Songoftheday 10/4/21 - Heard she's got a 9 to 5 but comin' in after 12, I know they're tired of her lies just let her go what the deal?

 

 

"808" - Blaque

from the album Blaque (1999)

Billboard Hot 100 peak: #8 (two weeks)

Weeks in the Top-40: 15

 

Today's song comes from the R&B trio Blaque, who came together in Atlanta in the second half of the 1990's. Schoolmates Natina Reed and Shamari Fears along with Brandi Williams were discovered by TLC's Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes, and were signed to Columbia Records. Their debut single, "808", was co-written by Reed with R. Kelly, who produced the track with Cory Rooney and the "Trackmasters" (Jean-Claude "Poke" Olivier and Samuel "Tone" Barnes).  Shamari handles the verses, while Natina does her version of the Left-Eye rap bridge on the song, which has them singing how a guy whose woman is cheating on them should be hooking up with them to make the other crazy. Hmmm. The "808", a drum machine used often in the early 80's, is used as a metaphor for the sexual impact, in some way. Nevertheless, with a video featuring Kelly and Lopes in cameos, the song became a big hit with a combo of TLC's "No Scrubs" intro and Miami Bass production over R Kelly's drama...

 

 "808" climbed all the way into the top ten on the American pop chart in June of 1999. The song was their biggest on Billboard magazine's R&B chart, peaking at #4, while going to #4 as well on their Rhythmic radio format list. Internationally, the single rose to #6 in New Zealand, and was a top-40 hit in the UK at #31. Their self-title debut album, released as the single was cresting in June, got as high at #53 on the Billboard 200 sales tally, and #23 on the R&B Albums list, going on to sell over a million copies. Both Blaque and the album will return to the series.

(5/10)

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Here's the trio appearing on Live At The Apollo in 1999...

The remix of "808", which samples LL Cool J's "Goin' Back To Cali", was more like a part two of the track...

Up tomorrow: R&B singer has a strict qualification policy.