Formed in Toronto during 1993, the Canadian rock outfit Bass Is Base emerged with a name that plays on words. Chin Injeti handled bass and vocals, Ivana Santilli took keyboards, while Roger Mooking, known to fans as the Mystic, covered percussion and rap duties. Early performances saw them supporting acts such as Barenaked Ladies, Crash Test Dummies, TLC, and Cypress Hill. Despite releasing several singles that included hits along with a pair of albums, the trio eventually slipped from public view.
In 1994 the group put out its initial long-player First Impressions for the Bottom Jiggles together with the single "Funkmobile" via the independent Soul Shack imprint. Critics responded positively to the standalone track which attracted fresh listeners, and the full album fared even stronger by securing a Juno Award in the Best R&B and Soul Recording category. This recognition led to a contract with A&M Records and the 1995 follow-up Memories of the Soulshack Survivors. Urban-oriented cuts on that record featured "Diamond Dreams," "Gloating," "Westside Funk," "My Roots," and "Why." The release yielded the band's debut Top 20 single "I Cry" the following year.
