Heltah Skeltah
Encyclopedia
Heltah Skeltah is a hip hop
duo consisting of members Rock
(Jahmal Bush) and Ruck
(Sean Price). The two are members of New York supergroup
Boot Camp Clik
, along with Buckshot
, Smif-N-Wessun
and O.G.C.
. The name "Heltah Skeltah" is a reference and homage to The Beatles
, specifically their song "Helter Skelter" from the famous album The Beatles
.
in 1995, appearing on the tracks "Wontime", "Cession at da Doghillee" and "Let's Git It On". Later in 1995, they grouped up with fellow Boot Camp members O.G.C. to form The Fab 5
(another nod to The Beatles
), and released a surprise hit single, "Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka". Out of The Fab 5 members, Rock and Ruck received the most amount of attention, due to their notable charisma and chemistry. The duo released their anticipated debut Nocturnal in June 1996, which included "Leflah", as well as the singles "Operation Lock Down" and "Therapy". The album sold over 250,000 copies in the United States, and has become a classic in the underground Hip Hop scene because of its grimy, basement sound and strong lyrics. The duo released a group album with the Boot Camp in 1997, then followed in 1998 with their second effort Magnum Force
. The album's lead single, "I Ain't Havin' That" (sampled from the A Tribe Called Quest
track "Hot Sex
", with the chorus sampling Redman's 1996 hit "Pick it Up"), became a Hot 100 hit. Despite the single's success, the album was criticised due to its lighter content. Ruck and Rock seemed disillusioned with their lack of sales, and split up soon after the Magnum Force album. Rock began having problems with Duck Down Records
, and split with the label, signing to DJ Lethal's Lethal Records. He planned to release an album titled Planet Rock, but the label folded and the album disappeared. Sean Price remained with the Camp for their second album The Chosen Few in 2002. Heltah Skeltah reunited in 2005, making appearances on Sean Price's solo album Monkey Barz
and Smif-N-Wessun's Smif 'N' Wessun: Reloaded. The duo continued work with the Boot Camp for their third group effort The Last Stand
, released in July 2006. In 2007, Heltah Skeltah had a track included on the Official Joints mixtape, a collection of previously unreleased songs by NYC rappers. Heltah Skeltah dropped their third album together tentatively titled D.I.R.T.
(Da Incredible Rap Team) which was released on September 30, 2008. Other solo future projects include Monster Music and Mic Tyson. They will also be releasing the Shell Shock DVD. Sean Price is currently working on Random Axe.
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...
duo consisting of members Rock
Rock (rapper)
Jamal Bush, better known by his stage name Tha Rockness Monstah, or in short Rock, is an American rapper, famous as a member of hip hop collective Boot Camp Clik and the duo Heltah Skeltah along with Ruck. He is known for his deep, grimy voice and having a sophisticated and rugged flow...
(Jahmal Bush) and Ruck
Ruck
Ruck may refer to;* Ruck , a contesting for the ball in Rugby Union from a grounded player* Ruck , an aerial contest in Australian rules football between rival ruckmen...
(Sean Price). The two are members of New York supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
Boot Camp Clik
Boot Camp Clik
Boot Camp Clik is an American hip hop supergroup from Brooklyn, New York, which is composed of Buckshot , Smif-N-Wessun, also known as Cocoa Brovaz , Heltah Skeltah and O.G.C....
, along with Buckshot
Buckshot (rapper)
Buckshot is an underground rapper, famous as the leader of Hip Hop supergroup Boot Camp Clik, and the group Black Moon. He has released one solo album, two with producer 9th Wonder, four albums with Black Moon and four albums with the Boot Camp Clik.- Biography :Born and raised in Brooklyn...
, Smif-N-Wessun
Smif-N-Wessun
Smif-n-Wessun is a hip hop duo consisting of members Tek and Steele . Smif-n-Wessun comprise two-fifths of the Brownsville, Brooklyn supergroup Boot Camp Clik, with Buckshot, Heltah Skeltah and O.G.C...
and O.G.C.
O.G.C.
O.G.C. is a Hip Hop group consisting of members Jack McNair , Barret Powell , and Dashawn Jamal Yates O.G.C. (Originoo Gunn Clappaz) is a Hip Hop group consisting of members Jack McNair (aka Starang Wondah) (Gunn Clappa Numba One, also known as Big Will, Hurricane Starang and Strang Da Beast...
. The name "Heltah Skeltah" is a reference and homage to The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, specifically their song "Helter Skelter" from the famous album The Beatles
The Beatles (album)
The Beatles is the ninth official album by the English rock group The Beatles, a double album released in 1968. It is also commonly known as "The White Album" as it has no graphics or text other than the band's name embossed on its plain white sleeve.The album was written and recorded during a...
.
Biography
Heltah Skeltah debuted on Smif-N-Wessun's album Dah Shinin'Dah Shinin'
Dah Shinin' is the debut album from Brooklyn Hip Hop duo Smif-N-Wessun. Members Tek and Steele made their debut previously on Black Moon's classic 1993 album Enta Da Stage. Dah Shinin has become one of the most heralded New York Hip Hop albums from the mid-'90s, famous for its hardcore lyrical...
in 1995, appearing on the tracks "Wontime", "Cession at da Doghillee" and "Let's Git It On". Later in 1995, they grouped up with fellow Boot Camp members O.G.C. to form The Fab 5
The Fab 5
The Fab 5 is a Hip Hop group, consisting of Heltah Skeltah and O.G.C. . The group joined the Boot Camp Clik and signed a record deal with Duck Down Records in 1995...
(another nod to The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
), and released a surprise hit single, "Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka". Out of The Fab 5 members, Rock and Ruck received the most amount of attention, due to their notable charisma and chemistry. The duo released their anticipated debut Nocturnal in June 1996, which included "Leflah", as well as the singles "Operation Lock Down" and "Therapy". The album sold over 250,000 copies in the United States, and has become a classic in the underground Hip Hop scene because of its grimy, basement sound and strong lyrics. The duo released a group album with the Boot Camp in 1997, then followed in 1998 with their second effort Magnum Force
Magnum Force (album)
Magnum Force is the second album from hip hop duo Heltah Skeltah. After the release of their acclaimed 1996 debut, Nocturnal, Rock and Ruck recorded an album titled For the People, with its crew, the Boot Camp Clik, in 1997...
. The album's lead single, "I Ain't Havin' That" (sampled from the A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest is an American hip hop group, formed in 1985, and is composed of rapper/producer Q-Tip , rapper Phife Dawg , and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A fourth member, rapper Jarobi White, left the group after their first album but rejoined in 2006...
track "Hot Sex
Hot Sex
"Hot Sex" is a single by hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest. It was released in 1992 on the soundtrack for the film Boomerang and was later featured on the bonus disc of the group's fifth album The Love Movement in 1998....
", with the chorus sampling Redman's 1996 hit "Pick it Up"), became a Hot 100 hit. Despite the single's success, the album was criticised due to its lighter content. Ruck and Rock seemed disillusioned with their lack of sales, and split up soon after the Magnum Force album. Rock began having problems with Duck Down Records
Duck Down Records
Duck Down Music Inc is a New York City based record label, talent management, music-marketing, and consulting company founded by Drew "Dru-Ha" Friedman and Kenyatta "Buckshot" Blake in 1995. In Duck Down's 16 year existence, the Company has released over 40 Albums and sold more than 3 million...
, and split with the label, signing to DJ Lethal's Lethal Records. He planned to release an album titled Planet Rock, but the label folded and the album disappeared. Sean Price remained with the Camp for their second album The Chosen Few in 2002. Heltah Skeltah reunited in 2005, making appearances on Sean Price's solo album Monkey Barz
Monkey Barz
Monkey Barz is the solo debut by underground Rap artist Sean Price, formerly known as Ruck of Heltah Skeltah. The album was the first release from Duck Down Records 2005 "Triple Threat Campaign", followed by Buckshot & 9th Wonder's Chemistry, and Smif-N-Wessun's Smif 'N' Wessun: Reloaded...
and Smif-N-Wessun's Smif 'N' Wessun: Reloaded. The duo continued work with the Boot Camp for their third group effort The Last Stand
The Last Stand
The Last Stand is the third group album from Hip Hop collective Boot Camp Clik, released on July 18, 2006. The group consists of Black Moon's Buckshot, Smif-N-Wessun's Tek and Steele, Heltah Skeltah's Rock and Sean Price, and O.G.C.'s Starang Wondah, Louieville Sluggah and Top Dog. The album marks...
, released in July 2006. In 2007, Heltah Skeltah had a track included on the Official Joints mixtape, a collection of previously unreleased songs by NYC rappers. Heltah Skeltah dropped their third album together tentatively titled D.I.R.T.
D.I.R.T.
D.I.R.T. is the third album by the hip hop group Heltah Skeltah, made up of Sean Price and Rock. It is their first album since 1998, when they released Magnum Force, which did not receive anywhere near as much critical acclaim and underground success as their 1996 record Nocturnal...
(Da Incredible Rap Team) which was released on September 30, 2008. Other solo future projects include Monster Music and Mic Tyson. They will also be releasing the Shell Shock DVD. Sean Price is currently working on Random Axe.
Discography
| Year | Album | Billboard Chart | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US 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... |
R&B/Hip-Hop | ||
| 1996 | Nocturnal | 35 | 5 |
| 1998 | Magnum Force Magnum Force (album) Magnum Force is the second album from hip hop duo Heltah Skeltah. After the release of their acclaimed 1996 debut, Nocturnal, Rock and Ruck recorded an album titled For the People, with its crew, the Boot Camp Clik, in 1997... |
34 | 8 |
| 2008 | D.I.R.T. D.I.R.T. D.I.R.T. is the third album by the hip hop group Heltah Skeltah, made up of Sean Price and Rock. It is their first album since 1998, when they released Magnum Force, which did not receive anywhere near as much critical acclaim and underground success as their 1996 record Nocturnal... |
122 | 35 |
Singles
- 1996: Letha Brainz Blo
- 1996: Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka
- 1996: Operation Lock Down
- 1996: Da Wiggy
- 1996: Therapy
- 1996: Place to Be
- 1998: I Ain't Havin That
- 1998: Worldwide (Rock the World)
- 1998: Brownsville II Long Beach
- 1998: Gunz 'N Onez (Iz U Wit Me)
- 2008: Everything Is Helthah Skeltah
- 2008: Ruck n Roll