Cameo is an American soul-influenced funk group that formed in the
early 1970s. Cameo was initially a 13-member group known as the
New York City Players; this name was later changed to Cameo to
avoid a lawsuit from Ohio Players,[citation needed] another group
from that era. Since then, Cameo has recorded several hits records.
As of 2009, some of the original members continue to perform
together, while two others were hired by the hip hop group Outkast.
Influences include the humour of Parliament-Funkadelic, contemporary
funk bands like the Bar-Kays, Earth, Wind and Fire, Ohio Players,
The Isley Brothers etc. and singers like Marvin Gaye, Billy Paul,
Prince, Isaac Hayes, Stevie Wonder and Bootsy Collins.
In 1974, Cameo started out with 23 members created by Juilliard
graduate and New York-area clubgoer Larry Blackmon called the New
York City Players. Signed by Casablanca Records to their Chocolate
City imprint in 1976, the group soon changed its name to Cameo after
concerns that "New York City Players" might cause confusion
between them and the funk band Ohio Players. Prior to this, Blackmon,
keyboardist Gregory Johnson, and the late Gwen Guthrie formed the
band East Coast, together with James Wheeler (alto saxophone), Melvin
Whay (bass), Michael Harris (percussion), and Haras Fyre (also known
as Pat Grant) on trombone. They released one self-titled album in
1973 on the independent label Encounter.
Cameo started with a deep, funky sound, but it was obvious from
the start their sights were set on the dance floor. Their first albums
Cardiac Arrest, Ugly Ego, We All Know Who We Are, and Secret Omen
contained dance floor songs such as "Rigor Mortis", "I
Just Want To Be" and "Find My Way," the latter of
which was a major disco smash and was included on the soundtrack
to Thank God It's Friday.
[edit] Music career
By the time Cameosis came out in 1980, Cameo had gained considerable
momentum through singles such as "Shake Your Pants". Albums
such as 1981's Knights of the Sound Table and 1982's Alligator Woman
saw the band playing up their eclectic style.
However, by the mid-1980s, Blackmon and crew were ready to move
on. With Alligator Woman in 1982, Cameo stripped down to "five
main members", still keeping a full band for shows. Then Gregory
Johnson quit, making it a quartet: Blackmon, Tomi Jenkins, Nathan
Leftenant, and Charles Singleton; keyboardist Kevin Kendricks would
later be brought more into the creative fold. Blackmon also moved
from New York City to Atlanta, Georgia and started his own label
Atlanta Artists, which was distributed by Polygram. Inspired by the
edgy synthesizer arrangements being pushed forward by the new wave
groups of the time, he moved the band in an electronic funk" direction.
It utilized heavily sequenced drum machines (e.g. Simmons), bass
and occasional horn arrangements. He put his trademark "Ooow!" into
the forefront of Cameo's mixes and markedly changed their sound.
Cameo's 1983 release Style was one of the first to come from this
new label and was the first disc to capitalize on Cameo's new sound.
She's Strange came out in 1984 and its "12-inch mix" was
a major smash in the R&B clubs. The title track and its follow-up, "Talkin'
Out the Side of Your Neck", were minor successes on the pop
charts. 1985's Single Life was also an R&B hit that saw some
crossover success. With this album, Singleton left the group, but
continued to work with Cameo from time to time as a friend of the
band.
The song "Word Up!" hit the radio airwaves in mid-1986.
Critically acclaimed with large amounts of club and radio airtime,
the resulting album Word Up! turned Cameo into superstars. The follow-up
tracks, "Candy" and "Back and Forth", were also
huge hits for the funk trio.
Two years later, Cameo would release Machismo to lukewarm pop response,
but favorable critical reviews and R&B success. Kendricks left
the band at this point. Next, 1990's Real Men... Wear Black and 1992's
Emotional Violence failed to reach the same commercial success of
Word Up!. By this time, after their departure from Polygram on to
their new label, Reprise, Blackmon represented himself (besides his
band-activities and side-productions) as A&R-agent for this label,
a division of Warner Bros. Records. It also saw the absence of Nathan
Leftenant, but the return of guitarist Charlie Singleton as one of "main" members.
Leftenant returned again for the next album, which they released
on a new label (Way 2 Funky/Raging Bull), and recorded at their next
headed location, Miami, Florida. 1994 saw the release of In the Face
of Funk that got some club play, a single release, and at least one
track that received critical acclaim (for "You Are My Love").
But for the most part, Cameo's reign was over.
[edit] Presently
Former Cameo members Aaron Mills (bass), Jeryl Bright (Trombone)
and Kevin Kendrick have been hired by the hip hop group OutKast for
live and studio sessions. Mills's story is that he had just arrived
back home in the middle of the night from touring or recording when
he got a call from either Andre 3000 or Big Boi, and was asked if
he had time to record a bassline for them, which was for "Ms.
Jackson", OutKast's successful hit. Ex-Cameo vocalist John Kellogg
became an entertainment lawyer representing such hit artists as the
O'Jays, the late Gerald Levert and LSG. He also pursued a career
in music industry higher education, becoming Assistant Chair of the
Music Business/Management department at the world's leading institution
of contemporary music, Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA.
In 2000, Cameo released their last-recorded album Sexy Sweet Thing,
the album's title track, also had a single and video release. Around
this time, they frequently performed in the U.S. and at various dates
in Europe.
Larry Blackmon has a son, of the same name, in the New York political
scene who has worked with Clinton, Bloomberg, and the NY Jets. Another
of his sons, listed as N. Larry Blackmon, is building a rock/hip
hop empire of his own.[citation needed]
Aaron Mills has a son, Michael, in Durham, N.C., who is attempting
to launch a career as a recording artist and has a Facebook page
promoting his fledgling recordings as "Miguel the Tyrant."
On August 28, 2010, Cameo along with other prominent musicians and
groups including Zapp Band, and George Clinton, played at the Chafeitz
Arena, located in St.Louis.
They performed six shows in total at Tokyo's "Cotton Club" on
September 17, 18, and 19, 2010.[3]
[edit] Present action
A few members of Cameo, such as Tomi Jenkins, Charlie Singleton,
Anthony Lockett, Jeryl Bright and Gregory Johnson are currently active
on social networks like Facebook, MySpace or their own site. Tomi
Jenkins released his new album The Way and is working on a movie
about a fictional '70s funkband called Icemosis. Charlie Singleton
released a new album called Phantom Of The Hip-Hopera. Gregory Johnson
has[4] a new and jazz-oriented album. In 2009, John Kellogg was elected
the first African-American President of the Music and Entertainment
Industry Educators Association (MEIEA). Jeryl Bright’s recording
career started with the Detroit based funky Billboard award winning
group Brainstorm. In Brainstorm, Jeryl was a singer and trombonist
and at times got the opportunity to utilize some of his other talents
of arranging, producing and composing. Jeryl wrote the title track
for Brainstorms sophomore LP Journey To The Light and co-wrote others
on their third and final CD. After three albums on Tabu Records,
Brainstorm disbanded and while Jeryl sought a solo record deal he
put together a band with Jazz drummer, legend Harvey Mason and George
Michael’s bass player Deon Estus that had a short run. Harvey
Mason said that not since JJ Johnson had he heard such a trombonist.
From a child, Jeryl spent his formative years in California and Shreveport,
Louisiana. His mother, who was a popular gospel singer, started him
in Performing Arts on drums, voice, and dance at 3 years old. At
8 years old Jeryl studied the cello and at 11 he started to study
classical and jazz on trombone winning him numerous awards. Back
in Los Angeles, he became more interested in producing records and
credits Leon Sylvers and Leon Hayward as his mentors in training
him on making recordings. Looking forward to using his scholarship
to Juilliard after High school, Jeryl stopped off in Detroit to visit
a friend where he caught the eyes of a local band called Brainstorm
who had a record deal pending with Tabu Records. He joined Brainstorm
and they eventually signed with the label. Brainstorm scored a big
hit on their first album (Storming) and received a Billboard award
for the smash hit, Loving is Really My Game, Jeryl has, collaborated,
played, and sang with other great producers in their own right: Donnie
Lyle (R Kelly’s MD), producer Michael J Powell, David McMurray,
Paul Jackson Jr., Gerald Albright, Marcus Miller, Jaco Pastorious,
Fred Wesley, Earth Wind & Fire horns and many others.
After Brainstorm and Harvey Mason, Jeryl got a call from an up and
coming band called Cameo and became a member of the group having
an immediate impact on the groups sound by adding vocals with slick
arrangements on many of Cameo’s hits. After 3 albums with Cameo
Jeryl was signed to Epic Records and teamed up with fellows Cameo
imps Aaron Mills and TC Campbell and recorded, “now a sought
after classic” album entitled MCB. The hit song, taken from
the MCB album entitled I’m The One You’re The One, was
sung, written, and produced by Jeryl Bright hitting in over 30 countries.
Jeryl then went independent with a release on Cheslen Records out
of Los Angeles called Electric Body and produced a mild hit called
The Mail Man on west coast rapper OG Hawk. In 1986 Jeryl returned
to Cameo to participate in their biggest hit Word Up. Jeryl recorded
several more albums with Cameo, toured with the group, and helped
re-structure the group in 1995 up until 2001. In 2001, Jeryl moved
from the west coast to Atlanta and set up his company Northern Image
Inc. and recording label Bizcuit Records. In Atlanta, Jeryl hooked-up
with Andre 3000 and worked on some musical arrangements and played
trombone in the movie, Idle Wild.
In 2010 by popular demand the MCB CD was re-mastered, re-issued
and distributed by Sony distribution music on Funky Town Grooves,
USA. Currently, Bright is promoting classic hits from the MCB album,
featuring new videos, "I'm the One, You're the One" and
the funky rock stinger, "Feels So Right".
[edit] Reuse of songs
[edit] Covers
"Word Up!" was covered by Nu metal band Ko?n on their
Greatest Hits, Volume 1,
Scottish rock band Gun, German "Country Trash Punk Rock"-Band
The BossHoss, Melanie B, Electronic pop alliance These Stains Is
Us and Romanian rock band Voltaj under the name "Hai sus!" (Get
up!).
Hayley Willis, aka Willis on her Take You High EP (2003)
[5] [6]
[edit] Samples
"Candy" was sampled by Tupac Shakur on his song "All
Bout U", Will Smith on his song "Candy", by Mariah
Carey on her song "Loverboy", by Eightball and MJG on "Just
like Candy", and by The Black Eyed Peas on their songs "Like
That" and "Ba Bump" from their album "Monkey
Business", By Master P Album "Mamas Bad Boy" for song "Eyes
Of A Killer" and again for His Group Tru album "Tru to
the Game" song "Candy".
"Single Life" was sampled by rappers Snoop Dogg and Bad Azz on their
song "Wrong Idea".
"Two of Us" was sampled by Tupac Shakur on his song "I Wonder
If Heavens Got a Ghetto". The sampled beat was used by Beyonce Knowles on "What's
It Gonna Be".
"Rigor Mortis" was sampled by DJ Quik on his song "Get At Me",
Brand Nubian on their song "Brand Nubian", and by Heavy D and the Boyz
on their song "Big Tyme".
"She's Strange" was sampled by Tupac Shakur on his song "Young
Niggaz", Dru Down on his song "Dru Rules", Nate Dogg on his song "She's
Strange", AMG on his song "She's Paid", and Suga Free on his song "So
Fly" featuring Snoop Dogg and also the song "U Know My Name" with
a sample of "Back and Forth". The production has also been interpolated
on the Jermaine Dupri track titled 'Party Continues' featuring Usher and Da Brat
on his album 'Life in 1472'.
The melody and chorus of "Back and Forth" was adapted by R. Kelly
for Aaliyah's song "Back and Forth".
The ballad "Hangin' Downtown" was sampled by Oran Juice Jones on
his song "Make Love to Your Mind", by Shareefah on her song "Fevah
(He don't know" and more famously by DJ Premier for Group Home's "Supa
Star".
Speech sampled "I've Got Your Image" in one of his recent productions.
"Why Have I Lost You [Version 2]" was sampled by Juvenile on his song "Rodeo".
The song was also sampled by Warren G on the track "Super Soul Sis" off
the debut album Regulate...G Funk Era
"Attack Me With Your Love" was sampled by satirical Norwegian rapper
Oral Bee on his song "Den Breiale Stilen".
"Sparkle" was sampled by Tupac Shakur in his original version of "Loyal
to the Game" recorded in 1993 in collaboration with Treach and The Riddler
(rapper) which was never officially released. It was also sampled for Lil' Wayne's "Grown
Man" featuring Curren$y from his Tha Carter II album.
"Shake Your Pants" was sampled by the rap group the Beastie Boys in
their hit song "Hey Ladies" off their critically acclaimed album, Paul's
Boutique.[7]
[edit] Use in multimedia
"Word Up!" was used in the 2006 film Severance starring
Danny Dyer
In October 2004 Candy appeared in popular video game Grand Theft
Auto: San Andreas, playing on funk radio station Bounce FM, also
on Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, was Brand Nubian's "Brand
Nubian", which samples "Rigor Mortis".
In the movie The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Andy (Steve Carell) is shown
performing "Word Up!" on a karaoke machine in his apartment.
Jackpot, a film which follows a karaoke singer hoping to get his
big break, features an androgynous man giving a scene-stealing performance
of "Candy". Larry Blackmon and T-Man were also supposed
to be featured as celebrity cameos (not as the band, Cameo) in the
2007 release of "Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For
Theaters". Although they did not appear in the film itself,
they are featured in the extras on the DVD. This footage shows them
doing motion capture/CGI in order to be animated, as well as studio
recording of the song written for the film.
The song "Candy" is also played during the bachelor party
and wedding reception scenes in the 1999 motion picture The Best
Man.
The song "Word Up" is played in The Simpsons, season 20
episode 6 (titled "Homer and Lisa Exchange Cross Words")
when Lisa Simpson is performing in a crossword competition and also
in Everybody Hates Chris when Chris says that his mom always wanted
to be in a band and it goes to a cut scene of Rochelle dancing and
singing to the song.
"Attack Me With Your Love" was featured on Everybody Hates
Chris. It can be heard in the beginning of the "Everybody Hates
the First Kiss" season 3 episode.
In 2010s the song "Word Up" can be obtained as downoadable
content for Dance Central, a Kinect videogame on the Xbox 360.
In 2011 the song "Word Up" was used in the film "Johnny
English Reborn".
This discography documents albums and singles released by American
R&B/Funk band Cameo.
Contents
[show]
[edit] Albums
[edit] Studio albums
Year Album Chart positions[1] US
certifications
[2] Record label
US US
R&B UK[3]
1977 Cardiac Arrest 116 16 — — Chocolate City
1978 We All Know Who We Are 58 15 — —
Ugly Ego 83 16 — —
1979 Secret Omen 46 4 — Gold
1980 Cameosis 25 1 — Gold
Feel Me 44 6 — Gold
1981 Knights of the Sound Table 44 2 — Gold
1982 Alligator Woman 23 6 — Gold
1983 Style 53 14 — — Atlanta Artists
1984 She's Strange 27 1 — Gold
1985 Single Life 62 2 66 Gold
1986 Word Up! 8 1 7 Platinum
1988 Machismo 56 10 86 Gold
1990 Real Men... Wear Black 84 18 — —
1991 Emotional Violence — — — — Reprise
1994 In the Face of Funk — 83 — — Way 2 Funky
2000 Sexy Sweet Thing — 64 — — BMD/Private I
"—"
denotes the album failed to chart or was not certified
[edit] Live albums
Year Album Chart positions Record label
US US
R&B
1996 Nasty — — Intersound
1998 Live: Word Up — — Universal
2003 Original Artist Hit List — — Intersound
2007 Nasty, Live & Funky — — Prestige
Word Up! Greatest Hits - Live — — Silver Star
Keep It Hot — — Sheridan Square
"—"
denotes the album failed to chart
[edit] Compilation albums
Year Album Chart positions[1] Record label
US US
R&B
1992 Shake Your Pants — — Polygram
1993 The Best of Cameo — 44 Mercury
1996 The Best of Cameo, Volume 2 — —
1998 Best of Cameo — — Universal
The Ballads Collection — — Polygram
Greatest Hits — —
1999 12" Collection and More — —
2000 The Hits Collection — — Universal/Spectrum
2001 The Millennium Collection: The Best of Cameo — — Mercury
2002 Anthology — —
2003 Classic Cameo — —
2004 The Best of Cameo — — Universal
2005 Gold — — Mercury
2006 The Definitive Collection — —
"—"
denotes the album failed to chart
[edit] Singles
Year Single Chart positions
[4] Album
US US
R&B US
Dance UK[3]
1976 "Find My Way" — — 3 — Cardiac Arrest
1977 "Rigor Mortis" 103 33 — —
"
Post Mortem" — 70 — —
"
Funk Funk" 104 20 — —
1978 "It's Serious" — 21 29 — We All Know Who We Are
"
It's Over" — 60 — —
"
Insane" — 17 — — Ugly Ego
1979 "Give Love a Chance" — 76 — —
"
I Just Want to Be" — 3 52 — Secret Omen
"
Sparkle" — 10 — —
1980 "We're Goin' Out Tonight" — 11 — — Cameosis
"
Shake Your Pants" — 8 57 —
"
Keep It Hot" — 4 77 — Feel Me
1981 "Feel Me" — 27 — —
"
Freaky Dancin'" 102 3 45 — Knights of the Sound Table
"
I Like It" — 25 — —
1982 "Just Be Yourself" 101 12 — — Alligator Woman
"
Flirt" — 10 — —
"
Alligator Woman" — 54 — —
1983 "Style" — 14 — — Style
"
Slow Movin'" — 47 — —
1984 "She's Strange" 47 1 25 37 She's Strange
"
Talkin' Out the Side of Your Neck" — 21 — —
"
Hangin' Downtown" — 45 — —
1985 "Attack Me with Your Love" — 3 39 65 Single Life
"
Single Life" — 2 26 15
"
A Good-Bye" — 76 — 65
"
She's Strange" (Cameo Megamix) — — — 22 Non-album single
1986 "Word Up!" 6 1 1 3 Word Up!
"
Candy" 21 1 10 27
1987 "Back and Forth" 50 3 6 11
"
She's Mine" — — — 35
1988 "You Make Me Work" 85 4 45 74 Machismo
"
Skin I'm In" — 5 — 79
1989 "Pretty Girls" — 52 — —
1990 "I Want It Now" — 5 — — Real Men... Wear Black
"
Close Quarters" — 38 — —
1992 "Emotional Violence" — 47 — — Emotional Violence
"
That Kind of Guy" — 53 — —
"
Money" — — 4 —
1994 "Slyde" — 57 — — In the Face of Funk
1995 "You Are My Love" — 99 — —
2001 "Loverboy" (with Mariah Carey) 2 1 45 12 Glitter