Dru Hill
Encyclopedia
Dru Hill is an American
singing group, most popular during the late 1990s, whose repertoire included R&B
, soul
, and gospel music
. Founded in Baltimore, Maryland, and active since 1992, Dru Hill recorded seven Top 40 hits, and is best known for the R&B #1 hits "In My Bed
", "Never Make a Promise
", and "How Deep Is Your Love
". Tamir "Nokio" Ruffin
was the group's founder; his bandmates included main lead singer Mark "Sisqó" Andrews
, Larry "Jazz" Anthony, and James "Woody Rock" Green
. Signing to Island Records
through Haqq Islam's University Records imprint, the group released two successful albums, Dru Hill
and Enter the Dru
, before separating for a period from late 1999 to 2002, during which time Sisqó and Woody released solo albums. While Woody's Soul Music LP was a moderate success in the gospel music industry, Sisqó's debut album, Unleash the Dragon
, and it's hit single, "Thong Song
", were major pop successes, and established Sisqó as a household name outside of Dru Hill. His second album, Return of Dragon
, wasn't much of a success. In 2002, by then part of the Def Soul
record label, the group reunited and added fifth member Rufus "Scola" Waller to the lineup for their third album, Dru World Order
. In 2010, the group released their fourth album, InDRUpendence Day
, with new member, Tao, after Woody left for the second time.
, and both later became acquaintances of Tamir Ruffin when all three began pursuing careers in the music industry. Ruffin, nicknamed "Nokio" (an acronym for "Nasty on Key in Octave") enlisted Andrews and Green (whose respective nicknames of "Sisqó" and "Big Woody Rock" came from their childhood) to form a singing group. The trio added Larry "Jazz" Anthony, an opera
student, to complete their lineup. The group was named after Druid Hill Park
, a popular park on the West side of Baltimore, the name of which is pronounced "Dru Hill" in the local accent. A dragon is used as a logo for the group.
The quartet made a name for itself by getting jobs at a local fudge
factory, "The Fudgery," at the Inner Harbor
, where they sang and performed to entertain guests while making fudge (this tradition is still a part of "The Fudgery"). Most of their early repertoire was made up of gospel music
as well as an early song by the group, "Please Remove Yo' Shoes"; the group eventually switched to the more commercially viable genre of R&B.
's "Island Black" division shortly afterward through a production deal with Islam's University Music, and immediately began recording their debut album. The self-titled Dru Hill
was released on November 19, 1996, and eventually was certified gold
. The group's first single, "Tell Me", was featured on the soundtrack to the Whoopi Goldberg
film Eddie
, and was a Top 5 R&B hit in the United States.
Stylistically, Dru Hill was the middle-ground between the smooth, gentlemen-like Boyz II Men
and the self-proclaimed "bad boys of R&B", Jodeci
. Dru Hill received a lot of criticism, especially from the members of Jodeci, for what was perceived was a direct appropriation of Jodeci's style, particularly in frontman Sisqó's K-Ci Hailey-esque lead vocals. Other major influences for the group included Stevie Wonder
and 1980s boy band
New Edition
.
Both the group themselves and songwriter
s/producer
s such as Daryl Simmons and Keith Sweat
wrote the songs for the Dru Hill album, with the group themselves writing the single "5 Steps". Nokio also did some co-production, and would become the group's main producer by 1998.
All four members took turns singing lead, with Sisqó making the biggest impression on audiences with his dancing style, David Ruffin
-styled emoting, and bleached-blond hair. The Sisqó-led "In My Bed" was the group's first Top 5 pop hit and first #1 R&B hit. Jazz took the lead on the third single, "Never Make a Promise", which became a second #1 R&B hit. "Never Make a Promise"'s music video
starred Michelle Thomas
as Jazz's girlfriend, and was noted for its message against child molestation.
soundtrack
. "We're Not Making Love No More" was written and produced by star producer Babyface. Dru Hill and rapper Foxy Brown recorded "Big Bad Mama", a remake of Carl Carlton
's 1981 hit "She's a Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked)", which was the main single for the soundtrack to the 1998 Bill Bellamy
film Def Jam's How to Be a Player. The group was also instrumental in writing and producing for new University artist Mýa
, whose first two singles "It's All About Me
" and "Movin' On
", were co-written by Sisqó, who also performs guest vocals on "It's All About Me".
In 1997, Dru Hill filed a lawsuit against Island Records, seeking a release from its contract, after an Island employee hit the group's manager, Keith Ingram, over the head with a pool cue. It was discovered that the employee in question had a criminal record. At an October 1997 deposition hearing, Eric Kronfeld, president and chief operating officer
of Island's parent company PolyGram
, was asked why he had hired such an individual. His response was that if he were not to hire African-Americans with criminal records, then "there would be virtually no African-Americans employees in our society or in our industry."
Kronfield's remarks set off a wave of controversy when word of them reached the media in November. The Reverend Jesse Jackson
became personally involved, publicly stating that PolyGram, based in the Netherlands
, had "a pattern of race and sex exclusion." Jackson met with PolyGram chairman Alain Levy and several other executives, who issued a public apology for Kronfield's statement, and replaced Kronfield as president with Motown Records
' chairman Clarence Avant. By the end of the month, Dru Hill had settled with Island Records, with the agreement that they would remain on the label.
styled track which was included on the soundtrack to the Jackie Chan
and Chris Tucker
film Rush Hour. The single "This Is What We Do", featuring a guest rap from Method Man
, set the tone for the group's second album, Enter the Dru
. The album featured several other mid-tempo tracks in the vein of "How Deep Is Your Love", as well as the R&B Top 5 single "These are the Times" (Pop #21), co-written and co-produced by Babyface, and featuring guitar work from Atlanta-based session guitarist and former Earth Wind & Fire member Dick Smith
Enter the Dru eventually sold two million copies by 1999. That year, Dru Hill recorded a version of "Enchantment Passing Through" for the soundtrack to the Broadway
musical Aida
, which was also featured on Sisqo's album Unleash the Dragon.
's Spring Break 1999. When Dru Hill made a high-profile guest appearance on Will Smith
's #1 pop hit "Wild Wild West", the lead single from the soundtrack to Smith's 1999 film of the same name
, it made a star out of Sisqó alone. Both the song and its video prominently featured Sisqó alongside Smith, with the other three members relegated to the background.
During the "Wild Wild West" video shoot in April 1999, Woody quit the group, feeling a need to return to his gospel music roots. At first, Island decided to keep Dru Hill a trio, and shot a video for a hip-hop-styled remix of Enter the Dru's "You are Everything" with only Sisqó, Jazz, and Nokio, who performs a rap with Def Jam artist Ja Rule
. Def Jam artist Case
was subsequently enlisted to sing backgrounds on a remix of "Beauty" from Enter the Dru, whose video was shot but not released.
After Island merged with Def Jam to become The Island Def Jam Music Group
in mid-1999, all four members, Woody included, signed new contracts with Def Jam's R&B imprint Def Soul, creating what was termed the "Dru World Order" project. Between November 1999 and November 2000, each member would release a solo album: Sisqó a pop
album, Jazz a traditional R&B/soul album, Nokio a hip hop album, and Woody a gospel album. All four members reunited with a fifth member named Scola and recorded their third album Dru World Order
, which was released in November 2000.
Sisqó released his debut Unleash the Dragon
LP, and had a minor hit with his first single, "Got to Get It" featuring Make It Hot
. His second single, a playful novelty record
entitled "Thong Song
", became a major hit during the spring of 2000, and his third, "Incomplete
", became a number-one hit during the fall. As a result, the Dru World Order project schedule was continually pushed back, and, by November 2000, none of the other solo albums had been released.
In the early fall of 2000, Def Soul had Dru Hill re-enter the studio to record the Dru World Order album, and the song "Without Me" was chosen as the lead single. However, the time the group had spent apart created tension and conflict: Sisqó walked out of a November 2000 Dru Hill photo shoot for VIBE
magazine, and the group broke apart completely shortly afterward.
Dru World Order was placed on indefinite hold, and Sisqó began work on a second solo LP, Return of Dragon
. "Without You" was issued as an album track on Return of Dragon, which performed below expectations after its June 2001 release. By the end of the year, Sisqó and Nokio had begun plans to reassemble Dru Hill, enlisting Baltimore associate Rufus Waller
, who performed under the name "Scola", as a fifth member.
Woody eventually arranged a solo deal with Kirk Franklin
's Gospocentric Records
, which released his gospel album, titled Soul Music, on April 9, 2002. Scola wrote the songs "My Homie" and "No Matter What" for Woody's album, and sings backgrounds on several tracks.
and Kwamé
also made contributions. Most of the album's tracks featured Sisqó, Jazz, Woody, and Scola sharing the leads, including the lead single "I Should Be...". "I Should Be..." was a Top 30 pop hit and a Top 10 R&B hit, while its follow-up "I Love You" failed to make a strong impression.
Def Soul released a greatest hits
compilation, Dru Hill: Hits, on October 11, along with a corresponding DVD
collection of the group's music videos. Both collections included Sisqó's biggest solo hits, "Thong Song" and "Incomplete" alongside the Dru Hill songs.
During the summer of 2007, Scola released a slow jam compilation CD entitled Scola's Lost Treasures. He has also worked on a solo project called From EA 2 Cali, which was released in 2010.
, Bell Biv Devoe
, and their former producer Keith Sweat. On March 6, the group appeared on WERQ, a Baltimore radio station, to promote their reunion. In the midst of their interview, however, Woody announced he was quitting the group again to dedicate himself to his gospel ministry. A YouTube
video shows Sisqó
walking out on the interview as a result, and Woody
and Nokio fighting while Jazz
and the manager Kevin Peck tries to break it up. The group held a contest in their native Baltimore for a replacement for Woody, settling upon a new singer, Antwuan "Tao" Simpson. The group never said why they did not keep Scola in the group, although it was later stated by Nokio that "five people [mess] up the money."
is Dru Hill's fourth album, released on July 27, 2010. It features the group's new member, Tao, who was Woody's replacement. The album has released three singles, "Love MD", "Remain Silent" and "Back to the Future" . It is under the label Kedar Entertainment.
The show was scheduled to premiere on July 14, 2009 on BET but had been postponed.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singing group, most popular during the late 1990s, whose repertoire included R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
, soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, and gospel music
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
. Founded in Baltimore, Maryland, and active since 1992, Dru Hill recorded seven Top 40 hits, and is best known for the R&B #1 hits "In My Bed
In My Bed
"In My Bed" is a number-one platinum-selling R&B single by R&B group Dru Hill. It is the second single from their eponymus debut album. The single spent three weeks at number-one on the US R&B chart and peaked at number four on the US pop chart. The music video is about Sisqó's girlfriend, who is a...
", "Never Make a Promise
Never Make a Promise
"Never Make a Promise" is a number-one R&B single by group Dru Hill, released in 1997. It is the third single from their eponymous debut album. With a lead by Larry "Jazz" Anthony, the single spent four weeks at number one on the US R&B chart and peaked at number seven on the US pop chart. The...
", and "How Deep Is Your Love
How Deep is Your Love (Dru Hill song)
"How Deep Is Your Love" is an R&B single by group Dru Hill and features rapper Redman. It is the first single from the group's second album, Enter the Dru. The song was released on June 23, 1998, the hit song spent three weeks at number-one on the US R&B chart, and peaked at number-three on the US...
". Tamir "Nokio" Ruffin
Nokio the N-Tity
Nokio the N-Tity is an African-American record producer, songwriter, singer, and rapper...
was the group's founder; his bandmates included main lead singer Mark "Sisqó" Andrews
Sisqó
Mark Durrell Andrews , known by his stage name Sisqó, is an American R&B singer and actor. He is best known as the lead singer of R&B group Dru Hill, and also for "Thong Song", a song from his first solo LP, Unleash the Dragon, that became an international hit. - Biography :Sisqó was born Mark...
, Larry "Jazz" Anthony, and James "Woody Rock" Green
Woody Rock
----Woody Rock is an African-American singer and musician. Woody is best known as a former member of multi-platinum R&B act Dru Hill, a group for which he has written and sung lead on songs such as "5 Steps", "April Showers", and "Angel"...
. Signing to Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
through Haqq Islam's University Records imprint, the group released two successful albums, Dru Hill
Dru Hill (album)
-Album:-Singles:"—" denotes releases that did not chart.-Personnel:Information taken from Allmusic.*assistant engineering – Jim Carliana, Chris Habeck, Kevin Lively, Steven Rhodes, Brian Thomas, Bernasky Wall, Won B., Luke Yeager...
and Enter the Dru
Enter the Dru
-Album:-Singles:"—" denotes releases that did not chart.-Personnel:Information taken from Allmusic.*a&r – Matthew Schwartz*arranging – Nokio the N-Tity, Guy Roche...
, before separating for a period from late 1999 to 2002, during which time Sisqó and Woody released solo albums. While Woody's Soul Music LP was a moderate success in the gospel music industry, Sisqó's debut album, Unleash the Dragon
Unleash the Dragon
-Chart and singles history:...
, and it's hit single, "Thong Song
Thong Song
"Thong Song" is a 2000 song recorded by Sisqó of Dru Hill for the Def Soul imprint of Def Jam. The song was issued as the second single from Sisqó's Unleash the Dragon LP in February 2000, and was its second biggest hit....
", were major pop successes, and established Sisqó as a household name outside of Dru Hill. His second album, Return of Dragon
Return of Dragon
-Chart and singles history:...
, wasn't much of a success. In 2002, by then part of the Def Soul
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings is an American record label, focused primarily on hip hop and urban music, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group...
record label, the group reunited and added fifth member Rufus "Scola" Waller to the lineup for their third album, Dru World Order
Dru World Order
* 1 "I Do " interpolates the composition "Millions", written by Marvin Winans.-Personnel:*Lead and background vocals – Sisqó , Jazz , Nokio , Scola , and Woody...
. In 2010, the group released their fourth album, InDRUpendence Day
InDRUpendence Day
-Album:- Release history :...
, with new member, Tao, after Woody left for the second time.
Formation
All four original members of Dru Hill were natives of Baltimore, Maryland. Mark Andrews and James Green met each other in middle schoolMiddle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
, and both later became acquaintances of Tamir Ruffin when all three began pursuing careers in the music industry. Ruffin, nicknamed "Nokio" (an acronym for "Nasty on Key in Octave") enlisted Andrews and Green (whose respective nicknames of "Sisqó" and "Big Woody Rock" came from their childhood) to form a singing group. The trio added Larry "Jazz" Anthony, an opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
student, to complete their lineup. The group was named after Druid Hill Park
Druid Hill Park
Druid Hill Park is a urban park in northwest Baltimore, Maryland. Its boundaries are marked by Druid Park Drive , Swann Drive and Reisterstown Road , and the Jones Falls Expressway...
, a popular park on the West side of Baltimore, the name of which is pronounced "Dru Hill" in the local accent. A dragon is used as a logo for the group.
The quartet made a name for itself by getting jobs at a local fudge
Fudge
Fudge is a type of Western confectionery which is usually very sweet, and extremely rich. It is made by mixing sugar, butter, and milk and heating it to the soft-ball stage at , and then beating the mixture while it cools so that it acquires a smooth, creamy consistency...
factory, "The Fudgery," at the Inner Harbor
Inner Harbor
The Inner Harbor is a historic seaport, tourist attraction, and iconic landmark of the City of Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Described by the Urban Land Institute in 2009 as “the model for post-industrial waterfront redevelopment around the World.” The Inner Harbor is actually the end of the...
, where they sang and performed to entertain guests while making fudge (this tradition is still a part of "The Fudgery"). Most of their early repertoire was made up of gospel music
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
as well as an early song by the group, "Please Remove Yo' Shoes"; the group eventually switched to the more commercially viable genre of R&B.
Big break and Dru Hill
Dru Hill's big break came in 1996, when manager Haqq Islam arranged for them to perform at the Impact Convention in May. The group was signed to Island RecordsIsland Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
's "Island Black" division shortly afterward through a production deal with Islam's University Music, and immediately began recording their debut album. The self-titled Dru Hill
Dru Hill (album)
-Album:-Singles:"—" denotes releases that did not chart.-Personnel:Information taken from Allmusic.*assistant engineering – Jim Carliana, Chris Habeck, Kevin Lively, Steven Rhodes, Brian Thomas, Bernasky Wall, Won B., Luke Yeager...
was released on November 19, 1996, and eventually was certified gold
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
. The group's first single, "Tell Me", was featured on the soundtrack to the Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
film Eddie
Eddie (film)
Eddie is a 1996 comedy film starring Whoopi Goldberg and Frank Langella. It was a moderate success, grossing $31,387,164 in the US.The film was directed by Steve Rash.- Plot summary :...
, and was a Top 5 R&B hit in the United States.
Stylistically, Dru Hill was the middle-ground between the smooth, gentlemen-like Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are the most successful R&B group of all time, having sold more than albums worldwide. In the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet, but original member Michael McCary...
and the self-proclaimed "bad boys of R&B", Jodeci
Jodeci
Jodeci is an American band, whose repertoire includes R&B, soul music, and new jack swing. The group consists of two pairs of brothers from Hampton, Virginia and Charlotte, North Carolina: Cedric & Joel Hailey and Donald & Dalvin DeGrate, all respectively known by their stage names: K-Ci & Jojo,...
. Dru Hill received a lot of criticism, especially from the members of Jodeci, for what was perceived was a direct appropriation of Jodeci's style, particularly in frontman Sisqó's K-Ci Hailey-esque lead vocals. Other major influences for the group included Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
and 1980s boy band
Boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a popular music act consisting of only male singers. The members are expected to dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on...
New Edition
New Edition
New Edition is an R&B group formed in Boston in 1978. The group reached its height of popularity during the 1980s. They were the progenitors of the boy band movement of the 1980s and 1990s and led the way for groups like New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync...
.
Both the group themselves and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
s/producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
s such as Daryl Simmons and Keith Sweat
Keith Sweat
Keith Sweat is an American R&B/soul, singer-songwriter, record producer, radio personality and a major contributor to the new jack swing era.-Music career:...
wrote the songs for the Dru Hill album, with the group themselves writing the single "5 Steps". Nokio also did some co-production, and would become the group's main producer by 1998.
All four members took turns singing lead, with Sisqó making the biggest impression on audiences with his dancing style, David Ruffin
David Ruffin
Davis Eli "David" Ruffin was an American soul singer and musician most famous for his work as one of the lead singers of the Temptations from 1964 to 1968...
-styled emoting, and bleached-blond hair. The Sisqó-led "In My Bed" was the group's first Top 5 pop hit and first #1 R&B hit. Jazz took the lead on the third single, "Never Make a Promise", which became a second #1 R&B hit. "Never Make a Promise"'s music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
starred Michelle Thomas
Michelle Thomas
Michelle Thomas was an American actress. She was best known for her roles as Justine Phillips on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, and as Myra Monkhouse on the ABC/CBS sitcom Family Matters.-Early life and career:Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Thomas grew up in Montclair, New Jersey and was an...
as Jazz's girlfriend, and was noted for its message against child molestation.
Soundtracks, protégés, and controversy
Between their first and second albums, Dru Hill contributed "We're Not Making Love No More", a #2 R&B and #13 Pop hit, to the Soul FoodSoul Food (film)
Soul Food is a 1997 American comedy-drama film, produced by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Tracey Edmonds, and Robert Teitel, and released by Fox 2000 Pictures. Featuring an ensemble cast, the film stars Vanessa L. Williams, Vivica A. Fox, Nia Long, Michael Beach, Mekhi Phifer, Jeffrey D. Sams, Irma...
soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
. "We're Not Making Love No More" was written and produced by star producer Babyface. Dru Hill and rapper Foxy Brown recorded "Big Bad Mama", a remake of Carl Carlton
Carl Carlton
Carl Carlton is an American R&B, soul, and funk singer and songwriter, best known for his hits "Everlasting Love" and "She's a Bad Mama Jama ".-Career:...
's 1981 hit "She's a Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked)", which was the main single for the soundtrack to the 1998 Bill Bellamy
Bill Bellamy
William "Bill" Bellamy is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He currently resides in California. Bellamy first gained national notoriety on HBO's Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam, where he is credited for creating or uttering before a televised audience, the phrase "booty call", described as...
film Def Jam's How to Be a Player. The group was also instrumental in writing and producing for new University artist Mýa
Mya
-A person:* Bo Mya , Chief Commander of the Karen National Union* Mýa , American R&B singer-songwriter and actress** Mýa , a 1998 album by Mýa-A code:* Burmese language, ISO 639-3 code is mya* Moruya Airport's IATA code...
, whose first two singles "It's All About Me
It's All About Me
It's All About Me is the debut single by American singer-songwriter Mýa and features R&B singer Sisqó. The track was produced by Darryl Pearson for Harrison debut self-titled studio album. It's All About Me was written by Mark Andrew and Darryl Pearson....
" and "Movin' On
Movin' On (Mýa song)
"Movin' On" is an R&B/Hip Hop song by American singer-songwriter Mýa and features No Limits rapper Silkk The Shocker. The track was produced by Darryl Pearson for Harrison debut self-titled studio album...
", were co-written by Sisqó, who also performs guest vocals on "It's All About Me".
In 1997, Dru Hill filed a lawsuit against Island Records, seeking a release from its contract, after an Island employee hit the group's manager, Keith Ingram, over the head with a pool cue. It was discovered that the employee in question had a criminal record. At an October 1997 deposition hearing, Eric Kronfeld, president and chief operating officer
Chief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
of Island's parent company PolyGram
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
, was asked why he had hired such an individual. His response was that if he were not to hire African-Americans with criminal records, then "there would be virtually no African-Americans employees in our society or in our industry."
Kronfield's remarks set off a wave of controversy when word of them reached the media in November. The Reverend Jesse Jackson
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to...
became personally involved, publicly stating that PolyGram, based in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, had "a pattern of race and sex exclusion." Jackson met with PolyGram chairman Alain Levy and several other executives, who issued a public apology for Kronfield's statement, and replaced Kronfield as president with Motown Records
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
' chairman Clarence Avant. By the end of the month, Dru Hill had settled with Island Records, with the agreement that they would remain on the label.
Enter the Dru
Dru Hill's third Top 20 pop hit came in the form of 1998's "How Deep Is Your Love" (Pop #3), a hip hopHip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
styled track which was included on the soundtrack to the Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
and Chris Tucker
Chris Tucker
Christopher "Chris" Tucker is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for playing the role of Detective James Carter in the Rush Hour film series.-Early life:...
film Rush Hour. The single "This Is What We Do", featuring a guest rap from Method Man
Method Man
Clifford Smith , better known by his stage name Method Man is an American hip hop artist, record producer, actor and member of the hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He took his stage name from the 1979 film The Fearless Young Boxer, also known as Method Man. He is one half of the rap duo Method Man...
, set the tone for the group's second album, Enter the Dru
Enter the Dru
-Album:-Singles:"—" denotes releases that did not chart.-Personnel:Information taken from Allmusic.*a&r – Matthew Schwartz*arranging – Nokio the N-Tity, Guy Roche...
. The album featured several other mid-tempo tracks in the vein of "How Deep Is Your Love", as well as the R&B Top 5 single "These are the Times" (Pop #21), co-written and co-produced by Babyface, and featuring guitar work from Atlanta-based session guitarist and former Earth Wind & Fire member Dick Smith
Dick Smith (musician)
Dick Smith is a musician who has mostly worked as a guitarist and has played with* 98 Degrees Guitarist 1998* Air Supply Guitarist 1993* Donny Osmond* Dru Hill Guitarist 1998* Earth, Wind & Fire Lead guitarist 1987 - 1993* Emmanuel...
Enter the Dru eventually sold two million copies by 1999. That year, Dru Hill recorded a version of "Enchantment Passing Through" for the soundtrack to the Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
musical Aida
Aida
Aida sometimes spelled Aïda, is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette...
, which was also featured on Sisqo's album Unleash the Dragon.
The Dru World Order project
Among the press and the public, Sisqó was singled out as a de-facto solo act, and the other three members were regarded as sidemen. The singer was even erroneously referred to (presumably by mistake) as Dru Hill by confused fans, most notably on MTVMTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Spring Break 1999. When Dru Hill made a high-profile guest appearance on Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
's #1 pop hit "Wild Wild West", the lead single from the soundtrack to Smith's 1999 film of the same name
Wild Wild West
Wild Wild West is a 1999 American steampunk action-comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, and starring Will Smith, Kevin Kline , Kenneth Branagh and Salma Hayek.Similar to the original TV series it was based on, The Wild Wild West, the film features a large amount of gadgetry...
, it made a star out of Sisqó alone. Both the song and its video prominently featured Sisqó alongside Smith, with the other three members relegated to the background.
During the "Wild Wild West" video shoot in April 1999, Woody quit the group, feeling a need to return to his gospel music roots. At first, Island decided to keep Dru Hill a trio, and shot a video for a hip-hop-styled remix of Enter the Dru's "You are Everything" with only Sisqó, Jazz, and Nokio, who performs a rap with Def Jam artist Ja Rule
Ja Rule
Jeffrey Atkins , better known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American rapper, singer, and actor.Born in Hollis, Queens, he began his career in the group Cash Money Click and debuted in 1999 with Venni Vetti Vecci and its single "Holla Holla"...
. Def Jam artist Case
Case (singer)
Case Woodard, stage name Case, is an American R&B singer who was born in New York City.-Music career:After stints with R&B group Future and a duo called Black, Case got work co-writing and singing background for artists including Usher, Christopher Williams and Al B. Sure. Case finally felt close...
was subsequently enlisted to sing backgrounds on a remix of "Beauty" from Enter the Dru, whose video was shot but not released.
After Island merged with Def Jam to become The Island Def Jam Music Group
The Island Def Jam Music Group
The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group, formerly The Island Def Jam Music Group, is an umbrella label formed in 1999 when Universal Music Group merged two of its daughter companies, Island Records and Def Jam Recordings, to create a label group. In 2011, Motown Records was split from the Universal...
in mid-1999, all four members, Woody included, signed new contracts with Def Jam's R&B imprint Def Soul, creating what was termed the "Dru World Order" project. Between November 1999 and November 2000, each member would release a solo album: Sisqó a pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
album, Jazz a traditional R&B/soul album, Nokio a hip hop album, and Woody a gospel album. All four members reunited with a fifth member named Scola and recorded their third album Dru World Order
Dru World Order
* 1 "I Do " interpolates the composition "Millions", written by Marvin Winans.-Personnel:*Lead and background vocals – Sisqó , Jazz , Nokio , Scola , and Woody...
, which was released in November 2000.
Sisqó released his debut Unleash the Dragon
Unleash the Dragon
-Chart and singles history:...
LP, and had a minor hit with his first single, "Got to Get It" featuring Make It Hot
Make It Hot
Make It Hot is the 1998 debut album by R&B singer Nicole. The album was released in August 1998 through Missy Elliott's Elektra-distributed vanity label, The Goldmind. The album was produced by Missy Elliott and Timbaland.- Track listing :...
. His second single, a playful novelty record
Novelty song
A novelty song is a comical or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect. Humorous songs, or those containing humorous elements, are not necessarily novelty songs. The term arose in Tin Pan Alley to describe one of the major divisions of popular music. The other two divisions...
entitled "Thong Song
Thong Song
"Thong Song" is a 2000 song recorded by Sisqó of Dru Hill for the Def Soul imprint of Def Jam. The song was issued as the second single from Sisqó's Unleash the Dragon LP in February 2000, and was its second biggest hit....
", became a major hit during the spring of 2000, and his third, "Incomplete
Incomplete (Sisqó song)
"Incomplete" is a 2000 number-one single recorded by Sisqó for Def Soul Records. Written by Def Soul artist Montell Jordan and Anthony "Shep" Crawford, and produced by Crawford, the song was Sisqó's biggest solo single, and his only number-one hit...
", became a number-one hit during the fall. As a result, the Dru World Order project schedule was continually pushed back, and, by November 2000, none of the other solo albums had been released.
In the early fall of 2000, Def Soul had Dru Hill re-enter the studio to record the Dru World Order album, and the song "Without Me" was chosen as the lead single. However, the time the group had spent apart created tension and conflict: Sisqó walked out of a November 2000 Dru Hill photo shoot for VIBE
VIBE
Vibe is a music and entertainment magazine founded by producer Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip-hop music artists, actors and other entertainers...
magazine, and the group broke apart completely shortly afterward.
Dru World Order was placed on indefinite hold, and Sisqó began work on a second solo LP, Return of Dragon
Return of Dragon
-Chart and singles history:...
. "Without You" was issued as an album track on Return of Dragon, which performed below expectations after its June 2001 release. By the end of the year, Sisqó and Nokio had begun plans to reassemble Dru Hill, enlisting Baltimore associate Rufus Waller
Rufus Waller
Scola is an African-American singer and musician. Scola is best known as the fifth member of multi-platinum R&B act Dru Hill, a group he has written and sung lead on songs such as "I Love You", "Old Love", and "I Should Be". He has also recorded his own solo R&B album "From EA To Cali", on his own...
, who performed under the name "Scola", as a fifth member.
Woody eventually arranged a solo deal with Kirk Franklin
Kirk Franklin
Kirk Dwayne Franklin is an American Gospel music musician, choir director, and author, and is most notably known for leading urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, God's Property and One Nation Crew .- Early years :...
's Gospocentric Records
GospoCentric Records
GospoCentric Records is an Inglewood, California based Gospel music record label started as an independent label by Vicki Mack Lataillade and Claude Lataillade in 1993. The label rose to prominence in the 90's largely on the runaway success of gospel artist Kirk Franklin. The label has grown to...
, which released his gospel album, titled Soul Music, on April 9, 2002. Scola wrote the songs "My Homie" and "No Matter What" for Woody's album, and sings backgrounds on several tracks.
Dru World Order
Dru World Order was released on November 26, 2002, two years after its original planned release date. Nearly all of the album's tracks were produced by Nokio, who sung lead on the tracks "She Said" and "Men Always Regret". Producers such as Bryan Michael CoxBryan Michael Cox
Bryan-Michael Cox is a GRAMMY award winning American songwriter and record producer.-History:Bryan-Michael Cox was born in Miami and grew up in Houston, where he attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. While in the eleventh grade he met and was mentored by Greg Curtis...
and Kwamé
Kwamé
Kwamé Holland is an American emcee who enjoyed brief popularity in the late-1980s and early-1990s. He is currently a music producer sometimes credited as K-1 Million or K1 Mil.-Biography:...
also made contributions. Most of the album's tracks featured Sisqó, Jazz, Woody, and Scola sharing the leads, including the lead single "I Should Be...". "I Should Be..." was a Top 30 pop hit and a Top 10 R&B hit, while its follow-up "I Love You" failed to make a strong impression.
Beyond Dru World Order
By 2005, Dru Hill had been released from their Def Soul contract and had disappeared from public view.Def Soul released a greatest hits
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
compilation, Dru Hill: Hits, on October 11, along with a corresponding DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
collection of the group's music videos. Both collections included Sisqó's biggest solo hits, "Thong Song" and "Incomplete" alongside the Dru Hill songs.
During the summer of 2007, Scola released a slow jam compilation CD entitled Scola's Lost Treasures. He has also worked on a solo project called From EA 2 Cali, which was released in 2010.
Woody and Scola's departure
In early 2008, the original quartet version of Dru Hill began touring alongside fellow 1990s R&B acts Tony! Toni! Toné!Tony! Toni! Toné!
Tony! Toni! Toné! is an American Soul/R&B group from Oakland, California, popular during the late 1980s and early to mid 1990s. During the band's heyday, it was composed of D'wayne Wiggins on lead vocals and guitar, his brother Raphael Saadiq on lead vocals and bass, and their cousin Timothy...
, Bell Biv Devoe
Bell Biv DeVoe
Bell Biv DeVoe is an American R&B musical group which branched off from New Edition. It consists of three of New Edition's previous members, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe...
, and their former producer Keith Sweat. On March 6, the group appeared on WERQ, a Baltimore radio station, to promote their reunion. In the midst of their interview, however, Woody announced he was quitting the group again to dedicate himself to his gospel ministry. A YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
video shows Sisqó
Sisqó
Mark Durrell Andrews , known by his stage name Sisqó, is an American R&B singer and actor. He is best known as the lead singer of R&B group Dru Hill, and also for "Thong Song", a song from his first solo LP, Unleash the Dragon, that became an international hit. - Biography :Sisqó was born Mark...
walking out on the interview as a result, and Woody
Woody Rock
----Woody Rock is an African-American singer and musician. Woody is best known as a former member of multi-platinum R&B act Dru Hill, a group for which he has written and sung lead on songs such as "5 Steps", "April Showers", and "Angel"...
and Nokio fighting while Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and the manager Kevin Peck tries to break it up. The group held a contest in their native Baltimore for a replacement for Woody, settling upon a new singer, Antwuan "Tao" Simpson. The group never said why they did not keep Scola in the group, although it was later stated by Nokio that "five people [mess] up the money."
InDRUpendence Day
InDRUpendence DayInDRUpendence Day
-Album:- Release history :...
is Dru Hill's fourth album, released on July 27, 2010. It features the group's new member, Tao, who was Woody's replacement. The album has released three singles, "Love MD", "Remain Silent" and "Back to the Future" . It is under the label Kedar Entertainment.
Television appearances
Dru Hill has their own television show called "Keith Sweat's Platinum House". It will air June 28, 2010 on Centric. It will focus on their fourth album, InDRUpendence Day, and how they progress as a group back on the grind.The show was scheduled to premiere on July 14, 2009 on BET but had been postponed.
Discography
- Dru HillDru Hill (album)-Album:-Singles:"—" denotes releases that did not chart.-Personnel:Information taken from Allmusic.*assistant engineering – Jim Carliana, Chris Habeck, Kevin Lively, Steven Rhodes, Brian Thomas, Bernasky Wall, Won B., Luke Yeager...
(1996) - Enter the DruEnter the Dru-Album:-Singles:"—" denotes releases that did not chart.-Personnel:Information taken from Allmusic.*a&r – Matthew Schwartz*arranging – Nokio the N-Tity, Guy Roche...
(1998) - Dru World OrderDru World Order* 1 "I Do " interpolates the composition "Millions", written by Marvin Winans.-Personnel:*Lead and background vocals – Sisqó , Jazz , Nokio , Scola , and Woody...
(2002) - InDRUpendence DayInDRUpendence Day-Album:- Release history :...
(2010)