Whodini
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Whodini is a hip hop group formed in the 1980s, made up of Jalil Hutchins, Ecstasy (John Fletcher) and Grandmaster Dee (Drew Carter).
Along with Run-DMC and The Fat Boys, Whodini were among the first rap groups to cultivate a high-profile national following for hip-hop music, and made significant inroads on Urban radio. The Brooklyn, New York-based trio consisted of vocalist/chief lyricist Jalil Hutchens, (one of the few rappers to go by his real name), co-vocalist John Fletcher, aka Ecstasy (so-named before the drug trend), who tended to wear a Zorro-style hat as his trademark; and DJ Drew Carter, aka Grandmaster Dee. Contemporaries of Run DMC, they were managed by Russell Simmons, brother of Joseph “Run” Simmons. Signed to NY-based indie Jive Records in 1982, they enjoyed a string of hits, mostly charting on Urban/R&B stations. The bulk of production on their releases was done by Larry Smith, a bass player who also handled much of Run DMC’s early work. In keeping with 80’s trends, Whodini’s cuts tended to be synthesizer driven with a heavy electronic drumbeat. The sampling technology that became identified with rap hadn’t really become prominent during Whodini’s early days, and their works were thoroughly original compositions. “Haunted House of Rock” was their first single, a whimsical Halloween-themed number. Synth-pop pioneer Thomas Dolby produced another of their early singles, “Magic’s Wand”. The group culled a female audience with such relationship-themed cut as “Friends” and “One Love”. Backstage partying was extolled in the mildly controversial “I’m a Ho”. “Fugitive” was guitar-driven funk. From 1982 - 1986 was the band’s heyday, touring with Run DMC, LL Cool J, the Fat Boys, and other prominent R&B and funk outfits of the 80’s. Their albums Whodini (1983), Escape (1984), and Back in Black (1986; no relation to AC/DC) were all well-received by rap fans and youthful R&B enthusiasts. The ‘Fresh Fest’ tours were the first arena-sized tours to feature all hip-hop lineups, but full-fledged crossover fame seemed to elude them, however. The group had earned their share of gold singles and albums by 1987, when the hits started to slump. Open Sesame, their release that year, failed to produce any hits. After that point, the band eked out their tenure on Jive by occasionally releasing singles, including “Anyway I Gotta Swing it” for the Nightmare on Elm Street 5 movie soundtrack.
Trivia
- Whodini was the first rap group to include official dancers in their live show. The performers were Doctor Ice and Kangol Kid of UTFO.
- Whodini's "Magic's Wand" appears on the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on the radio station Wildstyle, [1]
- Whodini's "The Freaks Come Out At Night" also appears in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories on the radio station Fresh 105 FM.
Recent developments
In the 90’s, the band made a handful of attempts at a comeback. In 1990, they signed with MCA Records and released the Bag-A-Trix LP in 1991, which promptly failed to have commercial impact. In mid ’94 they did score a hit single in “It all Comes Down to the Money”, co-produced by Public Enemy DJ Terminator X. Talks with Def Jam for a new deal stalled, and In 1996, they were signed by Jermaine Dupri (mentor/producer to Kriss Kross and Bow Wow) to his So So Def/Columbia imprint. Dupri, as a child, did a brief stint as a dancer for the group in the 80’s. The album, Six, birthed “Keep Running Back”, a brief R&B charter, before quickly sinking down the charts. Curiously, their old label, Jive, which initially consisted of a near-exclusively hip-hop roster, scored a mega-coup by signing Britney Spears, soon followed by The Backstreet Boys and NSync. In recent years, Whodini still tours occasionally, and their old records still surface on pop and R&B radio, especially during “old school mix” shows. Interestingly, their records have now become sample sources for contemporary rappers like Nas, Master P and MF Doom.