Nokio the N-Tity
Encyclopedia
Nokio the N-Tity is an African-American record producer
, songwriter
, singer, and rapper. He is best known as the founder of the successful R&B
group Dru Hill
, serving as in-house producer and songwriter for the act.
, and the recently-added Antwuan "Tao" Simpson. Former members are James "Woody" Green who left the group for the second time to pursue a gospel career full time and Rufus "Scola" Waller who wanted to be a solo artist again and many people questioned whether he only joined the group for more exposure to jumpstart his solo career. The stage name "Nokio" is an acronym for "Nasty On Keys In Octave".
In addition to serving as the guiding hand of the group he founded, Nokio has also served as producer for DMX
("What These Bitches Want", 1999), Capone-N-Noreaga
("Y'all Don't Wanna", 2000), and Torrey Carter
(The Life I Live
, 2000). He was an A&R
director for the Def Soul record label
, and helped to discover and develop acts such as the teenage R&B/pop
group 3rd Storee. Nokio currently works for Atlantic Records
as an A&R for R&B singer Trey Songz
.
In early 2008, the original quartet version of Dru Hill began touring alongside fellow 1990s R&B acts Tony! Toni! Toné!
, Bell Biv Devoe
, and their former producer Keith Sweat. On March 6, the group appeared on WERQ, a Baltimore radio station, to promote their reunion. In the midst of their interview, however, Woody announced he was quitting the group again to dedicate himself to his gospel ministry. A YouTube
video shows Sisqó walking out on the interview as a result, and Woody, Nokio, and Jazz fighting, although the authenticity of the conflict has been called into question. Nokio is also working with a rock band called Black Angel Down. Snippets of some of Black Angel Down's songs were put on Dru Hill's 4th album InDRUpendence Day
.
, Jordan Ruffin, with Margo Wainwright, the head of video production at Island Def Jam. He was in a relationship with radio
personality Angie Martinez
, with whom he has a second son with, Niko Ruffin. Jordan was featured in the Dru Hill
music video
I Love You.
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, singer, and rapper. He is best known as the founder of the successful R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
group Dru Hill
Dru Hill
Dru Hill is an American singing group, most popular during the late 1990s, whose repertoire included R&B, soul, and gospel music. Founded in Baltimore, Maryland, and active since 1992, Dru Hill recorded seven Top 40 hits, and is best known for the R&B #1 hits "In My Bed", "Never Make a Promise", ...
, serving as in-house producer and songwriter for the act.
Career
His bandmates are Larry "Jazz" Anthony, Mark "Sisqó" AndrewsSisqó
Mark Durrell Andrews , known by his stage name Sisqó, is an American R&B singer and actor. He is best known as the lead singer of R&B group Dru Hill, and also for "Thong Song", a song from his first solo LP, Unleash the Dragon, that became an international hit. - Biography :Sisqó was born Mark...
, and the recently-added Antwuan "Tao" Simpson. Former members are James "Woody" Green who left the group for the second time to pursue a gospel career full time and Rufus "Scola" Waller who wanted to be a solo artist again and many people questioned whether he only joined the group for more exposure to jumpstart his solo career. The stage name "Nokio" is an acronym for "Nasty On Keys In Octave".
In addition to serving as the guiding hand of the group he founded, Nokio has also served as producer for DMX
DMX (rapper)
Earl Simmons , better known by his stage name DMX, is a multiplatinum American rapper and actor who rose to fame in the late 1990s. His stage name pays tribute to the Oberheim DMX drum machine, an instrument he used when he made his own rap beats in the 80's...
("What These Bitches Want", 1999), Capone-N-Noreaga
Capone-N-Noreaga
Capone-N-Noreaga was an American hip hop duo that consisted of Capone and Noreaga.-History:In 1996 the duo signed with Penalty Records; it also appeared in The Source magazine's Unsigned Hype column...
("Y'all Don't Wanna", 2000), and Torrey Carter
Torrey Carter
Torrey Carter is an American R&B singer. He gained popularity after signing to Missy Elliott's The Goldmind Inc. as the first male artist under the label. There, he began recording for his debut album, The Life I Live, which was led by the single "Take That" . However, due to unknown reasons, the...
(The Life I Live
The Life I Live
The Life I Live is the 2000 debut solo album by American R&B singer, Torrey Carter. The album was led by the top 20 R&B hit, "Take That" ; the album also listed "If It's Money That You Want" as the second single, where it began to gain minor airplay...
, 2000). He was an A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
director for the Def Soul record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, and helped to discover and develop acts such as the teenage R&B/pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
group 3rd Storee. Nokio currently works for Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
as an A&R for R&B singer Trey Songz
Trey Songz
Tremaine "Trey" Aldon Neverson , better known by his stage name Trey Songz, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. His debut album, I Gotta Make It, was released in 2005, while his second album, Trey Day, was released in 2007...
.
In early 2008, the original quartet version of Dru Hill began touring alongside fellow 1990s R&B acts Tony! Toni! Toné!
Tony! Toni! Toné!
Tony! Toni! Toné! is an American Soul/R&B group from Oakland, California, popular during the late 1980s and early to mid 1990s. During the band's heyday, it was composed of D'wayne Wiggins on lead vocals and guitar, his brother Raphael Saadiq on lead vocals and bass, and their cousin Timothy...
, Bell Biv Devoe
Bell Biv DeVoe
Bell Biv DeVoe is an American R&B musical group which branched off from New Edition. It consists of three of New Edition's previous members, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe...
, and their former producer Keith Sweat. On March 6, the group appeared on WERQ, a Baltimore radio station, to promote their reunion. In the midst of their interview, however, Woody announced he was quitting the group again to dedicate himself to his gospel ministry. A YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
video shows Sisqó walking out on the interview as a result, and Woody, Nokio, and Jazz fighting, although the authenticity of the conflict has been called into question. Nokio is also working with a rock band called Black Angel Down. Snippets of some of Black Angel Down's songs were put on Dru Hill's 4th album InDRUpendence Day
InDRUpendence Day
-Album:- Release history :...
.
Personal life
Nokio has a sonSon
A son is a male offspring; a boy or man in relation to his parents. The female analogue is a daughter.-Social issues regarding sons:In pre-industrial societies and some current countries with agriculture-based economies, a higher value was, and still is, assigned to sons rather than daughters,...
, Jordan Ruffin, with Margo Wainwright, the head of video production at Island Def Jam. He was in a relationship with radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
personality Angie Martinez
Angie Martinez
Angela "Angie" Martinez is an American radio personality and occasional rapper.-Radio career:Angie Martinez got her first break in radio at the age of 16 answering hot lines at the urban radio station WQHT . There she met popular DJ Funkmaster Flex, and began working as his protégé...
, with whom he has a second son with, Niko Ruffin. Jordan was featured in the Dru Hill
Dru Hill
Dru Hill is an American singing group, most popular during the late 1990s, whose repertoire included R&B, soul, and gospel music. Founded in Baltimore, Maryland, and active since 1992, Dru Hill recorded seven Top 40 hits, and is best known for the R&B #1 hits "In My Bed", "Never Make a Promise", ...
music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
I Love You.