MN8

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MN8
Origin United Kingdom
Genre(s) R&B
Years active 1992 – present
Label(s) Sony / Columbia Records UK
Sony / Work Group US
1st Avenue
Associated acts P. Diddy
Janet Jackson
Jodeci
KG
G-man
Kule-T
Dee Tails
Website Official Myspace
Members
KG
Kule T
G-Man
Dee Tails
Notable instrument(s)
vocals, various instruments

MN8 are an R&B group from the United Kingdom, consisting of band members KG (co-founder, frontman, lead vocals), G-Man (co-founder, lead vocals) - (Source: Big Magazine - January 1995 & Touch Magazine - Feb 1995) - Dee Tails (rapper, choreographer and stylist who's gone on to style major recording artists such as Xzibit, Avril Lavigne, Maxwell and Shania Twain) & Kule T (lead vocals). Unlike many other R&B acts at the time, due to their look, sound and positioning, MN8 had the ability to cross over to mainstream international audiences.[citation needed]

MN8 are best known for their 1995 debut hit single "I've Got A Little Something For You", which became a success throughout Europe, Asia Pacific and the US.[citation needed] Notably the song was one of P. Diddy's earliest Bad Boy Records remixes. It was featured in the Will Smith film Bad Boys. The song was also Columbia UK's first homegrown top ten record in over a decade, held off from the UK number 1 spot only by Celine Dion's "Think Twice" which topped the UK charts for seven weeks, a feat only not replicated by an artist since The Beatles back in 1965. Nonetheless, MN8 finished the year ahead of Seal's "Kiss from a Rose" as one of the highest selling UK singles for the year. MN8 followed up with a string of consecutive UK Top 10 hits, which proved to critics the band were not a one-hit wonder.

Their debut album "To The Next Level" soon followed and earned a respectable UK chart position, despite the band being unavailable to meet their UK promotional commitments, due to overseas demands as a result of their overnight international popularity.

The album To The Next Level is also notable for igniting the songwriting career of Pamela Sheyne who wrote the song "Baby Its You" (Source: M Magazine/ PRS MCPS, Issue 14, September 2004). Pamela Sheyne went on to pen hits for Christina Aguilera (Genie In A Bottle), Sheena Easton, Tina Arena, and Jessica Simpson. Recently Pamela Sheyne is known as the songwriting tutor on the on UK TV show "Fame Academy". Beside P Diddy & Pamela Sheyne MN8 have collaborated with other respected songwriters, producers and musicians such as Oji Pearce (Montell Jordan's "This Is How We Do It"), Simon Climie, Arthur Baker, Steve Silk Hurley, Connor Reeves, Howard Frances, Blacksmith & Mr Dalvin of Jodeci(Source: Smash Hits" June 1995).

MN8 toured stadiums across Europe in the 1990s as a headlining act alongside artists such as Janet Jackson, Diana King, Brownstone, Spice Girls, Madonna, Celine Dion, Robbie Williams, Boyzone, East 17, Backstreet Boys & Ricky Martin. They also appeared at Smash Hits Poll Winners Party, Dance Machine, Midem, Notting Hill Carnival, Sweden's Water Festival and other major European music events & festivals. (Source: http://dance.machine.free.fr/concerts.php (website / source)

In 1997 MN8 amicably parted ways with Sony/Columbia & 1st Avenue due to their perceived lack of support for their second album Freaky. It is reported that the promotional support from the label was so minimal that die-hard MN8 fans were unaware "Freaky" had even been released. The band also felt that this lack of support was often apparent whenever the band did not utilize the label '1st Avenue's' inhouse writers, who provided another income stream for the label. Ultimately the band felt this had a direct impact on their record sales. (Source: Touch Magazine - December 1996).

Once the deals had expired, rather than negotiating with new labels, MN8 partnered with major French concert promoter Gerard Drouot to tour their second home of France extensively through 1997 and 1998. The time away from the UK spotlight as a gigging band allowed MN8 to ponder their future. After their last show at the end of 1998, MN8 decided to take a break indefinitely to pursue other opportunities.

Recently MN8 have been in talks to release new music to mark their 10 year hiatus. For more information on this visit their official MN8 MySpace page.

Contents

[edit] Trivia

  • The group endorsed Cerruti 1881 and were personally invited by Nino Cerruti to close his men's fashion launch at the Hotel Ritz Paris in Paris on Saturday 27th January 1996. "It was MN8 who brought the show to a footstomping, crotch grabbing finale" wrote Ross Benson. (Source: The Daily Express, Monday 29th January 1996).
  • They achieved support from magazines/ publications as diverse as Hip Hop Connection ("Talk is high of MN8" - Hip Hop Connection, Dec 1994 issue), Touch Magazine (Source: "Showing the way for British R&B artists" - Touch Magazine Oct 1994 issue) & The Guardian ("They're Brilliant" - Source: The Guardian, 25th Oct 1994).
  • MN8 were originally a R&B Hip Hop band called "The Jeuce" which comprised of original members G-man and KG. "The Jeuce" achieved underground attention for their work with UK new jack swing producer Steve Jervier and their club single "Do The Nasty". (Source: Blues & Soul Magazine - October 1992 & Hip Hop Connection - March 1993).

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

  • "To The Next Level" (1995) - #13 UK
  • "Freaky" (1996) - #114 UK

[edit] Singles

From To The Next Level

  • "I've Got A Little Something For You" (1995) - #2 UK
  • "If You Only Let Me In" (1995) - #6 UK
  • "Happy" (1995) - #8 UK
  • "Baby It's You" (1995) - #22 UK
  • "Pathway To The Moon" (1996) - #25 UK


From Freaky

  • "Tuff Act To Follow" (1996) - #15 UK
  • "Dreaming" (1996) - #21 UK

[edit] References

MN8's chart history[1]

MN8 on Janet Jackson tour[2][3]

MN8 on Bad Boys Soundtrack[4]

[edit] External links

MN8 Official Myspace Page: Myspace Page