H-Town is an American R&B vocal group from Houston, Texas, United States. H-Town was founded in 1990 by twin brothers Keven "Dino" Conner ( 1974 – 2003), Solomon “Shazam" Conner and their friend Darryl "G.I." Jackson. H-Town recorded six hits during the early to mid–1990s.
History
Formation
The group grew up together in Houston's
Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park is an American national park located in the western United States, largely in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into Montana and Idaho. It was established by the 42nd U.S. Congress with the Yellow ...
neighborhood located on the south side of the city. While attending
Jack Yates High School
Jack Yates Senior High School is a public high school located at 3650 Alabama Street, very near Texas Southern University, in the historic Third Ward in Houston, Texas, United States. Yates High School handles grades nine through twelve and is par ...
, in 1991, Keven and Solomon Conner formed a band with Darryl Jackson. They were known as "The Gents" and recorded their first album, ''It's No Dream'', with producer Phil Blackmon. Shazam was chosen as lead singer at the time of recording this album, which featured the ballad "A Time for Us". The album was released locally and was not a huge commercial success. The group continued recording and performed at talent shows and plays when a local producer sent their
demo tape
A demo (shortened from "demonstration") is a song or group of songs typically recorded for limited circulation or for reference use, rather than for general public release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas in a fixed for ...
to
2 Live Crew
2 Live Crew is an American hip hop music, hip hop group from Miami, Florida, which had its greatest commercial success from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. The group's most well-known line up was composed of Luther Campbell, Luke Campbell, Fr ...
rapper and record label executive Luther "Luke" Campbell. After an impromptu audition, Campbell signed the group to his label,
Knockin' Da Boots
"Knockin' da Boots" is the debut single by R&B group H-Town, taken from their debut album '' Fever for da Flavor''. The song became one of the biggest R&B singles of 1993 according to the ''Billboard'' charts, where it peaked at number three for ...
", which became H-Town's biggest hit and also their signature song. "Boots" was a #1 hit on the
R&B charts
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
, and peaked at #3 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. "Lick U Up", the band's follow-up single, peaked at #21. They signed on as a part of the 1993
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlanta ...
Summer Fest tour, which included fellow R&B hit groups
Shai
Shai (also spelt Sai, occasionally Shay, and in Greek, Psais) was the deification of the concept of fate in Egyptian mythology. As a concept, with no particular reason for associating one gender over another, Shai was sometimes considered femal ...
,
SWV
SWV (Sisters with Voices) is an American R&B vocal trio from New York City whose members are Cheryl (Coko) Gamble, Tamara (Taj) Johnson, and Leanne (Lelee) Lyons. Formed in 1988 as a gospel group, SWV became one of the most successful R&B g ...
,
Jade
Jade is a mineral used as jewellery or for ornaments. It is typically green, although may be yellow or white. Jade can refer to either of two different silicate minerals: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in the amphibole group of ...
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the coc ...
and also included
multi-platinum
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
rap artist
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, along ...
. In 1994, H-Town won the
Soul Train Music Award
The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual music awards show which previously aired in national broadcast syndication, and honors the best in African-American culture, music and entertainment. It is produced by the makers of ''Soul Train'', the pro ...
for Best New Artist. They also appeared on the ''
Above the Rim
''Above the Rim'' is a 1994 American sports drama film co-written and directed by Jeff Pollack in his directorial debut. The screenplay was written by Barry Michael Cooper, adapted from a story by Benny Medina.
The film stars Duane Martin, Tu ...
'' soundtrack with their single "Part Time Lover", which was produced by DeVante Swing of
Jodeci
Jodeci ( ) is an American Contemporary R&B, R&B quartet consisting of members DeVanté Swing, Dalvin DeGrate, Mr. Dalvin, K-Ci (singer), K-Ci, and K-Ci and JoJo, JoJo. Formed in 1989 in Charlotte, North Carolina, Jodeci's members began their mu ...
. It peaked at #9 on the R&B Charts''.''
''Beggin' After Dark'' (1994), ''Ladies Edition, Woman's World'' (1997)
In late 1993, H-Town returned to the studio to record their second album '' Beggin' After Dark ''. It was released on November 8, 1994. The most popular single from this album was "Emotions". It became a #11 hit on the Billboard R&B chart and reached #51 on the Hot 100. Other tracks from the album included "Back Seat (Wit No Sheets)", "Full Time", "One Night Gigolo", "Tumble & Rumble", "Buss One", featuring
reggae
Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...
singer
Papa Reu
Reuben Nero, better known by his stage name Papa Reu, is a Trinidad and Tobago-born rapper, singer, producer, and songwriter from Houston, Texas., United States. He is also a former member of hip-hop record label Cash Money Records. He has e ...
, and "Baby I Love Ya" featuring
Roger Troutman
Roger Troutman (November 29, 1951 – April 25, 1999), also known as Roger, was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist and the founder of the band Zapp who helped spearhead the funk movement and heavily influenc ...
. By the time H-Town returned to the studio to record '' Ladies Edition'', they had undergone some changes. They recorded a
cover version
In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
A Thin Line Between Love and Hate
''A Thin Line Between Love and Hate'' is a 1996 American comedy thriller film. It tells the story of Darnell Wright (Martin Lawrence), a ladies' man who finds himself stalked by one of his obsessed lovers: Brandi (Lynn Whitfield), an attractive ...
" featuring
Shirley Murdock
Shirley Murdock (born May 22, 1957) is an American R&B singer-songwriter, who is best known for her 1986 R&B hit single "As We Lay" and for her vocals on Zapp and Roger's hit single " Computer Love". Her lead vocal special guest appearance w ...
Top 40
In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or " con ...
pop hit in three years, peaking at #37. They then cut ties with Luther Campbell, underwent a spiritual awakening of sorts, and became more aware of women's issues on their third album '' Ladies Edition, Woman's World''. It was released on October 28, 1997. The album's general theme centers on a man's penitence for his past transgressions with his woman, a theme conveyed in songs such as "Don't Sleep on the Female", "Julie Rain" (an account of
spousal abuse
Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for ''intimate partner ...
), and "Jezebel". According to the liner notes, the album was dedicated to
Nicole Brown Simpson
Nicole Brown Simpson (née Brown; May 19, 1959 – June 12, 1994) was the ex-wife of the former professional American football player, O. J. Simpson, to whom she was married from 1985 to 1992. She was the mother of their two children, Sydney an ...
and "all the women of the world." Twenty national women's telephone helplines were also listed on the back cover. Their one and only single from the album, " They Like It Slow" was released on September 23, 1997, and peaked at #35 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.
Later career
Dino Conner, age 28, was killed along with his girlfriend in an automobile accident on February 28, 2003. In 2004, the band self-released '' Imitations of Life''. The surviving members continued to record and tour into the 2010s, collaborating with
Pretty Ricky
Pretty Ricky is an American R&B/ hip hop group originating from Miami, Florida. The group originally consisted of brothers Diamond Blue (Baby Blue) Smith and Spectacular Smith, plus Corey (Slick 'Em) Mathis and Marcus (Pleasure P) Cooper. Plea ...
and
Jodeci
Jodeci ( ) is an American Contemporary R&B, R&B quartet consisting of members DeVanté Swing, Dalvin DeGrate, Mr. Dalvin, K-Ci (singer), K-Ci, and K-Ci and JoJo, JoJo. Formed in 1989 in Charlotte, North Carolina, Jodeci's members began their mu ...
Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...