etc), and Chris Reid was last seen hosting (that star search show).
King Tee
...bio coming soon!
Kish
This Canadian rapper of Japanese descent had two moderate hits circa 1991 including a song entitled “Let’s Do It” featuring a cameo from one of the original “Degrassi” kids. Any more information about this artist would be greatly appreciated here
Kool Moe Dee
Kool Moe Dee’s releases on Jive Records (1987’s ‘How Ya Like Me Now’, 1989’s ‘Knowledge Is King’, and 1991’s ‘Funke Funke Wisdom’ were released perfectly within the time frame of the New Jack Era. Before Moe Dee’s career as an LL Cool J-feuding solo artist, he was a member of the Treacherous Three, a seminal East Coast Hip-Hop group.
Teddy Riley did production work on all three of Kool Moe Dee’s albums, most notably 1989’s “I Go To Work”. Other Moe Dee hits include 1987’s “Wild Wild West”, and “How Ya Like Me Now”. Kool Moe Dee will most likely be respected as a seminal Hip-Hop icon for a long time.
Kwame
Loosely affiliated with fellow acts Salt’N’Pepa and Kid’N’Play through Hurby ‘Luv Bug’ Azor, Kwame (born Kwame Holland) remains one of the best examples of what the New Jack Swing Era was all about: style, innovation, a positive vibe, and good clean fun. Using a live band both in live performance and on his albums, Kwame’s visual package was equally engaging as his sound – he and his entourage were always wearing polka dots.
1990’s “Ownlee Ewe” is easily Kwame’s most recognize-able hit, although the “Oneovdabigboyz” single deserves an honorable mention. Future rap star and Hip-Hop mogul Sean “Puffy” Combs can be spotted as a dancer in one of Kwame’s videos.
Kwame will always be remembered fondly by die-hard fans of the New Jack Swing Era.