Biography
Fearless Four, a six-member old-school hip-hop and electro crew, became the first rap act inked to a major label when Elektra signed them, following the solo precedent set by Kurtis Blow. The group originated as the duo Houserockers Crew, launched by MC Devastating Tito (born Tito Jones) and DJ Master OC (born Oscar Rodriguez Jr.). Membership expanded over time with the additions of Mike Ski, Troy B (ex-Disco Four), and Great Peso (born Mitchell Grant), though only Peso remained long-term. Troy B soon gave way to DLB (born Daryl Barksdale), after which Mighty Mike C (born Michael Kevin Clee) and a second DJ, Krazy Eddie (born Eddie Thompson), rounded out the final lineup.
Their first single appeared on Enjoy in 1981; “Rockin’ It” emerged as a cult electro staple through its Afrika Bambaataa-influenced use of Kraftwerk’s “The Man Machine” and its inclusion on the Poltergeist soundtrack. The next release, the Cat Stevens-sampling “It’s Magic,” secured the Elektra contract, and the group’s label debut “Just Rock” incorporated a sample of Gary Numan’s “Cars.” Kurtis Blow produced their 1983 follow-up “Problems of the World Today,” which ranked as their second-biggest success by extending the socially conscious approach first heard on Grandmaster Flash’s “The Message.” Additional tracks such as “Dedication” appeared, yet by the mid-1980s their sound had grown outdated and the group receded from view. Master OC and Krazy Eddie issued a handful of joint singles between 1984 and 1985, among them “Masters of the Scratch.”
Their first single appeared on Enjoy in 1981; “Rockin’ It” emerged as a cult electro staple through its Afrika Bambaataa-influenced use of Kraftwerk’s “The Man Machine” and its inclusion on the Poltergeist soundtrack. The next release, the Cat Stevens-sampling “It’s Magic,” secured the Elektra contract, and the group’s label debut “Just Rock” incorporated a sample of Gary Numan’s “Cars.” Kurtis Blow produced their 1983 follow-up “Problems of the World Today,” which ranked as their second-biggest success by extending the socially conscious approach first heard on Grandmaster Flash’s “The Message.” Additional tracks such as “Dedication” appeared, yet by the mid-1980s their sound had grown outdated and the group receded from view. Master OC and Krazy Eddie issued a handful of joint singles between 1984 and 1985, among them “Masters of the Scratch.”
Albums