Flavor Unit
Encyclopedia
The Flavor Unit is a crew
of emcees and DJs from New York City
and Northern New Jersey
. It is now known as the Unit. The original version of the crew centered around producer DJ Mark the 45 King
. It was Mark's connections to Radio personalities DJ Red Alert
and DJ Chuck Chillout
, who gave the crew quick notoriety. It did not hurt that the original members all had formidable rhyme skills and wrote streetwise lyrics. The 45 King eventually fell into serious drug abuse and Queen Latifah
took over the name, and it became her umbrella organization. Flavor Unit Management is run by Latifah, one of the original members of the Flavor Unit, and Shakim Compere. Past management clients were Monica
, OutKast
, Faith Evans
, Total
, SWV
, Almighty RSO (A group featuring Ray Dog, better known today as Benzino
), Groove Theory
, Monifah
, Gina Thompson
, LL Cool J
, Zhané
, Donell Jones
, and Naughty By Nature
.
Crew
A crew is a body or a class of people who work at a common activity, generally in a structured or hierarchical organization. A location in which a crew works is called a crewyard or a workyard...
of emcees and DJs from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Northern New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. It is now known as the Unit. The original version of the crew centered around producer DJ Mark the 45 King
DJ Mark the 45 King
DJ Mark the 45 King , also known as the 45 King, started DJing in New Jersey in the mid-1980s. The nickname "the 45 King" comes from his ability to make beats using obscure 45 RPM records.-Career:...
. It was Mark's connections to Radio personalities DJ Red Alert
DJ Red Alert
DJ Red Alert is a disc jockey on 98.7 Kiss-FM, N.Y.C., and has been recognized as a hip hop pioneer...
and DJ Chuck Chillout
DJ Chuck Chillout
Charles Turner better known as DJ Chuck Chillout, is an American hip hop DJ and producer on New York City's 98.7 KISS FM radio station....
, who gave the crew quick notoriety. It did not hurt that the original members all had formidable rhyme skills and wrote streetwise lyrics. The 45 King eventually fell into serious drug abuse and Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
took over the name, and it became her umbrella organization. Flavor Unit Management is run by Latifah, one of the original members of the Flavor Unit, and Shakim Compere. Past management clients were Monica
Monica (singer)
Monica Denise Brown , and professionally known as Monica, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, Monica began performing as a child and became part of a traveling gospel choir, by the time she was ten...
, OutKast
OutKast
Outkast is an American hip hop duo based in East Point, Georgia, consisting of Atlanta native André "André 3000" Benjamin and Savannah, Georgia-born Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. They were originally known as Two Shades Deep but later changed the group's name to OutKast...
, Faith Evans
Faith Evans
Faith Renée Evans is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, record producer, actress and author. Born in Florida and raised in New Jersey, Evans relocated to Los Angeles during 1993 for a career with the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B...
, Total
Total (band)
Total was an American R&B girl group and one of the signature acts of Sean Combs' Bad Boy Records imprint during the 1990s.-Emergence & Total:...
, SWV
SWV
Sisters with Voices, better known as SWV, is an American female R&B trio from New York. Formed in 1990 as a gospel group, SWV became one of the most successful R&B groups of the 1990s. They had a series of hits, including "Weak", "Right Here/Human Nature", "I'm So Into You", and "You're the One"....
, Almighty RSO (A group featuring Ray Dog, better known today as Benzino
Benzino
Raymond Scott from Boston Massachusetts, better known by hisstage name Benzino is an American hip hop media executive, and record producer....
), Groove Theory
Groove Theory
Groove Theory is an American R&B duo, with former member, singer-songwriter Amel Larrieux and songwriter/producer/actor, Bryce Wilson. The group is best known for their 1995 pop/R&B hit, "Tell Me," which reached the top five of Billboard 's Hot 100 and the US Billboard R&B chart.-Early years:The...
, Monifah
Monifah
Monifah is an American female R&B singer-songwriter.-Career:In 1996, her debut album, Moods...Moments was released. In 1997, she contributed the Heavy D. produced "I Still Love You" to the soundtrack of the film, Sprung. Monifah's second album was Mo'hogany. Released in the last quarter of 1998,...
, Gina Thompson
Gina Thompson
Gina Thompson is an American R&B vocalist. Born to Edward L. Thompson, Sr. and Eugenia Thompson, Gina Thomson began singing at an early age and was signed to her first recording contract with Mercury Records shortly after graduating high school.-Recording career:Nobody Does It Better was Gina...
, LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
, Zhané
Zhane
Zhané was an American R&B/hip hop soul duo, best known for their 1994 hit "Hey Mr. D.J.", which reached #6 in the U.S. Other popular hits include "Groove Thang" and minor hit "Sending My Love," both released in 1994...
, Donell Jones
Donell Jones
Donell Jones is an American R&B singer, songwriter and record producer.He is most notable for the hits "U Know What's Up," "Where I Wanna Be," and his cover of Stevie Wonder's "Knocks Me Off My Feet"...
, and Naughty By Nature
Naughty by Nature
Naughty by Nature are a Grammy Award-winning American hip hop trio from East Orange, New Jersey that at the time of its formation in 1989 consisted of Treach, Vin Rock, and the DJ Kay Gee...
.
Members
Names marked with an asterisk denote artists who were managed by Flavor Unit but were not part of the original crew.- The Almighty RSOThe Almighty RSOThe Almighty RSO was a hip hop group from Boston, Massachusetts. Members included MCs E-Devious , Ray Dog , Tony Rhome and DJ Deff Jeff.-History:...
* - ApacheApache (rapper)Anthony Peaks , better known as Apache, was an American rapper.Apache emerged from New Jersey in the late 1980s as a front man for the Flavor Unit, a hip-hop group. He first appeared on the Flavor Unit album, The 45 King Presents The Flavor Unit, in 1990...
- Aposouls*
- The Athletes*
- Black SheepBlack Sheep (hip hop group)Black Sheep is an alternative hip hop duo from Queens, New York, composed of Andres "Dres" Titus and William "Mista Lawnge" McLean. The duo is from New York but met as teenagers in North Carolina, where both of their families relocated. The group was an affiliate of the Native Tongues, which...
* - Channel LiveChannel LiveChannel Live is an American hip hop duo composed of Hakim Green and Vincent "Tuffy" Morgan, which recorded for Capitol Records and Flavor Unit Records....
* - Chill Rob GChill Rob GChill Rob G on May 15th, is a hip hop artist from Jersey City, New Jersey.-Career:Chill's first hip hop collaboration was being part of the original version of the Flavor Unit collective, which included Lakim Shabazz, DJ Mark the 45 King, and Queen Latifah, among others...
- Confidential
- DJ Mark the 45 KingDJ Mark the 45 KingDJ Mark the 45 King , also known as the 45 King, started DJing in New Jersey in the mid-1980s. The nickname "the 45 King" comes from his ability to make beats using obscure 45 RPM records.-Career:...
- Freddie FoxxxFreddie FoxxxFreddie Foxxx, also known as Bumpy Knuckles, is an American rapper and music producer from Long Island, New York.- Biography :...
- Lakim ShabazzLakim ShabazzLakim Shabazz is a former hip-hop emcee who was one of the founding members of the original version of the Flavor Unit crew. His birth name is Larry Welsh. His stage name refers to the so-called Lost Tribe of Shabazz, which is based on the teachings of Wallace Fard Muhammad...
- Latee
- LeShaun*
- Lord Alibaski
- Naughty by NatureNaughty by NatureNaughty by Nature are a Grammy Award-winning American hip hop trio from East Orange, New Jersey that at the time of its formation in 1989 consisted of Treach, Vin Rock, and the DJ Kay Gee...
* - Nikki DNikki DNichelle "Nikki D" Strong is an American female rapper. Nikki D was the first female rapper signed by Def Jam Recordings.-Career:She signed with Def Jam in 1989, and released her debut single "A No No No" the same year. It was produced by Sam Sever. The single's video featured Flavor Flav...
* - Queen LatifahQueen LatifahDana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
- Rowdy Rahz*
- Storm P*
- ZhanéZhaneZhané was an American R&B/hip hop soul duo, best known for their 1994 hit "Hey Mr. D.J.", which reached #6 in the U.S. Other popular hits include "Groove Thang" and minor hit "Sending My Love," both released in 1994...
*