Da Bush Babees
Encyclopedia
Da Bush Babees is a group of underground hip-hop artists loosely affiliated with the Native Tongues
. The members of the group are Babe-B-Face Kaos (later Lee Majors), Mister Man (later Mr. Khaliyl) and Y-Tee.
The three grew up in Jamaica
and Trinidad
, and hence reggae
strongly influenced its style, but it was in 1992 in Brooklyn, NY, where Mister Man first saw Kaos perform, that the group was formed. The two began collaborating, and after Mister Man suggested adding a reggae toaster
, Y-Tee joined the group. After their early concert dates attracted major-label interest, the trio performed live office auditions and signed with Reprise
three months after launching the group. Their first album, Ambushed
(1994), featured production from Jermaine Dupri
, Ali Shaheed Muhammad
, Salaam Gibbs (later known as Salaam Remi
) and the group itself, among others. Later releases included "Remember We" in 1995 and their 1996 second album Gravity
, which was the group's first underground and commercial success. Its lead single, "The Love Song", was produced by Posdnous of De La Soul
; that single also featured a then-unknown Mos Def
singing the chorus, who also sang the chorus and rapped the third verse of the album's seventh track, "S.O.S".
Mr. Man later changed his nickname to Mr. Khaliyl and went on to produce for other artists, and also released a rare 12-inch single on Rawkus featuring Talib Kweli
, Pharoahe Monch
and DCQ. Mr. Man has also recently produced for such artists as Res and Fabolous.
Native tongues
Native Tongues is a book by the linguist Charles Berlitz.It is a list of words in different languages, etymology and questions with speculations far and wide about words....
. The members of the group are Babe-B-Face Kaos (later Lee Majors), Mister Man (later Mr. Khaliyl) and Y-Tee.
The three grew up in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
and Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
, and hence reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
strongly influenced its style, but it was in 1992 in Brooklyn, NY, where Mister Man first saw Kaos perform, that the group was formed. The two began collaborating, and after Mister Man suggested adding a reggae toaster
Toaster (disambiguation)
A toaster is a device to toast bread.Toaster may also refer to:* Toaster , a self-contained software package meant for electronic distribution or for burning onto CD-ROM* The Toasters, a ska band...
, Y-Tee joined the group. After their early concert dates attracted major-label interest, the trio performed live office auditions and signed with Reprise
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
three months after launching the group. Their first album, Ambushed
Ambushed
Ambushed is the first album from hip hop group Da Bush Babees, with members Mr. Man, Babe-B-Face Kaos and Y-Tee. The group is famous for its affiliation with the Native Tongues. The album featured guest production from A Tribe Called Quest's Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Salaam Remi, and a young Jermaine...
(1994), featured production from Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
, Ali Shaheed Muhammad
Ali Shaheed Muhammad
Ali Shaheed Muhammad is an American hip hop DJ, rapper, producer who enjoyed a great deal of fame as a member of A Tribe Called Quest. With Q-Tip and Phife Dawg, the group released five studio albums from 1990 to 1998....
, Salaam Gibbs (later known as Salaam Remi
Salaam Remi
Salaam Remi Gibbs, better known as Salaam Remi, is a hip hop producer and keyboard player, known for his association with Nas, Amy Winehouse, and his reggae-tinged approach to production...
) and the group itself, among others. Later releases included "Remember We" in 1995 and their 1996 second album Gravity
Gravity (Bush Babees album)
Gravity is the acclaimed second album from Hip Hop group Da Bush Babees. The crew got help from a number of fellow Native Tongues members, including The Ummah, Mos Def and De La Soul's Posdnous. The lead single "The Love Song" received strong airplay prior to the album's release...
, which was the group's first underground and commercial success. Its lead single, "The Love Song", was produced by Posdnous of De La Soul
De La Soul
De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...
; that single also featured a then-unknown Mos Def
Mos Def
Dante Terrell Smith is an American actor and Emcee known by the stage names Mos Def and Yasiin Bey. He started his hip hop career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. With Talib Kweli, he formed the duo Black Star, which...
singing the chorus, who also sang the chorus and rapped the third verse of the album's seventh track, "S.O.S".
Mr. Man later changed his nickname to Mr. Khaliyl and went on to produce for other artists, and also released a rare 12-inch single on Rawkus featuring Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli Greene , better known as Talib Kweli, is an American hip-hop artist and poet from Brooklyn, New York. His first name in Arabic means "student" or "seeker" ; his in Swahili means "true"...
, Pharoahe Monch
Pharoahe Monch
Pharoahe Monch is an American hip hop artist. He is known for his complex lyrics, complex delivery, and internal and multisyllabic rhyme schemes.-Biography:...
and DCQ. Mr. Man has also recently produced for such artists as Res and Fabolous.
Discography
- AmbushedAmbushedAmbushed is the first album from hip hop group Da Bush Babees, with members Mr. Man, Babe-B-Face Kaos and Y-Tee. The group is famous for its affiliation with the Native Tongues. The album featured guest production from A Tribe Called Quest's Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Salaam Remi, and a young Jermaine...
(19941994 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1994.-January–February:*January 25 – Alice in Chains release their Jar of Flies album which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming the first ever EP to do so....
) - GravityGravity (Bush Babees album)Gravity is the acclaimed second album from Hip Hop group Da Bush Babees. The crew got help from a number of fellow Native Tongues members, including The Ummah, Mos Def and De La Soul's Posdnous. The lead single "The Love Song" received strong airplay prior to the album's release...
(19961996 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1996.-January:* January – At the trial of two American teenagers, Nicholaus McDonald and Brian Bassett, for the murder of Bassett's parents and young brother, defense lawyers attempt to lay the blame for the murders on the fact...
) - The Hardest Hard (TBA)