Newcleus

Newcleus
OriginBrooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Genres
Years active
  • 1977–1990
  • 2007–2008
  • 2014–2019
Labels
  • Mayhew
  • Sunnyview
  • Rhino
  • Jam-On
MembersYvette "Lady E" Cenac (née Cook)
Ben "Cozmo D" Cenac
Monique "Nique D" Crafton (née Angevin)
Past membersDenise "Niecy D" Williams
Bob "Chilly B" Crafton (deceased)

Newcleus was an American electro and old school hip hop group that gained popularity in the early 1980s. The group is primarily known for its 12-inch single "Jam-On's Revenge" (re-released as "Jam on Revenge (The Wikki-Wikki Song)" (1983)) and "Jam on It" (1984).

The group was based in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York.[1] Their appearance overlapped with the formative years of hip-hop DJing in the Bronx.[2]

The sequencer line from its 1984 song "Automan" was adapted by euro-dance project Snap! on the group’s 1992 single "Rhythm is a Dancer," which featured lyrics written and performed by American singer and songwriter Thea Austin as well as hip hop rhymes by American rapper Turbo B, and became a major international hit.[3]

  1. ^ Kenner, Rob (March 3, 2010). "Robert Crafton III, Bassist and Rapper, Dies at 47". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  2. ^ Play, Long (November 9, 2015). "The Birth and Infancy of Hip Hop". Journeymen Rappers. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  3. ^ Sorcinelli, Gino (December 7, 2016). "Snap!'s "Rhythm is a Dancer" Sampled the Synth in Newcleus' "Auto Man"".