View source for K-Ci & JoJo

{{Short description|American R&B duo}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| name             = K-Ci & JoJo
| image            =
| caption          =
| origin           = [[Charlotte, North Carolina]], U.S.
| genre            = {{hlist|[[Contemporary R&B|R&B]]|[[Soul music|soul]]}}
| years_active     = 1996–present
| label            = {{hlist|[[MCA Records|MCA]]|Formula|RPH|[[EMI]]|[[Babyface (musician)|Soda Pop]]|[[Entertainment One Music|E1]]}}
| spinoff_of  = {{hlist|[[Jodeci]]}}
| website          =
| current_members  = * [[K-Ci|Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey]]
* Joel "JoJo" Hailey
| past_members     =
}}
'''K-Ci & JoJo''' is an American [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]] duo, consisting of brothers [[K-Ci|Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey]] (born September 2, 1969<ref name="dob">{{cite book | last = Whitburn | first = Joel |author-link= Joel Whitburn | title = The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits |edition=8th | publisher = Billboard Books | location = New York | year = 2004 | isbn = 0-8230-7499-4 | page = 339 }}</ref>) and '''Joel''' "'''JoJo'''" '''Hailey''' (born June 10, 1971<ref name="dob" />). Natives of [[Charlotte, North Carolina]], they are also the lead singers of the [[Record chart#Chart hit|chart-topping]] R&B group [[Jodeci]] with the DeGrate brothers—Donald (better known as [[DeVante Swing]]) and [[Dalvin DeGrate|Mr. Dalvin]]. They are best known for their 1998 single "[[All My Life (K-Ci & JoJo song)|All My Life]]" which peaked atop the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] for three weeks and received three [[Grammy Award]] nominations. They also guest appeared on [[Tupac Shakur]]'s 1996 song "[[How Do U Want It]]", which was nominated for [[Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group]] in 1997.<ref>[http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1997/grammys.htm 39th Grammy Awards - 1997]. ''Rock on the Net''. Retrieved September 6, 2014.</ref> K-Ci & JoJo also achieved mainstream success with the 1999 hit "[[Tell Me It's Real]]", which peaked at number two on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Their 2001 song, "[[Crazy (K-Ci and JoJo song)|Crazy]]", was included on the ''[[Save the Last Dance]]'' soundtrack and peaked at number 11 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.
K-Ci & JoJo have released five albums. Their debut studio album, ''[[Love Always]]'' (1997), has been certified triple platinum by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]], and their subsequent albums ''[[It's Real (K-Ci & JoJo album)|It's Real]]'' and ''[[X (K-Ci & JoJo album)|X]]'' were both certified platinum.
== History ==
=== 1983–1996: Music beginnings and early work as duo===
K-Ci & JoJo first gained recognition as members of a family gospel quartet, Little Cedric and the Hailey Singers. The group released 3 albums on the AIR (Atlanta International Records) label: ''I'm Alright Now'' in 1983, ''Jesus Saves'' which hit number 4 on the Billboard Gospel chart in 1984 and ''God's Blessings'' which hit number 22 in 1985. They joined brothers Donald "DeVanté Swing" DeGrate and Dalvin "Mr. Dalvin" DeGrate to form the R&B group Jodeci in 1988. K-Ci & JoJo's first sign of independence came in 1992 when K-Ci recorded the duet "I Don’t Want to Do Anything" with [[Mary J. Blige]] on her debut album ''[[What's the 411?]]''. [[Little Cedric|K-Ci]] also covered [[Bobby Womack]]'s "[[If You Think You're Lonely Now]]" for the movie ''[[Jason's Lyric]]'' in 1994. Early in 1996, K-Ci & JoJo teamed up for the song "How Could You" for the movie ''[[Bulletproof (1996 film)|Bulletproof]]'' starring [[Damon Wayans]] and [[Adam Sandler]].<ref name="Larkin90">{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music|title-link=Encyclopedia of Popular Music|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=2000|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0427-8|page=212}}</ref> By July 1996, K-Ci & JoJo were featured guest artists in [[Tupac Shakur|2Pac]]'s number-one R&B and [[Billboard Hot 100]] hit "[[How Do U Want It]]".<ref name="Larkin90" /> They are also featured in the 1996 2Pac song "[[Toss It Up]]".
=== 1997–1998: ''Love Always'' ===
The brothers made their side projects into a full album, ''[[Love Always]]''.<ref name="Larkin90" /> Released on June 17, 1997, the album spawned two top-ten R&B hits: "You Bring Me Up" (Pop #26) and "Last Night's Letter" (Pop #46). The minor success of those singles, however, paled in comparison to the success of the album's third single, "[[All My Life (K-Ci & JoJo song)|All My Life]]" (which was dedicated to JoJo's daughter).<ref name="Larkin90" /> A supple, lush [[ballad]] far removed from the Jodeci material of the early 1990s, "All My Life" was the number-one song on the Hot 100 for three weeks, a feat that K-Ci & JoJo had never achieved with Jodeci.<ref name="Larkin90" /> While future singles and albums would be crafted in the vein of "All My Life", it remains the duo's only number-one hit and by far the song they are most widely known for, even amongst non-fans due to its frequent use in film and television. ''Love Always'' went on to sell four million copies, and the success of the album put Jodeci's reunion on hold indefinitely. During the recording of ''Love Always'' they also appeared in the song "I Care 'Bout You" as a member of the R&B supergroup Milestone, along with [[After 7]], which appeared on the soundtrack for the movie ''[[Soul Food (film)|Soul Food]]'' that was written and produced by [[Babyface (musician)|Babyface]], who is also part of the track and the group.
In 1998, K-Ci & JoJo recorded the song "Money Can't Buy You Love," which was produced for the film [[The Players Club]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119905/soundtrack|title=The Players Club (1998)|website=IMDb.com|access-date=December 10, 2019}}</ref>
In 1999, K-Ci & JoJo recorded "Life", which was written and produced by [[R. Kelly]], for the soundtrack to the [[Eddie Murphy]] and [[Martin Lawrence]] movie ''[[Life (1999 film)|Life]]''.
=== 1999: ''It's Real'' ===
K-Ci & JoJo's second studio album, ''[[It's Real (K-Ci & JoJo album)|It's Real]]'' was released on June 22, 1999.<ref name="Larkin90" /> It peaked at number&nbsp;eight on the ''Billboard'' 200,<ref name="its-real-allmusic-chart">{{cite web | url=http://allmusic.com/album/its-real-r421420/charts-awards | title=It's Real – K-Ci & JoJo > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums | website=[[AllMusic]] | access-date=July 26, 2011}}</ref> peaked at number&nbsp;two on the R&B/Hip Hop Albums,<ref name="its-real-allmusic-chart" /> and was certified platinum by the RIAA. Outside of the US, the album reached top&nbsp;20 on the [[Dutch Albums Chart#Mega Album Top 100|Dutch Mega Album Top 100]], the [[Canadian Albums Chart]], and appeared on the [[RIANZ#Sales charts|New Zealand Top 40 Albums]] and the ARIA Charts. The album spawned four singles, including "Tell Me It's Real", which peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was a smash hit.<ref name="Larkin90" />
''It's Real'' received a three star rating from [[AllMusic]].<ref name="allmusic-review">{{cite web | url=http://allmusic.com/album/its-real-r421420/review | title=It's Real – K-Ci & JoJo > Review  | website=[[AllMusic]] | access-date=July 26, 2011 | author=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas}}</ref>
=== 2000: ''X'' ===
K-Ci & JoJo returned with ''X'' on December 5, 2000. ''[[X (K-Ci & JoJo album)|X]]'', the Roman numeral for ten, was picked as the album title to celebrate the Haileys' tenth anniversary in the music business. They made a strong return to the Billboard Hot 100 early in 2001 with the song [[Crazy (K-Ci and JoJo song)|"Crazy"]], also included on the ''[[Save the Last Dance]]'' soundtrack. "Crazy" peaked at number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100. The album also features a hidden [[Jodeci]] track entitled "Slip And Fall". Other tracks included "Honest Lover," "One Last Time," and "All the Things I Should Have Known"  which Vibe magazine considered "convey a similar mix of hip hop collective that launched Del the Funky Homosapien."<ref>Vibe -Jan 2001 – Page 140 "The first single, "Crazy," is a tender plea for a lover's forgiveness, while "Honest Lover," "One Last Time," and "All the Things I Should Have Known" convey a similar mix of hip hop collective that launched Del the Funky Homosapien.</ref>
=== 2002–2008: ''Emotional'' and other projects ===
The fourth K-Ci & JoJo album, ''Emotional'', was released on November 26, 2002, but did not find commercial success. The CD consisted of two singles, "This Very Moment." and the Rodney "Dark Child" Jerkins produced "It's Me".  The album contained their personal favorite "How Long" written by Steve Vaughn and Jojo Hailey.
In late 2006, K-Ci released his debut solo album entitled ''My Book''. K-Ci & JoJo released a [[greatest hits]] album on February 8, 2005. On February 6, 2008, they released their fifth compilation album called ''[[Love (K-Ci & JoJo album)|Love]]'', which was released only in Japan.
=== 2013–present: ''My Brother's Keeper'' ===
In 2010, they signed an exclusive deal with R&B crooner [[Babyface (musician)|Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds]]' upstart Soda Pop Records, distributed through [[E1 Music]]. On June 25, 2013, they released their new single, "Knock It Off" via [[iTunes]] through [[E1 Music]]. On September 30, 2013, ''[[My Brother's Keeper (K-Ci and JoJo album)|My Brother's Keeper]]'', was released.
== Media ==
In 2010, [[TV One (US TV network)|TV One]] aired the reality docu-series, ''K-Ci & JoJo... Come Clean,'' which featured Cedric "K-Ci" and Joel "JoJo" Hailey, lead singers of [[Jodeci]]. The series showcased the brothers current struggles with alcohol, as they work to rebuild their relationship and make a comeback. ''K-Ci & JoJo... Come Clean,''  was produced by John Doe Media, with Carl Craig and D. Renard Young serving as executive producers. The series only aired for one season, but still runs several times a year.
== Legal issues ==
In 2001, K-Ci pleaded no contest to four charges of lewd conduct. He had been charged with 24 counts of lewd conduct and indecent exposure following an incident during the December 16, 2000, Jingle Ball concert at L.A.'s Shrine Auditorium during which the singer exposed his genitals twice to the crowd while performing.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=K-Ci Pleads No Contest To Exposure Charges|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=May 7, 2001|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/79827/k-ci-pleads-no-contest-to-exposure-charges}}</ref>
== Discography ==
{{Main|K-Ci & JoJo discography}}
'''Studio albums'''
* ''[[Love Always]]'' (1997)
* ''[[It's Real (K-Ci & JoJo album)|It's Real]]'' (1999)
* ''[[X (K-Ci & JoJo album)|X]]'' (2000)
* ''[[Emotional (K-Ci and JoJo album)|Emotional]]'' (2002)
* ''[[My Brother's Keeper (K-Ci & JoJo album)|My Brother's Keeper]]'' (2013)
== Awards and nominations ==
=== American Music Awards ===
{{awards table}}
|-
| 1999 || K-Ci & JoJo || Favorite R&B Band/Duo/Group || {{Won}}
|-
| 2000 || K-Ci & JoJo || Favorite R&B Band/Duo/Group || {{nom}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2000/amas.htm |title=27th American Music Awards (presented in 2000) |publisher=Rock On The Net |date=January 17, 2000 |access-date=November 16, 2011}}</ref>
{{end}}
=== Blockbuster Awards ===
{{awards table}}
|-
| 1999 || K-Ci & JoJo || Best Group – R&B || {{won}}
{{end}}
=== Grammy Awards ===
{{awards table}}
|-
| 1997 || "[[How Do U Want It]]" || Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group || {{nom}}
|-
| 1999 || "[[All My Life (K-Ci & JoJo song)|All My Life]]" || Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals || {{nom}}
|-
| 1999 || "All My Life" || Best R&B Song || {{nom}}
{{end}}
=== MTV Video Music Awards ===
{{awards table}}
|-
| 1998 || "All My Life" || Best R&B Video || {{nom}}
|-
| 2001 || "[[Crazy (K-Ci and JoJo song)|Crazy]]" || Best Video from a Film || {{nom}}
{{end}}
=== NAACP Awards ===
{{awards table}}
|-
| 1999 || K-Ci & JoJo || Outstanding Duo or Group || {{nom}}
{{end}}
=== Soul Train Awards ===
{{awards table}}
|-
| 1999 || "All My Life" || Best R&B/Soul Single, Group, Band or Duo || {{nom}}
{{end}}
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
*[http://www.mcarecords.com/artistMain.asp?artistid=26 Official Site]
*[http://www.rockonthenet.com/artists-j/jodeci_main.htm RockOnTheNet – Jodeci]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110311120832/http://soulrnb.com/communaute/groups/viewgroup/135-KCi+Jojo K-Ci & Jojo on Soulrnb.com] French group
{{K-Ci & JoJo}}
{{Jodeci}}
{{American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:K-Ci and Jojo}}
[[Category:American soul musical groups]]
[[Category:African-American musical duos]]
[[Category:Family musical groups]]
[[Category:Musical duos from North Carolina]]
[[Category:Sibling musical duos]]
[[Category:Contemporary R&B duos]]
[[Category:American hip hop singers]]
[[Category:MCA Records artists]]
[[Category:EMI Records artists]]
[[Category:MNRK Music Group artists]]