Kid 'n Play
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| Kid 'n Play | ||
|---|---|---|
 Kid (left) displaying his trademark high top fade, and Play, in a promotional picture from their 1992 film Class Act.
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| Background information | ||
| Origin | New York City, USA | |
| Genre(s) | Hip-hop | |
| Years active | 1988 - 1993 | |
| Label(s) | Select | |
| Former members | ||
| Christopher "Kid" Reid Christopher "Play" Martin |
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Kid 'n Play were a hip-hop and comedy duo from New York City that were most popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The duo is comprised of Christopher "Kid" Reid (born April 5, 1964 in The Bronx, New York City) and Christopher "Play" Martin (born July 10, 1962 in Queens, New York City). Besides their successful musical careers, Kid 'n Play are also notable for branching out into acting.
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[edit] History
[edit] Music career
Kid 'n Play recorded three albums together between 1988 and 1993: 2 Hype (1988), Kid 'N Play's Funhouse (1990), and Face the Nation (1991). Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor, the producer for Salt-n-Pepa who had been a member of the hip-hop group "The Super-Lovers" with Play, served as Kid 'n Play's manager and producer during the early portion of their career. All three albums focused upon positive lyrics backed by pop-friendly instrumental tracks. Among the group's most successful singles were 1989's "Rollin' with Kid 'n Play" (#11 on the Billboard R&B singles chart), 1990s "Funhouse" (#1 on the Billboard rap singles chart), and "Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody" (another #1 rap hit). The group's stage show highlighted their teen-friendly personalities, and dances such as their trademark, the Kick Step. Kid's visual trademark was his hi-top fade haircut, which stood six inches high at its peak. Play regularly wore eight-ball jackets.
During the height of their popularity in early 1991, the duo had a short-lived "beef" with Vanilla Ice. The lyrics "You better hit bulls-eye/the Kid don't Play" from his hit "Ice Ice Baby" was a direct shot at the duo. The group addressed the "dis", on the track "Next Question", from "Face the Nation." The song was also used to respond to comments made by Luther Campbell and criticisms they received after comments from an interview were taken out of context.
[edit] Acting careers
In addition to their music, Kid 'N Play starred together in four successful motion pictures, all of them based around hip-hop characters and themes. The duo also appeared on the soundtrack albums to these films. Three of the Kid 'n Play films were entries in the popular House Party series. The first two House Party films (1990s House Party and 1991's House Party 2 also featured the then-relatively unknown Martin Lawrence and Tisha Campbell, later stars of the TV sitcom Martin. House Party 3 featured hip-hop/R&B girl group TLC as the music group "Sex as a Weapon".
Class Act, produced in 1993, was a comedy in the same vein as the House Party films. For that film, Kid cut his trademark high-top fade (the haircut is used as a plot device in the film).
Kid 'n Play even had their own NBC Saturday morning cartoon, Kid 'n Play, for one season from 1990 to 1991. On the show, Kid 'n Play were regressed to teens, but their recording careers remained intact, as did their comic personas. The real Kid 'n Play appeared in live-action wraparounds of the cartoons, but voice actors (again including Martin Lawrence) took over for the animated versions of the duo. The show stressed positive role models, teaching kids how to get along and stay out of trouble. A 1992 Marvel Comics comic book based on the cartoon lasted nine issues. They also shot some segments for the PBS math show Square One TV.
[edit] After the duo
Kid and Play amicably split during the mid-1990s. Kid continued acting, guest starring in a number of television sitcoms, most notably Sister, Sister, and hosting shows such as It's Showtime at the Apollo and Your Big Break. Play became a born-again Christian, and devoted his time to working on Christian-based hip-hop music projects. Play eventually took his industry experience and founded HP4Digital Works, a multimedia company that provides pre and post production for film, digital and live theater productions.[1] He is also founded Brand Newz, an online syndicated magazine focusing on positive community leaders and events.
Hip-hop/R&B recording artists IMx, who appeared in House Party 3 as Immature, starred in a direct-to-video sequel, House Party 4: Down to the Last Minute, which was produced without Kid or Play.
In "Radio Bart", an episode of The Simpsons, a musical group called Funky See, Funky Do with a song called "I Do Believe We're Naked" is shown; one member appeared with a high-top fade and one without, reminiscent of Kid 'n Play.
In an episode of Comics Unleashed: Hot Chocolate that Christopher "Kid" Reid appeared in, he claimed that a new Kid 'n Play movie was coming out this year or next year.
[edit] Discography
- 1988: 2 Hype
- 1990: Kid 'N Play's Funhouse
- 1991: Face the Nation
[edit] Filmography
- Kid 'N Play (1990-1991, animated cartoon, NBC)
- House Party (1990)
- House Party 2 (1991)
- Class Act (1992)
- House Party 3 (1994)
