A.T.B.A.N Klann | |
---|---|
Also known as | A Tribe Beyond a Nation Tribal Nation The A.T.B.A.N Klann |
Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Genres | Alternative hip hop, jazz rap, experimental hip hop |
Years active | 1992–1995 [1] |
Labels | Ruthless Records, Relativity Records |
Spinoffs | Black Eyed Peas |
Past members |
Will 1X apl.de.ap Mookie Mook DJ Motiv8 |
A.T.B.A.N Klann (A Tribe Beyond a Nation) was a hip hop group whose members were Will 1X, apl.de.ap, Mooky Mook, and DJ Motiv8. The Atban Klann were signed to Eazy-E's Ruthless Records. Will 1X (who later changed his stage name to will.i.am) and apl.de.ap were first signed by Eazy-E when they were in high school and would later become members of The Black Eyed Peas. [2]
The group was signed to Ruthless Records in 1992 and made their debut on Eazy-E's EP, 5150: Home 4 tha Sick on the track entitled "Merry Muthaphuckkin' Xmas". Soon after, the group recorded their debut album, Grass Roots which was to be released on October 6, 1994; however, the album was shelved shortly before its release, and shortly after being jailed for 6 weeks in early 1995 on a domestic assault charge, Mookie Mook would leave after an argument. The duo would stay with Ruthless until they were dropped from the label after Eazy-E's death in 1995. [3] Will 1X would change his name to will.i.am and the Atban Klann would add Taboo and later Fergie and become the Grammy award winning band, The Black Eyed Peas. [3]
Grass Roots | |
---|---|
Studio album by Atban Klann | |
Released | 2020 |
Recorded | 1992-1994 |
Genre | Hip hop |
Label | Ruthless, Relativity, Back 2 Da Source |
Producer | DJ Motiv8, Will 1X |
Singles from Grass Roots | |
|
Grass Roots was originally planned for release at the end of 1993 [4] for Ruthless Records, distributed by Relativity Records; however, the album was put on hold. In 1994, the group released the first single from the album, "Puddles of H2O", as a CD single and promotional twelve-inch, with the B-side single "Let Me Get Down". [4] However, with the band being dropped from Ruthless in 1995 it was not released at that time. The songs from the album later leaked and a cover was made using a photo of apl.de.ap and will.i.am from the Bridging the Gap photo-shoot in 2000.[ citation needed] It was then remastered and released properly for the first time on vinyl in 2020 by Back 2 Da Source Records, which sold out. [5]
Eazy E signed us [me and apl.de.ap] back when I was in high school. We were in a group called Atban Klann and Eazy E signed us to his record label Ruthless Records. Eazy was an inspiration and an instrumental part of the beginning of my career.