Wreckx-N-Effect
Encyclopedia
Wreckx-N-Effect was a New Jack Swing
Hip-Hop
group who had the multi-platinum hit "Rump Shaker
" in 1992
/1993
, which was produced by Teddy Riley
.
as Wrecks-N-Effect. Their first release, an eponymous
EP
of six tracks for Atlantic Records
, included the singles "Go For What You Know", "Let's Do It Again" (which sampled The Staple Singers
hit song), and a self-titled track sampling Jimmy Castor
's "Bertha Butt Boogie". They received little promotion from Atlantic however, and, with the help of one-time manager and alleged gangster Gene Griffin, the group jumped ship for Motown Records
. By the time they released their self-titled debut album the following year, "K.C." had left and the group had become a trio. Wrecks-N-Effect
was produced by producer
/songwriter
Teddy Riley
(brother of Markell Riley), and rapper/producer Redhead Kingpin
; the album reached #16 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and #103 on The Billboard Top 200 chart. The singles "Juicy" and "New Jack Swing" were released, with "New Jack Swing" reaching #1 on the Billboard Rap chart
. Tragically, Mitchell was killed in a shooting incident shortly after its release in 1990.
The group, now a duo consisting of Aqil Davison and Markell Riley, changed the spelling of their name from Wrecks-N-Effect to Wreckx-N-Effect (the "X" symbolizing the loss of Mitchell).
In the proceeding years they were featured on many of Teddy Riley's productions and remixes, including Michael Jackson's
"She Drives Me Wild", Samuelle's
"So You Like What You See
", Guy's
"D-O-G Me Out
" and Tammy Lucas' "Is It Good too You".
The group returned with Teddy Riley as a de facto member with 1992's
Hard or Smooth
on MCA Records
. Hard or Smooth fared far better than their debut, selling just under 2 million copies and reaching #9 on the Billboard Top 200 and #6 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
chart.
The album's success was spurred by the multi-platinum, #2 hit single Rump Shaker
, which was kept at bay on the charts only by Whitney Houston
's I Will Always Love You
, from her best-selling The Bodyguard Soundtrack. The accompanying video received substantial criticism for its "exploitation" of women in bikinis, despite its setting of a fun day at the beach, with the New York Daily News
referring to Wreckx as "Horny Little Rap Kids". "Rump Shaker" is also notable for featuring a verse (performed by Teddy Riley) written by a young Pharrell Williams, who, along with fellow future-Neptune
Chad Hugo
, contributed additional production work as Teddy Riley's then-protégés.
Wreckx-N-Effect had by this point seemingly reached the peak of their career as a group. Their long-delayed third album, 1996's
Rap's New Generation, was not well-received or supported by their label MCA, who had grown weary of internal differences between the Riley brothers and Davidson. Not long afterwards the group disbanded.
In 2003 Aqil Davidson launched the indie label Control Records, and continues to perform under the name EmperA.
In October 2004, "New Jack Swing" appeared in the popular video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
, playing on the in-game New Jack Swing radio station, CSR 103.9.
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...
Hip-Hop
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...
group who had the multi-platinum hit "Rump Shaker
Rump Shaker (song)
"Rump Shaker" is a 1992 rap single by hip-hop group Wreckx-N-Effect, featuring Teddy Riley from their 1992 album Hard or Smooth.Due to the massive success of Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You, "Rump Shaker" would only make it to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and No. 2 on the Hot...
" in 1992
1992 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1992.-January–February:*January 11**Nirvana's Nevermind album goes to #1 in the US Billboard 200 chart, establishing the widespread popularity of the Grunge movement of the 1990s....
/1993
1993 in music
This is a summary of significant events in music in 1993.-January–February:*January 8 – The U.S. Postal Service issues an Elvis Presley stamp. The design was voted on in February 1992....
, which was produced by Teddy Riley
Teddy Riley (new jack swing)
Edward Theodore Riley , professionally known as Teddy Riley, is an American singer-songwriter, musician, keyboardist, and record producer credited with the creation of New Jack Swing. Through his production work with Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown, Doug E. Fresh, Today, Keith Sweat, Heavy D., Jane...
.
History
The group, originally composed of then adolescent Aqil "A-Plus" Davidson, Keith "K.C." Hanns, Brandon Mitchell and Markell Riley, was formed around 19881988 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988.-January-March:* January 1 – André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra plays its first concert....
as Wrecks-N-Effect. Their first release, an eponymous
Wrecks-N-Effect (album)
Wrecks-n-Effect is the debut album released by Wrecks-n-Effect. It was released on September 1, 1989 for Motown Records and featured production from Teddy Riley, Markell Riley and The Redhead Kingpin. The album found modest success on the Billboard Charts, making it to 103 on the Billboard 200...
EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
of six tracks for Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, included the singles "Go For What You Know", "Let's Do It Again" (which sampled The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers were an American gospel, soul, and R&B singing group. Roebuck "Pops" Staples , the patriarch of the family, formed the group with his children Cleotha , Pervis , Yvonne , and Mavis...
hit song), and a self-titled track sampling Jimmy Castor
Jimmy Castor
Jimmy Castor is an American pop and funk musician. He is best known as a fun disco/funk saxophonist, with his biggest hit single being 1972's million seller, "Troglodyte ".-Career:...
's "Bertha Butt Boogie". They received little promotion from Atlantic however, and, with the help of one-time manager and alleged gangster Gene Griffin, the group jumped ship for Motown Records
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
. By the time they released their self-titled debut album the following year, "K.C." had left and the group had become a trio. Wrecks-N-Effect
Wrecks-N-Effect (album)
Wrecks-n-Effect is the debut album released by Wrecks-n-Effect. It was released on September 1, 1989 for Motown Records and featured production from Teddy Riley, Markell Riley and The Redhead Kingpin. The album found modest success on the Billboard Charts, making it to 103 on the Billboard 200...
was produced by producer
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...
/songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
Teddy Riley
Teddy Riley
Teddy Riley is the name of:* Teddy Riley , jazz trumpeter* Teddy Riley , singer-songwriter, musician, record producer...
(brother of Markell Riley), and rapper/producer Redhead Kingpin
Redhead Kingpin and the F.B.I.
Redhead Kingpin and the F.B.I. was a hip hop/New Jack Swing group best known for its debut single and highest-charting song, "Do the Right Thing" from its album A Shade of Red, which peaked at #13 on the UK Singles Chart in 1989...
; the album reached #16 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and #103 on The Billboard Top 200 chart. The singles "Juicy" and "New Jack Swing" were released, with "New Jack Swing" reaching #1 on the Billboard Rap chart
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...
. Tragically, Mitchell was killed in a shooting incident shortly after its release in 1990.
The group, now a duo consisting of Aqil Davison and Markell Riley, changed the spelling of their name from Wrecks-N-Effect to Wreckx-N-Effect (the "X" symbolizing the loss of Mitchell).
In the proceeding years they were featured on many of Teddy Riley's productions and remixes, including Michael Jackson's
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
"She Drives Me Wild", Samuelle's
Samuelle
Samuelle Pratter, known simply as Samuelle, is an American R&B singer who is a former member of the R&B group, Club Nouveau. He released his first and only solo album entitled, Living in Black Paradise on October 30, 1990 on Atlantic Records, which reached number 37 on the Billboard R&B Albums...
"So You Like What You See
So You Like What You See
"So You Like What You See" is the title of a number-one R&B single by Samuelle from his album Living in Black Paradise. The hit song spent two weeks at number-one on the US R&B chart, but did not place on the Hot 100....
", Guy's
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...
"D-O-G Me Out
D-O-G Me Out
"D-O-G Me Out" is a song by American R&B group Guy recorded for their second studio album The Future . The song was released as the album's fourth single in August of 1991.-Track listing:12", Vinyl#"D-O-G Me Out" - 6:27...
" and Tammy Lucas' "Is It Good too You".
The group returned with Teddy Riley as a de facto member with 1992's
1992 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1992.-January–February:*January 11**Nirvana's Nevermind album goes to #1 in the US Billboard 200 chart, establishing the widespread popularity of the Grunge movement of the 1990s....
Hard or Smooth
Hard or Smooth
Hard or Smooth was the second album released by Wreckx-n-Effect. It was released on November 24, 1992 for MCA Records and featured production from The Neptunes Teddy Riley, Ty Fyffe, David "DJ DWynn" Wynn and DJ Steve Dee, with bass player Renny Jones featured on the song, "New Jack Swing, Pt 2"...
on MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
. Hard or Smooth fared far better than their debut, selling just under 2 million copies and reaching #9 on the Billboard Top 200 and #6 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
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...
chart.
The album's success was spurred by the multi-platinum, #2 hit single Rump Shaker
Rump Shaker (song)
"Rump Shaker" is a 1992 rap single by hip-hop group Wreckx-N-Effect, featuring Teddy Riley from their 1992 album Hard or Smooth.Due to the massive success of Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You, "Rump Shaker" would only make it to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and No. 2 on the Hot...
, which was kept at bay on the charts only by Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
's I Will Always Love You
I Will Always Love You
"I Will Always Love You" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton in 1973, who first released the song as a single in 1974.-Dolly Parton version:...
, from her best-selling The Bodyguard Soundtrack. The accompanying video received substantial criticism for its "exploitation" of women in bikinis, despite its setting of a fun day at the beach, with the New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
referring to Wreckx as "Horny Little Rap Kids". "Rump Shaker" is also notable for featuring a verse (performed by Teddy Riley) written by a young Pharrell Williams, who, along with fellow future-Neptune
The Neptunes
The Neptunes are a record production duo consisting of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, who are credited with contributing the sound for many successful hip hop, R&B and pop artists in the late-1990s and 2000s...
Chad Hugo
Chad Hugo
Charles Edward Hugo is an American musician and record producer. He is best known as one half of the music production and writing duo The Neptunes and as a member of the funk/rock band N.E.R.D. He is a saxophonist, pianist and guitarist...
, contributed additional production work as Teddy Riley's then-protégés.
Wreckx-N-Effect had by this point seemingly reached the peak of their career as a group. Their long-delayed third album, 1996's
1996 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1996.-January:* January – At the trial of two American teenagers, Nicholaus McDonald and Brian Bassett, for the murder of Bassett's parents and young brother, defense lawyers attempt to lay the blame for the murders on the fact...
Rap's New Generation, was not well-received or supported by their label MCA, who had grown weary of internal differences between the Riley brothers and Davidson. Not long afterwards the group disbanded.
In 2003 Aqil Davidson launched the indie label Control Records, and continues to perform under the name EmperA.
In October 2004, "New Jack Swing" appeared in the popular video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
, playing on the in-game New Jack Swing radio station, CSR 103.9.
Discography
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
US Hip-Hop 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... |
||||
| 1989 | Wrecks-n-Effect Wrecks-N-Effect (album) Wrecks-n-Effect is the debut album released by Wrecks-n-Effect. It was released on September 1, 1989 for Motown Records and featured production from Teddy Riley, Markell Riley and The Redhead Kingpin. The album found modest success on the Billboard Charts, making it to 103 on the Billboard 200... |
103 | 16 | ||
| 1992 | Hard or Smooth Hard or Smooth Hard or Smooth was the second album released by Wreckx-n-Effect. It was released on November 24, 1992 for MCA Records and featured production from The Neptunes Teddy Riley, Ty Fyffe, David "DJ DWynn" Wynn and DJ Steve Dee, with bass player Renny Jones featured on the song, "New Jack Swing, Pt 2"... |
9 | 6 | ||
| 1996 | Raps New Generation Raps New Generation Raps New Generation was the third and final album released by Wreckx-N-Effect. It was released on September 24, 1996 for MCA Records and featured production from Teddy Riley, "Lil" Chris Smith, Markell Riley and Aqil Davidson. Raps New Generation was both a critical and commercial flop and was... |
- | - | ||
| "—" denotes the album failed to chart or not released | |||||