Kwame
Real Name: Kwamé Holland, (born:
June 6, 1970
)
Was an American emcee who enjoyed brief popularity in the late-1980s and early-1990s.
Where are they now?
He holds music workshops for children and has worked with various youth organizations including the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation.
He is currently a music producer sometimes credited as K-1 Million or K1 Mil.
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Birth name: Kwamé Holland
Born: June 6, 1970
Height: 5ft 8in
Stage Name(s):
Origin: East Elmhurst, Queens, New York
Career years: 1989–1994, 2002–present
Biography
As a child, Holland was mentored by Stevie Wonder, Lionel Hampton, and Abdullah Ibrahim, who were family friends
He was sixteen when he released his debut album Kwamé the Boy Genius Featuring A New Beginning in 1989, which was produced by Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor. A New Beginning was his backing band and Kwamé was one of the rare emcees at the time to use a live band. The album spawned the singles "The Man We All Know and Love" and "The Rhythm." The accompanying music videos featured a polka-dot motif in the costumes and production design. This was to become Kwamé's trademark and started a hip hop fashion trend as fans began wearing polka-dotted clothing. In 1990, his second album A Day in the Life: A Pokadelick Adventure was released. It was a concept album about a day in the life of a high school student. The album spawned the hit singles "Oneovdabigboiz" and "Ownlee Eue." Holland is a cousin of Vin Diesel, who danced in some of his early music videos.
In 1992, he released his third album Nastee. Now 18, Kwamé tried an image change by discarding the polka-dots and writing more sexually charged lyrics in contrast to his previously playful, intellectual persona. The title track was a minor hit but the album quickly fell from the charts. His fourth album, 1994's Incognito failed to chart and Kwamé was dropped from his record label. That same year, Kwamé became a punch line in The Notorious B.I.G.'s popular song "Unbelievable":
Reference/Source(s):
Kwamé. (2008, June 22). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 01:58, June 24, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kwam%C3%A9&oldid=220923320
