Naughty by Nature facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Naughty by Nature
Naughty by Nature members Treach (left) and Vin Rock (right) in 2009
Background information
Also known as	The New Style
Origin	East Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop, East Coast hip hop
Years active	1986–2002 2006–present
Labels	MCA, TVT, Tommy Boy/Warner Bros., Arista/BMG
Associated acts	Queen Latifah, 2Pac, Apache, Road Dawgs, Rottin Razkals, Eazy-E, Zhane, Burna Boy
Members	Treach Vin Rock DJ Kay Gee

Naughty by Nature is a famous American hip hop group from East Orange, New Jersey. The group has three members: Treach (whose real name is Anthony Criss), Vin Rock (Vincent Brown), and DJ Kay Gee (Keir Lamont Gist). They are known for their energetic songs and catchy beats.

History

Early Days (1980s)

The group started in 1986 in East Orange, New Jersey. Back then, they were called The New Style. Their first album, Independent Leaders, came out in 1989. It included a small hit song called "Scuffin' Those Knees".

After their first album, another famous artist from New Jersey, Queen Latifah, helped them. They then decided to change their name to Naughty by Nature.

Rising to Fame (1990s)

Naughty by Nature's first big hit was "O.P.P." in 1991. This song used a sample from the Jackson 5's hit "ABC". It was part of their album called Naughty by Nature.

"O.P.P." became very popular, reaching #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart. The Source magazine later called it one of the top 100 rap singles ever. Spin magazine ranked it as the 20th best single of the 1990s.

Their album also had another hit song, "Everything's Gonna Be All Right". This song was a new version of Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry". It told the story of Treach growing up in a tough neighborhood and then finding success. Because of these two popular songs, their album Naughty by Nature sold over a million copies, earning a platinum certification.

In 1992, Naughty by Nature had another hit with "Uptown Anthem". This song was featured in the movie Juice. Treach also had a small acting role in this film. He became friends with Tupac Shakur on the movie set. Later, in 1993, Naughty by Nature appeared in the movie The Meteor Man.

The group released more successful albums, 19 Naughty III and Poverty's Paradise. Both albums reached the #1 spot on the R&B/Hip-Hop music charts. "Hip Hop Hooray" was a big hit from 19 Naughty III. The music video for this song was directed by famous filmmaker Spike Lee. It featured other well-known artists like Queen Latifah and Run-D.M.C..

In 1996, Poverty's Paradise won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. It was the first album ever to win this award. The album also included the hit song "Feel Me Flow", which reached #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Naughty by Nature also created their own music company called Illtown Records. In 1995, they released an album for a group they supported, the Rottin Razkals. In 1999, Naughty by Nature released their fifth album, Nineteen Naughty Nine: Nature's Fury. This album was also successful, selling over 500,000 copies. It featured the popular song "Jamboree", which reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Changes and Comebacks (2000s-2012)

Around the year 2000, DJ Kay Gee decided to leave Naughty by Nature for a while. He wanted to focus on his own record label, Divine Mill. In 2001, the group released a song called "Here Comes The Money". This song has often been used as the entrance music for Shane McMahon in WWE wrestling.

Treach and Vin Rock continued as a duo and released the album IIcons in 2002. Since Kay Gee was not there, they worked with different music producers. The album did not become as popular as their earlier works. The group then took a break.

In May 2006, DJ Kay Gee joined Treach and Vin Rock again for a concert. This was a happy reunion for the group. In April 2010, they released a new song called "Get to Know Me Better", which featured rapper Pitbull. They also released their first mixtape, Naughty by Nature: Tha Mixtape, that year.

In 2011, the three members worked on their seventh album, Anthem Inc.. It was released on December 13, 2011. This album included both new songs and updated versions of their classic hits.

On June 11, 2011, Naughty by Nature made history. They became the first hip-hop group to perform at Fenway Park, a famous baseball stadium. They performed "Hip Hop Hooray" during a concert by the boyband NKOTBSB.

Reunion and Beyond (2013-Present)

Naughty by Nature performing in 2016. Vin Rock in foreground.

In 2013, there were some disagreements within the group, and Vin Rock temporarily stepped away. Treach explained that they had different ideas about the group's energy.

By April 2015, Treach shared that he and Vin Rock had worked through their differences. He said their relationship was now focused on their music and performances. Even though they had some challenges, they were still a team, working together to create great music.

In January 2016, Naughty by Nature celebrated their 25th anniversary. To mark this special occasion, they shared the music video for their song "God is Us" from the Anthem Inc. album on YouTube.

On May 2, 2019, Naughty by Nature joined the Mixtape Tour. This tour featured many popular artists, including Salt-N-Pepa, Debbie Gibson, and Tiffany. New Kids on the Block were the main performers on this tour.

Discography

Studio albums

• Independent Leaders (1989)
• Naughty by Nature (1991)
• 19 Naughty III (1993)
• Poverty's Paradise (1995)
• Nineteen Naughty Nine: Nature's Fury (1999)
• IIcons (2002)
• Anthem Inc. (2011)

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

American Music Awards

MTV Video Music Awards

See also

In Spanish: Naughty by Nature para niños