Blaque
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Blaque is a US R&B vocal group that achieved a platinum record for their first album "Blaque" with two top ten singles released in 1999 although subsequent releases have not achieved the same success. Blaque stands for Believing in Life and Achieving a Quest for Unity and Everything. The group was originally known as Blacque Ivory and is still known by that name outside the US.
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Blacque Platinum
The members of Blacque are Natina Reed (b. October 1979, New York City), Shamari Fears (b. February 22, 1980 Detroit, Michigan) and Brandi Williams (b. October 5, 1982 Detroit, Michigan). Natina Reed and Shamari Fears both moved to Atlanta and met in high school. Natina Reed formed Blacque Ivory while Fears formed another group called Intrigue. Intrigue won a recording contract with Elektra Records and Shamari Fears met up with Brandi Williams at a talent show while a member of that group.
Fears left Intrigue to join up with Reed in Blacque Ivory and Williams joined the group shortly thereafter. Nadine Reed met Ronald Lopes while singing jingles to earn extra cash and he introduced her to his sister Lisa Lopes (also known as Left Eye) of TLC. Lisa Lopes signed the group to her Left Eye Productions and then to Columbia Records.
The debut album "Blacque" reached number 53 on the Billboard 200 and two songs from that album reached top ten in the Billboard Hot 100. They were "808" written with R. Kelly and "Bring it all to Me". The album also featured a version of "Time After Time" by Cyndi Lauper.
Blacque Out
While the "Blacque" album went platinum, the second album "Blacque Out" failed to dent the charts in the US or anywhere else. Their mentor Lisa Lopes died in a car crash on 26 April, 2002. The group left Colombia Records for Elektra Records.
The third album "Torch" featured a number of A-list music industry figures including Missy Elliott, singwriter Linda Perry and producer Rodney Jerkins. Missy Elliott produced the first single "Ugly". Despite the star power involved in the album, the group still failed to make an impression on the charts.
However, their contribution to the soundtrack of Honey (movie) "I'm good" made the Rhythmic Top 40 in 2003 with the album peaking just outside the top 100 albums on the Billboard charts. The single also made the Australian top 40 in March 2004.
Discography
- Blacque (album) (1999)
- Blacque Out (2002)
- Torch (album) (2003)
Links
- Blacque's Columbia Records Site (http://www.blaque.net/)
- All Music Guide Blacque Entry (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70311071654390588&sql=B0ikbikbkbb79/)
- MTV Blacque page (http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1471585/04292003/blaque.jhtml/)de:Blaque Ivory