Positive K facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Positive K
Positive K in 2018
Background information
Birth name	Darryl Gibson
Also known as	Pos K
Born	(1967-08-09) August 9, 1967 (age 57)
Origin	The Bronx, New York, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper songwriter
Years active	1985–present
Labels	First Priority Music Atlantic Records Elektra Records Island PolyGram Records Capitol Records Creative Control PosK Records Mic Check Records
Associated acts	MC Lyte Big Daddy Kane Brand Nubian Audio Two Greg Nice

Positive K (also known as +K), born Darryl Gibson on August 9, 1967, is an American rapper and songwriter from The Bronx, New York City. He is famous for his hit songs "I'm Not Havin' It" (which he sang with MC Lyte) and his big 1992 hit "I Got a Man". He was one of the first artists to join the First Priority Music record label.

Early Life and Becoming a Rapper

Darryl Gibson was born in 1967 and grew up in the Bronx, New York. He spent a lot of his childhood near Richman (Echo) Park. This was a special place because early hip hop DJs like Grandmaster Flash, DJ Sinbad, and Busy Bee would often throw fun block parties there.

One day, when he was a kid, the rap group The Fearless Four were performing in his neighborhood. They invited him to say a rhyme on their microphone, and that moment really inspired him to become a rapper. Darryl's first music group was a short-lived family rap group called Disco Cousins, where he rapped under the name Baby Breeze.

Later, Darryl joined a rap group from Queens called Almighty God Committee. He used the name Positive Knowledge Allah. However, during a TV rap contest, their DJ played the wrong song, and the rest of the group left the stage. Darryl decided to keep going as a solo artist, shortening his name to Positive K.

Positive K's Music Career

Positive K's first solo song was "Getting Paid." This song helped him get noticed when it was featured on a 1986 album called Fast Money. This album also included early songs from other famous hip hop artists.

In 1987, Positive K signed with First Priority Music. With help from Grand Puba of Brand Nubian and Daddy-O of Stetsasonic, he released several songs that appeared on underground hip hop albums. His 1989 song "I'm Not Havin' It," which he sang with MC Lyte, was his first song to appear on a Billboard music chart. This helped him become even more well-known in the hip hop world. Positive K later left First Priority Music because he felt some artists were getting special treatment.

After leaving First Priority Music, Positive K started working closely with Big Daddy Kane. Big Daddy Kane would often invite Positive K to freestyle (rap without planning) on stage with other famous rappers like Jay-Z. Positive K also appeared as a guest on albums by Brand Nubian and Grand Puba. His own song "Nightshift," which Big Daddy Kane produced, created enough excitement for him to sign a deal with a major record label.

The Skills Dat Pay Da Bills Album

In 1992, Positive K released his first full album, called The Skills Dat Pay Da Bills, with Island Records. The album mixed different styles of rap music. The most successful song from the album was "I Got a Man." This song was inspired by his earlier duet with MC Lyte, "I'm Not Havin' It." But this time, Positive K used a special trick: he changed the sound of his own voice to sing the female parts of the song himself! "I Got A Man" became a huge hit, reaching number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1993. At the same time, he also ran his own record label, Creative Control, where he helped new artists.

Later in 1993, Positive K was featured in a remix song for the movie The Beavis and Butt-head Experience. He also made a brief appearance in the Robert De Niro film A Bronx Tale.

After touring a lot to promote The Skills Dat Pay Da Bills, Positive K started focusing on other things. He worked on a promotion company, helping with record promotions for other labels like Def Jam Recordings. He also booked artists in his studio in Harlem. During this time, he worked with famous groups like Outkast and artists like Puff Daddy. Eventually, he took a short break from the music business.

Recent Music and Collaborations

In late 1996, Positive K announced he was working on a new album called Straight to the Moon. He planned for it to be released on his own label, Creative Control, and Island Records. The album was supposed to feature famous singers like Al Green. A song called "Black Cinderella" was released, but the full album never came out.

Positive K has continued to release music over the past 20 years. In 2007, he appeared on Nas' song "Where Are They Now ('90s Remix)." In 2008, a collection of his songs called Back to the Old School was released.

In 2015, Positive K teamed up with Greg Nice on his song "Make It Happen." This led to them working together on a full album in 2017, called Gr8te Mindz. They call themselves PK Dolla and N.I., and together they are Gr8te Mindz.

Positive K has mentioned that his next solo album might be called Pos K in the Extreme, but it has not been released yet.

Positive K's Albums and Songs

Positive K has released several albums and many songs throughout his career.

Albums

Singles (Popular Songs)