Mark Middleton
Encyclopedia
Mark Middleton is a member of the R&B group Blackstreet
, born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in South Carolina
. Middleton grew up in the church and began singing at an early age. His musical influences included Stevie Wonder
and Donny Hathaway
. He left Blackstreet in 1998 after a dispute with the group's co-founder and leader Teddy Riley. He returned to the group in 2001 after his solo album was shelved. Middleton along with Riley, Hannibal, and Williams were working on a Blackstreet reunion as of 2008 and the group expanded the group from a quartet to a quintet by adding original lead singer Dave Hollister
back in the fold but Riley has decided to move on without Middleton and Williams and added new member Sherman "J-Stylz" Tinsdale in place of Mark. He and Eric Williams have formed their own group with Englewood
, New Jersey
singer Jeremy "Remy" Hanna. They perform hits from Blackstreet under a new name M.E.R. Mark Middleton & Eric Williams have returned to Blackstreet
as they are on good terms with Teddy Riley again. They will rejoin Blackstreet
members Teddy Riley and Dave Hollister
, but co-founder Chauncey Hannibal is no longer in the group.
In 1992 Middleton contributed background vocals for R&B singer Bruce Saunders on his album. His groupmate Eric Williams
also sang background vocals on Saunders album. In 1996 New Jack Swing
pioneer and founder and member of R&B groups Guy
and Blackstreet Teddy Riley and Blackstreet's co-founder Chauncey Hannibal were looking for new members for Blackstreet after the departure of members Levi Little and Dave Hollister
. The group first recruited Englewood, New Jersey
native Williams, who was a good friend of Hannibal. Williams told Riley and Hannibal about Middleton who sang background vocals with him for Bruce Saunders. After hearing Middleton sing Riley and Hannibal were blown away by his talent and he became a member of Blackstreet. Middleton along with Eric Williams made their debut's with Blackstreet on the first single from their second album Another Level in the summer of 1996 called "No Diggity
" featuring West Coast rapper Dr. Dre
and Teddy Riley's protege female rapper Queen Pen
.
native Terrell Phillips
and they released their third album Finally
in 1999. In 2000 Mark Middleton was featured on singer Vibe's song "Tonight's The Night".
In 2001 he sang the song "I Do" co-produced by Jayson Martin of JM Productions Studio Eden NC for the movie The Brothers. That same year Middleton signed a solo deal with Quincy Jones
label Qwest Records
distributed through Warner Bros. Records
. He then recorded his solo debut My Turn, My Time which featured songs such as "Me & Your Lady", "Date With Love", and "Forever You & I". The album however wasn't released because Qwest Records folded.
and began having problems with their label Interscope Records
. Despite the success of their singles "Take Me There" with singer Mýa
and rappers Mase
and Blinky Blink, "Girlfriend/Boyfriend
" with Janet Jackson
, and rappers Ja Rule
and Eve
, and "Think About You", the album couldn't live up to the success of their 1994 debut and 1996 second album Another Level.
The declining sales of Finally, problems with their label Interscope, and numerous line-up changes took its toll on the group as group co-founders Teddy Riley and Chauncey Hannibal began feuding as they were suing each other and taking each other to court. Hannibal accused Riley of stealing the members of Blackstreet's money and also that Riley was a control freak and that's the reason for the line-up changes. Riley then decided to focus on the Guy reunion instead of Blackstreet and put the group on hiatus. Riley countersued for defamation of character.
After the release of Guy's reunion album Guy III in 2000, Riley soon had a falling out with Guy members Aaron Hall and Damion Hall. He decided to focus on his own writing and producing career and started work on a solo album. Some of the songs he recorded felt like Blackstreet records to him. He had second thoughts about disbanding Blackstreet and decided to end the bitter feud with Hannibal. The two decided to put the group's Another Level line-up back together and brought Eric Williams and Mark Middleton back to the fold. In 2003 the group released their reunion album titled Level II which featured the hits "Wizzy Wow" featuring rapper Mystikal
, "Deep", and "Bygones" which Middleton wrote and featured ex-Blackstreet member Dave Hollister
.
In 2005 Chauncey Hannibal decided to leave Blackstreet for a solo career. In 2006 Teddy Riley, Mark Middleton, and Eric Williams
reformed Blackstreet with new member J-Stylz and joined the New Jack Reunion Tour
, which Riley created along with Tony! Toni! Tone!
, After 7
, SWV
, and Riley's earlier group, Guy
.
As of 2009 the Blackstreet line-up consists of its best known line-up of Teddy Riley, Chauncey Hannibal, Eric Williams, and Middleton plus original member Dave Hollister
who left Blackstreet in 1995 along with Levi Little who is not in this reunion. After a stint as a gospel artist Dave is now back with the current four Blackstreet members from the Another Level
album. Mark Middleton & Eric Williams were dropped by Blackstreet
's founder Teddy Riley from the reunion recently and were replaced by Sherman "J-Stylz" Tisdale and another guy Kermit Quinn of the R&B group Intro
also performs with them. Mark & Eric have formed their own group with Englewood
, New Jersey
native Jeremy "Remy" Hanna as M.E.R. There is two group performing Blackstreet hits Teddy's group with himself, Chauncey Hannibal, Dave Hollister
, and new touring members Sherman "J-Stylz" Tinsdale & sometimes Kermit Quinn (who is there waiting in the wings. The other consists of Mark Middleton, Eric Williams, & Remy. Mark & Eric also has a production company called FGM where they write and produce their own acts. Blackstreet
now consists of Middleton, Teddy Riley, Dave Hollister
, & Eric Williams.
Blackstreet
Blackstreet is an American R&B group founded in 1991 by Thomas Taliaferro and Teddy Riley, the inventor of New Jack Swing known for his work as a member of Guy. Chauncey Hannibal and Levi Little were signed under production and management contracts with Thomas Taliaferro and were merged into what...
, born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. Middleton grew up in the church and began singing at an early age. His musical influences 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 Donny Hathaway
Donny Hathaway
Donny Edward Hathaway was an American soul singer-songwriter and musician. Hathaway contracted with Atlantic Records in 1969 and with his first single for the Atco label, "The Ghetto, Part I" in early 1970, Rolling Stone magazine "marked him as a major new force in soul music."His collaborations...
. He left Blackstreet in 1998 after a dispute with the group's co-founder and leader Teddy Riley. He returned to the group in 2001 after his solo album was shelved. Middleton along with Riley, Hannibal, and Williams were working on a Blackstreet reunion as of 2008 and the group expanded the group from a quartet to a quintet by adding original lead singer Dave Hollister
Dave Hollister
Dave Hollister is an American R&B vocalist who found fame during the 1990s as one quarter of the Platinum-selling R&B quartet Blackstreet before going on to a solo career.-Biography:...
back in the fold but Riley has decided to move on without Middleton and Williams and added new member Sherman "J-Stylz" Tinsdale in place of Mark. He and Eric Williams have formed their own group with Englewood
Englewood
Englewood is a corruption of Dutch Engelse buurt, or "English neighborhood", which originally referred to Englewood, New Jersey's status as one of the few English-speaking settlements in Dutch-speaking New Netherland...
, 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...
singer Jeremy "Remy" Hanna. They perform hits from Blackstreet under a new name M.E.R. Mark Middleton & Eric Williams have returned to Blackstreet
Blackstreet
Blackstreet is an American R&B group founded in 1991 by Thomas Taliaferro and Teddy Riley, the inventor of New Jack Swing known for his work as a member of Guy. Chauncey Hannibal and Levi Little were signed under production and management contracts with Thomas Taliaferro and were merged into what...
as they are on good terms with Teddy Riley again. They will rejoin Blackstreet
Blackstreet
Blackstreet is an American R&B group founded in 1991 by Thomas Taliaferro and Teddy Riley, the inventor of New Jack Swing known for his work as a member of Guy. Chauncey Hannibal and Levi Little were signed under production and management contracts with Thomas Taliaferro and were merged into what...
members Teddy Riley and Dave Hollister
Dave Hollister
Dave Hollister is an American R&B vocalist who found fame during the 1990s as one quarter of the Platinum-selling R&B quartet Blackstreet before going on to a solo career.-Biography:...
, but co-founder Chauncey Hannibal is no longer in the group.
Early career and Blackstreet
Before his Blackstreet days, Mark Middleton was a member of R&B group Brik Citi, who released one album in 1994 ("Between A Rock And A Hard Place").In 1992 Middleton contributed background vocals for R&B singer Bruce Saunders on his album. His groupmate Eric Williams
Eric Williams
Eric Eustace Williams served as the first Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. He served from 1956 until his death in 1981. He was also a noted Caribbean historian, and is widely regarded as "The Father of The Nation."...
also sang background vocals on Saunders album. In 1996 New Jack Swing
New jack swing
New jack swing or swingbeat is a fusion genre spearheaded by Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle which became extremely popular from the late-1980s into the mid-1990s. Its influence, along with hip-hop, seeped into pop culture and was the definitive sound of the inventive Black New York club scene...
pioneer and founder and member of R&B groups Guy
Guy (band)
Guy are a hip hop, R&B and soul band most closely associated with the new jack swing style of the 1980s and 1990s.-Origins :Guy was formed in Harlem, New York in 1987 by R&B singer-songwriters Aaron Hall, young musician/record producer Teddy Riley and Timmy Gatling...
and Blackstreet Teddy Riley and Blackstreet's co-founder Chauncey Hannibal were looking for new members for Blackstreet after the departure of members Levi Little and Dave Hollister
Dave Hollister
Dave Hollister is an American R&B vocalist who found fame during the 1990s as one quarter of the Platinum-selling R&B quartet Blackstreet before going on to a solo career.-Biography:...
. The group first recruited Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
native Williams, who was a good friend of Hannibal. Williams told Riley and Hannibal about Middleton who sang background vocals with him for Bruce Saunders. After hearing Middleton sing Riley and Hannibal were blown away by his talent and he became a member of Blackstreet. Middleton along with Eric Williams made their debut's with Blackstreet on the first single from their second album Another Level in the summer of 1996 called "No Diggity
No Diggity
"No Diggity" is a song by American R&B group Blackstreet featuring Dr. Dre and Queen Pen in her first recorded appearance. It reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #9 in the UK. It ranked at #91 on . It sold 1.6 million copies in 1996, and won the 1998 Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a...
" featuring West Coast rapper Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
and Teddy Riley's protege female rapper Queen Pen
Queen Pen
Lynise Walters, better known by the stage name Queen Pen, is a Grammy-nominated African-American female rapper.Her music career started as a protégé of Teddy Riley, a record producer and member of the R&B group BLACKstreet in the mid-1990s. She was a featured rapper, along with Dr. Dre, on...
.
Solo career
After helping propel the group to success with their second album and a few guest appearances there was trouble brewing within the Blackstreet camp. A dispute over money issues saw Middleton leave the group in 1998 to find success as a solo artist. Blackstreet replaced Middleton with North CarolinaNorth Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
native Terrell Phillips
Terrell Phillips
Terrell Phillips is an American music artist, recording producer and engineer, R&B vocalist, actor and former member of the R&B/New Jack recording group, Blackstreet. After the departure of Mark Middleton, Terrell was recruited by Blackstreet group leader Teddy Riley...
and they released their third album Finally
Finally (BLACKstreet album)
-Charts:...
in 1999. In 2000 Mark Middleton was featured on singer Vibe's song "Tonight's The Night".
In 2001 he sang the song "I Do" co-produced by Jayson Martin of JM Productions Studio Eden NC for the movie The Brothers. That same year Middleton signed a solo deal with Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
label Qwest Records
Qwest Records
Qwest Records is the American record label started by Quincy Jones in 1980 as a joint venture with Warner Bros. Records, and owned byWarner Music Group. although Quincy was still under contract with A&M records through 1981. George Benson's 1980 Give Me the Night LP was the first release on Qwest,...
distributed through Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
. He then recorded his solo debut My Turn, My Time which featured songs such as "Me & Your Lady", "Date With Love", and "Forever You & I". The album however wasn't released because Qwest Records folded.
Blackstreet reunion
Middleton was displeased with not finding success as a solo artist. The group he left to go solo Blackstreet was also not having any success with their third album FinallyFinally (BLACKstreet album)
-Charts:...
and began having problems with their label Interscope Records
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
. Despite the success of their singles "Take Me There" with singer 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...
and rappers Mase
Mase
Mason Durell Betha , better known by stage name Mase who was previously known as Murda Ma$e, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor and inspirational speaker...
and Blinky Blink, "Girlfriend/Boyfriend
Girlfriend/Boyfriend
"Girlfriend/Boyfriend" is the second and final single by R&B group Blackstreet from their third album Finally. Janet Jackson is also featured in the song as well as a rappers Ja Rule and Eve...
" with Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
, and rappers 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"...
and Eve
Eve (rapper)
Eve Jihan Jeffers , is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer and actress. Her first three albums have reached a total of over 8 million albums sold worldwide. She has also achieved success in fashion as she started a clothing line titled "Fetish." She won a Grammy Award in 2002 for the...
, and "Think About You", the album couldn't live up to the success of their 1994 debut and 1996 second album Another Level.
The declining sales of Finally, problems with their label Interscope, and numerous line-up changes took its toll on the group as group co-founders Teddy Riley and Chauncey Hannibal began feuding as they were suing each other and taking each other to court. Hannibal accused Riley of stealing the members of Blackstreet's money and also that Riley was a control freak and that's the reason for the line-up changes. Riley then decided to focus on the Guy reunion instead of Blackstreet and put the group on hiatus. Riley countersued for defamation of character.
After the release of Guy's reunion album Guy III in 2000, Riley soon had a falling out with Guy members Aaron Hall and Damion Hall. He decided to focus on his own writing and producing career and started work on a solo album. Some of the songs he recorded felt like Blackstreet records to him. He had second thoughts about disbanding Blackstreet and decided to end the bitter feud with Hannibal. The two decided to put the group's Another Level line-up back together and brought Eric Williams and Mark Middleton back to the fold. In 2003 the group released their reunion album titled Level II which featured the hits "Wizzy Wow" featuring rapper Mystikal
Mystikal
Michael Lawrence Tyler , better known by his stage name Mystikal, is an American rapper, and actor from New Orleans.-1993-1994: Early career:...
, "Deep", and "Bygones" which Middleton wrote and featured ex-Blackstreet member Dave Hollister
Dave Hollister
Dave Hollister is an American R&B vocalist who found fame during the 1990s as one quarter of the Platinum-selling R&B quartet Blackstreet before going on to a solo career.-Biography:...
.
In 2005 Chauncey Hannibal decided to leave Blackstreet for a solo career. In 2006 Teddy Riley, Mark Middleton, and Eric Williams
Eric Williams
Eric Eustace Williams served as the first Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. He served from 1956 until his death in 1981. He was also a noted Caribbean historian, and is widely regarded as "The Father of The Nation."...
reformed Blackstreet with new member J-Stylz and joined the New Jack Reunion Tour
New Jack Reunion Tour
The New Jack Reunion Tour was a 2006 concert tour that featured members of the 1990s music genre new jack swing, which was created by Teddy Riley.The tour was organized by Riley and was intended as the springboard for a new jack swing revival...
, which Riley created along with Tony! Toni! Tone!
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...
, After 7
After 7
After 7 is an R&B group founded in 1988 by brothers Melvin and Kevon Edmonds, and Keith Mitchell. The Edmonds brothers are the siblings of popular pop and R&B singer-songwriter-producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds"...
, 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"....
, and Riley's earlier group, Guy
Guy (band)
Guy are a hip hop, R&B and soul band most closely associated with the new jack swing style of the 1980s and 1990s.-Origins :Guy was formed in Harlem, New York in 1987 by R&B singer-songwriters Aaron Hall, young musician/record producer Teddy Riley and Timmy Gatling...
.
As of 2009 the Blackstreet line-up consists of its best known line-up of Teddy Riley, Chauncey Hannibal, Eric Williams, and Middleton plus original member Dave Hollister
Dave Hollister
Dave Hollister is an American R&B vocalist who found fame during the 1990s as one quarter of the Platinum-selling R&B quartet Blackstreet before going on to a solo career.-Biography:...
who left Blackstreet in 1995 along with Levi Little who is not in this reunion. After a stint as a gospel artist Dave is now back with the current four Blackstreet members from the Another Level
Another Level
Another Level were an English soul and R&B influenced boy band, active in the late 1990s.-History:The members were Mark Baron born 17 August 1974, Dane Bowers born 29 November 1979, Bobak Kianoush born 1 November 1978 and Wayne Williams born 19 January 1978...
album. Mark Middleton & Eric Williams were dropped by Blackstreet
Blackstreet
Blackstreet is an American R&B group founded in 1991 by Thomas Taliaferro and Teddy Riley, the inventor of New Jack Swing known for his work as a member of Guy. Chauncey Hannibal and Levi Little were signed under production and management contracts with Thomas Taliaferro and were merged into what...
's founder Teddy Riley from the reunion recently and were replaced by Sherman "J-Stylz" Tisdale and another guy Kermit Quinn of the R&B group Intro
Intro (band)
Intro is an American R&B trio from Brooklyn, New York. Intro released two albums and had a string of US hits in the 1990s. Their biggest, "Come Inside", featured Sabrina Morrison on vocals. Intro's, Kenny Greene, died from complications of AIDS in 2001...
also performs with them. Mark & Eric have formed their own group with Englewood
Englewood
Englewood is a corruption of Dutch Engelse buurt, or "English neighborhood", which originally referred to Englewood, New Jersey's status as one of the few English-speaking settlements in Dutch-speaking New Netherland...
, 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...
native Jeremy "Remy" Hanna as M.E.R. There is two group performing Blackstreet hits Teddy's group with himself, Chauncey Hannibal, Dave Hollister
Dave Hollister
Dave Hollister is an American R&B vocalist who found fame during the 1990s as one quarter of the Platinum-selling R&B quartet Blackstreet before going on to a solo career.-Biography:...
, and new touring members Sherman "J-Stylz" Tinsdale & sometimes Kermit Quinn (who is there waiting in the wings. The other consists of Mark Middleton, Eric Williams, & Remy. Mark & Eric also has a production company called FGM where they write and produce their own acts. Blackstreet
Blackstreet
Blackstreet is an American R&B group founded in 1991 by Thomas Taliaferro and Teddy Riley, the inventor of New Jack Swing known for his work as a member of Guy. Chauncey Hannibal and Levi Little were signed under production and management contracts with Thomas Taliaferro and were merged into what...
now consists of Middleton, Teddy Riley, Dave Hollister
Dave Hollister
Dave Hollister is an American R&B vocalist who found fame during the 1990s as one quarter of the Platinum-selling R&B quartet Blackstreet before going on to a solo career.-Biography:...
, & Eric Williams.