Biography
Emerging from Great Britain as one of its most successful hip-hop acts, Stereo MC's came together in London in 1985. Rapper Rob B., born Rob Birch, and DJ/producer the Head, born Nick Hallam, launched the Gee Street label at that time specifically to promote their own recordings. The label quickly secured a distribution arrangement with New York's 4th & Broadway imprint, after which a string of singles appeared ahead of the group's debut album, 33-45-78, which arrived in 1989.
Once founding member Cesare had left, the lineup settled into Rob B., the Head, drummer Owen If (born Owen Rossiter), and vocalist Cath Coffey. In 1990 this configuration released the single "Elevate My Mind," the first British rap track to appear on the U.S. pop charts. After issuing the album Supernatural, Stereo MC's joined tours alongside the Happy Mondays and EMF, then returned to the studio for the 1992 breakthrough Connected, an entirely sample-free set built on live instrumentation that yielded the major singles "Step It Up," "Creation," "Ground Level," and the title track. Despite extensive production and remix activity over the ensuing years, the long-awaited and frequently postponed follow-up stayed on the shelf, though Coffey did release her first solo single, "Wild World," in 1997. Stereo MC's contributed three original pieces, "Rhino, Pts. 1-3," to their 2000 mix album DJ Kicks and, after a nine-year absence from new material, finally delivered the album Deep Down & Dirty in 2001.
Once founding member Cesare had left, the lineup settled into Rob B., the Head, drummer Owen If (born Owen Rossiter), and vocalist Cath Coffey. In 1990 this configuration released the single "Elevate My Mind," the first British rap track to appear on the U.S. pop charts. After issuing the album Supernatural, Stereo MC's joined tours alongside the Happy Mondays and EMF, then returned to the studio for the 1992 breakthrough Connected, an entirely sample-free set built on live instrumentation that yielded the major singles "Step It Up," "Creation," "Ground Level," and the title track. Despite extensive production and remix activity over the ensuing years, the long-awaited and frequently postponed follow-up stayed on the shelf, though Coffey did release her first solo single, "Wild World," in 1997. Stereo MC's contributed three original pieces, "Rhino, Pts. 1-3," to their 2000 mix album DJ Kicks and, after a nine-year absence from new material, finally delivered the album Deep Down & Dirty in 2001.
Albums
Singles
Live
