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Onyx (hip hop group)

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This article is about the American hip hop group. For the 1960s Cornish band, see Onyx (Cornish band).
Onyx
OriginQueens, New York, U.S.
Genres
Years active1988 (1988)–present
Labels
Fontana / Universal Music Group Distribution
MembersFredro Starr
Sticky Fingaz
Past membersSonny Seeza
Big DS (deceased)
Websitewww.onyxhq.com

Onyx is an American hip hop music group from Queens, New York. The group is composed of East Coast rappers Fredro Starr, Sticky Fingaz and Sonny Seeza. Big DS (Marlon Fletcher) was a member; Big DS left after the group's debut album.

History

Early career

The group was formed in 1988 and Onyx released its first 12" single, "Ah, And We Do It Like This", in 1990. The song revealed a strong jazz influence, noticeably more than in their later work. In 1991, Onyx was going to present a demo to Jam Master Jay at Def Jam, but Big DS and Sonee Seeza (then known as Suavé) were in Connecticut at the time, so Fredro Starr called up his cousin Sticky Fingaz (who lived in Brooklyn). Once Sticky Fingaz joined the group, the group released Throw Ya Gunz in 1992.

Sticky Fingaz with Italian rapper Duke Montana

After the track Onyx signed a recording contract with Def Jam and were promised an album which became 1993's Bacdafucup LP. The album met with great commercial success, including heavy airplay on radio and MTV for the single "Slam". Onyx also performed with Biohazard on the tune "Judgment Night", taken from the soundtrack album of the same name. Onyx also received critical acclaim, winning Soul Train's album of the year.

Big DS left the group after the release of the first album in order to pursue an ultimately unsuccessful solo career. He died on May 22, 2003 from complications from cancer.[6] In 1995, Onyx released their second album All We Got Iz Us. While the album was much less successful commercially, it proved to be a critical success. In the August 2008 issue of VIBE, All We Got Iz Us was listed as the best produced rap album of 1995 and one of twenty albums every fan of hip-hop must own.

The release was followed by another gap in albums, but the members remained in the public eye by appearing in several films, including Clockers, Sunset Park (1996), and Dead Presidents (1995). Both rappers continue to appear in movies and television, appearing on the FX Network on The Shield and on CBS's CSI: Miami.

In 1995, Onyx toured with Das EFX and the Insane Clown Posse.

Onyx returned in 1998 with their third album Shut 'Em Down, which featured appearances from DMX, Lost Boyz, Raekwon, Method Man, Big Pun, Noreaga and a then-unknown 50 Cent. This album found critical as well as commercial success. The album produced two singles "React" and "Shut 'Em Down", the latter featuring DMX. After leaving Def Jam, the group returned in 2002 with Bacdafucup Part II released on Koch Records, Followed by the 2003 release Triggernometry on D3 Entertainment.

In 2014, Onyx released their first album in over a decade. Wakedafucup released March 18, 2014.

Later career

A new Onyx album, titled The Black Rock, was rumored for a 2006/2007 release but was not released, the album is now rescheduled for a release in 2014, with a new title 100% Mad.[7] In June 2008, Onyx released their debut DVD: Onyx: 15 Years of Videos, History and Violence. The DVD contains every Onyx video digitally remastered with optional commentary, all solo videos, and over an hour of rare footage all the way back from 1992.

Onyx performed in 2009 at the 10th annual Gathering of the Juggalos. Onyx also performed in August 2012 at the 13th annual Gathering of the Juggalos in Cave-in-Rock, Illinois. In August 2012, Onyx also released their second compilation album, titled Cold Case Files Vol. 2. The album is unique in that it is only available from OnyxDomain.com; as the purchase is digital, all proceeds go to the group. On October 31, 2012 fresh from touring overseas, Onyx released the video on YouTube from their first single off of the new album CUZO entitled "Belly Of The Beast", the video was directed by Kevin KJ Johnson.[8]

In 2013, they were featured on fellow American rapper ASAP Ferg's debut studio album, Trap Lord.

It was announced that Onyx collaboration album Wakedafucup with hip-hop/producing group Snowgoons would be released March 18, 2014.[9] Sonny Seeza does not appear on the album. The album received favorable reviews from The Source and XXL Magazine. In 2014, XXL Magazine named it was one of the best hip-hop albums of 2014.[10]

On April 21 the group announced the "Against All Authorities" EP with producer Scopic would be released on May 5 and would mainly be aimed at the current situation in America.[11]

Members

Big DS

Marlon Fletcher (July 29, 1971 – May 22, 2003), aged 31, better known by his stage name Big DS was an American rapper and hip hop artist who was a founding member of the band Onyx.[12][13] Fletcher left the group after the release of Bacdafucup in 1993.[14][15]

He died on May 22, 2003 due to complications from cancer.[12][16]

Discography

Main article: Onyx discography

Albums

Compilation albums

References

  1. ^ Berkman, Meredith (October 8, 1993). "Onyx rapper will no longer welcome to fly the friendly skies". Entertainment Weekly.
  2. ^ Martins, Chris (February 11, 2014). "Onyx Command You to 'Wakedafucup' and Smell the Reunion". Spin.
  3. ^ Radano, Ronald M.; Bohlman, Philip V. (2000). Music and the Racial Imagination. University of Chicago Press. p. 615. ISBN 9780226702001.
  4. ^ Staples, Brent (August 27, 1993). "Editorial Notebook :; The Politics of Gangster Rap". The New York Times. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
  5. ^ Hur, Michael (2014). Shadows the Music Industry. Lulu.com. p. 320. ISBN 9781312306059.
  6. ^ Mason, Deniece. "Onyx Member Loses Cancer Battle". HipHop DX. Cheri Media Group. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  7. ^ ONYX - BLACK HOODIE RAP Official Music Video YouTube.
  8. ^ Onyx "Cuzo" - Belly Of The Beast. Musikreform.com (2012-11-03). Retrieved on 2012-12-20.
  9. ^ https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/wakedafucup/id828769226
  10. ^ The 25 Best Hip-Hop Albums Of 2014 (So Far). XXLMag.com (2014-06-30). Retrieved on 2014-06-30.
  11. ^ Onyx Announce "Against All Authorities" EP. OK-Tho.com (2015-04-22). Retrieved on 2015-04-22.
  12. ^ a b "Marlon Fletcher". Discogs. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  13. ^ "DJ Premier Says He & Pete Rock May Be Exclusively Producing De La Soul's Next Album (Video)". 11 December 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  14. ^ Thomas, Datwon. "Onyx Takes You to the Last Dayz". Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  15. ^ http://hiphopdx.com, HipHopDX -. "Onyx Member Loses Cancer Battle". Retrieved 12 December 2017. {{cite web}}: External link in |last= (help)
  16. ^ "Hip hop's golden age: Where are they now?". Retrieved 12 December 2017.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Onyx_(hip_hop_group)&oldid=851467632"