Full Force
Encyclopedia
Full Force is a group of R&B
performers and producers
from Brooklyn
, New York
, USA, calling itself the original hip hop vocal band.
B-Fine, Paul Anthony, and Bow-Legged Lou are brothers, Shy Shy, Baby Gerry and Curt-T-T are cousins.
, Doctor Ice
, Samantha Fox
, Patti LaBelle
, Jasmine Guy
, The Force M.D.s
, the R&B all-female group Ex Girlfriend
, Britney Spears
, James Brown, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
, Backstreet Boys
, La Toya Jackson
, and Selena
. Full Force produced UTFO's "Roxanne Roxanne" (1985), a record that led to several answer records, most notably one by Roxanne Shanté
. The group produced Rihanna
's 2005 hit "That La, La, La," which appears on her debut album Music Of The Sun
. The Black Eyed Peas
' worldwide hit "Don't Phunk With My Heart
" was also written as a collaboration between Full Force and will.i.am
of the Peas. Full Force wrote and produced most of the singles from La Toya Jackson's
fifth studio album La Toya
, including "You're Gonna Get Rocked!
" "You Blew
," and "Such a Wicked Love
," as well as Patti LaBelle
's track "I Got It Like That," for which it also provided prominent background vocals from her 1989 album Be Yourself.
Full Force provide backing vocals on two Bob Dylan
songs recorded during sessions for Infidels
: "Death Is Not the End" (released on Down in the Groove
(1988) and "Tell Me" (released on The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961-1991
).
Full Force's biggest hit (production-wise) from the 1990s was the Backstreet Boys' hit single "All I Have to Give." Full Force worked with Prince
's ex-wife Mayte on her album Child of the Sun. However the songs were all produced by Prince, so they remained unreleased. Full Force was then featured on Lil' Kim's La Bella Mafia album of 2002 on her song "Can't Fuck with Queen Bee."
and the other by Collectables.
In 2007, on its Columbia release Legendary, the group has a song dedicated to Oprah Winfrey
titled "We're Feeling You, Oprah." It was inspired by the related members' mother's love for Winfrey.
. Recent activities include the production of another installment of the franchise titled Bouncers.
Thump Records
, a label known for its freestyle
compilations, released the group's first greatest hits compilation.
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
performers and producers
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...
from Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA, calling itself the original hip hop vocal band.
Members
- B-Fine (Brian George) - drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s and drum programmingDrum machineA drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music... - Shy Shy (Junior Clark) - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Paul Anthony (Paul Anthony George) - vocals
- Bow-Legged Lou (Lucien George Jr.) - vocals
- Curt-T-T (Curt Bedeau) - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Baby Gee (Gerry Charles) - keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
B-Fine, Paul Anthony, and Bow-Legged Lou are brothers, Shy Shy, Baby Gerry and Curt-T-T are cousins.
Production/Songwriting
The group produced and wrote music for UTFOUTFO
UTFO is an old school hip-hop group, popular in the 1980s, that was mentored by the contemporary R&B group Full Force. The group consists of the Kangol Kid , the Educated Rapper , Doctor Ice , and Mix Master Ice...
, Doctor Ice
Doctor Ice
Doctor Ice is a rapper in the hip-hop world. He was with the group UTFO, most famous for its song "Roxanne, Roxanne" released as a single in 1984, before the self-titled debut album in 1985. The group recorded 4 albums together that did well, charting some number-one singles, as well as the...
, Samantha Fox
Samantha Fox
Samantha Karen "Sam" Fox is an English dance-pop singer, actress, and former glamour model. In 1983, at the age of 16, she began her topless modeling career on Page Three of The Sun, and went on to become a popular pin-up girl...
, Patti LaBelle
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
, Jasmine Guy
Jasmine Guy
Jasmine Guy is an American actress, singer and dancer. She is best known for her starring role as Whitley Gilbert in the television sitcom A Different World.-Biography:...
, The Force M.D.s
The Force M.D.s
The Force MDs is an American R&B vocal group, that was formed in 1981 in Staten Island, New York.- Biography :The Force M.D.'s originally called themselves the L.D.s, then the Force MCs, but ultimately preferred MD, which is short for Musical Diversity...
, the R&B all-female group Ex Girlfriend
Ex Girlfriend (band)
Ex-Girlfriend was an all-female quartet formed by New Jack Swing Group Full Force signed on Reprise Records who began revival in 2008.-Group history:...
, Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
, James Brown, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
Lisa Lisa and her band Cult Jam were an urban contemporary band and one of first freestyle music groups to emerge from New York City in the 1980s. Cult Jam consisted of guitarist/bassist Alex "Spanador" Moseley, and drummer/keyboardist Mike Hughes...
, Backstreet Boys
Backstreet Boys
The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys...
, La Toya Jackson
La Toya Jackson
La Toya Yvonne Jackson is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, television personality, actress, businesswoman, philanthropist, activist and former model. She is the fifth child of the Jackson family...
, and Selena
Selena
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez , known simply as Selena, was a Mexican American singer-songwriter. She was named the "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" by Billboard for her fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart, including seven number-one hits...
. Full Force produced UTFO's "Roxanne Roxanne" (1985), a record that led to several answer records, most notably one by Roxanne Shanté
Roxanne Shanté
Roxanne Shanté is an American hip-hop pioneer. Born and raised in the Queensbridge Projects, Shanté first gained attention through the Roxanne Wars and her association with the Juice Crew....
. The group produced Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
's 2005 hit "That La, La, La," which appears on her debut album Music Of The Sun
Music of the Sun
Music of the Sun is the debut album of Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna, released August 26, 2005 on Def Jam Recordings. Rihanna worked with several producers for the album, mainly Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers who produced and penned most of the tracks on the album. It features guest contributions by...
. The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
' worldwide hit "Don't Phunk With My Heart
Don't Phunk with My Heart
"Don't Phunk with My Heart", titled "Don't Mess with My Heart" on some radio edits, is a song by The Black Eyed Peas from their fourth album Monkey Business. It was released as the lead single from the album on May 10, 2005....
" was also written as a collaboration between Full Force and will.i.am
Will.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
of the Peas. Full Force wrote and produced most of the singles from La Toya Jackson's
La Toya Jackson
La Toya Yvonne Jackson is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, television personality, actress, businesswoman, philanthropist, activist and former model. She is the fifth child of the Jackson family...
fifth studio album La Toya
La Toya
La Toya, also known as You're Gonna Get Rocked! is the 5th studio album by American singer La Toya Jackson. While the cover and box states the album's name as La Toya, the actual disc and cassette tape state the name as You're Gonna Get Rocked!...
, including "You're Gonna Get Rocked!
You're Gonna Get Rocked! (song)
"You're Gonna Get Rocked!" is a song by American singer La Toya Jackson, taken from her 1988 album La Toya. The single, produced by popular hip-hop hitmakers Full Force, was among her most successful.-Song information:...
" "You Blew
You Blew
"You Blew" is a single by American singer La Toya Jackson, taken from her fifth album La Toya. The single was produced by hip-hop production team Full Force and was released on 7" and 12" formats in Germany by Teldec Records...
," and "Such a Wicked Love
Such a Wicked Love
"Such a Wicked Love" is a song by American singer La Toya Jackson from her fifth album La Toya. A remix, produced by hip-hop production team Full Force, was released on a 12" single in the U.S. The album track "Does It Really Matter" was included as a B-side.To promote the single, Jackson set up a...
," as well as Patti LaBelle
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
's track "I Got It Like That," for which it also provided prominent background vocals from her 1989 album Be Yourself.
Full Force provide backing vocals on two Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
songs recorded during sessions for Infidels
Infidels
Infidels is singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's 22nd studio album, released by Columbia Records in October 1983.Produced by Mark Knopfler and Dylan himself, Infidels is seen as his return to secular music, following a conversion to Christianity and three evangelical, gospel records...
: "Death Is Not the End" (released on Down in the Groove
Down in the Groove
Down in the Groove is singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's 25th studio album, released by Columbia Records in May 1988.A highly collaborative effort, it was Dylan's second consecutive album to receive almost unanimous negative reviews...
(1988) and "Tell Me" (released on The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961-1991
The Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961-1991
The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 is a compilation box set by Bob Dylan, issued on Columbia Records, catalogue C3K 86572. It is the first installment in the Dylan bootleg series, comprising material spanning the first three decades of his career, from 1961 to 1989...
).
Full Force's biggest hit (production-wise) from the 1990s was the Backstreet Boys' hit single "All I Have to Give." Full Force worked with Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
's ex-wife Mayte on her album Child of the Sun. However the songs were all produced by Prince, so they remained unreleased. Full Force was then featured on Lil' Kim's La Bella Mafia album of 2002 on her song "Can't Fuck with Queen Bee."
Recording
In addition to their production résumé, the group have also released their own albums and music. They placed several hit singles under their own name on the R&B charts during the latter half of the 1980s. Tracks such as "Unselfish Lover" (off their self-titled debut) and "Temporary Love Thing" (off their follow-up album, Full Force Get Busy 1 Time!) received substantial airplay. "All in My Mind" became the group's first and only single to date to reach the R&B Top Ten in 1988. Two greatest hits compilations are available, one by Thump RecordsThump Records
Thump Records is a record label specialized in freestyle music, Latin music and hip hop music. They are probably best known for their rap and R&B Old School compilations, as well as their Low Rider compilations.-Artists on Thump Records:* Adolfo...
and the other by Collectables.
In 2007, on its Columbia release Legendary, the group has a song dedicated to Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
titled "We're Feeling You, Oprah." It was inspired by the related members' mother's love for Winfrey.
Acting
They appeared in the 1990s comedy film House Party and its sequel as the gangster villains of Kid 'n PlayKid 'n Play
Kid 'n Play is an American hip-hop and comedy duo from New York City that was popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The duo was composed of Christopher "Kid" Reid and Christopher "Play" Martin working alongside their DJ, Mark "DJ Wiz" Eastmond...
. Recent activities include the production of another installment of the franchise titled Bouncers.
Thump Records
Thump Records
Thump Records is a record label specialized in freestyle music, Latin music and hip hop music. They are probably best known for their rap and R&B Old School compilations, as well as their Low Rider compilations.-Artists on Thump Records:* Adolfo...
, a label known for its freestyle
Freestyle music
Freestyle or Latin freestyle, sometimes referred to as Latin hip hop, is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in the early 1980s. Mostly popular during the mid 80s to the early 90s...
compilations, released the group's first greatest hits compilation.
Albums
- 1985: Full ForceFull Force (Full Force album)Full Force is the debut album by the Brooklyn, New York-based R&B group Full Force.-Track listing:#Alice, I Want You Just For Me! - 6:13#Unselfish Lover 5:30 #Please Stay 4:33...
(ColumbiaColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
/CBS RecordsSony Music EntertainmentSony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
) - 1986: Full Force Get Busy 1 Time!Full Force Get Busy 1 Time!Full Force Get Busy 1 Time! is the second album by the Brooklyn, New York-based R&B group Full Force. Released in 1986, the album includes one of Full Force's biggest hits with "Temporary Love Thing," which nearly made the R&B top 10, as well as the minor follow-up hits, "Unfaithful" and "Old...
(Columbia) - 1987: Guess Who's Comin' to the Crib?Guess Who's Comin' to the Crib?Guess Who's Comin' To The Crib? is the 1987 third album by the Brooklyn, New York-based R&B group Full Force. This album featured the band's biggest hit as a recording act with "All in My Mind" just missing the R&B top 5...
(Columbia) - 1989: Smoove (Columbia)
- 1992: Don't Sleep (Capitol/EMI)
- 1995: Sugar On Top (Calibre)
- 2001: Still Standing (TVT)
- 2007: Legendary (Columbia/SME RecordsSony Music EntertainmentSony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
) - 2009: Full Force, of Course (Earforce Records)
Singles
- 1980: "Turn You On" / "Groovin" (12") (Dazz records DA 1003 / 1004 )
- 1984: "I Wonder If I Take You HomeI Wonder If I Take You Home"I Wonder If I Take You Home" is a song recorded in 1984 and released as a single in 1985 by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam with Full Force. Never originally released on Personal Records, the then-obscure demo was discovered in a tape "discard bin" at Personal Records by producer/writer/artist Kenny Beck ,...
" (Columbia recordsColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
38-04886 ) (with Lisa Lisa and Cult JamLisa Lisa and Cult JamLisa Lisa and her band Cult Jam were an urban contemporary band and one of first freestyle music groups to emerge from New York City in the 1980s. Cult Jam consisted of guitarist/bassist Alex "Spanador" Moseley, and drummer/keyboardist Mike Hughes...
) - 1985: "All Cried OutAll Cried Out (Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam song)"All Cried Out" is a song recorded by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam that appeared on their 1985 album Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force. The song hit number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in October 1986. The song was a major hit on the R&B singles chart, peaking at number three...
" / "Behind My Eyes" ( US Columbia recordsColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
38-05844 UKCBS RecordsCBS RecordsCBS Records is a record label founded by CBS Corporation in 2006 to take advantage of music from its entertainment properties owned by CBS Television Studios. The initial label roster consisted of only three artists; rock band Señor Happy and singer/songwriters Will Dailey and P.J...
TA 7268) (with Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam) - 1985: "Can You Feel the BeatCan You Feel the Beat"Can You Feel the Beat" is a song recorded by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam and Full Force from their 1985 album Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force. The song hit number 69 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 40 on the R&B singles chart in December 1985...
" (with Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam) - 1985: "Alice, I Want You Just For Me" (Maxi) (CBS RecordsCBS RecordsCBS Records is a record label founded by CBS Corporation in 2006 to take advantage of music from its entertainment properties owned by CBS Television Studios. The initial label roster consisted of only three artists; rock band Señor Happy and singer/songwriters Will Dailey and P.J...
US 12-6640 UK TA 6640) - 1985: "Girl If You Take Me Home"
- 1985: "Unselfish Lover"
- 1986: "Temporary Love Thing"
- 1986: "Unfaithful (So Much)"
- 1987: "Old Flames Never Die"
- 1987: "All in My Mind"
- 1987: "Love is for Suckers (Like Me and You)"
- 1987: "Someone to Love Me for MeSomeone to Love Me for Me"Someone to Love Me for Me" is a song recorded by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam and Full Force that appeared on their 1987 album Spanish Fly. The song hit number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 7 on the R&B chart in December 1987.-Charts:...
" (with Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam) - 1987: "Take Care of Homework"
- 1987: "Your Love is so Def"
- 1988: "Every Little Thing About You" (with Cheryl "Pepsii" Riley)
- 1989: "Ain't My Type of Hype"
- 1989: "Friends B-4 Lovers"
- 1990: "Kiss Those Lips" / "All I Wanna Do"
- 1991: "X Marks the Spot" Ex Girlfriend
- 1992: "Nice 'n Sleazy"
- 1992: "Quickie"
- 1994: "Can I Get Your Number?"
- 1995: "Back Together Again"
Filmography
- 1985: Krush GrooveKrush GrooveKrush Groove is a 1985 Warner Bros. film, written by Ralph Farquhar and directed by Michael Schultz . This film is based on the early days of Def Jam Recordings and up-and-coming record producer Russell Simmons , portrayed by Blair Underwood in his feature film debut...
- 1990: House PartyHouse Party (film)House Party is a 1990 American comedy film released by New Line Cinema. It stars Kid and Play of the popular hip hop duo Kid 'n Play, and also stars Paul Anthony, Bow-Legged Lou, and B-Fine from Full Force, and Robin Harris . The film also starred Martin Lawrence, Tisha Campbell, A.J...
- 1991: House Party 2House Party 2House Party 2, the sequel to the 1990 film House Party, was released in 1991 by New Line Cinema. The sequel returns most of the cast of the first movie along with new cast members such as Queen Latifah and Iman. The second installment includes more guest appearances from other famous entertainers...
- 1993: Who's the Man?Who's the Man?Who's the Man? is a 1993 comedy film, directed by Ted Demme. The film stars Yo! MTV Raps hosts Doctor Dré and Ed Lover as its two main protagonists., it features dozens of cameo appearances from some of the top rap/hip-hop acts of the time, including Busta Rhymes, Eric B., House of Pain, Ice-T,...