Troop (band)

Troop

Two members of Troop in 2015: Steve Russell (left) and John Harreld (right)
Background information
Origin Pasadena, California, U.S.
Genres R&B, new jack swing
Years active 1987–present
Labels Atlantic
Bust It
Warrior
Members Steve "Random" Russell
John "Jon Jon" Harreld
Rodney Benford
Reggie Warren
Allen McNeil

Troop is an R&B group from Pasadena, California. The group has had five number-one singles and ten top-ten singles on the Billboard R&B Singles chart.[1] They have also completed five albums, which include three certified gold and one certified platinum album. TROOP is an acronym for "Total Respect Of Other People".[2] The group is most notable for a series of number-one R&B hits, including popular cover versions of the songs "All I Do Is Think of You" and "Sweet November", originally performed by musical acts The Jackson 5 and The Deele, respectively. They also had a number-one hit with the original song "Spread My Wings".

Career

The group got its start in the late 1980s after they won a televised Puttin' on the Hits talent contest that later drew interest from record labels. Troop, consisting of childhood friends Steve Russell, Allen McNeil, John Harreld, Rodney Benford, and Reggie Warren, soon signed to Atlantic Records and released their debut single "Mamacita" from their self-titled debut album in 1988. "Mamacita" reached Number 2 on the Billboard's R&B Chart.[1]

Troop's sophomore album Attitude included the hit singles "Spread My Wings" and "All I Do Is Think of You" (a Jackson 5 cover), which were both number one on the Billboard R&B singles chart, and remained in the top 10 for several weeks.[1] Attitude was certified platinum[3] in 1990. Their third album Deepa was released in 1992, from which the single "Sweet November" made number one on the Billboard R&B singles chart. The group followed up Deepa with two more albums, A Lil' Sumpin' Sumpin' (1994) and Mayday (1998), both of which were re-released in 2005.

After the release of Mayday in 1998, Troop took a hiatus as individual members worked behind the scenes on various writing and producing projects, collaborations, and other business endeavors.

In 2004 Troop regrouped and began touring the United States and finishing up their sixth album. Since returning, Troop has headlined a number of shows and also shared the stage with artists they had toured with in the past, such as Boyz II Men, Brian McKnight, Keith Sweat, Silk, Mario, and Jon B..

Troop have also been showcased on The Late Show with David Letterman, Soul Train, The Arsenio Hall Show, It's Showtime at the Apollo, and appeared in the feature film New Jack City singing a cappella. Additionally, the group appeared on the New Jack City soundtrack with Queen Latifah and Levert, in a medley featuring cover versions of The O'Jays' "For the Love of Money" and Stevie Wonder's "Living for the City".

In October 2006, Troop contacted the Internet Radio Station The Mixx and have worked together to make The Mixx the radio home of Troop. Steve Russell dubs the singing voices of several minor characters (among them doo-wop singer Little Albert and the five brothers who make up the Jackson 5 pastiche "The Campbell Connection") in the 2006 film version of the Broadway musical Dreamgirls. Steve Russell also wrote "Take You Down"[4] for Chris Brown, "No Air"[5] for Jordin Sparks, and the Grammy Award-winning "Invisible"[6] for Jennifer Hudson. In February, 2010 he released his debut solo CD titled So Random, which is the first release from his own label Motel Music Media. Allen McNeil released his debut solo album Hybernation in January, 2010. Allen McNeil released his sophomore solo album Send For Me in November, 2011. In addition to releasing music, Allen McNeil is said to have been auditioning for acting roles and accepting scripts. In 2014, John "Jon Jon" Harreld announced that he would be working on a solo project, and released a single covering Luther Vandross' "Never Too Much", which should also appear on the project.[7]

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
US
[8]		 US
R&B
[8]
1988 Troop
  • Release date: May 24, 1988
  • Label: Atlantic
 133 19
1989 Attitude
  • Release date: October 20, 1989
  • Label: Atlantic
 73 5
1992 Deepa
  • Release date: June 2, 1992
  • Label: Atlantic
 78 21
1994 A Lil' Sumpin' Sumpin'
  • Release date: July 22, 1994
  • Label: Bust It
 134 80
1998 Mayday
  • Release date: June 16, 1998
  • Label: Warrior
 161 99
2014 The Return
  • Release date:
  • Label: Atlantic
 — —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Album
US
[8]		 US
R&B
[8]
1988 "Mamacita" — 2 — Troop
"My Heart" — 9 58
"Still in Love" 105 19 77
1989 "I'm Not Soupped" — 19 6 Attitude
1990 "Spread My Wings" — 1 27
"All I Do Is Think of You" 47 1 45
"That's My Attitude" — 14 30
1991 "I Will Always Love You" — 31 10
1992 "Whatever It Takes (To Make You Stay)" 63 12 46 Deepa
"Sweet November" 58 1 4
1993 "Give It Up" — — —
1994 "Do Me" 125 78 22 A Lil' Sumpin' Sumpin'
1995 "Get Loose" 60 17 59
"Poohnany" 53 33 30
1998 "The Way I Parlay" 133 65 14 Mayday
2013 "Forever" — — — Non-album single
2014 "Not In a Million Years" — — — The Return
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Year Single Peak position Album
US
R&B
1991 "For the Love of Money" / "Living for the City" (medley)
(with LeVert featuring Queen Latifah)		 12 New Jack City

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Troop Album & Chart History". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved 2010-02-23.
  2. ↑ Christian, Margena A. (2008-11-03). "Where is Troop?(Total Respect Of Other People)". Jet Magazine.
  3. ↑ "Real.com (UK): Troop". RealNetworks. Retrieved 2010-02-23.
  4. ↑ "Take You Down - Chris Brown (Allmusic)". Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2010-02-23.
  5. ↑ "No Air - Jordan Sparks (Allmusic)". Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2010-02-23.
  6. ↑ "Invisible - Jennifer Hudson (Allmusic)". Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2010-02-23.
  7. ↑ http://947thewave.cbslocal.com/2015/06/30/troops-jon-jon-talks-group-survival-performing-live-more/ October 2, 2015 CBSLocal
  8. 1 2 3 4 "US Charts > Troop". Billboard. Retrieved 2013-07-12.
  9. ↑ "US Certifications > Troop". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2012-07-12.
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