| KRU | |
| Background: | group_or_band |
| Origin: | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Genre: | Pop, R&B, hip hop |
| Years Active: | 1992–2018 |
| Label: | EMI, KRU Studios |
| Associated Acts: | Feminin, Elite, The Indigo, Juliana Banos, Ezlynn, Rabbani, Ella, Tyco, Abon, Adam AF2, Stacy AF6, V.I.P., Saiful Apek, Shy'8, Forteen, M. Daud Kilau, Altimet, Mojo, Jaclyn Victor, Anita Sarawak, Dafi |
| Past Members: | Norman Abdul Halim Yusry Abdul Halim Edry Abdul Halim |
KRU is a Malaysian pop boy band formed in 1992. The group comprises three brothers, namely Datuk[1] Norman Abdul Halim, Datuk Yusry Abdul Halim and Edry Abdul Halim'. Apart from revolutionising the Malaysian music scene with their blend of pop, R&B and hip hop, Dato' Norman Abdul Halim heads a successful business empire, KRU Studios, with Dato' Yusry Abdul Halim specialising in film, media content and live events, whilst Edry Abdul Halim is a successful composer/producer.
On 18 April 2018, the group announced that they would disband after 25 years being together after their last concert, Konsert Gergasi KRU 25, held from 4 to 6 May.[2] In addition to the band, the KRU group of companies include the vocational college KRU Academy, KRU Music, KRU Media, KRU Entertainment, KRU Singapore, Prodigi Lab, Hot Jam Cafe, Showbiz Productions, Kartun Studios, Music Unlimited, and United Studios.[3]
Their interest in musicmaking was sparked when they were very young, when one of their aunts bought Norman a keyboard which also attracted his other brothers. They spent their teenage years in London where they were exposed to various genres of music, in contrast to the Malay music scene at that time which was dominated by classic rock and ballads.
They continued to write original songs and were unaware that one of Norman's college friends sent a demo to EMI. Calvin Wong, International Label Manager and now vice-president at Warner Music Asia Pacific, was very impressed by the song and called the brothers to audition. KRU was formed on 19 May 1992. KRU (addressed by the initials K.R.U and not "kru") stands for Kumpulan Rap Utama or "Major Rap Group", but it is also the Malay word for "crew", borrowed from English.[4]
In 1993, KRU started their ReKRUed Rap Tour,[5] followed by the Awas Da' Concert tour two years later. In 1997, they released the album Viva Selangor as a tribute to Selangor F.C. and Everest for Everest project and commenced their KRU Mega Tour, sponsored by Peter Stuyvesant. The following year, their song "Never Let The Spirit Die" was used as the theme song for the 16th Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur;[6] they also collaborated with Sharifah Aini, Zainal Abidin, Amy Search, Ning Baizura, Ella and Sheila Majid to create the soundtrack for Silat Lagenda.[7] In 1999, the song "Fiesta" was made the official theme of the Tour De Langkawi[8] and the group started their Jammin the Nation tour.
In 2000, they formed a virtual band named Tyco, whose members consisted of computer-generated alternate versions of themselves.[9] On 26 October 2002, they kicked off their fifth major tour at Independence Square in Kuala Lumpur.[10] In 2005, Artis Bersatu—made up of Anita Sarawak, Raihan, Ning Baizura, Misha Omar, and Erra Fazira—performed KRU's song "Suluhkan Sinar" in dedication to the victims of the 2004 tsunami.[11]
In 2011, "Gemuruh Suara" was used for the Malaysian contingent participating in the 26th Southeast Asian Games and KRU re-produced "Di Manakan Ku Cari Ganti" by P. Ramlee as part of the Tribute to P. Ramlee Project.[12] The Konsert Ulang Tahun Ke-20 started in 2012.[13] "Kuasa Juara" was used at the 2015 Southeast Asian Games for the Malaysian contingent. KRU toured Singapore and Kuala Lumpur from 2016 to 2018 for Konsert 24 Tahun Gergasi, after which they disbanded.[2]
They also diversified their ventures into producing large-scale and high budgeted films such as the Cicak Man series, Duyung, Magika and Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa.
Songs KRU has composed have been performed by a number of artists: Cyndi Wang,[14] Az Yet and Jaclyn Victor, Caliph Buskers, Yuki[15] Sharifah Aini, Anita Sarawak, Ezlynn, Alex To,[16] Erra Fazira, Ella, Tiara Jacquelina, The Indigo, Anuar Zain, Zainal Abidin, Amy Mastura, Ning Baizura, Rabbani, Feminin, Imam Muda, Shahir, Elite, Adam AF2, Forteen, Adira, Mawi and Diana Danielle, Mawi and Akhil Hayy, Tomok, Syura, Sofaz, Indah and Ewal, Melly Goeslaw and Yusry, Slam, and Arip.
| Year | Award/honor | Awarding body | Notes | Ref | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Most Popular TV Entertainer (Male) | |||||
| 1995 | Best Engineered Album | Album: Awas | ||||
| Best Pop Album | ||||||
| Most Popular Group | ||||||
| 1996 | Best Group Vocal Performance in an Album | Album: Awas da' Soundtrack | ||||
| Most Popular Group | ||||||
| EMI Achievement Award | Earning 10× platinum for sales exceeding 1 million | |||||
| 1997 | Best Engineered Album | Album: Ooh | La! La | , engineered by Edry Abdul Halim, Izan, Jon Gass, Martin Horenburg, and Steve Hall | ||
| Album of the Year | ||||||
| Best Music Video | Anugerah Video M | |||||
| Best Performance by an Artiste | ||||||
| Best Editing | ||||||
| Best Photography | ||||||
| Best Art Direction | ||||||
| Best Direction | ||||||
| First Artist To Duet With a Departed | The Malaysia Book of Records | |||||
| "Fanatik" | ||||||
| 1998 | Best Music Video | |||||
| Most Popular Group | ||||||
| 1999 | Best Music Video | "The Way We Jam", directed by KRU | ||||
| Best Engineered Album | "The Way We Jam", engineered by Edry Abdul Halim | |||||
| Anugerah Kembara | Special jury's award to recognise local acts who have made an impact regionally or internationally | |||||
| Most Popular Group | ||||||
| 2000 | Most Popular Video Clip | "Jangan Lafazkan", chosen by the public through polls | ||||
| Best Asian Group | ||||||
| 2001 | Most Popular English Song | Music Authors' Copyright Protection Bhd | "The Way We Jam" | |||
| First Virtual Artiste | The Malaysia Book of Records | KRU created Tyco, their virtual alter egos with 3D characters named Tylo, Yiko and Psylo. | ||||
| 2002 | Best Nasyid Album | "Intifada", produced by KRU. Artiste: Rabbani | ||||
| Best Music Video (Silver) | Malaysian Video Awards | "Impak Maksima" | ||||
| 2003 | Best Music Video | "Impak Maksima", directed by Virginia Kennedy | ||||
| Best Nasyid Album | Qiblat - Rabbani; produced by Edry, Archie & Ustaz Sohibul | |||||
| Pop Rock category | Hi Hi Bye Bye | |||||
| 2004 | Most Popular Singer – Male (Yusry) | |||||
| 2005 | Choice Music Video | Anugerah ERA | "Terhangat di Pasaran" | |||
| Choice Vocals – Duo or Group | ||||||
| 2008 | [17] | |||||
| 2009 | Best Film | Magika | [18] | |||
| 2011 | [19] | |||||
| 2012 | [20] | |||||
| Grand Master Brand Icon Leadership Award | BrandLaureate | Norman Abdul Halim | ||||
| Character Award | Profima | |||||
| 2013 | Music Video Award | [21] | ||||
| 2014 | Highest Earning Composer Award | Music Authors' Copyright Protection Bhd | Edry Abd Halim | [22] | ||
| Best Family Film | Niagara Integrated Film Festival | Ribbit
| [23] | |||
| 2015 | Highest Earning Composer Award | Music Authors' Copyright Protection Bhd | Edry Abd Halim | [24] | ||
| Trophy - Sport Innovation | "Kuasa Juara" | [25] | ||||
| Best Animation Film | Ribbit (KRU Studios) | [26] |