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Biography
Infobox musical artist|name = Mantronix|image =|caption =|image_size =|background = group_or_band|alias =|origin = New York City , New York , United States|U.S. |instrument =|genre = Hip hop music|hip-hop Electro (music)|Electro R& B New jack swing House music|House |occupation =|years_active = 1984–1991|label = Sleeping Bag Records Capitol Records|Capitol / EMI|EMI Records |associated_acts =|website =|current_members =|past_members = Kurtis Mantronik (1984-1991) MC Tee (1984-1988) Bryce Wilson|Bryce "Luvah" Wilson (1990-1991) D.J. D (1990) Jade Trini Goring|Jade Trini (1991)|notable_instruments = Synthesizer Two turntables and a microphone Drum machine Vocoder : For the game, see Mantronix (video game) Mantronix was an influential 1980s hip hop and electro (music)|electro funk music group founded by Disc jockey#Hip Hop DJs|DJ Kurtis Mantronik (Kurtis el Khaleel), and rapper MC Tee (Touré Embden). Mantronix underwent several Music genre|genre (and line-up) changes during its 7-year existence (1984–1991), from old school hip hop to Electro-hop|electro funk to house music , but the group is primarily remembered for its original, heavily Synthesizer|synthesized blend of old school hip-hop and electro funk.
History
Early years: 1984–1988
Mantronix: the Album
Mantronix's debut single, "Fresh Is the Word," was a club hit in 1985, reaching #16 on '' Billboard (magazine)|Billboard Magazine's Hot Dance Singles Sales chart, and was featured on The Album (Mantronix album)|Mantronix: The Album which was released the same year.
Mantronix's efforts on Mantronix: the Album and its effect on early hip hop and electronic music is perhaps best summed up by music critic Omar Willey's observation in 2000:
cquote|Featuring "Fresh Is the Word" and the new tracks "Bassline" and "Electro Mega-Mix," Mantronix defined the new sound of Electro (music)|electro-funk . Kurtis Mantronik|Mantronik used a polyrhythmic style, similar to West African log drumming, but instead of acoustic drums, the rhythm would be carried by the combination of electronic drums, synthesizer, vocoder and/or synthesized voice over a bass line completely played on the synth. No samples of James Brown here. This was truly electronic music: spare, funky and immensely danceable, an homage and simultaneous extension of old-school hip hop's electronic template that had started with " Planet Rock (song)|Planet Rock " in 1982. The feeling of Afrika Bambaataa , Grandmaster Flash , Kraftwerk and Neu all combined in Mantronik's music. It was a neat tie between old-school and new jack, and Mantronix had the field to themselves.cite web | last = Willey | first = Omar | url = http://www.cheebadesign.com/legends/articleQ.html | title = Do You Like...Mantronix? | work = | publisher = cheebadesign.com | accessdate = March 30, 2007 The influence of Mantronix: The Album is seen among other musicians|artists through the Sampling (music)|sampling of "Needle To The Groove" by Beck in the single " Where It's At " from the 1996 album, Odelay ("''we've got two turntables and a microphone ..."), as well as, "Fresh Is The Word" by the Beastie Boys in the single " Jimmy James (song)|Jimmy James " from the 1992 album, Check Your Head (" for all the Blacks, Puerto Ricans, and the White people too ...") The Beastie Boys later sampled "Bassline" for the song "3 the Hard Way" on their 2004 in music|2004 album To the 5 Boroughs .
Music Madness
Mantronix's second album, Music Madness , was released in 1986. While MC Tee's rapping|rhyming style on the album continued in the traditional b-boy fashion of the times, Mantronik's club-oriented production and mixing in Music Madness tended to attract more electronic dance music and electro funk aficionados than hardcore hip-hop fans.cite web | url = Allmusic|class=album|id=r74559|pure_url=yes | accessdate = 2006-10-18 | author = Henderson, Alex | title = Allmusic Music Madness Review | publisher = AllMusic.com | date = During this period, while Mantronix was signed to Sleeping Bag Records, Mantronik was employed by the label in their A& R Department, while also Record producer|producing other artists and groups, including Just-Ice , T La Rock , Nocera (singer)|Nocera , and Joyce Sims .
In Full Effect
Mantronix signed with Capitol Records in 1987, in what was one of the first 7-figure deals for a hip-hop group, and released In Full Effect in 1988, which, according to the liner notes, was the first album to be audio mastering|mastered from Digital audio tape|DAT instead of reel-to-reel tape. The album continued in and expanded on the hip-hop/electro funk/dance music vein of its predecessor, eventually reaching #18 on the Hot R& B/Hip-Hop Songs|Top R& B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, Mantronix's highest showing for an album.cite web | url = Allmusic|class=album|id=r12395|pure_url=yes | accessdate = 2006-10-18 | author = Wynn, Ron | title = Allmusic In Full Effect Review | publisher = AllMusic.com | date = In Full Effect marked the last Mantronix album with rapper MC Tee , who left the group to enlist in the United States Air Force .
Later era: 1989–1991
This Should Move Ya
Following the departure of MC Tee, rapper Bryce Wilson|Bryce "Luvah" Wilson and Mantronik's cousin D.J. D joined Mantronix for 1990s This Should Move Ya . Mantronik met Wilson, a fellow Sleeping Bag Records label mate, while doing production for Wilson's aborted solo project.cite web | last = Jones | first = Phillip | url = http://www.cheebadesign.com/legends/articleE.html | title = Messin' With Mantronix | work = | publisher = cheebadesign.com | accessdate = March 30, 2007
The album spawned two top-10 hits on the UK Singles Chart|British singles chart , " Got to Have Your Love|Got To Have Your Love " at #4, and "Take Your Time (featuring vocalist Wondress Hutchinson|Wondress )" at #10. In the United States, the album reached #61 on the Hot R& B/Hip-Hop Songs|Top R& B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.cite web | url = Allmusic|class=album|id=r12394|pure_url=yes | accessdate = 2006-10-18 | author = Wynn, Ron | title = Allmusic This Should Move Ya Review | publisher = AllMusic.com | date =
In a 1991 interview, Kurtis Mantronik commented on the commercial success of "Got to Have Your Love":
cquote|When I did "Got To Have Your Love", I did it for a reason. I did it because I wanted to get a song on the radio.
The Incredible Sound Machine
Mantronix's final release, with Singer|vocalist Jade Trini Goring|Jade Trini replacing D.J. D, was The Incredible Sound Machine in 1991.cite web | url = Allmusic|class=album|id=r12391|pure_url=yes | accessdate = 2006-10-18 | author = Henderson, Alex | title = Allmusic The Incredible Sound Machine Review | publisher = AllMusic.com | date = Grammy award|Grammy -nominated neo soul singer / songwriter Angie Stone co-wrote seven of the eleven tracks that appeared on The Incredible Sound Machine . The Incredible Sound Machine , which tended to favor R& B , new jack swing , and dance music over hip hop, was considered both a critical and commercial disappointment.
Shortly after a Europe an tour and promotion related to the release of The Incredible Sound Machine , the group disbanded, and Mantronik left the music industry altogether for seven years.
Kurtis Mantronik resurfaced in Europe in the late 1990s, producing house music|house- and techno music|techno-music artists, and remains active in pop-oriented electronic music .
Discography
Albums
Album information
Mantronix: The Album
Released: 1985
Chart positions: #47 Top R& B/Hip-Hop Albums
RIAA certification :
Singles: "Fresh Is The Word", "Bassline", "Needle To The Groove", "Ladies"
Music Madness
Released: 1986
Chart positions: #27 Top R& B/Hip-Hop Albums
RIAA certification :
Singles: "Who Is It? ", "Scream", "We Control The Dice"
In Full Effect
Released: 1988
Chart positions: #18 Top R& B/Hip-Hop Albums
RIAA certification :
Singles: "Simple Simon", "Join Me Please...", "Do You Like...Mantronik? "
This Should Move Ya
Released: 1990
Chart positions: #61 Top R& B/Hip-Hop Albums
RIAA certification : Gold
Singles: " Got to Have Your Love|Got To Have Your Love ", "Take Your Time (featuring Wondress Hutchinson|Wondress )"
The Incredible Sound Machine
Released: 1991
Chart positions:
RIAA certification :
Singles: "Don't Go Messin' With My Heart", "Step To Me"
Compilation albums
Album information
The Best of Mantronix (1986-1988)
Released: 1990 in music|1990
Chart positions:
RIAA certification :
Singles:
The Best of Mantronix 1985-1999
Released: March 15, 1999
Chart positions:
RIAA certification :
Singles: "Needle To The Groove", "Bassline", "King Of The Beats", "Push Yer Hands Up"
Mantronix Category:Electronic music groups from New York Category:American hip hop groups Category:Electronic music duos Category:Musical groups established in 1984 Category:Musicians from New York City Category:American electro musicians Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1991 Category:Capitol Records artists
