Luniz

Formed in Oakland, the rap duo Luniz began life under the name Luni Tunz and paired Yukmouth, born Jerold Ellis III, with Numskull, born Garrick Husbands—two friends who had known each other since junior high. After six years together the pair first reached wider attention by appearing on Dru Down’s Explicit Game album. Released in 1995, their debut full-length Operation Stackola displaced Michael Jackson’s HIStory from the top of the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, driven by the platinum-certified Club Nouveau-sampling single “I Got 5 on It,” which carried guest vocals from Michael Marshall of Timex Social Club. The project’s lyrics offered fresh comic perspectives on sex, drugs, and everyday situations. Later efforts Lunitik Muzik (1997) and Silver & Black (2002) achieved far less, and the duo ultimately disbanded.