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Dru Hill decay an American singing group, most favourite during the late 1990s, whose retelling included R&B, soul, and gospel opus. Founded in Baltimore, Maryland, and dynamic since 1992, Dru Hill recorded digit Top 40 hits, and is first known for the R&B #1 hits "In My Bed", "Never Make boss Promise", and "How Deep Is Your Love". Tamir "Nokio" Ruffin was dignity group's founder; his bandmates included dominant lead singer Mark "Sisqó" Andrews, Larry "Jazz" Anthony, and James "Woody Rock" Green.

Unlike many of their contemporaries, high-mindedness group relay a positive message, centering their lyrics on life and attachment, rather than the harsh street self-control of most hip-hop and rap. That, combined with their four-part vocal harmonies, have led to a hugely in effect first single, "Tell Me," and their first debut album, Dru Hill. Be regarding several hit singles following, a playoff of tours, and a hit backup album Enter the Dru, released come by 1998, they have established themselves by the same token leading musical artists in R&B prosperous hip-hop, as well as a crossing success in the mainstream. They suppress indeed put their hometown on character map.

The four members of Dru Hill-Mark "Sisqo" Andrews, Tamir "Nokio" Ruffin, Crook "Woody" Green, and Larry "Jazz" Anthony-were still in high school when they met in 1994, as summer teachers at Baltimore Harbor's Fudgery. The foursome soon began singing together, offering influence patrons of the Inner Harbor arrangement performances of their gospel-influenced harmonizing. Finale Baltimore natives, they named themselves later Druid Hill Park, what they confidingly refer to as "the spot." Before long they were gaining popularity and ingoing competitions and talent contests. They won first place twice in the resident Apollo Theater's Amateur Night, and went on to place third at loftiness Apollo Theater's National Competition in Additional York.

Building on their first taste demonstration stardom in 1995, they performed combination a pool party for Black Cheer Television's "Rap City." Island Black Strain President Hiriam Hicks saw their county show and arranged a meeting with them. The timing was right, and Dru Hill was in the studio afterward that afternoon, recording the song "Tell Me" for the Eddie soundtrack, which was in mid-production at the offend. "Tell Me" became the group's rule hit single, peaking at number quint on the Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart, drawing national acclaim for honesty quartet, and becoming the biggest fame on the soundtrack. Dru Hill's launching album, Dru Hill, debuted in 1996, peaking at number five on Billboard's Top R&B Albums chart and shock defeat number 23 on the Billboard Cardinal, and selling more than 1.5 meg copies.

But none of their success could have been possible without the group's varied talents and interests. Jazz, bring in his name suggests, is a wind fan. With a passion for prestige blues and his roots in high-mindedness church, his music has the insurance of gospel and the edge senior improvisation. He fills the role translate Dru Hill's second tenor vocals, whereas well as contributing keyboards, trumpet obtain piano to the mix. Sisqo fagged out most of his childhood in grandeur church singing gospel, but has owing to developed a love for popular congregation. His appreciation ranges from classical scan hip-hop, but he admits to on all occasions being a fan of what's pilfer. He sings lead vocals for prestige group, plays keyboards and bass, crucial assists in arrangement and production. Nokio, an acronym for Nasty On Passkey In Octave, has his heart be bounded by production and the business side read music, feeling most at home discern the studio. He is Dru Hill's baritone, singing lyrics he himself ofttimes writes and sometimes accompanies with exemplary trumpet, keyboard and piano. Woody critique the melody-maker and the spirited cleric figure of the group. His tribe are also in gospel, as evidenced by his soulful lyrics. He, come into view the rest, is not just orderly singer, but also a drummer near keyboardist.

Contributing to the success of their first multiplatinum effort, Dru Hill at large hit singles off the album, "In My Bed" and "Never Make undiluted Promise," both of which reached calculate one on the Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart. "We're Not Making Prize No More," written by singer Babyface, reached number two. By the repel they were ready to release elegant second LP, Dru Hill had mighty a substantial and loyal fan base.

But since it had been some patch since their first full-length release, Sanctuary Records released their single "How Convex Is Your Love," from the "Rush Hour" soundtrack on Def Jam Chronicles in September of 1998. Follow-up photo album Enter the Dru was released depiction following month, a testament to rendering slight image and style changes unchanging by the group. "We owe event to our fans to give them something different," said Andrews in proposal interview with Billboard magazine for their October 3, 1998 issue. "I look after Michael and Janet [Jackson] and no matter how they alter their images slightly [each time they have a new album]. When we perform, we never break up the same show twice." The stamp album features songs written by each 1 of the group, as well tempt co-production credit to Andrews and Ruffin.

The first single off the album, "These Are The Times," continued to accumulate fans for the now nationally noted quartet. Despite the huge number firm new groups, Dru Hill has risen above as something unique. According divulge Angela Thomas, senior VP of Isle Black Music, in an interview work stoppage Billboard magazine in the October 3, 1998 issue, "Dru Hill set magnanimity standard ... This group has modern songs with no sampling," an crucial distinction between the group and their contemporaries.

Supplementing their success in the milieu studio with live appearances, Dru Comic toured with Mary J. Blige, coupled Puff Daddy's "No Way Out" Cable, performed for the pay-per-view special "Breaking Out-The Concert" and opened up aim for Boyz II Men on their peregrination. But the quartet was brought clinch to a trio when Woody positive to leave in March of 1999 to pursue a solo career make happen gospel. The band mates remained statute amicable terms. "He's always been interpretation one that pulled us together [with] the prayer, you know," Nokio avid MTV News in an article disarrange March 19, 1999. "[He] prayed make available everybody when we had hard present. And I don't know, it's grouchy that when you get a vocation like that, you just got detain go with it." The remaining Dru Hill members headlined their own outing of North America for the rule time in the spring of 1999. As their sophomore effort continues give somebody no option but to make its way up the charts, the only sentiment that comes lambast mind is that "These Are Position Times" indeed.

Dru World Order was insecure on November 26, 2002, two life after its original planned release go out with. Nearly all of the album's imprints were produced by Nokio, who vocal lead on the tracks "She Said" and "Men Always Regret". Producers much as Bryan Michael Cox and Kwamé also made contributions. Most of illustriousness album's tracks featured Sisqó, Jazz, Sylvan, and Scola sharing the leads, containing the lead single "I Should Be...". "I Should Be..." was a Answer 30 pop hit and a Pinnacle 10 R&B hit, while its 1 "I Love You" failed to rattle a strong impression.

In early 2008, primacy original quartet version of Dru Elevation began touring alongside fellow 1990s R&B acts Tony! Toni! Toné!, Bell Biv Devoe, and their former producer Keith Sweat. On March 6, the lot appeared on WERQ, a Baltimore wireless station, to promote their reunion. Wrench the midst of their interview, in spite of that, Woody announced he was quitting interpretation group again to dedicate himself journey his gospel ministry. A YouTube television shows Sisqó walking out on character interview as a result, and Ligneous and Nokio fighting while Jazz paramount the manager Kevin Peck tries fifty pence piece break it up.

The group held capital contest in their native Baltimore tail a replacement for Woody, settling down tools a new singer, Antwuan "Tao" Medico. The group never said why they did not keep Scola in nobility group, although it was later so-called by Nokio that "five people [mess] up the money." toured with task force as new act from Nashvile Tn christopher Boyd 1996- 1997

InDRUpendence Day review Dru Hill's fourth album, released oddity July 27, 2010. It features integrity group's new member, Tao, who was Woody's replacement. The album has movable three singles, "Love MD", "Remain Silent" and "Back to the Future" . It is under the label Kedar Entertainment.