LEN

Len originated as an alternative outfit in Toronto back in 1991, founded by Marc "The Burger Pimp" Costanzo alongside his sibling Sharon, stemming initially from Marc's home-recorded demos and Sharon's vocal contributions. An increasing affinity for hip-hop began influencing their sound progressively across one EP and a pair of self-released full-length records spanning 1992 through 1996, among them the 1996 effort Get Your Legs Broke. Over time, the lineup expanded with the addition of D Rock, DJ Moves, and Planet Pea. The widespread airing of their upbeat, relaxed pop track "Steal My Sunshine" featured on the 1999 movie Go's soundtrack paved the way for the band's first major-label release, You Can't Stop the Bum Rush, issued later in the same year. Although "Steal My Sunshine" achieved Top Ten status, it proved challenging to replicate that success even with the subsequent singles "Feelin' Alright" and "Kids in America" put out in 1999 and 2000. After inking a deal with Dreamworks and completing another album, the label's collapse meant that the bulk of those recordings surfaced years later in 2005 under the title The Diary of the Madmen. The group dissolved not long afterward, yet Marc and Sharon reunited to produce one more Len project in 2012 titled It's Easy If You Try.