Mr. Cheeks
Encyclopedia
Mr. Cheeks is a Grammy Award
winning rapper best known for his work with the musical group Lost Boyz, and his career as a solo
artist.
. The Lost Boyz practiced a sincere, literate, non-sensational style of New York hip-hop
and produced a number of singles including; "Lifestyles of the Rich and Shameless" (1994), "Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz & Benz" (1995) and "Renee" (1996)[]. Lost Boyz gained worldwide critical acclaim following the release of the albums; Legal Drug Money in 1996, Love, Peace & Nappiness in 1997, and LB IV Life in 1999.
In March 1998, Lost Boyz member, Freaky Tah, was murdered while leaving Mr. Cheeks' birthday party in Queens, N.Y. After Tah's death the Lost Boyz effectively broke up, and Mr. Cheeks remained quiet.
When Mr.Cheeks made his road manager Ray "Mello" Moore his Partner and full time manager they resurfaced in late 2001, as a solo artist. His debut solo album, John P. Kelly
, (Universal Records
) named for both his cousin and his grandfather, featured the hit single "Lights, Camera, Action!
". The album also included a collaboration with longtime friend and business partner, Stephen Marley
, (son of legendary reggae artist Bob Marley
) featuring the ballad
"Till We Meet Again" (recorded in Freaky Tah's memory) and the reggae
-flavored "Mama Say”.
In 2003, Mr. Cheeks released the follow-up album, Back Again!. The single off the album was "Crush On You" and it featured Mario Winans
.
In the fall of 2003, Cheeks separated from Universal, forming his own label, Diane’s Boyz. On June 8, 2004, Mr. Cheeks released the album Ladies and Ghettomen, his 3rd solo LP in as many years. Mr. Cheeks and Stephen Marley also created a record label, One Fam Music.
He was featured on Lil Kim's single, The Jump Off
.
He also made a feature, rapping the hook, on Lakey The Kid
's single Q.U. Side in 2006.
Other features include Minneapolis rapper Kooke's two singles in 2004, "Holla Back" (Feat. RL from NEXT) and "New Money" (Referenced in his newest single "What We Do")
Mr. Cheeks was scheduled to have another CD released in April 2006, even offering the first single ("What We do") for free on his website, however, the CD was never released and his website was taken down shortly after.
He recently collaborated with new r&b crooner Ryan Michael debut single Sweet Luv and also released a "Diss track" aimed at 50 Cent
called "In 50 Cent's Dreams", where he brings up the accusation of 50 being a snitch
. He also mentioned the topic in his feature on Minneapolis rapper Kooke's song "Holla Back" stating, "50 fell in deep, 3 pieces on...".
He's also on a track entitled "Iron Bars" with Stephen Marley on the album "Mind Control".
The music world began to embrace Mr. Cheeks again in February 2010 with the release of a couple of tracks he recorded with the Hip Hop group known as The SWATZ Brothas -"My Crew is Tight" and "Fantasy Time".
The same year the Lost Boyz reunited, and released a single called "Haaay".
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
winning rapper best known for his work with the musical group Lost Boyz, and his career as a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
artist.
Biography
Mr. Cheeks, along with band mates Freaky Tah (1971–1999), Spigg Nice and Pretty Lou made up The Lost BoyzThe Lost Boyz
The Lost Boyz is a hip hop group from South Jamaica, Queens, New York. The original group members were lead MC Mr. Cheeks, backup MC and promoter Freaky Tah , DJ Spigg Nice and Pretty Lou.-Recording career:...
. The Lost Boyz practiced a sincere, literate, non-sensational style of New York hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
and produced a number of singles including; "Lifestyles of the Rich and Shameless" (1994), "Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz & Benz" (1995) and "Renee" (1996)[]. Lost Boyz gained worldwide critical acclaim following the release of the albums; Legal Drug Money in 1996, Love, Peace & Nappiness in 1997, and LB IV Life in 1999.
In March 1998, Lost Boyz member, Freaky Tah, was murdered while leaving Mr. Cheeks' birthday party in Queens, N.Y. After Tah's death the Lost Boyz effectively broke up, and Mr. Cheeks remained quiet.
When Mr.Cheeks made his road manager Ray "Mello" Moore his Partner and full time manager they resurfaced in late 2001, as a solo artist. His debut solo album, John P. Kelly
John P. Kelly (album)
John P. Kelly is the debut solo album from member of The Lost Boyz and rapper Mr. Cheeks. It contains the hit single "Lights, Camera, Action!".- Track listing :#"Radio Intro"#*Produced by Mr...
, (Universal Records
Universal Records
Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
) named for both his cousin and his grandfather, featured the hit single "Lights, Camera, Action!
Lights, Camera, Action!
"Lights, Camera, Action!" was the lead single from Mr. Cheeks' debut album, John P. Kelly. The song was produced by Bink, who used a sample of "Keep on Truckin'" by Eddie Kendricks. The song became Mr. Cheeks' first and only major hit as a solo artist, reaching No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and...
". The album also included a collaboration with longtime friend and business partner, Stephen Marley
Stephen Marley (musician)
Stephen Robert Nesta "Raggamuffin" Marley is a Jamaican American musician and the son of reggae legend Bob Marley and his wife Rita Marley. He is a five-time Grammy award winner as an artist, producer, and member of Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers.-Life and career:Marley was born in Wilmington,...
, (son of legendary reggae artist Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
) featuring the ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
"Till We Meet Again" (recorded in Freaky Tah's memory) and the reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
-flavored "Mama Say”.
In 2003, Mr. Cheeks released the follow-up album, Back Again!. The single off the album was "Crush On You" and it featured Mario Winans
Mario Winans
Mario Winans is an American R&B singer, songwriter, music producer, and multi-instrumentalist. Born Mario Brown, he is the son of gospel recording artist Vickie Winans and her first husband, Bishop Ronald Brown. He is also the stepson of his mother's second husband, gospel singer, Pastor Marvin...
.
In the fall of 2003, Cheeks separated from Universal, forming his own label, Diane’s Boyz. On June 8, 2004, Mr. Cheeks released the album Ladies and Ghettomen, his 3rd solo LP in as many years. Mr. Cheeks and Stephen Marley also created a record label, One Fam Music.
He was featured on Lil Kim's single, The Jump Off
The Jump Off
"The Jump Off" is a Lil' Kim song. It is the first single on her multi-platinum album La Bella Mafia . The song is produced by Timbaland and features Mr. Cheeks for background vocals. The single debuted at number 95 and climbed into the Top 20 at #16....
.
He also made a feature, rapping the hook, on Lakey The Kid
Lakey The Kid
Lakey The Kid or Lake is a rapper from Queensbridge, New York. In 1999, Lake was released from prison after serving a seven year sentence For according to him "shooting a guy in the stomach" who is said to have reported him to the police....
's single Q.U. Side in 2006.
Other features include Minneapolis rapper Kooke's two singles in 2004, "Holla Back" (Feat. RL from NEXT) and "New Money" (Referenced in his newest single "What We Do")
Mr. Cheeks was scheduled to have another CD released in April 2006, even offering the first single ("What We do") for free on his website, however, the CD was never released and his website was taken down shortly after.
He recently collaborated with new r&b crooner Ryan Michael debut single Sweet Luv and also released a "Diss track" aimed at 50 Cent
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
called "In 50 Cent's Dreams", where he brings up the accusation of 50 being a snitch
Snitch
Snitch may refer to:* Informant* Whistleblower* "Snitch" , a song by Obie Trice* Monument Ave. or Snitch, a 1998 thriller film-See also:* Golden Snitch, a ball in Quidditch in the Harry Potter series...
. He also mentioned the topic in his feature on Minneapolis rapper Kooke's song "Holla Back" stating, "50 fell in deep, 3 pieces on...".
He's also on a track entitled "Iron Bars" with Stephen Marley on the album "Mind Control".
The music world began to embrace Mr. Cheeks again in February 2010 with the release of a couple of tracks he recorded with the Hip Hop group known as The SWATZ Brothas -"My Crew is Tight" and "Fantasy Time".
The same year the Lost Boyz reunited, and released a single called "Haaay".
Solo albums
- John P. KellyJohn P. Kelly (album)John P. Kelly is the debut solo album from member of The Lost Boyz and rapper Mr. Cheeks. It contains the hit single "Lights, Camera, Action!".- Track listing :#"Radio Intro"#*Produced by Mr...
(2001) Uptown/Universal - Back Again!Back Again!Back Again! is the second album by Mr. Cheeks, released on March 18, 2003 through Universal Records.- Reception :Back Again! was not as commercially successful as John P. Kelly, peaking at #75 on the Billboard 200 and #25 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. The album's lead single "Crush on You" also...
(2003) Uptown/Universal - Ladies And Ghettomen (2004) Legal Drug Money/Contango
- ,,{[What WE Do}] Single (2006) Modelrok Inc/ PPM Records
Solo singles
- 2001: "Lights, Camera, Action!Lights, Camera, Action!"Lights, Camera, Action!" was the lead single from Mr. Cheeks' debut album, John P. Kelly. The song was produced by Bink, who used a sample of "Keep on Truckin'" by Eddie Kendricks. The song became Mr. Cheeks' first and only major hit as a solo artist, reaching No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and...
" - 2004: "Kooke - New Money (Feat. Mr. Cheeks) available on itunes"
- 2004: "Kooke - Holla Back (Feat. RL & Mr. Cheeks) available on itunes"
Lost Boyz Albums
- Diamond Dust (1994) Progressive
- Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz & Benz [EP] (1995) Uptown
- Lifestyles of the Rich and Shameless [single] (1995) Uptown
- Renee [CD single](1996) PolyGram
- Legal Drug Money (1996) Uptown/Universal
- Love, Peace & Nappiness (1997) Uptown/Universal
- Me and My Crazy World (1997) Uptown/Universal
- LB IV Life (1999) Uptown/Universal
- Forever (2005) Contango Records/Legal Drug Mon
External links
- Contango Records
- [ allmusic]
- hiphopgame.com
- myspace
- THE SWATZ Brothas