On Saturday, August 24th, multi-platinum recording group, Dru Hill, was the "life of the party" at New York City's B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in front of a SOLD OUT crowd. IT WAS ONE NIGHT ONLY! Jazz, Sisqo, Nokio, and new member Tao's performance on stage was riveting and entertaining. It was a concert you didn't want to miss — a great way to end a summer concert series in August!
Nearly two decades ago, four guys from Baltimore, Maryland rose to stardom when they released their debut single, "Tell Me," at the age of 17. And from that point on, the group released seven Top 40 hits and three number one singles including, "Somebody Sleeping in My Bed," "Never Make a Promise," and "How Deep Is Your Love?"
Music lovers were captivated by their voices and distinctive personalities. Even though band members ventured off and completed their own solo projects, there are pieces to the puzzle that keeps them going: the music and each other. Despite hardships and stumbling blocks, the group members understand the true purpose of recording great music for their fans.
The guys spoke with Singersroom after their B.B. King Sow about their progression as artists, separating themselves from other groups, and more check it out!
Reuniting and Performing as a Group
Sisqo: We never stopped
Nokio: We've been on the road for the past five years. Just grindin' it out. It is a great thing to still be able to perform and have sold out crowds and have people still singing your songs years later. It's a blessing.
Dru Hill Versus Other R&B Male Groups
Nokio: Because we can sing. It's like they have the guy with the blonde hair, they have a dude that can't keep his eyebrow down. Lol. But nah like for real, we worked so hard before we got the deal that made us put out an album. And by the time it came out, it was time for us to go. Like we were ready. Most groups, they get together, they start learning each other; we've already done that. We just needed an opportunity.
The Meaning Behind The Band Members' Stage Names
Jazz: Mine is simple! When I came in the group, I studied so many styles of music from gospel, jazz, quartet, you name it, I studied it. So Sisqo said, I'm trying to tell you, your name should be Jazz or some s***. (Lol) I'm like what you mean, Jazz because it blends with everything. And I was like ight, okay. I thought about it for a minute and it just stuck with me.
Nokio: Nokio is an acronym. The N is for nasty O and the K is On Key because you know, sometimes I have to sing baritone. And then I & O is In Octave. But the N is the most important letter.
Sisqo: Mine is pretty much random. It was in a fortune cookie (lol).
Tao: Mine is actually from a friend in the Dru Hill family which meant "the path," "the way," because I've been through so much to be here. So it was a cool name and I accepted it from that point on.
The Group's Hiatus
Nokio: Well if you look at life as being something that is already written and everything is already going to happen, then all you have to do is live it out. Then everything that has happened up until this point was meant to happen. We can be the people that we are today. It could happen another way but, yeah, we took too much time off but that's what needed to happen in order for us to grow. And, you know what I mean, we got families, kids, and stuff so that's apart of it too.
The Expectation
Nokio: The unexpected.
Jazz: Everything is under that.
Sisqo: We surprise ourselves, no lie. We'll sing on stage and sometimes the harmony just be ringing so much that I be wondering if that was the record that had the background vocals. So me and Jazz would start doing something extra.
Upcoming Projects
Nokio and Sisqo: Of course a new Dru Hill album, as well as our respective solo projects.
Are you a fan of 90s R&B? If so, you’re probably familiar with Dru Hill. The group, consisting of Sisqo, Nokio, Jazz, and Woody, made waves in the late 90s with hits like ‘Tell Me,”In My Bed,’and ‘How Deep Is Your Love.’
But what have they been up to lately? In this article, we’ll delve into their journey as a group and their individual pursuits.
First off, let’s talk about their origins. Dru Hill got their start in Baltimore in the early 90s. They were discovered by music mogul Andre Harrell and signed to his label Uptown Records.
Their self-titled debut album was released in 1996 and went platinum thanks to its catchy hooks and smooth harmonies. From there, they continued to release successful albums throughout the late 90s and early 2000s before taking a hiatus in 2005.
So what led them to take a break from performing together? We’ll explore that later on as well as their plans for future projects.
Dru Hill’s Journey as a Group
We’ve had our ups and downs, but being a part of Dru Hill has been the ride of our lives. From the early days of performing in local talent shows to signing with a major record label, we’ve grown together as a group and as individuals. It hasn’t always been easy, but we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished.
One of the biggest challenges we faced was when one member left the group in 1999. It was a difficult period for us, but we eventually found a replacement and continued making music together.
We’ve also had to navigate changes in the music industry over the years, including shifts in popular genres and new ways for fans to consume music.
Despite these challenges, performing as Dru Hill remains one of our greatest joys. We love connecting with fans through our music and live performances. And while we may not know exactly what the future holds for us as a group, we’re excited to continue creating new projects and sharing our passion for music with others.
Individual Pursuits and Future Plans
You might be interested to know what each member of the group has planned for their individual pursuits and future endeavors.
Sisqo, the lead singer, has been working on his solo career since the early 2000s. He’s released two albums, ‘Unleash the Dragon’ and ‘Return of Dragon,’ both of which achieved commercial success. He’s also competed in reality shows such as ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ and ‘Celebrity Wife Swap.’ Recently, he reunited with Dru Hill for a new album and tour.
Nokio, one of the group’s founding members, has also been busy with his own projects. He’s a producer and songwriter who co-wrote songs for other artists such as Pink, Jennifer Lopez, and Britney Spears. He also worked on Dru Hill’s latest album as a producer and songwriter. In addition to music production, Nokio is also an actor who appeared in films like ‘Soul Men’ and TV shows like ‘The Wire.’
Jazz and Tao have been relatively quiet when it comes to solo projects but still participate in Dru Hill performances and tours. Jazz occasionally releases music on his Soundcloud account while Tao focuses on his clothing line called Boogie Nights Vintage.
The group collectively expressed their desire to continue making music together despite taking long hiatuses between albums in the past. They hope to release more music soon while still pursuing their individual passions outside of Dru Hill.
Conclusion
So there you have it, a closer look at one of the most iconic R&B groups of the 90s and early 2000s – Dru Hill.
Despite their hiatus and individual pursuits, the group remains intact and dedicated to creating music together. They’ve faced challenges along the way, but their passion for music has kept them going.
As they continue to work on new projects and tour around the world, fans can expect nothing less than pure talent and undeniable chemistry from this legendary group.
So if you’re an R&B lover or simply appreciate good music, be sure to keep an eye out for Dru Hill’s next big move – it’s bound to be something special.
