Blackstreet

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Blackstreet
Origin New York, New York, United States
Genre(s) New Jack Swing, R&B, Hip hop soul
Years active 1993- present
Label(s) DreamWorks
(2002-2005)
Interscope/Sony BMG (1994-1999; 2007-present)
Members
Teddy Riley
Mark Middleton
Eric Williams
J-Stylz
Former members
Joseph Stonestreet
Dave Hollister
Levi Little
Terrell Phillips
Chauncey Hannibal

BLACKstreet is an American R&B group founded in 1992 by Teddy Riley, a New Jack Swing pioneer known for his work as a member of Guy. The band members are: Teddy Riley, Eric Williams, Mark Middleton, and J-Stylz. Former members of BLACKstreet are Joseph Stonestreet, Levi Little, Dave Hollister, Terrell Phillips, and Chauncey Hannibal. Their debut album, BLACKstreet, was a moderate success due to the singles "Booti Call" and "Before I Let You Go", both Top 40 hits ("Before I Let You Go" hit the Top 10). The follow-up, 1996's Another Level (see 1996 in music) was a breakthrough success due to the top single "No Diggity" (with Dr. Dre), which was a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1996, and won the 1998 Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, along with the Top 40 hit "Don't Leave Me". Another Level eventually went four times platinum in the United States and peaked at #3 on the Billboard chart. "No Diggity" is ranked at #91 on Rolling Stone and MTV: 100 Greatest Pop Songs, while BLACKstreet comes in at #214 of the Top 500 Pop Artists of the Past 25 Years.

BLACKstreet has also collaborated with Jay-Z on his single "The City is Mine".

The debut single from their third album, "Girlfriend/Boyfriend", a collaboration with Janet Jackson featuring Ja Rule and Eve -- BLACKstreet finally had a top ten album with Finally. But personnel shifts wrecked the group and contributed to the relative failure of Finally (1999 in music) and BLACKstreet soon broke up. After rumors of legal action and a preemptive countersuit, the group re-banded and released Level II in 2003 (see 2003 in music).

In 2006 the group was a part of the New Jack Reunion Tour with Teddy Riley, Mark Middleton, Eric Williams, and new member J-Stylz who replaced Chauncey Hannibal who left the group to sign with Busta Rhymes label Flipmode Records as a solo artist.

The group will release a new album sometime in 2008 following a press release by Manager Sarve "SIREN" Jassal

Contents

[edit] Members

[edit] Former Members

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Year Album Chart positions Notes
US GER CAN
1994 Blackstreet 52 - - RIAA: Platinum
BPI: Silver
1996 Another Level 3 47 14 RIAA: 4x Platinum
BPI: Gold
CRIA: 2x Platinum
1999 Finally 9 34 11 RIAA: Gold
BPI: Gold
2003 Level II
  • Released: 2003
  • Label: Dreamworks
14 - - RIAA:
2008 Blackstreet's Fifth Studio Album TBA - - TBA

[edit] Singles

Year Title Chart Positions Album
US US R&B NZ UK GER
1993 "Baby Be Mine" - 17 - 37 - CB4 Soundtrack
1994 "Booti Call 34 14 40 56 - Blackstreet
1994 "Before I Let You Go" 7 2 - - -
1994 "U Blow My Mind" - - - 39 -
1995 "Joy" 43 12 43 56 -
1995 "Tonight's the Night" (featuring SWV) 80 27 - - -
1996 "No Diggity" (featuring Dr. Dre and Queen Pen) 1 1 1 9 14 Another Level
1997 "Don't Leave Me" * - - 1 6 23
1997 "Fix" 58 17 9 7 67
1997 "(Money Can't) Buy Me Love" - - - 18 -
1998 "Take Me There" (with Mýa) 14 10 1 7 58 Finally
1999 "Girlfriend/Boyfriend" (featuring Janet Jackson, Ja Rule and Eve) 47 17 12 11 98
1999 "Think About You" - 51 - - -
1999 "Get Ready" (Mase featuring BLACKstreet) - - - 32 -
2003 "Wizzy Wow" - - - 37 - Level II
2003 "Deep" - 51 - - -

* ineligible to chart on the Billboard Hot 100.

[edit] External links