Naugthy by Nature

A Decade Later…

Can you believe that it’s been 10 years since Naughty By Nature released “”O.P.P.?”” Back in 1991, the virtually unknown New Jersey trio, composed of Treach, Vinnie and Kaygee, exploded onto the rap scene, capturing the Grammy for best rap performance with “”O.P.P.”” That song and “”Ghetto Bastard,”” the top two singles off their self-titled album, vaulted them into instant stardom.

Their follow-up album “”19 Naughty III,”” featured the anthem “”Hip-Hop Hooray,”” which enhanced their popularity to immeasurable proportions. The song was played on MTV eight to 10 times a day and is still considered tight today.

Naughty By Nature’s third release, “”Poverty’s Paradise,”” again topped the charts, and also won another Grammy, this time for best rap album in 1995. “”Craziest”” and “”Feel Me Flow”” headlined the album, while “”Hang Out And Hustle”” and “”It’s Workin'”” are prime examples of the album’s depth and quality.

After pumping out three albums in five years, Naughty decided to take a break. This time off allowed each member of the group to branch off into his own ventures.

Along with doing some modeling, Treach has become more and more involved with acting. His film career began in 1990, when his friend Tupac Shakur helped land him a role in the movie “”Juice.”” Treach has had roles in “”Jason’s Lyric,”” television’s “”New York Undercover”” and most recently, HBO’s prison drama “”Oz.”” He also found a bride — Pepa of the famous female rap group “”Salt-N-Pepa.””

Vinnie is the brains behind Naughty Gear, which is the group’s official line of apparel. He is also working with the East Orange School District in New Jersey to implement a comprehensive, district-wide multimedia and communications facility and training ground.

Kaygee, Naughty by Nature’s DJ, has branched out as well. He founded and runs Divine Mill Records and signed artists Zhane and Next. He also collaborated with Queen Latifah, Run DMC and Shabba Ranks on this label.

After their four-year hiatus, NBN released “”19Naughty9: Nature’s Fury,”” on their new label, Arista. This album is different from any of their previous releases because it features many guests, including appearances by Master P, Big Pun and Mystikal. With a couple of exceptions, the group’s three previous albums have concentrated on Treach and Vinnie. The new album changes that formula. With all their experience in the rap game, Naughty by Nature are not afraid to adjust that formula, and their 1999 release reflects that attitude.

Naughty By Nature is probably the most well-known of all the Sun God performers. They’ve put in 10 years of work, and there seems to be no reason why they can’t be successful for another 10 years.

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