Ill Al Skratch (also known as Brooklyn/Uptown Connection) is a
hip hop duo consisting of two
rappers
Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
, Big Ill from
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
and Al Skratch from
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan), ...
(Uptown). They are best known for their 1994 single, "
I'll Take Her".
Biography
The duo's first appearance on record was their 1994 single named "Where My Homiez? (Come Around My Way)." This song failed to reach the Billboard Hot 100, but charted on
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks
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 p ...
. Ill Al Skratch soon released a follow-up single named "I'll Take Her." This song featured
R&B musician
Brian McKnight
Brian Kelly McKnight (born June 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, radio host and multi-instrumentalist. He is most recognized for his strong head voice, high belting range and melisma.
McKnight is known for h ...
and reached #62 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100. Soon after releasing their first two singles, they released ''Creep Wit' Me'' to minor critical acclaim. It also managed to reach the
''Billboard'' 200 and spawned a third single, "Chill With That."
Ill Al Skratch collaborated with various artists including
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
,
Gina Thompson
Gina Thompson (born Lugenia Thompson in Vineland, New Jersey, on November 10, 1976) is an American R&B singer. Born to Edward L. Thompson, Sr. and Eugenia Thompson, Gina Thompson began singing at an early age and was signed to her first recordi ...
and
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), known commonly as "Shaq" ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program ''Inside the NBA''. O'Neal is regarded as one of the greates ...
from 1995 to 1996. Their works also appeared on the soundtracks of movies including ''
New Jersey Drive
''New Jersey Drive'' is a 1995 crime drama film written and directed by Nick Gomez and executive produced by Spike Lee. The film is about joyriding teenagers in 1990s Newark, New Jersey, then known as the "car theft capital of the world". The fi ...
'' and ''
Panther
Panther may refer to:
Large cats
*Pantherinae, the cat subfamily that contains the genera ''Panthera'' and ''Neofelis''
**''Panthera'', the cat genus that contains tigers, lions, jaguars and leopards.
***Jaguar (''Panthera onca''), found in Sout ...
''. In 1997, they released ''Keep It Movin, an album that received little commercial success and critical attention. They have not recorded any music since their 1997 album, but their songs have appeared on compilations including 1998's ''Hip Hop with R&B Flava''.
In 2012, Ill Al Skratch began releasing new music as B.U.C. (Brooklyn/Uptown Connection).
Discography
Albums
Singles
References
External links
Ill Al Skratch's DiscographyIll Al Skratch 2007 Interview with AllHipHop.com
{{Authority control
African-American musical groups
American musical duos
Hip hop duos
Hip hop groups from New York City