Stetsasonic



Members Real Name
Wise Leonard Roman
Prince Paul Paul Huston
Daddy-O Glen Bolton
Delite Martin Wright
Frukwan Bobby Simmons
DBC Marvin Nemley



One of the first rap groups to use a live band, Brooklyn's own Stetsasonic formed in 1981 with rappers Glenn "Daddy O" Bolton, Martin "Delite" Wright, and Bobby "Frukwan" Simmons, DJs "Prince Paul" Huston and Leonard "Wise" Roman and Marvin "DBC" Nemley on keyboards/drums/turntables. They were one of the first groups to regularly talk about messages of black consciousness that found its ultimate expression in the so-called daisy-age sounds of De La Soul and the Jungle Brothers. The group's name came from an earlier group formed by Daddy O and Delite called the Stetson Brothers, after the hat company. The group began performing in New York hip-hop clubs, picking up other members along the way. Their début, On Fire, was released in 1986, but it was the follow-up, In Full Gear, that brought them critical acclaim and an R&B hit, "Sally."

1991's Blood, Sweat & No Tears was considered by many to be their best and most diverse album. It was at this creative-peak when Daddy O broke up the group deciding that they had run out of ideas. He went on to collaborate with big Daddy Kane, Freestyle Fellowship, Mary J. Blige, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Queen Latifah, while Prince Paul, already a renowned producer in his own right went on to produce De La Soul and Fine Young Cannibals, as well as collaborating with Frukwan in the Gravediggaz and Dan the Automator in the Handsome Boy Modeling School.

Discography:

  • 1986 On Fire (Chart position: #32)
  • 1988 In Full Gear (Chart position: #20)
  • 1991 Blood, Sweat & No Tears (Chart position: #75)