Nice & Smooth
Based in New York City, Gregg Nice (b. Greg Mays) and Smooth Bee (b. Daryl Barnes) emerged in the late '80s with an album for independent concern Fresh Records, a matter of weeks before the label closed its doors. Their self-titled album did emerge, however, as did the two singles it yielded, More & More Hits and Funky For You. They switched to Def Jam for an album and hit single, Sometimes I Rhyme Slow, which made US number 44. Album tracks like Hip Hop Junkies suggested they were authentic converts to the history of the movement, and indeed they spanned several of its styles and lyrical concerns. For their second collection they enlisted the help of some of rap and dance music's biggest heavyweights: Bobby Brown (Return Of The Hip Hop Freaks), Slick Rick (Let's All Get Down), Everlast (Save The Children) and Jo Jo Hailey of Jodeci (Cheri). The duo had been trying to arrange a collaboration with Brown for some time, Barnes having previously written lyrics for his KING OF STAGE album, singing back-up vocals on tours by the latter and New Edition. Despite the supporting cast it was a set that maintained Nice And Smooth's traditions of deep funk and lyrical pyrotechnics.