Lords of the Underground
Encyclopedia
The Lords of the Underground (L.O.T.U.G.) are a hip-hop
trio
based in Newark, New Jersey
. MCs Mr. Funke and DoItAll Dupré met DJ Lord Jazz (a native of Cleveland) when all three were undergraduates at Shaw University
.
The group released their debut album, Here Come the Lords
on October 1, 1993 with production handled by Marley Marl
and K-Def
. The album peaked at 66 on the Billboard 200
and featured five charting singles, including the group's signature song
, "Chief Rocka
".
The group released their second album, Keepers of the Funk
the following year on November 1, 1994. Keepers of the Funk peaked at 47 on the Billboard 200 and featured three charting singles, the most successful of which was "Tic Toc
". The group disbanded in 1995.
They reunited for a third album with 1998's Resurrection
. Released via Queen Latifah
's Jersey Kidz imprint, was so small-scale a release that few realized it had been recorded. The Lords returned again in 2007 for a fourth album entitled House of Lords, but like Resurrection, it failed to reach the Billboard charts.
The Lords are best remembered in connection with the golden age of hip hop. As such, when Nas
decided in 2007 to do a remix
of his song "Where Are They Now?", which asked of the fates of several long-forgotten golden age rappers, the Lords were among those requested to appear. DoItAll Dupré performed eight bars on the track.
DoItAll appeared briefly in the final scene of the final episode
of The Sopranos
credited as Du Kelly, as one of a series of potentially ominous figures entering the diner. He also appeared on other TV shows; Law & Order
as Two Tone, on Oz
the HBO series, and on the Christmas episode of 30 Rock
on NBC (2008). He has also been in independent movies such as Somewhere in the City with Bai Ling
, Rhyme & Reason
, and with Treach of Naughty By Nature
. He has also starred in an off Broadway play entitled Diss, Diss, & Diss, Dat.
Hip 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...
trio
Trio (music)
Trio is generally used in any of the following ways:* A group of three musicians playing the same or different musical instrument.* The performance of a piece of music by three people.* The contrasting section of a piece in ternary form...
based in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
. MCs Mr. Funke and DoItAll Dupré met DJ Lord Jazz (a native of Cleveland) when all three were undergraduates at Shaw University
Shaw University
Shaw University, founded as Raleigh Institute, is a private liberal arts institution and historically black university in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1865, it is the oldest HBCU in the Southern United States....
.
The group released their debut album, Here Come the Lords
Here Come the Lords
Here Come the Lords is the debut album by rap group, Lords of the Underground. The album was released in 1993 for Pendulum Records and was produced by Marley Marl, K-Def and DJ Lord Jazz...
on October 1, 1993 with production handled by Marley Marl
Marley Marl
Marlon Williams , better known as Marley Marl, is an American DJ and record producer, who is considered one of the most important and influential hip-hop producers in the history of hip hop.-Biography:...
and K-Def
K-Def
K-Def is an American, New Jersey based, hip hop producer/DJ who has been actively involved in the music industry since the early 1990s. He has recently produced music for artists such as Ghostface Killah and Puff Daddy...
. The album peaked at 66 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and featured five charting singles, including the group's signature song
Signature song
A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
, "Chief Rocka
Chief Rocka (song)
"Chief Rocka" was the third single released from the Lords of the Underground's debut album, Here Come the Lords. The song was produced and featured scratches by K-Def, with K-Def and Marley Marl mixing it. "Chief Rocka" became the group's most successful single and has become their signature song...
".
The group released their second album, Keepers of the Funk
Keepers of the Funk
Keepers of the Funk is the second album by rap group, Lords of the Underground. The album was released in 1994 for Pendulum Records and was produced by Marley Marl, K-Def, Lords of the Underground and Andre Booth...
the following year on November 1, 1994. Keepers of the Funk peaked at 47 on the Billboard 200 and featured three charting singles, the most successful of which was "Tic Toc
Tic Toc (song)
"Tic Toc" was the lead single released from the Lords of the Underground's second album, Keepers of the Funk. Produced by Marley Marl, with the group's DJ Lord Jazz providing scratches, "Tic Toc" was the Lords' last single to reach the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at 73 on that chart, while also...
". The group disbanded in 1995.
They reunited for a third album with 1998's Resurrection
Resurrection (Lords of the Underground album)
Resurrection is the third album by rap group, Lords of the Underground. The album was released on April 21, 1999 for Jersey Kidz Records and was produced by K-Def, Queen Latifah and DJ Lord Jazz. Resurrection was a critical success, but due to little promotion, it was also a commercial failure...
. Released via 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...
's Jersey Kidz imprint, was so small-scale a release that few realized it had been recorded. The Lords returned again in 2007 for a fourth album entitled House of Lords, but like Resurrection, it failed to reach the Billboard charts.
The Lords are best remembered in connection with the golden age of hip hop. As such, when Nas
Nas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
decided in 2007 to do a remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
of his song "Where Are They Now?", which asked of the fates of several long-forgotten golden age rappers, the Lords were among those requested to appear. DoItAll Dupré performed eight bars on the track.
DoItAll appeared briefly in the final scene of the final episode
Made in America (The Sopranos)
"Made in America" is the twenty-first episode of the sixth season of the HBO television drama series The Sopranos and the series finale. It is the eighty-sixth overall episode of the series and the ninth episode of the second part of the sixth season, which was broadcast in two batches with a break...
of The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
credited as Du Kelly, as one of a series of potentially ominous figures entering the diner. He also appeared on other TV shows; Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
as Two Tone, on Oz
Oz (TV series)
Oz is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes . It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by premium cable network HBO. Oz premiered on July 12, 1997 and ran for six seasons...
the HBO series, and on the Christmas episode of 30 Rock
30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
on NBC (2008). He has also been in independent movies such as Somewhere in the City with Bai Ling
Bai Ling
Bai Ling is a Chinese actress known for her work in films such as The Crow, Red Corner and Wild Wild West, and in TV series such as Entourage and Lost. In 2011 she appeared in the fifth season of the VH1 reality television series Celebrity Rehab with Dr...
, Rhyme & Reason
Rhyme & Reason
Rhyme & Reason is the second album by American new wave band Missing Persons, released in 1984. After the successful debut album by the band, this LP fell flat in sales. The pleasant-sounding "Surrender Your Heart" was its signature single...
, and with Treach of 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...
. He has also starred in an off Broadway play entitled Diss, Diss, & Diss, Dat.
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
U.S. R&B Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
||
| 1993 | Here Come the Lords Here Come the Lords Here Come the Lords is the debut album by rap group, Lords of the Underground. The album was released in 1993 for Pendulum Records and was produced by Marley Marl, K-Def and DJ Lord Jazz...
|
66 | 13 |
| 1994 | Keepers of the Funk Keepers of the Funk Keepers of the Funk is the second album by rap group, Lords of the Underground. The album was released in 1994 for Pendulum Records and was produced by Marley Marl, K-Def, Lords of the Underground and Andre Booth... |
57 | 16 |
| 1999 | Resurrection Resurrection (Lords of the Underground album) Resurrection is the third album by rap group, Lords of the Underground. The album was released on April 21, 1999 for Jersey Kidz Records and was produced by K-Def, Queen Latifah and DJ Lord Jazz. Resurrection was a critical success, but due to little promotion, it was also a commercial failure... |
– | – |
| 2007 | House of Lords
|
– | – |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
U.S. R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
U.S. Rap Hot Rap Tracks Rap Songs is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stations and sales in hip hop-focused or exclusive markets. From 1989 through 2001, it was based on how much the single... |
|||
| 1992 | "Psycho Psycho (Lords of the Underground song) "Psycho" was the first single released from the Lords of the Underground's debut album, Here Come the Lords. Produced by Marley Marl with scratches by DJ Lord Jazz, "Psycho" became a minor hit, peaking at 17 on the Hot Rap Singles.... " |
– | – | 17 | Here Come the Lords Here Come the Lords Here Come the Lords is the debut album by rap group, Lords of the Underground. The album was released in 1993 for Pendulum Records and was produced by Marley Marl, K-Def and DJ Lord Jazz... |
| 1993 | "Chief Rocka Chief Rocka (song) "Chief Rocka" was the third single released from the Lords of the Underground's debut album, Here Come the Lords. The song was produced and featured scratches by K-Def, with K-Def and Marley Marl mixing it. "Chief Rocka" became the group's most successful single and has become their signature song... " |
55 | 35 | 1 | |
| "Funky Child Funky Child "Funky Child" was the second single released from the Lords of the Underground's debut album, Here Come the Lords. Produced and mixed by the duo of Marley Marl and K-Def, "Funky Child" was a success for the group, making it to five different Billboard charts, including 74 on the Billboard 200 and 2... " |
74 | 52 | 2 | ||
| "Here Come the Lords" | 93 | 67 | 18 | ||
| 1994 | "Flow On Flow On "Flow On " was the fifth and final single released from the Lords of the Underground's debut album, Here Come the Lords. The original song was produced by Marley Marl and featured verses from the group's affiliates, Kid Deleon and Sah-B, while Pete Rock contributed a remix of the song... " |
– | – | 36 | |
| 1994 | "Tic Toc Tic Toc (song) "Tic Toc" was the lead single released from the Lords of the Underground's second album, Keepers of the Funk. Produced by Marley Marl, with the group's DJ Lord Jazz providing scratches, "Tic Toc" was the Lords' last single to reach the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at 73 on that chart, while also... " |
73 | 52 | 17 | Keepers of the Funk Keepers of the Funk Keepers of the Funk is the second album by rap group, Lords of the Underground. The album was released in 1994 for Pendulum Records and was produced by Marley Marl, K-Def, Lords of the Underground and Andre Booth... |
| 1995 | "What I'm After What I'm After (Lords of the Underground song) "What I'm After" was the second single released from the Lords of the Underground's second album, Keepers of the Funk. Produced by K-Def, with the group serving as co-producers, "What I'm After" was a minor hit on the rap charts, peaking at 32 on the chart. The song samples Trouble Funk's "Pump Me... " |
– | – | 42 | |
| "Faith Faith (Lords of the Underground song) "Faith" was the third and final single released from the Lords of the Underground's second album, Keepers of the Funk. The song was produced by the Lords of the Underground themselves and featured singer, Deniece Williams. "Faith" has thus far been the group's final charting single, peaking at 49... " |
– | – | 49 | ||