Roy C facts for kids

Roy Charles Hammond (born August 3, 1939 – died September 16, 2020), known as Roy C, was an American singer, songwriter, and music executive. He was famous for his 1965 hit song, "Shotgun Wedding." Another one of his songs, "Impeach the President", recorded with a high school group called the Honey Drippers, has one of the most used drum beats in hip hop music.

Roy C's Early Life and Music Career

Roy Hammond was born in Newington, Georgia. He started singing as a tenor with a group called The Genies. They were from Long Beach, Long Island.

First Songs and Military Service

The Genies got a chance to record music. Their first song, "Who's That Knockin'", became a small hit in 1958. It reached number 72 on the Billboard chart. Roy C later became the lead singer for the group. After this, he joined the Air Force.

Roy C's Solo Music Journey

When Roy C returned to New York City in 1965, he recorded his own song, "Shotgun Wedding." He first put it out on his own small music company, called Hammond. Later, a bigger company, Black Hawk Records, released it.

Big Hits and New Record Labels

"Shotgun Wedding" became a big hit. It reached number 14 on the national Billboard R&B chart. The song was even more popular in the United Kingdom. It reached number 6 there in 1966. His first album, That Shotgun Wedding Man, came out in 1966.

Roy C later started another music company called Alaga. He had more success with the song "Got to Get Enough (Of Your Sweet Love Stuff)" in 1971. He then signed with Mercury Records. He had another R&B hit with "Don't Blame the Man." Roy C stayed with Mercury for several years. However, the company did not like his songs that spoke out about important topics. One such song was "Great Great Grandson of a Slave."

The Honey Drippers and "Impeach the President"

In 1973, Roy C found a group of high school students from Jamaica High School in Jamaica, Queens. They were called the Honey Drippers. Roy C decided to record songs with them on his Alaga label.

The Story Behind "Impeach the President"

The most famous song they recorded was "Impeach the President." This song asked for President Richard Nixon to be removed from office. This was because of a big political event called the Watergate scandal. The song was a way to speak up about wanting change.

How "Impeach the President" Influenced Hip Hop

The opening drum beat from "Impeach the President" became very famous. A hip hop producer named Marley Marl used it in his 1985 song "The Bridge." Since then, this drum beat has been used in many, many hip hop songs. This is called "sampling," which means using a small part of an existing song in a new one.

Many famous artists have used or referenced this drum beat. Rapper GZA mentioned it in a Wu-Tang Clan song. Roy C has also been given credit for other songs that used this drum beat. These include "Real Love" by Mary J. Blige. He also got credit for "Otis" by Kanye West and Jay-Z, and "Super Rich Kids" by Frank Ocean.

Roy C's Later Music Career

From 1979, Roy C kept releasing many soul songs and albums. He put them out on his own music company called Three Gems. This company was first in New York and later in Allendale, South Carolina.

Roy C wrote most of the songs for his more than 125 records. He also helped other singers record music. He even ran his own record shop in Allendale. It was called Carolina Record Distributors. In March 1999, he released an album called Stella Lost Her Groove.

Discography

Albums

See also

• List of soul musicians