UTFO explained

UTFO should not be confused with UFO (band).

UTFO
Background:group_or_band
Origin:Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Genre:Hip hop
Years Active:1983–1992
Past Members:
  • Doctor Ice
  • Educated Rapper (deceased)
  • Kangol Kid (deceased)
  • Mix Master Ice

UTFO (an abbreviation for Untouchable Force Organization) was an American hip hop group from Brooklyn, New York City.[1]

The group consisted of Kangol Kid (born Shaun Shiller Fequiere; August 10, 1966 – December 18, 2021), Educated Rapper (born Jeffrey Campbell; July 4, 1963 – June 3, 2017), Doctor Ice (born Fred Reeves on March 2, 1966), and Mix Master Ice (born Maurice Bailey on April 22, 1965).[1] The group's best-known single is "Roxanne, Roxanne",[1] a widely acclaimed hip hop classic, which created a sensation on the hip hop scene soon after it was released and inspired a record-high of 25 answer records in a single year (Roxanne Wars),[2] [3] [4] with estimates ultimately spawning over 100.[5] The most notable remake was done by Marley Marl's protégée Roxanne Shanté, which led to hip hop's first rap beef.[6] [2] "Roxanne, Roxanne" was originally the B-side of the lesser-known single "Hangin' Out".[4] Due to personal issues, Educated Rapper was absent for its second effort, Skeezer Pleezer (1986), which produced one notable track with the song "Split Personality". EMD was, however, on one album track, "Pick Up the Pace", also featured in the movie Krush Groove.

In 2008, "Roxanne, Roxanne" was ranked #84 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.[7]

History

The group formed in the early 1980s and were originally known as UFO. However, the name was taken by an English rock band so they were forced to change it to UTFO. Kangol Kid and Doctor Ice were originally known as The Keystone Dancers and were a dance duet, before going on to be back-up dancers for Whodini.[1] Eventually, they went on to form UTFO in their hometown of Brooklyn, New York City, New York. In 1984, the group signed with Fred Munao's Select Records, and, in the same year, it released its hit single, "Roxanne Roxanne".[8] The group's debut album was produced by R&B group Full Force.[1] Full Force brought in New York's sound and sampling wizard, Gary Pozner, to help create the sounds and the beats. This was one of the first instances of the new sampling machine, the E-mu Emulator, used on a commercially released record.

The members of UTFO were the first breakdancers to appear on The Phil Donahue Show.[9]

On June 3, 2017, Educated Rapper died following a battle with cancer.[10] On December 18, 2021, Kangol Kid died of colon cancer, at age 55.[11]

Discography

Studio albums

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:23em;"
Album detailsPeak chart positions
US
[12]
US
R&B<br/>/HH
[13]
UTFO 8011
Skeezer Pleezer
  • Released: 1986
  • Label: Select (US)
    Cooltempo (UK)
  • Formats: CD, LP, Cassette
14214
Lethal
  • Released: 1987
  • Label: Select
  • Formats: CD, LP, Cassette
672
Doin' It!
  • Released: 1989
  • Label: Select (US)
    Accord (FRA)
    Injection Disco Dance Label/Select (NED)
    BCM (EUR)
  • Formats: CD, LP, Cassette
14330
Bag It & Bone It
  • Released: February 5, 1991
  • Label: Jive/U.T.F.O. Records
  • Formats: CD, LP, Cassette, digital download
"—" 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
US Dance
[14]
US R&B
UK
[15]
"Hangin' Out/Roxanne, Roxanne"[16] 1984align=center align=center align=center align=center UTFO
"Roxanne, Roxanne" align=center 77align=center 40align=center 10align=center 72
"The Real Roxanne"
(with The Real Roxanne)
align=center align=center align=center 44align=center
"Roxanne Meets UTFO" (Limited Edition)
(with The Real Roxanne)
align=center align=center align=center align=center
"Beats and Rhymes"align=center align=center align=center align=center UTFO
"Bite It"1985align=center align=center align=center 79align=center
"Leader of the Pack" align=center align=center 43align=center 32align=center
"Pick Up the Pace"align=center align=center align=center align=center Skeezer Pleezer
"Fairy Tale Lover" align=center align=center align=center 36align=center
"Split Personality"1986align=center align=center align=center 50align=center
"We Work Hard"align=center align=center align=center align=center
"Ya Cold Wanna Be with Me" 1987align=center align=center align=center 43align=center Lethal
"Lethal"
(featuring Anthrax)
align=center align=center align=center align=center
"Let's Get It On"1988align=center align=center align=center align=center
"Wanna Rock"1989 align=center align=center align=center align=center Doin' It
"Rough & Rugged"align=center align=center align=center align=center
"If You Don't Wanna Get Pregnant"1990align=center align=center align=center align=center Bag It & Bone It
"I'm a Dog"1991align=center align=center align=center align=center
"Lollipop"
(with The Real Roxanne, featuring Syncere)[17]
1998The Best of U.T.F.O.
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Compilation albums

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music. Colin Larkin. Virgin Books. 1998. First. 0-7535-0252-6. 350.
  2. Web site: Yo Kangol!: INDUSTRY ADVISOR . 1 September 2008. All HipHop. 7 October 2017.
  3. Web site: THE POP LIFE. Palmer, Robert. 14 August 1985. The New York Times. 7 October 2017.
  4. Web site: The Roxanne wars. 12 June 2011. MacInnes, Paul. The Guardian. 7 October 2017.
  5. Book: Hip Hop in America: A Regional Guide. Hess, Mickey. 36 (xxxvi). 25 November 2009. 9780313343216. ABC-CLIO. 7 October 2017.
  6. Web site: The story of the first ever rap beef. Wilkinson, Dan. 13 August 2015. RedBull. 7 October 2017.
  7. 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time. 2 June 2017. Rolling Stone. 7 October 2017.
  8. Web site: Prato. Greg. Artist Biography. AllMusic. 12 December 2021.
  9. Web site: OldSchoolHipHop.Com - Old School News. 2006-04-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20060319052833/http://www.oldschoolhiphop.com/headlines.htm. 2006-03-19. dead.
  10. News: Educated Rapper aka EMD of UTFO Has Passed Away At the Age of 54. June 3, 2017. HotNewHipHop.com. June 4, 2017.
  11. UTFO Rapper Kangol Kid Dead at 55. Daniel. Kreps. Rolling Stone. December 18, 2021. December 18, 2021.
  12. News: Audio Two Chart History. https://web.archive.org/web/20200130003059/https://www.billboard.com/music/Audio-Two/chart-history/TLP. dead. January 30, 2020. Billboard 200. 2021-10-19.
  13. News: Audio Two Chart History. https://web.archive.org/web/20200130150341/https://www.billboard.com/music/Audio-Two/chart-history/BLP. dead. January 30, 2020. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. 2021-10-19.
  14. Web site: UTFO Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography . Music VF. 12 December 2021.
  15. Web site: U.T.F.O. - full Official Chart History . Official Charts Company. 12 December 2021.
  16. UTFO With Roxanne. 1984. Roxanne Meets UTFO. track listing. Streetwave. MKHAN 40.
  17. UTFO. 1998. Lollipop / Roxanne, Roxanne. track listing. Black Jam. 050-16835.