UTFO

UTFO (which stands for Untouchable Force Organization) is an old school hip-hop group, popular in the 1980s, that was mentored by the contemporary R&B group Full Force. The group consists of the Kangol Kid (Shiller Shaun Fequiere), the Educated Rapper (Jeffrey Campbell) (also known as EMD), Doctor Ice (Fred Reeves), and Mix Master Ice (Maurice Bailey). The group's best-known single is "Roxanne, Roxanne," a widely acclaimed and hip-hop classic, which created a sensation on the hip-hop scene soon after it was released and inspired numerous answer records, most notably by Marley Marl's protégée Roxanne Shanté. "Roxanne, Roxanne" was originally the B-side of the lesser-known single "Hangin' Out."^[1] Because of personal issues, the Educated Rapper was absent for its second effort, Skeezer Pleezer (1986), which produced one notable track with the song "Split Personality." In 2008, “Roxanne, Roxanne” was ranked number 84 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.

History

Kangol Kid and Doctor Ice met as dancers for Whodini (Ice is Jalil's younger brother) prior to the formation of UTFO in 1983 in Brooklyn, New York. In 1984, the group signed with Fred Munao's Select Records, and, in the same year, it released its hit single "Roxanne Roxanne." The group's debut album was produced by R&B group Full Force. According to VH1, the group is still active today.^{[citation needed]}

Break dancing

The members of UTFO were the first break dancers to appear on The Phil Donahue Show.^[2][3]

Discography

Albums

• UTFO (1985), Select
• Skeezer Pleezer (1986), Select
• Lethal (1987), Select
• Doin' It! (1989), Select
• Bag It & Bone It (1991), UTFO/Jive/RCA Records

Singles

• "Hangin' Out" b/w "Roxanne, Roxanne" (1984), Select
• Roxanne, Roxanne (1984), Select
• Beats and Rhymes (1984), Select
• "Rough & Rugged" (1989), Select
• "Bite It" (1985), Select
• "Leader of the Pack" (1985), Select
• "Pick Up the Pace" (1985), Select
• "Split Personality" (1986), Select
• "We Work Hard" (1986), Select
• "Ya Cold Wanna Be with Me" (1987), Select
• "Lethal" (1987), Select
• "Let's Get It On" (1988), Select
• "Wanna Rock" (1989), Select
• "Lisa Lips" (1989), Select
• "My Cut Is Correct" (1989), Select
• "If You Don't Wanna Get Pregnant" (1990), Jive
• "I'm a Dog" (1991), Jive

Compilations

• The Best of U.T.F.O. (1996), Select
• Skeezer Pleezer/Lethal (2000), BCM

References

• Prato, Greg. UTFO at AllMusic.

External links

• Mix Master Ice's official Web Site
• Doctor Ice official Web Site