Origin United States | Years active 1981–1992 | |
 | ||
Albums In Full Gear, On Fire, Blood - Sweat | ||
Stetsasonic is an American hip hop group formed in 1981 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York. It is remembered as one of the first hip hop crews to use a live band, and the group's positive, uplifting lyrics made it forerunners of alternative hip hop and jazz hip hop.
Contents
Members
History
Originally, the group was known as The Stetson Brothers, after Stetson hats. There were three MCs, the Human Mix Machine, and Prince Paul. The Stetson Brothers changed its name and style to Stetsasonic the Hip-Hop Band and clinched a deal with Tommy Boy Records when DBC came up with and played the funky bassline for its debut single "If You Can't Say It All Just Say STET", live for Tom Silverman, owner of Tommy Boy Records. After a few months of the single being in regular rotation on radio stations everywhere, they released their first album On Fire (1986). The album received mixed reviews, though the follow-ups, In Full Gear and Blood, Sweat & No Tears were critically acclaimed. A 1988 New York Times article said that the group mirrored the rise of artistic, profound rap music: "While pop's political commentary often seems secondary to catchy melodies and commercial acceptability, rap's tough sound sharpens its commentary". As a "hip hop band", dependent on instruments as well as turntables, the group was also known for live shows, though sometimes the "rap-show format prevented Stetsasonic from employing the band instrumentation and studio layering that make their records so distinctive."
Breakup
The group disbanded soon after the release of Blood, Sweat & No Tears.
Frukwan and Prince Paul were founding members of the Gravediggaz, while the latter also became a record producer, as did Daddy-O, who worked with Freestyle Fellowship, Mary J. Blige, Positive K and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, among others.
Former member Bobby Simmons pursued work in public access, forming the show Flava Videos in the mid-1990s on Channel 26 (New York).
MC Delite is currently the President and CEO of Flight Entertainment and a public speaker.
Wise is known as one of the pioneers of beatboxing along with Doug E. Fresh.
DBC went on to produce tracks for Third World and the Cookie Crew, among others. In 1995, he became the owner and operator of Raw Beat Productions Music & Video Recording Studio, located in Philadelphia.
Discography
Songs
Talkin' All That JazzIn Full Gear · 1988
GO STETSA IOn Fire · 1986
DBC Let the Music PlayIn Full Gear · 1988