Black Moon is an American hip hop group, consisting
of members Buckshot, 5 ft and DJ Evil Dee (of Da Beatminerz). The group
were most notable for their debut album Enta da Stage, and their affiliation
with the Boot Camp Clik.
Black Moon (backronymed as Brothers who Lyrically Act and Combine
Kickin Music Out On Nations) debuted in 1992, with the release of the
single "Who Got Da Props?". The song became something of
an underground phenomenon, and charted on the Billboard Hot 100. With
the help of DJ Chuck Chillout, the group landed a record deal with
Nervous Records and released their debut album, Enta da Stage, in late
1993. The album included "Who Got Da Props?", as well as
the singles "Son Get Wrec", "How Many MC's...", "Buck
Em Down", and another Hot 100 Hit, "I Got Cha Opin (Remix)".
Enta da Stage went on to sell over 350,000 copies in the U.S., and
is now regarded as an underground hip hop classic. Following the album's
release, the group temporarily broke up.
During the group's hiatus, DJ Evil Dee continued his production career
with Da Beatminerz, and lead MC Buckshot headed out and formed his
own group called the Boot Camp Clik, featuring fellow Brooklyn locals
Smif-n-Wessun, Heltah Skeltah and O.G.C.. Following the releases of
the debuts from Smif-n-Wessun (Dah Shinin'), Heltah Skeltah (Nocturnal),
and O.G.C. (Da Storm), Black Moon reformed on Duckdown Record's label.
In late 1996, Nervous Records released a Black Moon compilation album
titled Diggin' In Dah Vaults, which featured a number of remixes and
b-side tracks. After the group's split with Nervous Records, Black
Moon became entangled in a legal battle over the licensing rights of
their group name, which lasted for a number of years. The case was
finally settled in 1998, and they were able to license the name through
Nervous.
In 1999, they released their long awaited second album War Zone. The
album saw a change in the group's musical style, with a more mature
Buckshot showing off a calmer, more serious lyrical delivery,and the
noticeably more vocal 5ft making appearances with with M.O.P, "Annihilation",
and Heather B, "For All Yall" and also featured a new lo-fi
production sound from Da Beatminerz. The album's singles "Two
Turntables & A Mic" and "This is What it Sounds Like
(Worldwind)" made small impact, and the group wasn't able to properly
capitalize on their hype. Despite the somewhat disappointing sales,
the album received good reviews. 1999 also saw the solo debut album
from Buckshot, titled The BDI Thug, which was seen as a major disappointment.
The album was met with very mediocre reviews and little sales. Black
Moon was largely missing from the hip hop scene between 2000 and 2001.
Black Moon returned in 2003 for the release of their third album Total
Eclipse. The album featured the underground hit "Stay Real"'',"Pressure
is Tight" as well as two music videos, shot for the singles "Stay
Real" and "This Goes Out to You". The album, like their
previous efforts, received good reviews, but wasn't able to reach outside
the underground hip hop audience. DJ Evil Dee has continued production
work with Da Beatminerz, and Buckshot has continued work with the Boot
Camp Clik while 5ft is working on his solo project. In 2005, Buckshot
released a collaboration album with producer 9th Wonder titled Chemistry.
In 2006, DJ Evil Dee and his brother Mr. Walt released a mixtape titled
Alter The Chemistry, which paired Buckshot's vocals from the Chemistry
album with classic Black Moon beats.[1]'
In 2007, 5 ft recorded the song "BK All Day" with Boot Camp
Clik, for the BCC album of the same year, Casualties of War. In 2008,
Buckshot released with 9th Wonder their second collaboration album
titled The Formula.
5 ft is actually working in his solo album debut.[2] He was featured
on General Steel's solo album of the Group Smif-n-Wessun on Duckdown
records, "Welcome To Bucktown", on the song "Made me
do it". 5 ft is featured on the new compilation CD, "Moment
of Clarity" Released August 2009 from Coalmine Records, Produced
by Grant Parks. His song is "The God in You".
[edit] Discography
Enta Da Stage
* Released: October 19, 1993
* Billboard 200 chart position: -
* R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #33
* Singles: "Who Got Da Props?"/"How Many MC's..."/"Ack
Like U Want It"/"Buck Em Down"/"I Got Cha Opin"
Diggin' In Dah Vaults
* Released: October 29, 1996
* Billboard 200 chart position: -
* R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #33
* Singles: "How Many Emcees (DJ Evil Dee Remix)"/"I Got Cha
Opin (Remix)"/"Buck Em Down (Remix)"
War Zone
* Released: February 23, 1999
* Billboard 200 chart position: #35
* R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #9
* Singles: "War Zone"/"Two Turntables & A Mic"/"This
Is What It Sounds Like (Worldwind)"
Total Eclipse
* Released: October 7, 2003
* Billboard 200 chart position: -
* R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #47
* Singles: "Stay Real"/"Looking Down The Barrel"/"That'z
How It Iz"/"This Goes Out To You"/"Why We Act This Way"/"The
Fever"
Alter The Chemistry
* Released: September 26, 2006
* Billboard 200 chart position: -
* R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
* Singles: -
[edit] Album chart positions
Year Album Chart positions
Billboard 200 Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums Top Independent Albums Top
Heatseekers
1993 Enta Da Stage - 33 - 7
1996 Diggin' In Dah Vaults - 33 - 22
1999 War Zone 35 9 - -
2003 Total Eclipse - 47 23 -
[edit] Singles chart positions
Year Song Chart positions Album
Billboard Hot 100 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks Hot Rap
Singles
1993 "Who Got Da Props?" 86 60 - Enta Da Stage
"
How Many MC's..." - 97 48
1994 "Buck Em Down" - 81 17
"
I Got Cha Opin [Remix]" 93 55 15 Diggin' in dah Vaults
1996 "How Many Emcees [Must Get Dissed] [DJ Evil Dee Remix]" -
- 32
1999 "Two Turntables & A Mic" - 82 - War Zone
"
This Is What It Sounds Like [Worldwind]" - - 13
"
Jump Up" - - 24 Duck Down Presents: The Album
2003 "Stay Real" - 64 - Total Eclipse
[edit] Filmography
* Behind The Moon (2004)