Brand Nubian
In 1988, Grand Puba stood in a recording studio at Jazzy Jay Studios. He needed to find new members after his group Masters of Ceremony dissolved. Sadat X and Lord Jamar joined him along with DJ Alamo. They had no name for the band and no recorded demos to show anyone. Dante Ross worked as an A&R executive at Elektra Records when he met them. Ross liked their talent but told them they needed a song and a name before signing a deal. The group wrote their first demo called I Ain't Goin Out Like That while sitting in that studio. Lord Jamar read one of Dwight York's books during a session. He found the word Nubian inside that text. It was meant to be a new term for African American people. They added Brand to make it sound like Brand New. The final decision happened at a mall in New Rochelle.
Brand Nubian released One For All in 1990 under Elektra Records. Critics praised the album as one of the most popular alternative hip hop records of the decade. The record sold more than 400,000 copies despite its controversial content. Tracks like Drop the Bomb carried militant Five-Percenter rhetoric that drew fire from some listeners. MTV banned a version of the music video for Wake Up because it showed a black man in white-face makeup. The network replaced that image with a Baptist preacher on all official broadcasts. Three singles including Slow Down and All for One reached Billboard Hot Rap Tracks charts in 1991. The controversy surrounding these lyrics actually helped drive sales figures higher than expected.
Grand Puba quarreled with Sadat X and Lord Jamar shortly after their debut release. He left the group along with DJ Alamo to pursue a solo career in 1992. Lord Jamar and Sadat X asked DJ Sincere to join them later that same year. Grand Puba released his own debut album Reel to Reel while the remaining members continued working. Brand Nubian broke up completely at the end of 1995 when members started individual careers. Sadat X released Wild Cowboys in 1996 as his first solo effort. The group had been active since forming in 1989 but could not sustain the lineup through internal conflicts.
Original members reunited in 1997 to contribute A Child is Born to a soundtrack. They released Foundation in 1998 under Arista/BMG Records featuring producers like DJ Premier and Buckwild. Don't Let It Go to Your Head became their highest-charting single at number 54 on the Hot 100. Grand Puba and Sadat X appeared on Handsome Boy Modeling School records in 1999 before releasing Rockin It in 2000. Brand Nubian reunited once more in 2004 for Fire in the Hole released by Babygrande Records. Lord Jamar pursued acting roles during these periods appearing on Oz and Law & Order episodes. The group released Time's Runnin Out in 2007 containing material recorded ten years earlier during Foundation sessions.
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Common questions
When did Brand Nubian form and who were the original members?
Brand Nubian formed in 1988 with Grand Puba, Sadat X, Lord Jamar, and DJ Alamo. The group officially began operations after meeting at Jazzy Jay Studios following the dissolution of Masters of Ceremony.
What inspired the name Brand Nubian for the hip hop group?
Lord Jamar discovered the word Nubian while reading a book by Dwight York during a studio session. He combined this term with Brand to create a new identity for African American people that sounded like Brand New.
How many copies did the album One For All sell for Brand Nubian?
One For All sold more than 400,000 copies despite its controversial content. Critics praised the record as one of the most popular alternative hip hop records of the decade.
Why was the music video for Wake Up banned by MTV?
MTV banned a version of the music video because it showed a black man in white-face makeup. The network replaced that image with a Baptist preacher on all official broadcasts.
When did Brand Nubian break up completely and what happened next?
Brand Nubian broke up completely at the end of 1995 when members started individual careers. Sadat X released Wild Cowboys in 1996 as his first solo effort after the split.