Quincy Jones
...bio coming soon!
Queen Latifah
...bio coming soon!
Ralph Tresvant
...bio coming soon!
Red-Head Kingpin and the F.B.I.
His real name is David Guppy. The Red Head’s biggest hit was probably “Pump It Hottie”, a new jack treat. In 1989, Red-Head and his group made a song for Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing” that was passed over for Public Enemy’s more angry-sounding “Fight The Power”. The group quickly faded into obscurity at the end of the New Jack Era, but not before participating on Wrecks’N’Effect (before they switched the spelling to Wreckx) first album.
R. Kelly
R. Kelly emerged at the end of the New Jack Era, and was widely considered (at first) to be an Aaron Hall wannabe. Originally he was backed up by The Public Announcements (who really didn’t do anything!); their first single, “She’s Got That Vibe” was a huge new jack swing hit internationally, but it sounded like something we’d heard in 1990 with Basic Black or Today (in other words, dated).
By the summer of 1992, R. Kelly was on his way to outlasting the demise of the New Jack Era, and by the time “Honey Love” and “Slow Dance” were on the radio, TLC, Jodeci, Boyz II Men and Kriss Kross had replaced the others that came before them. It was a new era – 90s R&B.
From 1994 through 1996, it was all about R. Kelly’s next two albums: “12 Play” and “R.Kelly”. Then in the year 1998, R. Kelly was unofficially crowned the King of R&B when he released the epic “R” double-CD. Featuring the Marvin Gaye-esque “Half On A Baby”, “Home Alone”, and the Sam Cooke influenced “If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of Time”, the R. album solidified R. Kelly’s position on the music industry – he is now an icon…that is, if he makes it past the latest allegations…
Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock
This duo is responsible for one of hip-hop’s (if not party music in general) most classic jams, “It Takes Two”. Featured on the 1988 album of the same name, the duo also scored a major hit with “Joy & Pain”. In 1989, the duo returned with ‘The Incredible Base’ featuring the single “Turn It Out” which sampled the Jacksons’ “Shake Your Body Down (To The Ground)”. By 1992, the group had faded into obscurity, but the song “It Takes Two” will keep their name in the consciousness of music lovers (especially in a club or bar on a Friday night!) for a long time to come…