Cameo (band)

Cameo
Origin	New York City, U.S.
Genres	R&B, funk, soul, electro, hip hop
Years active	1974–present
Labels	Chocolate City Atlanta Artists Mercury Reprise Way 2 Funky / Raging Bull Crash / Private I
Associated acts	Bobby Brown, Ca$hflow, Charles Earland, East Coast, George Howard, Howard Kenney, L.A. Connection, M.C.B., Malemen, Mantra, Barbara Mitchell, Slapbak, The Reddings, Tity Brothers, Wynd Chymes
Members
Larry Blackmon Tomi Jenkins Anthony Lockett Aaron Mills Charlie Singleton
Past members
Jeryl Bright Michael Burnett Thomas Campbell Wayne Cooper Gary Dow Eric Durham Gregory Johnson Kurt Jeter John Kellogg Kevin Kendrick Arnett Leftenant Nathan Leftenant Damon Mendes Stephen Moore William Morris Eric Nelson Jeff Nelson William Revis Robert L. Smith Melvin Wells Additional tour members Bruce Carter Wayne Cobham Keni Hairston Jeff Nelson Rayford Griffin Jonathan Moffett

Cameo is an American soul-influenced funk group that formed in the early 1970s. Cameo was initially a 13-member group known as the New York City Players; this name was later changed to Cameo to avoid a lawsuit from Ohio Players,^{[citation needed]} another group from that era. Since then, Cameo has recorded several hits records. As of 2009, some of the original members continue to perform together, while two others were hired by the hip hop group Outkast. Influences include the humour of Parliament-Funkadelic, contemporary funk bands like the Bar-Kays, Earth, Wind and Fire, Ohio Players, The Isley Brothers etc. and singers like Marvin Gaye, Billy Paul, Prince, Isaac Hayes, Stevie Wonder and Bootsy Collins.

History

In 1974, Cameo started out with 23 members created by Juilliard graduate and New York-area clubgoer Larry Blackmon called the New York City Players. Signed by Casablanca Records to their Chocolate City imprint in 1976, the group soon changed its name to Cameo after concerns that "New York City Players" might cause confusion between them and the funk band Ohio Players. Prior to this, Blackmon, keyboardist Gregory Johnson, and the late Gwen Guthrie formed the band East Coast, together with James Wheeler (alto saxophone), Melvin Whay (bass), Michael Harris (percussion), and Haras Fyre (also known as Pat Grant) on trombone. They released one self-titled album in 1973 on the independent label Encounter.

Cameo started with a deep, funky sound, but it was obvious from the start their sights were set on the dance floor. Their first albums Cardiac Arrest, Ugly Ego, We All Know Who We Are, and Secret Omen contained dance floor songs such as "Rigor Mortis", "I Just Want To Be" and "Find My Way," the latter of which was a major disco smash and was included on the soundtrack to Thank God It's Friday.

Music career

By the time Cameosis came out in 1980, Cameo had gained considerable momentum through singles such as "Shake Your Pants". Albums such as 1981's Knights of the Sound Table and 1982's Alligator Woman saw the band playing up their eclectic style.

However, by the mid-1980s, Blackmon and crew were ready to move on. With Alligator Woman in 1982, Cameo stripped down to "five main members", still keeping a full band for shows. Then Gregory Johnson quit, making it a quartet: Blackmon, Tomi Jenkins, Nathan Leftenant, and Charles Singleton; keyboardist Kevin Kendricks would later be brought more into the creative fold. Blackmon also moved from New York City to Atlanta, Georgia and started his own label Atlanta Artists, which was distributed by Polygram. Inspired by the edgy synthesizer arrangements being pushed forward by the new wave groups of the time, he moved the band in an electronic funk" direction. It utilized heavily sequenced drum machines (e.g. Simmons), bass and occasional horn arrangements. He put his trademark "Ooow!" into the forefront of Cameo's mixes and markedly changed their sound. Cameo's 1983 release Style was one of the first to come from this new label and was the first disc to capitalize on Cameo's new sound. She's Strange came out in 1984 and its "12-inch mix" was a major smash in the R&B clubs. The title track and its follow-up, "Talkin' Out the Side of Your Neck", were minor successes on the pop charts. 1985's Single Life’’, with music by Robert L Smith, was also an R&B hit that saw some crossover success. With this album, Singleton left the group, but continued to work with Cameo from time to time as a friend of the band.

The song "Word Up!" hit the radio airwaves in mid-1986. Critically acclaimed with large amounts of club and radio airtime, the resulting album Word Up! turned Cameo into superstars. The follow-up tracks, "Candy" and "Back and Forth", were also huge hits for the funk trio.

Two years later, Cameo would release Machismo to lukewarm pop response, but favorable critical reviews and R&B success. Kendricks left the band at this point. Next, 1990's Real Men... Wear Black and 1992's Emotional Violence failed to reach the same commercial success of Word Up!. By this time, after their departure from Polygram on to their new label, Reprise, Blackmon represented himself (besides his band-activities and side-productions) as A&R-agent for this label, a division of Warner Bros. Records. It also saw the absence of Nathan Leftenant, but the return of guitarist Charlie Singleton as one of "main" members. Leftenant returned again for the next album, which they released on a new label (Way 2 Funky/Raging Bull), and recorded at their next headed location, Miami, Florida. 1994 saw the release of In the Face of Funk that got some club play, a single release, and at least one track that received critical acclaim (for "You Are My Love").

Presently

Former Cameo members Aaron Mills (bass), Jeryl Bright (Trombone) and Kevin Kendrick have been hired by the hip hop group OutKast for live and studio sessions. Mills's story is that he had just arrived back home in the middle of the night from touring or recording when he got a call from either Andre 3000 or Big Boi, and was asked if he had time to record a bassline for them, which was for "Ms. Jackson", OutKast's successful hit. Ex-Cameo vocalist John Kellogg became an entertainment lawyer representing such hit artists as the O'Jays, the late Gerald Levert and LSG. He also pursued a career in music industry higher education, becoming Assistant Chair of the Music Business/Management department at the world's leading institution of contemporary music, Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA.

In 2000, Cameo released their last-recorded album Sexy Sweet Thing, the album's title track, also had a single and video release. Around this time, they frequently performed in the U.S. and at various dates in Europe.

Larry Blackmon has a son, of the same name, in the New York political scene who has worked with Clinton, Bloomberg, and the NY Jets. Another of his sons, listed as N. Larry Blackmon, is building a rock/hip hop empire of his own.^{[citation needed]}

Aaron Mills has a son, Michael, in Durham, N.C., who is attempting to launch a career as a recording artist and has a Facebook page promoting his fledgling recordings as "Miguel the Tyrant."

On August 28, 2010, Cameo along with other prominent musicians and groups including Zapp Band, and George Clinton, played at the Chafeitz Arena, located in St.Louis.

They performed six shows in total at Tokyo's "Cotton Club" on September 17, 18, and 19, 2010.

Present action

A few members of Cameo, such as Tomi Jenkins, Charlie Singleton, Anthony Lockett, Jeryl Bright and Gregory Johnson are currently active on social networks like Facebook, MySpace or their own site. Tomi Jenkins released his new album The Way and is working on a movie about a fictional '70s funkband called Icemosis. Charlie Singleton released a new album called Phantom Of The Hip-Hopera. Gregory Johnson has a new and jazz-oriented album. In 2009, John Kellogg was elected the first African-American President of the Music and Entertainment Industry Educators Association (MEIEA). Jeryl Bright’s recording career started with the Detroit based funky Billboard award winning group Brainstorm. In Brainstorm, Jeryl was a singer and trombonist and at times got the opportunity to utilize some of his other talents of arranging, producing and composing. Jeryl wrote the title track for Brainstorms sophomore LP Journey To The Light and co-wrote others on their third and final CD. After three albums on Tabu Records, Brainstorm disbanded and while Jeryl sought a solo record deal he put together a band with Jazz drummer, legend Harvey Mason and George Michael’s bass player Deon Estus that had a short run. Harvey Mason said that not since JJ Johnson had he heard such a trombonist. From a child, Jeryl spent his formative years in California and Shreveport, Louisiana. His mother, who was a popular gospel singer, started him in Performing Arts on drums, voice, and dance at 3 years old. At 8 years old Jeryl studied the cello and at 11 he started to study classical and jazz on trombone winning him numerous awards. Back in Los Angeles, he became more interested in producing records and credits Leon Sylvers and Leon Hayward as his mentors in training him on making recordings. Looking forward to using his scholarship to Juilliard after High school, Jeryl stopped off in Detroit to visit a friend where he caught the eyes of a local band called Brainstorm who had a record deal pending with Tabu Records. He joined Brainstorm and they eventually signed with the label. Brainstorm scored a big hit on their first album (Storming) and received a Billboard award for the smash hit, Loving is Really My Game, Jeryl has, collaborated, played, and sang with other great producers in their own right: Donnie Lyle (R Kelly’s MD), producer Michael J Powell, David McMurray, Paul Jackson Jr., Gerald Albright, Marcus Miller, Jaco Pastorious, Fred Wesley, Earth Wind & Fire horns and many others.

After Brainstorm and Harvey Mason, Jeryl got a call from an up and coming band called Cameo and became a member of the group having an immediate impact on the groups sound by adding vocals with slick arrangements on many of Cameo’s hits. After 3 albums with Cameo Jeryl was signed to Epic Records and teamed up with fellows Cameo imps Aaron Mills and TC Campbell and recorded, “now a sought after classic” album entitled MCB. The hit song, taken from the MCB album entitled I’m The One You’re The One, was sung, written, and produced by Jeryl Bright hitting in over 30 countries. Jeryl then went independent with a release on Cheslen Records out of Los Angeles called Electric Body and produced a mild hit called The Mail Man on west coast rapper OG Hawk. In 1986 Jeryl returned to Cameo to participate in their biggest hit Word Up. Jeryl recorded several more albums with Cameo, toured with the group, and helped re-structure the group in 1995 up until 2001. In 2001, Jeryl moved from the west coast to Atlanta and set up his company Northern Image Inc. and recording label Bizcuit Records. In Atlanta, Jeryl hooked-up with Andre 3000 and worked on some musical arrangements and played trombone in the movie, Idle Wild.

In 2010 by popular demand the MCB CD was re-mastered, re-issued and distributed by Sony distribution music on Funky Town Grooves, USA. Currently, Bright is promoting classic hits from the MCB album, featuring new videos, "I'm the One, You're the One" and the funky rock stinger, "Feels So Right".

Reuse of songs

Covers

• "Word Up!" was covered by Nu metal band KoЯn on their Greatest Hits, Volume 1, Scottish rock band Gun, German "Country Trash Punk Rock"-Band The BossHoss, Melanie B, electronic pop alliance These Stains Is Us, Romanian rock band Voltaj under the name "Hai sus!" (Get up!), and Hayley Willis (a.k.a. Willis) on her Take You High EP (2003).

Samples

• "Candy" was sampled by Tupac Shakur on his song "All Bout U", Will Smith on his song "Candy", by Mariah Carey on her song "Loverboy", by Eightball and MJG on "Jus like Candy", and by The Black Eyed Peas on their songs "Like That" and "Ba Bump" from their album "Monkey Business", By Master P Album "Mamas Bad Boy" for song "Eyes Of A Killer" and again for His Group Tru album "Tru to the Game" song "Candy".
• "Single Life" was sampled by rappers Snoop Dogg and Bad Azz on their song "Wrong Idea".
• "Two of Us" was sampled by Tupac Shakur on his song "I Wonder If Heavens Got a Ghetto". The sampled beat was used by Beyonce Knowles on "What's It Gonna Be".
• "Rigor Mortis" was sampled by DJ Quik on his song "Get At Me", Brand Nubian on their song "Brand Nubian", and by Heavy D and the Boyz on their song "Big Tyme".
• "She's Strange" was sampled by Tupac Shakur on his song "Young Niggaz", Dru Down on his song "Dru Rules", Nate Dogg on his song "She's Strange", AMG on his song "She's Paid", and Suga Free on his song "So Fly" featuring Snoop Dogg and also the song "U Know My Name" with a sample of "Back and Forth". The production has also been interpolated on the Jermaine Dupri track titled 'Party Continues' featuring Usher and Da Brat on his album 'Life in 1472'.
• The melody and chorus of "Back and Forth" was adapted by R. Kelly for Aaliyah's song "Back and Forth".
• The ballad "Hangin' Downtown" was sampled by Oran Juice Jones on his song "Make Love to Your Mind", by Shareefah on her song "Fevah (He don't know" and more famously by DJ Premier for Group Home's "Supa Star".
• Speech sampled "I've Got Your Image" in one of his recent productions.
• "Why Have I Lost You [Version 2]" was sampled by Juvenile on his song "Rodeo". The song was also sampled by Warren G on the track "Super Soul Sis" off the debut album Regulate...G Funk Era
• "Attack Me With Your Love" was sampled by satirical Norwegian rapper Oral Bee on his song "Den Breiale Stilen".
• "Sparkle" was sampled by Tupac Shakur in his original version of "Loyal to the Game" recorded in 1993 in collaboration with Treach and The Riddler (rapper) which was never officially released. It was also sampled for Lil' Wayne's "Grown Man" featuring Curren$y from his Tha Carter II album.
• "Shake Your Pants" was sampled by the rap group the Beastie Boys in their hit song "Hey Ladies" off their critically acclaimed album, Paul's Boutique.
• "Back and Forth" was sampled by hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan on their the song "Gravel Pit", and sometimes in the song's hook Method Man say's "Back, back and forth and forth" referring to the original music from Cameo.

"Keep It Hot" was sampled by E-40 on his song "I Like What You Do To Me" off his 1996 Tha Hall of Game release.

Use in multimedia

"Word Up!" was used in the 2006 film Severance starring Danny Dyer

In October 2004 Candy appeared in popular video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on funk radio station Bounce FM, also on Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, was Brand Nubian's "Brand Nubian", which samples "Rigor Mortis".

In the movie The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Andy (Steve Carell) is shown performing "Word Up!" on a karaoke machine in his apartment. Jackpot, a film which follows a karaoke singer hoping to get his big break, features an androgynous man giving a scene-stealing performance of "Candy". Larry Blackmon and T-Man were also supposed to be featured as celebrity cameos (not as the band, Cameo) in the 2007 release of "Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theaters". Although they did not appear in the film itself, they are featured in the extras on the DVD. This footage shows them doing motion capture/CGI in order to be animated, as well as studio recording of the song written for the film.

The song "Candy" is also played during the bachelor party and wedding reception scenes in the 1999 motion picture The Best Man.

The song "Word Up" is played in The Simpsons, season 20 episode 6 (titled "Homer and Lisa Exchange Cross Words") when Lisa Simpson is performing in a crossword competition and also in Everybody Hates Chris when Chris says that his mom always wanted to be in a band and it goes to a cut scene of Rochelle dancing and singing to the song.

The tune of "Word Up" was also used by Russian rapper Noize MC in his ironical song "Heroin Fest".

"Attack Me With Your Love" was featured on Everybody Hates Chris. It can be heard in the beginning of the "Everybody Hates the First Kiss" season 3 episode.

In 2010s the song "Word Up" can be obtained as downoadable content for Dance Central, a Kinect videogame on the Xbox 360.

In 2011 the song "Word Up" was used in the film "Johnny English Reborn".

Discography

Main article: Cameo discography

See also

• List of Number 1 Dance Hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

External links

• Cameo at Allmusic
• Cameo @ Discogs