D Mob (or
D-Mob) is one of the
stage nameA stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
s used by the
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
house musicHouse is a style of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American and Latino American communities, first in Chicago, then in New York City, New Jersey, Detroit and Miami...
producerIn the music industry, a record producer has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes...
, Dancin' Danny D (born Daniel Kojo Poku). A
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
house musicHouse is a style of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American and Latino American communities, first in Chicago, then in New York City, New Jersey, Detroit and Miami...
crew, D Mob enjoyed a flourish of popularity in 1989 and 1990, helping to introduce that style to the
mainstreamMainstream is, generally, the common current of thought of the majority. However in the reality, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct. It is a term most often applied in the arts...
, with the
hit singleA hit single is a recorded track or single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio airplay and/or significant...
s "We Call it Acieed" and "
C'mon and Get My Love"C'mon and Get My Love" is the song by British dance producer D Mob, from his album A Little Bit of This, a Little Bit of That. It featured Britiah singer Cathy Dennis, credited as "introducing" her...
". The latter featured
vocalistSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. A person who sings is called a singer or vocalist...
,
Cathy DennisCathy Dennis is a British dance-oriented pop singer–songwriter, record producer and actress...
, who went on to some
soloIn music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
success in 1991.
Essentially the creative vehicle of Dancin' Danny D, an ex-
McDonald'sMcDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving nearly 47 million customers daily. At one time it was the largest global restaurant chain, but it has since been surpassed by multi-brand operator Yum! and sandwich chain Subway.In addition to its...
employee, he found solace by
DJingA disc jockey is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, dis
k referred to phonograph records, while dis
c referred to the Compact Disc, and has become the more common spelling...
for four years, at one point working with
journalistMusic journalism is criticism and reportage about music. It began in the eighteenth century as comment on what is now thought of as 'classical music'. This aspect of music journalism, today generally classified as music criticism, comprises the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of...
, James Hamilton at Gullivers in
Park LanePark Lane may refer to:*Park Lane , a road in London, UK*Park Lane , a shopping mall in Halifax, Nova Scotia*Park Lane , a rugby stadium in Greater Manchester, UK*Park Lane Interchange, a transport interchange in Sunderland, UK...
,
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
.
D Mob (or
D-Mob) is one of the
stage nameA stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
s used by the
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
house musicHouse is a style of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American and Latino American communities, first in Chicago, then in New York City, New Jersey, Detroit and Miami...
producerIn the music industry, a record producer has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes...
, Dancin' Danny D (born Daniel Kojo Poku). A
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
house musicHouse is a style of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American and Latino American communities, first in Chicago, then in New York City, New Jersey, Detroit and Miami...
crew, D Mob enjoyed a flourish of popularity in 1989 and 1990, helping to introduce that style to the
mainstreamMainstream is, generally, the common current of thought of the majority. However in the reality, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct. It is a term most often applied in the arts...
, with the
hit singleA hit single is a recorded track or single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio airplay and/or significant...
s "We Call it Acieed" and "
C'mon and Get My Love"C'mon and Get My Love" is the song by British dance producer D Mob, from his album A Little Bit of This, a Little Bit of That. It featured Britiah singer Cathy Dennis, credited as "introducing" her...
". The latter featured
vocalistSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. A person who sings is called a singer or vocalist...
,
Cathy DennisCathy Dennis is a British dance-oriented pop singer–songwriter, record producer and actress...
, who went on to some
soloIn music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
success in 1991.
Career
Essentially the creative vehicle of Dancin' Danny D, an ex-
McDonald'sMcDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving nearly 47 million customers daily. At one time it was the largest global restaurant chain, but it has since been surpassed by multi-brand operator Yum! and sandwich chain Subway.In addition to its...
employee, he found solace by
DJingA disc jockey is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, dis
k referred to phonograph records, while dis
c referred to the Compact Disc, and has become the more common spelling...
for four years, at one point working with
journalistMusic journalism is criticism and reportage about music. It began in the eighteenth century as comment on what is now thought of as 'classical music'. This aspect of music journalism, today generally classified as music criticism, comprises the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of...
, James Hamilton at Gullivers in
Park LanePark Lane may refer to:*Park Lane , a road in London, UK*Park Lane , a shopping mall in Halifax, Nova Scotia*Park Lane , a rugby stadium in Greater Manchester, UK*Park Lane Interchange, a transport interchange in Sunderland, UK...
,
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
. He subsequently started
nightclubA nightclub is a drinking, dancing and entertainment venue which does its primary business after dark. People who frequent nightclubs are known as clubbers...
promotions for
Loose EndsLoose Ends was a successful English R&B band that had several urban contemporary hits. The trio was formed in London in 1980, initially comprising vocalist and guitarist Carl McIntosh, vocalist Jane Eugene, and keyboard player, writer and founder Steve Nichol...
(for whom he contributed his first
remixA remix is an alternative version of a song, different from the original version. This name is also used for any alterations of medias other than a song ....
),
Total ContrastTotal Contrast was a male duo from England specializing in soul and electro music. Group members were Robin Achampong and Delroy Murray.In the mid 1980s they scored several hits on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, including "Takes a Little Time," which hit #1 in 1985...
and
Full ForceFull Force is a group of R&B and hip hop performers and producers from Brooklyn, New York, calling themselves "the original hip hop vocal band"...
, before taking up an
A&RArtists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
post at
Chrysalis RecordsChrysalis Records was a British record label that was created in 1969. The name was both a reference to the pupal stage of a butterfly and an amalgam of its founders names, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis...
. This brought a number of further remixing opportunities, including Nitro Deluxe,
Kid 'n PlayKid 'n Play was a hip-hop and comedy duo from New York City that was popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The duo comprised Christopher "Kid" Reid and Christopher "Play" Martin...
,
AdevaAdeva is a female African American house music and R&B artist from Paterson, New Jersey, United States, the youngest of six children...
and
Eric B. & RakimEric B. & Rakim were a hip-hop duo composed of DJ Eric Barrier and MC Rakim Allah .Hailing from Long Island, New York, the pair is generally considered by hip hop enthusiasts to be one of the most influential and innovative groups in the genre...
's "I Know You Got Soul" in tandem with
Norman CookNorman Quentin Cook , also known by the stage name Fatboy Slim, is a British DJ, big beat musician, record producer and pioneer of the electronic dance genre which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s...
. By the time he had started using the name D Mob he had already released two
recordsA gramophone record, commonly known as phonograph record, vinyl record, or simply record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed modulated spiral groove usually starting near the periphery and ending near the centre of the disc...
, as the Taurus Boyz, which were minor hits in the
U.S.The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Then came "Warrior Groove', about the tribe (the
AshantiAshanti, or Asante, are a major ethnic group of Ashanti Region in Ghana.They are part of the larger Akan Ethnic group. The Ashanti speak Twi, an Akan language similar to Fante.For the Ashanti Empire see Asanteman....
) his
GhanaThe Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa which borders Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
ian parents came from. The first D Mob release was 1988's UK Top 5 hit "We Call It Acieed". The
BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation, usually referred to by its abbreviation as the "BBC", is the longest established and largest broadcaster in the world...
banned it from
Top Of The PopsTop of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. It was traditionally shown every Thursday evening on BBC1, before being moved to Fridays in 1996, and then moved to Sundays on BBC...
. However, as Poku confirmed to the press: "I don't take any form of drugs. I don't even go the doctor to get something for my cold".
The 1988
UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
hitA hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
"We Call It Acieed" reached #3 in the
UK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record industry. The full chart contains the top 200 singles based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 of this list...
, and was one of a wave of
acid houseAcid house is a sub-genre of house music that emphasizes a repetitive, hypnotic and trance-like style, often with samples or spoken lines rather than sung lyrics. Acid house's core electronic squelch sounds were developed by mid-1980s DJs from Chicago who experimented with the Roland TB-303...
singlesIn music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats.-History:...
to enjoy success that year. D Mob went on to have a further three Top 20
singlesIn music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats.-History:...
in the
UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
during 1989 and 1990, which were "It Is Time to Get Funky", which reached #9, "C'mon and Get My Love", which reached #15, and "Put Your Hands Together", which reached #7.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s D Mob charted five
songA song is a metrical composition intended or adapted for singing, especially one in rhymed stanzas; a lyric; a ballad....
s on the U.S.
Hot Dance Club PlayBillboard's Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
chartA record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
, four of which went to #1, including "We Call It Acieed", "It Is Time to Get Funky", "C'mon and Get My Love" (with
Cathy DennisCathy Dennis is a British dance-oriented pop singer–songwriter, record producer and actress...
), and "That's the Way of the World" (also with Dennis). In the U.S., they are best known for the hit "C'mon and Get My Love", a song featuring
vocalistSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. A person who sings is called a singer or vocalist...
Cathy Dennis, that crossed over to
popPop music is a music genre that developed from the mid-1950s as a softer alternative to rock 'n' roll and later to rock music. It has a focus on commercial recording, often orientated towards a youth market, usually through the medium of relatively short and simple love songs...
radioRadio is the transmission of signals by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and hit #10 on the
Billboard Hot 100The 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...
in 1990.
Poku also produced/remixed records for Adeva,
Juliet RobertsJuliet Roberts is a British jazz, rock and house music singer of Grenadian descent.She originally recorded as Julie Roberts in 1982, and performed on the 1983 Top 10 hit single, "It's Over" by the Funkmasters. In July 1983, she released the single "Fool For You" backed with "It's Been A Long, Long...
("Another Place, Another Day, Another Time"),
Monie LoveSimone Wilson or Simone Gooden known by her stage name Monie Love, is a female, English emcee and former radio personality in the United States...
,
Diana Ross Diana Ross is an American singer and actress. During the 1960s, she helped shape the Motown Sound as lead singer of The Supremes, before leaving the group for a solo career on January 14, 1970...
("Working Overtime"),
Chaka KhanChaka Khan, born Yvette Marie Stevens on March 23, 1953, is a Grammy-winning American singer-songwriter best known for such hit songs as "I'm Every Woman", "Ain't Nobody", "I Feel for You" and "Through the Fire". She sang a modernized theme song for the popular children's TV show Reading Rainbow...
("
I'm Every Woman"I'm Every Woman" is a 1978 hit song by Chaka Khan, her first hit outside of her recordings with funk band Rufus, included on her platinum debut solo album Chaka. Produced by Arif Mardin and written by successful songwriting team Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, the soul/disco song reached...
") and the
Cookie CrewCookie Crew were a rap music duo formed in Clapham, South London in 1983.-Career:Their career took off after winning a national rap championship and recording two sessions for the John Peel BBC Radio 1 show...
("Love Will Bring Us Together"). In 1993, he brought back Dennis (who had enjoyed subsequent solo success) for vocals on "Why", his 'comeback' single as D Mob. As an in-demand producer and remixer he had never been away, although following his early 1990s successes, Poku gradually faded from the forefront of the dance scene.
Singles
- 1988 "We Call It Acieed" / "Trance Dance" (D Mob featuring Gary Haisman
Gary Haisman is a white male English singer/rapper who was one of three acts who scored a #1 chart topper on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart as a featured performer on D Mob's "A Little Bit Of This, A Little Bit of That" album .His contribution to the set was the two-sided track "We...
) - UKThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record industry. The full chart contains the top 200 singles based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 of this list...
#3, U.S.The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
DanceBillboard's Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
#1
- 1989 "It's Time to Get Funky" (D Mob featuring LRS) - UK #9, U.S. Dance #1
- 1989 "C'mon and Get My Love
"C'mon and Get My Love" is the song by British dance producer D Mob, from his album A Little Bit of This, a Little Bit of That. It featured Britiah singer Cathy Dennis, credited as "introducing" her...
" (D Mob with Cathy DennisCathy Dennis is a British dance-oriented pop singer–songwriter, record producer and actress...
) - UK #15, U.S. Dance #1, U.S. PopThe 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...
#10, U.S. R&BR&B/Hip-Hop Songs, formerly the Black Singles Chart, 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...
#69
- 1990 "Put Your Hands Together
"Put Your Hands Together" is a 1990 song by D Mob featuring Nuff Juice. Released as a single, it made it to the UK Top 10, peaking at #7. The band released no singles for four years and returned briefly to the UK singles chart with "One Day", which just missed the Top 40, peaking at #41. The group...
" / "All I Do" #13 (D Mob featuring Nuff Juice) - UK #7, U.S. Dance #13
- 1990 "That's the Way of the World
That's the Way of the World is a 1990 dance single by D Mob with Cathy Dennis. The single went to numer one on the dance charts for one week. "That's the Way of the World" was the second number one dance single for D Mob, where Cathy Dennis performed the vocals and the fourth and final release...
" (D Mob with Cathy DennisCathy Dennis is a British dance-oriented pop singer–songwriter, record producer and actress...
) - UK #48, U.S. Dance #1, U.S. Pop #59
- 1994 "Why" (D Mob with Cathy Dennis
Cathy Dennis is a British dance-oriented pop singer–songwriter, record producer and actress...
) - UK #23
- 1994 "One Day" - UK #41
Albums
- A Little Bit of This, a Little Bit of That - UK
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website ; the full Top 200 is published exclusively in ChartsPlus.To qualify for the UK albums...
#46, U.S. PopThe Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling new 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...
#82, U.S. R&BTop 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...
#60
See also