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 At
a time when the music marketplace is flooded with carbon copy rappers
rhyming over recycled hip-hop beats, a new generation of talent is
poised on the cusp of the come-up. Not since the Jackson 5 has the world
witnessed a band of musical brothers whose high energy and artistic
ability epitomize the phrase blood is thicker than water. That is, until
this quartet of Miami-bred kinfolk appeared. Pleasure, Slick 'Em, Baby
Blue, and Spectacular comprise the hip-hop ensemble known as Pretty
Ricky, and they have emerged with a unique flair, coupled with the
discipline and tenacity that breeds chart-topping success.
Their unparalleled style stems from
their unorthodox line-up, consisting of three rappers - Slick 'Em, Baby
Blue, and Spectacular, and one singer - Pleasure. Pretty Ricky has been
aggressively grinding in the Sunshine State and throughout the southeast
since 1997.
The guys learned at an early age the
value of a hard work ethic. The boys had their very own Joe Jackson in
their father, Blue Smith, whom they affectionately call "'ol
boy." Blue was the staunch disciplinarian, ensuring that his boys
were developing and perfecting their craft.
Humbly beginning as pre-teen dancers
for an older brother who was on the verge of his own solo career, the
troop performed Miami-based hood dances in the background of his show.
Their high-paced antics propelled them into the foreground in the eyes
of the audience and not long after, the boys began to contemplate
becoming students in the school of hip-hop.
Spectacular, Slick 'Em, and Baby Blue
were influenced by The Jackson 5, *NSYNC, Immature, Nelly, Tupac, and
The Notorious B.I.G., while the group's lone resident crooner, Pleasure,
was honing in on Immature, Usher, Keith Sweat, Stevie Wonder, and Gerald
Levert. But influences can only take you so far - what they needed was
to find their own voice. They teamed up with producer Jim Jonsin of
Unusual Suspects production team fame (responsible for Trick Daddy's
recent smash, "Let's Go"), and history was in the making.
"We want to be trendsetters.
Everything somebody is doing, we try and go against the grain and do
something else just to be different," declares Baby Blue, the
serious, business-minded member of the group. Becoming known for their
onstage dance ability, the fellas also began to express their unique
style with their attire. Donning themselves in sparkling head-to-toe
outfits, they became known as "those glitter boys," notes
Slick 'Em. As a result, the brothers even developed their own clothing
line, Marco De Bleu.
By 2002, Pretty Ricky began tasting
greater success with their song "Flossin'," which began
buzzing on Miami radio station Power 96. With its infectious Miami bass
beat and hook - "me and you, and you and me/y'all ridin' on some
22's and 23's/we ridin' on some 24's down on the beach/no one flosses
better/we flossin' forever" - it was an instant hit with their
rapidly growing female fan base. The ladies began to request the song on
the radio, helping to rapidly increase the momentum and popularity of
the group.
Pretty Ricky continued grinding and
hustling - writing songs, building relationships with their fans, and
doing lots of shows. They have opened for some of hip-hop's
heavyweights, including Run-DMC, Lil Jon, Trick Daddy, Trina, and
newcomer, fellow Miami comrade Pitbull, whom they cite as someone who
has "opened doors, shown us a lot of love, and taught us a
lot," announces Spectacular.
In late-2004, Power 96 began playing
another Pretty Ricky track, "Grind With Me," with its mellow,
head-nodding melody, and their ladies immediately began demanding to
hear the song. It instantly became the #2 most requested song on the
station, and the group made history when it went on to become the most
requested song in the station's history.
In December 2004, Atlantic Records
Co-Chairman/COO Craig Kallman was in Miami, where he felt the huge buzz
surrounding Pretty Ricky, witnessed a hysteria-generating live show, and
hosted an impromptu audition in his hotel room. All of the training 'ol
boy instilled in his boys, conjoined with their years of hard work on
the road, culminated at that very moment... Kallman made them an offer
on the spot. "Although other offers were on the table, the
impression Craig gave our father was like... 'we're going to take care
of them,'" recalls Baby Blue. "And they shook on it right
there," notes Spectacular.
Keeping their entrepreneurial spirit
alive, Pretty Ricky's debut album, "BLUESTARS," will be
released by Atlantic in association with the group's own Blue Star
Entertainment International imprint.
Pretty Ricky pride themselves on
maintaining the niche they have created throughout the years, appealing
to the ladies while maintaining their unique look and style of music.
"You can't compare us because what we're doing ain't never been
done before," states Baby Blue. "We hit every aspect of music.
We do club music, party music, love songs, 'I hate you' songs. We try to
cover everything, since we're a hip-hop group. Our main focus is toward
the ladies. Everything we do is for the ladies."
Pleasure croons about his requited
love interest on the hook of "Can't Live Without You," over a
bluesy electric guitar while his brothers rhyme about their personal
experiences of the people in their lives they can't live without.
"Get Up," a definite club
hit featuring Pitbull, with its anthemic horns, pulsating drums, and
chorus chant, is reminiscent of Trick Daddy's hit "Let's Go."
"La, La, La, La" has the 808 bass bumping as the crew
represents where they are from over a catchy chorus.
And with songs like
"Girlfriend," "Age Ain't Nothing," and "Would
You Be Mine," it's clear whom Pretty Ricky intends to impress.
Plain and simple, "we are the sex symbols of the South,"
asserts Spectacular. "It's like a team full of Jordans where
everybody is a star." And that's Pretty Ricky.
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