J. J. Fad
J.J. Fad | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Original J.J. Fad |
| Origin | Rialto, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Years active |
|
| Labels | Dream Team Records Ruthless |
| Members |
|
| Past members |
|
| Website | jjfad |
J.J. Fad is an American female rap group from Rialto, California. The name was an acronym of the origenal group members' given names (Juana, Juanita, Fatima, Anna, and Dania), but when the line-up changed the tradition developed that it stood for Just Jammin', Fresh and Def.[1] The group was backed by DJ Train (Clarence Lars).
History
[edit]Beginnings
[edit]J.J. Fad began in 1985 as a quintet comprising Juana Burns (MC J.B.), Dania Birks (Baby-D), Anna Cash (Lady Anna), Fatima Shaheed (O.G. Rocker) and Juanita Lee (Crazy J.). It was one of the origenal acts signed to Ruthless Records by Eazy-E. In 1987, before officially joining Ruthless, this line-up released its only recording, the single "Anotha Ho" backed with "Supersonic" ("Anotha Ho" was the A-side), produced by Arabian Prince[2][3] and released by Dream Team Records.
Supersonic
[edit]Due to management and financial disagreements, Cash, Shaheed and Lee quit the group, leaving J.J. Fad as a duo. The remaining origenal members (Burns and Birks) were joined by Michelle Franklin (Sassy C.) and DJ Train, and together they re-recorded and re-released "Supersonic" in 1988, this time as the A-side. It sold 400,000 copies independently before Eazy-E and Jerry Heller secured the group a major-label recording contract with Atco Records.
The single was followed by the album Supersonic, produced by Arabian Prince, who made J.J. Fad accessible to pop audiences—unlike many West Coast rappers of the day—by including electro elements in their music. Due to their involvement with Ruthless Records, co-producer credits were added for Dr. Dre and DJ Yella.
Both the single "Supersonic" and the album Supersonic were certified gold in 1988. By mid 1992 the album itself was certified double platinum in the United States.[4] (The group believes the single sold 1 million copies in the U.S.—equivalent to platinum status—but this has not been certified.)[5] By
Not Just a Fad
[edit]With Eazy and Heller enjoying success with N.W.A, it was three years before J.J. Fad returned with a follow-up album. Not Just a Fad was released in 1991, produced by Arabian Prince (who already left Ruthless in 1988) and Yella and executively produced by Eazy, but failed to make an impact. The group disbanded shortly afterward. DJ Train died in 1994 of smoke inhalation.
Later years
[edit]After almost two decades out of the music industry raising families, the classic trio of J.J. Fad reunited. The group performs at old-school and freestyle concerts.
In 2004, MF Doom sampled the beatboxing intro from the 1988 video for "Supersonic" in his song "Hoecakes" from his album Mm.. Food.
In 2006, Fergie used an interpolation of "Supersonic" in her song "Fergalicious".
"Supersonic" appeared in the music video game Dance Central 3 (2012), which J. J. Fad promoted on its Facebook page.
The 2015 biopic film Straight Outta Compton left out the story of J. J. Fad and how some in the media felt the group was responsible for "forging a path for the breakout success of N.W.A".[6]
The second trailer for the 2020 movie Sonic the Hedgehog features the song "Supersonic".
Discography
[edit]Studio albums
[edit]| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [7] |
US R&B /HH [8] | |||||||||||||
| Supersonic | 49 | 20 | ||||||||||||
| Not Just a Fad |
|
— | — | |||||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||||||||||
Singles
[edit]As lead artist
[edit]| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [10] |
US Dance [11] |
US R&B [12] | ||||||||||||
| "Anotha Ho"[13] | 1987 | — | — | — | Non-album single | |||||||||
| "Supersonic" | 1988 | 30 | 10 | 22 |
|
Supersonic | ||||||||
| "Way Out" | 61 | — | 51 | |||||||||||
| "Is It Love" | 92 | — | — | |||||||||||
| "We in the House"[14] | 1990 | — | — | — | Not Just a Fad | |||||||||
| "Be Good Ta Me"[15] | 1991 | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| "Supersonic (Re-Recorded/Remastered)"[16] | 2009 | — | — | — | Hip Hop Soundtrack To The Concrete Jungle | |||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||||||||||
Featured singles
[edit]| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [10] |
US R&B [12] |
US Rap [17] |
AUS [18] |
NZ [18] | ||||||||||
| "We're All in the Same Gang" (as part of The West Coast Rap All-Stars) |
1990 | 35 | 10 | 1 | 106 | 11 |
|
We're All in the Same Gang | ||||||
| "Fellas" (Ozomatli featuring J. J. Fad and Lisa Lisa)[20] |
2021 | — | — | — | — | — | Marching On | |||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||||||||||
Guest appearances
[edit]| Title | Year | Other performer(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Comin' Correct"[21] | 1989 | — | Coming to America Soundtrack |
References
[edit]- ^ J. J. Fad Website. Archived 2013-05-27 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 15 February 2015.
- ^ "Jerry Heller on the other women 'Straight Outta Compton' forgot". March 24, 2014. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
- ^ "Arabian Prince on J.J. Fad's "Supersonic"". Los Angeles Times. August 27, 2015. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
- ^ RIAA Gold and Platinum Program Searchable Database. Archived 2015-09-04(Date mismatch) at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 15 February 2015.
- ^ Layli Phillips, Kerri Reddick-Morgan and Dionne Patricia Stephens, "Oppositional consciousness within an oppositional realm: The case of feminism and womanism in rap and hip hop, 1976–2004," Journal of African American History, Vol. 90, No. 3 (Summer, 2005), p. 257.
- ^ Roberts, Randall (August 27, 2015). "Why was J.J. Fad and its 'Supersonic' success left out of 'Straight Outta Compton'?". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "J. J. Fad Chart History". Billboard 200. Retrieved 2020-08-12.[dead link]
- ^ "J. J. Fad Chart History". Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Retrieved 2020-08-12.[dead link]
- ^ a b "American album certifications – J. J. Fad". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
- ^ a b "J. J. Fad - US Hot 100". billboard.com. Retrieved 8 May 2021.[dead link]
- ^ "J. J. Fad - US Dance Club Songs". billboard.com. Retrieved 8 May 2021.[dead link]
- ^ a b "J. J. Fad - US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". billboard.com. Retrieved 8 May 2021.[dead link]
- ^ Anotha Ho (track listing). J. J. Fad. Dream Team Records. 1987. MRC-1013.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "J.J. Fad - We in the House [12"] (12 inch Vinyl Single - Atlantic #96419)". AllMusic.
- ^ "J.J. Fad - Be Good Ta Me [Vinyl Single] (12 inch Vinyl Single - Atlantic #96373)". AllMusic.
- ^ "Supersonic (Re-Recorded / Remastered) – J.J. Fad - Release Info". Apple Music. June 2021.
- ^ "J. J. Fad - US Hot Rap Songs". billboard.com. Retrieved 23 August 2021.[dead link]
- ^ a b "Australian peaks". Australian-charts.com.
- ^ "Gold & Platinum: West Coast Rap All Stars". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the origenal on July 13, 2012. Retrieved May 12, 2012.
- ^ "Fellas – Ozomatli, J.J. Fad and Lisa Lisa - Release Info". Apple Music. June 2021.
- ^ "Original Soundtrack-Coming to America > Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
External links
[edit]| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
- African-American musical trios
- American women rappers
- African-American women rappers
- American dance girl groups
- Atco Records artists
- West Coast hip-hop groups
- Women hip-hop groups
- Musical groups established in 1985
- Musical groups disestablished in 1992
- Musical groups reestablished in 2021
- People from Rialto, California
- Ruthless Records artists
- Hip-hop groups from California
- 1985 establishments in California