Questions
Who are the members of Naughty by Nature?
The group is a New Jersey trio made up of Treach (Anthony S. Criss), Vin Rock (Vincent E. Brown), and DJ Kay Gee (Keir Lamont Gist).
When and where did Naughty by Nature form?
They formed in 1986 in East Orange, New Jersey.
Did the group have a different name before Naughty by Nature?
Yes, they originally performed as The New Style and released a 1989 debut album called Independent Leaders under that name.
Who helped discover Naughty by Nature?
Fellow New Jersey native Queen Latifah mentored them, introducing the group to Tommy Boy Records and her management company.
What was their breakout hit?
"O.P.P." from 1991 became their signature track, reaching No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.
What song does "O.P.P." sample?
It samples the Jackson 5’s hit "ABC." Spin magazine later ranked "O.P.P." the 20th best single of the 1990s.
Who directed the "Hip Hop Hooray" music video?
Spike Lee directed it, and the video featured cameos from Queen Latifah, Eazy-E, Run-D.M.C., and Da Youngstas.
What were some of their other hit songs?
Along with "O.P.P." and "Hip Hop Hooray," they charted with "Feel Me Flow," which peaked at No. 17, and "Jamboree," which peaked at No. 10.
Did Naughty by Nature ever win a Grammy?
Yes. Their 1995 album Poverty’s Paradise won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album in 1996, becoming the first album ever to win that award.
Did anyone in the group get into acting?
Treach reportedly began pursuing acting after befriending Tupac Shakur on the set of the film Juice, and the whole group appeared as a street gang in the 1993 movie The Meteor Man.
Is there a Naughty by Nature song used in pro wrestling?
Yes. "Here Comes the Money" has long been used as the entrance theme for Shane McMahon in WWE.
Did the group start its own record label?
They founded Illtown Records in the mid-1990s and released music from proteges such as the Rottin Razkals.
Has the lineup stayed together over the years?
Not always. DJ Kay Gee departed in 2000 over financial disputes and the group disbanded in 2002 after the album IIcons, but Kay Gee reunited with them at B.B. King’s nightclub in 2006.
What is a Naughty by Nature song tied to the movie Juice?
"Uptown Anthem" was a hit from the 1992 film Juice soundtrack.
