Black Sheep (group) explained

Black Sheep
Genre:Progressive rap[1]
Origin:Queens, New York City, U.S.
Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Years Active:1989 - 1995 • 2000–2002 • 2006–present
Associated Acts:Showbiz and A.G.
Chi Ali
Native Tongues
The Legion
Zimbabwe Legit
Current Members:Dres
Mista Lawnge

Black Sheep is an American hip hop duo from Queens, New York, United States, composed of Andres "Dres" Vargas Titus and William "Mista Lawnge" McLean.[2] The duo was from New York but met as teenagers in Sanford, North Carolina, where both of their families relocated.[3] The group was part of the Native Tongues collective, which included the Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest, and De La Soul. After getting together in 1989, Black Sheep debuted in 1991 with the hit song "Flavor of the Month" and later released its first album, A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, which gained them praise and recognition in the hip-hop community for the album's unique rhythms and intelligent, often humorous lyrics.[2] After six years together, Black Sheep disbanded in 1995, citing creative differences.

Biography

Initial career and break up (1989–1995)

Black Sheep was formed in 1989 by Andres "Dres" Vargas Titus and William "Mista Lawnge" McLean. While working as a DJ in New York, McLean met Mike Gee of the Jungle Brothers and DJ Red Alert, who encouraged him to start his own hip hop group.[4] He recruited Dres, who he had grown up with in North Carolina.[4] Black Sheep was the first hip-hop act to appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno after the departure of Johnny Carson.[5] Their first official appearance as Black Sheep was on De La Soul's 1991 album De La Soul Is Dead. Dres was featured on the track "Fanatic of the B Word".[6]

A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing charted three times on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in 1992 with "The Choice Is Yours (Revisited)" (#9), and "Strobelite Honey" (#1). Black Sheep was also featured on the remix of Vanessa Williams's single "Work to Do" (#8). The group's relationship with its label, Mercury/PolyGram, allowed Dres to establish a boutique label through which he could sign his own acts. Mercury distributed the imprint, which was called One Love, through PolyGram's Independent Label Sales division rather than PolyGram Group Distribution. However, only one full-length title was ever released, the only album by affiliated act the Legion, titled Theme + Echo = Krill from 1994.[7]

The group's second album, Non-Fiction, was released later that year.[2] Because of virtually no promotion and a generally poor reception, the album managed only lackluster sales.[4] Black Sheep broke up shortly after its release.[4]

Aftermath

Dres was featured on the second Handsome Boy Modeling School album White People, on the track "First...and Then."[8] In 2006, Dres released an online-only album titled 8WM/Novakane, under the name Black Sheep, but with Lawnge only appearing on a few tracks on the album. 8WM stands for Women with Women with Weed with Wine with Me.[9] According to a 2006 article on AllHipHop.com, Mista Lawnge changed the spelling of his name to Mista Long. He also released a mixtape called The Class of 89 in 2006.[10] Dres appeared on the 1990s remix of Nas' February 2007 song "Where are They Now?"[11]

In 2008, the single "The Choice is Yours (Revisited)" was ranked number #74 on VH1's 100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs. The song was featured in a commercial for the 2010 Kia Soul.[12]

Discography

Studio albums

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:23em;"
Album detailsPeak chart positionsCertifications
US
[13]
US
R&B<br>/HH
[14]
A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing 3015

Gold[15]

Non-Fiction
  • Released: December 6, 1994
  • Label: Mercury/PolyGram
  • Formats: CD, LP, cassette, digital download, streaming
10714
8WM/Novakane
  • Released: October 24, 2006
  • Label: Bumrush
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming
From the Black Pool of Genius
  • Released: June 29, 2010
  • Label: Bumrush
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming
Tortured Soul
  • Released: August 17, 2018[16]
  • Label: X-Ray
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

As lead artist

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2"
YearPeak chart positionsAlbum
US
[17]
US
Dance

[18]
US R&B
[19]
US
Rap

[20]
UK
[21]
"Try Counting Sheep"[22] 1991A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
"Flavor of the Month"2
"The Choice Is Yours (Revisited)"576211Stay Tuned Soundtrack and A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
"Strobelite Honey"801365
"Similak Child"1992A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
"Without a Doubt"199490876312Non-Fiction
"North, South, East, West"19955611
"We Turn It"
(featuring Doug E. Fresh)
"Why, Why, Why"[23]
"Can't Shake Us"
(featuring Special K)[24]
2002
"Snakes of the World Today"[25] 2018The Great Adventures of Slick Rick (Deluxe Edition)
"Hey Young World (Demo)"[26] 2019
"Midas Touch"[27]
"Can't Dance To a Track That Ain't Got No Soul"[28]
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Albums

Album information
A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

Gold

  • Billboard 200 chart position: #30
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #15
  • Singles: "Flavor of the Month"/"Butt...In the Meantime", "The Choice Is Yours (Revisited)"/"The Choice Is Yours"/"Have U.N.E. Pull"/"Yes", "Strobelite Honey"/"Gimme the Finga", "Similak Child"
Non-Fiction
  • Released: December 6, 1994
  • Billboard 200 chart position: #107
  • R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #24
  • Singles: "Without a Doubt"/"We Boys", "North South East West"
8WM/Novakane
  • Released: October 23, 2006
From the Black Pool of Genius
  • Released: June 29, 2010
Tortured Soul
  • Released: August 10, 2018

Singles and EPs

Music videos

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Johnson. Kevin C.. December 23, 2011. Q&A: Local artists pay tribute to Native Tongues rap acts. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. July 16, 2021.
  2. Book: The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music. Colin Larkin. Colin Larkin (writer). Virgin Books. 2000. First. 0-7535-0427-8. 48.
  3. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p15849/biography|pure_url=yes}} Black Sheep: Biography]. Bush, John. AllMusic. 2009-08-03.
  4. News: Gordon . Ed . Black Sheep, Back Together and On Tour . 15 July 2021 . NPR . 8 September 2005.
  5. Web site: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno - Episode #1.2 . IMDB . May 26, 1992.
  6. News: Taylor . Jesse . Who's The Black Sheep? What's The Black Sheep? . 12 July 2021 . Passion of the Weiss . 8 June 2021.
  7. News: Commandeur . Jordan . Ready Or Not? Diceman's Been In The Game For Years. His Bars Show His Staying Power . 30 August 2021 . Ambrosia for Heads . 16 January 2019.
  8. Web site: First.. and Then . Genius.com . 30 August 2021.
  9. News: Kaufman . Gil . Black Sheep's Flock Down to One for First Album in 10 Years . https://web.archive.org/web/20160618121355/http://www.mtv.com/news/1542530/black-sheeps-flock-down-to-one-for-first-album-in-10-years/ . dead . June 18, 2016 . 30 August 2021 . MTV . 6 October 2006.
  10. News: Watkins . Greg . Mista Long: Long Road Back . 30 August 2021 . All Hip Hop . 28 November 2006.
  11. Web site: Where Are They Now (90's Remix) . Who Sampled . 1 September 2021.
  12. News: Kia Soul ad brings back the hamsters, and the funk . USA Today . May 27, 2010.
  13. Billboard 200 Chart positions given in the following:
  14. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Chart positions given in the following:
  15. United States. album. J. J. Fad. June 11, 2020.
  16. Web site: Tortured Soul - Black Sheep (CD - X-ray #917). AllMusic.
  17. Slick Rick Chart History (Hot 100). . August 26, 2021.
  18. Slick Rick Chart History (Dance Club Songs). . January 30, 2022.
  19. Slick Rick Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs). . August 26, 2021.
  20. Slick Rick Chart History (Hot Rap Songs). . August 26, 2021.
  21. Web site: Slick Rick - UK Chart . The Official Charts Company . January 30, 2022.
  22. Slick Rick . 1999 . We Turn It On . track listing . . 314 562 125-1.
  23. Black Rob/Nas/Slick Rick . Crib Underground . track listing . Crib Underground . MTM-2024.
  24. Slick Rick/Special K . 2002 . Can't Shake Us/No Body Loves Me . track listing . Never Knew Records . NK-001.
  25. Web site: Snakes of the World Today - Slick Rick - Release Info. Apple Music.
  26. Web site: Hey Young World (Demo) - Slick Rick - Release Info. Spotify.
  27. Web site: Midas Touch - Slick Rick - Release Info. Apple Music.
  28. Web site: Can't Dance To a Track That Ain't Got No Soul - Slick Rick - Release Info. Apple Music.