| The Egyptian Lover | |
| Birth Name: | Gregory James Broussard[1] [2] |
| Birth Date: | 31 August 1963 |
| Birth Place: | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Years Active: | 1983–present |
| Label: | Egyptian Empire |
| Associated Acts: | Uncle Jamm's Army |
Gregory James Broussard (born August 31, 1963), better known by his stage name Egyptian Lover, is an American musician, vocalist, producer and DJ, and was a part of the L.A. dance music, electro, and rap scene in the early 1980s.[3]
The Egyptian Lover was born in Los Angeles, California, and started out there as a DJ with Uncle Jamm's Army, DJing dances as large as the L.A. Sports Arena with 10,000 people.[4] He began recording around Los Angeles in 1982 as a member of the Radio Crew, as well as Uncle Jamm's Army. Members of Uncle Jamm's Army and the World Class Wreckin' Cru, including Dr. Dre, The Unknown DJ, Egyptian Lover, Ice-T and Kid Frost would later go on to help define the early West Coast Hip-Hop sound throughout the 1980s.
Most of the Egyptian Lover's successful recordings were 12" singles. "Egypt, Egypt" was one of the most popular, which was called part of the "b-boy canon."[4] He eventually released some of the earliest rap LPs, but they were less popular commercially than his singles. On the strength of an alternative mix of his most popular single "Egypt, Egypt", 1984's On the Nile was moderately successful, reaching the Billboard Top 200. It was called "one of the first hip-hop records to come out of the left coast".[5] He also collaborated with several other hip-hop and dance music artists. After a break in the early 1990s, Egyptian Lover returned in 1994 with Back from the Tomb, his first full-length album in over ten years.
The Egyptian Lover also established his own record company, Egyptian Empire Records, which included artists such as Rodney O & Joe Cooley, 2 O'Clock & Te & Joezee.
His 2015 release, 1984, continues his tradition of using all analog equipment, including the Roland TR-808, along with much of the same gear used on his recordings of the 1980s. The name "1984" refers to his earlier albums. The album was recorded at Skip Saylor, Encore Studios, and at RUSK Studios, the same studio where On The Nile was recorded in 1984. It is widely available on double gatefold LP, CD and cassette tape.
The Egyptian Lover began touring again in 2004 throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. His performances often begin with mixing records on turntables before segueing into his original compositions.[6]
In 2008, he supported M.I.A. in her People vs. Money Tour.[7]
| Year | Album | Chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US [8] | US R&B [9] | ||
| 1984 | On the Nile | 146 | 44 |
| 1986 | One Track Mind | – | 37 |
| 1988 | Filthy | – | 99 |
| 1989 | King of Ecstasy | – | – |
| 1990 | Get Into It | – | 72 |
| 1993 | Pyramix | – | – |
| 1994 | Back from the Tomb | – | – |
| 1998 | Get Into It | – | – |
| 2006 | Platinum Pyramids | – | – |
| 2015 | 1984 | – | – |
| 2018 | 1985 | – | – |
| 2021 | 1986 | – | – |
| Year | Title | Chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Dance [10] | US R&B [11] | ||
| 1984 | "Egypt, Egypt" | – | 67 |
| 1987 | "The Lover" | – | 50 |
| "Freakaholic" | 43 | 52 | |