C-Block

C-Block
C-Block (left to right): Mr.P, Red Dogg, 1996.
Background information
Origin	United States, Germany
Genres	Hip-Hop
Years active	1995–2000
Labels	Maad Records/WEA Dance Division
Associated acts	A.K.-S.W.I.F.T., Down Low, Soundcage, Da Flava

Past members	Mr. P Red Dogg Theresa "Misty" Baltimore Preston "Goldie Gold" Holloway Jeanine Love Raquel Gomez-Rey

C-Block were a German platinum-selling hip-hop group, founded in 1995 by music producers Frank Müller, Ulrich Buchmann and Jörg Wagner. The group is fronted by Anthony "Red Dogg" Joseph and James "Mr.P" White.

C-Block were a well-known hip hop act in Europe in the 1990s, who along with Down Low and Nana, signified the rise of the American-influenced rap music in Europe.

Biography

Since producer-driven, vocalist-fronted musical projects such as Snap! and C+C Music Factory had remarkable success in the early 1990s, producers Frank Müller, Ulrich Buchmann and Jörg Wagner decided to put together such a group in 1995.

The Persian Gulf War had ended in 1991 and former American soldiers who had decided to remain in Germany were all over the country. Some of them were musicians who hadn't had a chance to capitalize off their talent back home and were willing to try a musical career in Europe. Anthony "Red Dogg" Joseph and James "Mr.P" White met in such circumstances and were recruited by Frank Müller to become part of his newly created musical project.

They chose the name "C-Block" and released their debut single, "Shake Dat Azz", a collaboration with Chicago rapper A.K.-S.W.I.F.T. in late 1996, which made a lasting impression on their European fan base. However, their greatest hits were only ahead of them at the time. "So Strung Out", featuring Raquel Gomez-Rey,^[1]^[2] a more rap-oriented single, was released as their sophomore effort and catapulted the group to European superstardom. Based on a Soul Searchers sample, already made famous by Eric B. & Rakim and Run-DMC, called "Ashley's Roachclip", "So Strung Out" was a soulful ode to drug victims across the world and had a lasting impact in the European rap community.

Unfulfilled plans of a solo career made Mr.P leave the group in late 1997, being replaced by until then less visible project members Theresa "Misty" Baltimore and Preston "Goldie Gold" Holloway who had only recorded backing vocals and choruses for the C-Block debut album, General Population, released in 1997. They all quit the project after the more pop-oriented, less successful second album, ironically called "Keepin' It Real".

Mr.P returned to the group and tried to make a comeback with newly recruited r&b singer Jeanine Love, but the released singles failed to make an impact commercially or critically and the group officially disbanded in late 2000.

Frank Müller, one of the creators and producers of the group, released the group's third, shelved, album in late 2010 on the Internet.

Discography

Singles

Year	Title	Peak chart positions^[3]
Year	Title	AUT	FIN	GER	SWE	SWI
1996	"Shake Dat Azz"	-	-	-	-	-
1996	"So Strung Out"	14	7	4	-	7
1997	"Time Is Tickin' Away"	16	12	5	40	9
1997	"Summertime"	-	-	19	-	-
1997	"Eternal Grace"	-	-	8	-	20
1998	"Broken Wings"	-	-	27	-	31
1999	"Keep Movin'"	-	-	66	-	-
2000	"The Future Is So Bright"	-	-	-	-	-

Albums

Year	Title	Peak chart positions^[4]
Year	Title	AUT	FIN	GER	HU	SWI
1997	General Population	41	17	14	6	10
1998	Keepin' It Real	-	-	45	17	34
2010	Changes/The Last	-	-	-	-	-

References