Frank n Dank (real names Frank Bush and Derrick Harvey) are an American
hip hop group from
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
,
Michigan
Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...
. They also go by the names Frank Nitt (previously known as Frank Nitty, which is a reference to the 1930s crime boss
Frank Nitti
Frank Ralph Nitto (born Francesco Raffaele Nitto, ; January 27, 1886 – March 19, 1943), known as Frank Nitti, was an Italian-American organized crime figure based in Chicago. The first cousin and bodyguard of Al Capone, Nitti was in charge o ...
) and Dankery Harv, and are best known for their many collaborations with the late
J Dilla
J, or j, is the tenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its usual name in English is ''jay'' (pronounced ), with a now-uncommon vari ...
. Known for their party-driven, tongue-in-cheek raps, the duo first came to public attention as guests on
producer J Dilla
J, or j, is the tenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its usual name in English is ''jay'' (pronounced ), with a now-uncommon vari ...
's album, ''
Welcome 2 Detroit'' in 2001. Prior to this, they had been performing in their hometown, Detroit, since the mid-1990s and had released the
12"s "Everybody Get Up!" and "Me and My Man" between "Love (A Thing of the Past)", both produced by J Dilla.
The group signed a recording deal with
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group.
Pre-history
MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 w ...
, but their 2003 album, ''48 Hours'', was at first rejected by the label, reworked with new production and resubmitted by the group, and finally shelved by the label altogether. Bootlegs of the reworked version eventually surfaced on the underground. The album was entirely produced by J Dilla, who uses very few samples throughout the album, instead choosing to concoct synth-driven beats for the MCs to rhyme over. It is believed that the original version of ''48 Hours'' was more sample based, and that this may have been a factor in it being rejected by MCA, due to sample clearances.
Frank n Dank released their follow-up albums, ''
Xtended Play'' in 2004, and ''
Xtended Play Version 3.13'' in 2006. The album ''Xtended Play Version 3.13'' contained production by J Dilla (who died before its release), and other producers. The song "MCA" details their uphill climb in the music industry.
Frank n Dank's European Vacation CD and DVD released on July 24, 2007
''Frank n Dank & J Dilla's European Vacation'' The DVD included the last performances from J Dilla and Frank n Dank. ''Frank n Dank’s European Vacation'' was released in 2007.
Allmusic
/ref>
Discography
Studio
*''48 Hours''
**Released: August 5, 2003
**Label: Loose Zipper
*'' Xtended Play LP''
**Released: 2004
**Label: Needillworks?
*'' Xtended Play Version 3.13''
**Released: October 27, 2006
**Label: Needillworks?/Chisel Sound
*'' The EP''
**Released: May 3, 2007
**Label: Dopeness Galore
Mixtapes
*''The Chronicles of Frank n Dank''
**Released: 2005
**Label: Needillworks?
Singles
*2000: "Everybody Get Up!" / "Give It Up II"
*2000: "Me and My Man" (feat. Phat Kat) / "Love (A Thing of the Past)"
*2000: "Eve (J Dilla
J, or j, is the tenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its usual name in English is ''jay'' (pronounced ), with a now-uncommon vari ...
Remix)" ( Spacek feat. Frank n Dank)
*2001: " Pause" (J Dilla feat. Frank n Dank)
*2002: "Push" / "Where the Parties at?" / "I'll Bet You Will" (Extended Play)
*2002: "Okay" / "Push" (White Label 12")
*2002: "Take Dem Clothes Off" (feat. J Dilla) / "Off Ya Chest" (feat. J Dilla)
*2003: "Ma Dukes" (feat. Tammy Luccas) / "Pimp Strut"
*2003: "McNasty Filth" (Jaylib
''Champion Sound'' is the only studio album by the duo Jaylib ( hip hop musicians J Dilla and Madlib). Half of the songs are produced by Madlib and feature J Dilla on vocals, and the other half are produced by J Dilla and feature Madlib on vocal ...
feat. Frank n Dank)
*2004: "Nice 2 Meet U" (feat. Brick & Lace
Brick & Lace are a Jamaican-American dancehall/R&B (or reggae fusion) musical duo consisting of sisters Nyanda and Nailah Thorbourne. According to '' Billboard'', their name reflects the tough and the soft sides of femininity.
Brick & Lace ...
)
*2004: "I Need That"
*2004: "Sexy" (feat. DJ Dopey)
*2006: "What Up" (prod. Lancecape)
*2006: "The Hustle"
*2006: "Nice 2 Meet U ('06 Version)" (feat. Brick & Lace)
*2006: "MCA" (feat. Reign)
*2006: "Smokesum" (Red Baron feat. Frank n Dank)
*2007: "Clap Hands" (feat. Kid Sublime)
*2007: "Puff Puff Pass"
*2011: "Freaks"
Other albums
*'' The F.D.R. Project'' (with Young RJ)
**Released: July 24, 2007
**Label: Needillworks?
*''The Concert Hall EP'' (by Frank Nitt)
**Released: April 29, 2008
**Label: Digipop
*''D 2 H'' (by Dankery Harv)
**Released: February 2, 2010
**Label: Interscope Digital Distribution
*''Jewels In My Backpack'' (by Frank Nitt)
**Released: May 25, 2010
**Label: Delicious Vinyl
Delicious Vinyl is an American independent record label founded by Matt Dike and Michael Ross in 1987 and based in Los Angeles, California.
History
Michael Ross was a student at the University of California, Los Angeles when he met Matt Dike, a ...
*'' Madlib Medicine Show #9: Channel 85 Presents Nittyville'' (by Madlib
Otis Jackson Jr. (born October 24, 1973), known professionally as Madlib, is an American DJ, music producer, multi-instrumentalist, and rapper. He is widely known for his collaborations with MF DOOM (as Madvillain), J Dilla (as Jaylib), ...
and Frank Nitt)
**Released: May 17, 2011
**Label: Madlib Invazion
Otis Jackson Jr. (born October 24, 1973), known professionally as Madlib, is an American DJ, music producer, multi-instrumentalist, and rapper. He is widely known for his collaborations with MF DOOM (as Madvillain), J Dilla (as Jaylib), and Fr ...
*''The Smoke Musik EP'' (by Frank Nitt and DJ Rhettmatic
DJ Rhettmatic (born Nazareth Nirza) is a producer, DJ and member and part creator of Southern California's first turntable band, the Beat Junkies. Rhettmatic began his DJ career in 1983, with Double Platinum, a DJ group based out of Cerritos, C ...
)
**Released: May 10, 2013
**Label: Free album
*'' Sunset Blvd.'' (by Illa J
John Derek Yancey (born October 13, 1986), better known by his stage name Illa J, is an American rapper, singer, producer and songwriter. from Detroit, Michigan who has released two albums on Delicious Vinyl Records. He is the younger brother ...
and Frank Nitt as Yancey Boys)
**Released: October 29, 2013
**Label: Delicious Vinyl
Delicious Vinyl is an American independent record label founded by Matt Dike and Michael Ross in 1987 and based in Los Angeles, California.
History
Michael Ross was a student at the University of California, Los Angeles when he met Matt Dike, a ...
*'' Organic.'' (by Dankery Harv )
**Released: May 22, 2020
**Label: OnTheRunRecords
*'' A NEW DAY'' (by Dankery Harv )
**Released: July 4, 2020
**Label: OnTheRunRecords
*'' 100% PURE'' (by Dankery Harv and '" NOCASINO"' )
**Released: August 20th, 2020
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Frank N Dank
American hip hop groups
American musical duos
Detroit hip hop groups
Hip hop duos
J Dilla
Midwest hip hop groups
1999 establishments in Michigan