Us3

Us3 was a British jazz rap group founded by London-based producer Geoff Wilkinson in 1992.

The name was inspired by Us Three, a Horace Parlan album produced in 1960 by Alfred Lion, the founder of Blue Note Records.<ref>Hand on the Torch booklet remark by Bruce Lundvall, President of Blue Note Records</ref> Us3's debut album, Hand on the Torch, used samples from Blue Note songs produced by Lion.

History

In the early 1990s, London-based producer Geoff Wilkinson produced two recordings under the name Us3. The first was 1990's "Where Will We Be in the 21st Century", a limited-edition white label 12" release. It drew the attention of independent label Ninja Tune, resulting in NW1's 1991 12-inch single "The Band Played The Boogie", featuring UK rapper Born 2 B.<ref name="LarkinDM">Template:Cite book</ref>

Wilkinson established Us3 with production partner Mel Simpson.<ref name="LarkinDM" /> One of the resulting demos, recorded in March 1992, was "Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)", featuring UK trumpeter Gerard Presencer.<ref name="LarkinDM" /> It sampled Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island".<ref name="LarkinDM" /> Us3 went on hiatus 2014, during which Wilkinson went on to specialise in producing film and library music.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2025, Us3 returned with a new studio album titled Soundtrack that focused on instrumental works.

Discography

Albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions

Title	Year	Peak chart positions
		UK <ref name="UK"/>	AUS <ref name="AUS">Template:Cite Ryan</ref>	AUT <ref name="AUT"/>	GER <ref name="GER"/>	NLD <ref name="NLD"/>	NZ <ref name="NZ"/>	SWI <ref name="SWI"/>	US <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	US R&B/HH <ref>Peaks on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart: Hand on the Torch: Template:Cite magazine Broadway & 52nd: Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Hand on the Torch	1993	40	51	11	29	81	28	21	31	21
Broadway & 52nd	1997	93	90	28	80	91	39	48	—	90
An Ordinary Day in an Unusual Place	2001	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Questions	2004	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Schizophonic	2006	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Say What!?	2007	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Stop. Think. Run.	2009	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Lie, Cheat & Steal	2011	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
The Third Way	2013	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Soundtrack	2025	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions

Title	Year	Peak positions										Album
		UK <ref name="UK">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	AUS <ref name="Charts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	AUT <ref name="AUT">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	BEL (FL) <ref name="Charts"/>	GER <ref name="GER">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	NLD <ref name="NLD">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref>	NZ <ref name="NZ">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	SWI <ref name="SWI">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	US <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	US R&B <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
"Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)"	1992	76	32	3	24	22	18	16	7	9	21	Hand on the Torch
"Tukka Yoot's Riddim"	1993	34	—	24	—	97	—	28	26	—	—
"Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)" (UK reissue)		23	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"I Got It Goin' On"	1994	52	—	—	—	—	—	39	—	—	—
"Eleven Long Years"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Come on Everybody (Get Down)"	1997	38	—	—	—	—	—	—	49	—	—	Broadway & 52nd
"I'm Thinking About Your Body"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"You Can't Hold Me Down"	2001	94	—	—	—	—	98	—	—	—	—	An Ordinary Day in an Unusual Place
"Get Out"	2002	174	—	—	—	—	97	—	—	—	—
"Say You Belong to Me"	2007	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Say What!?
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

Other sources

• Radio interview with Us3 founder Geoff Wilkinson on Kiss FM February 1992 Us3 Founder Geoff Wilkinson and Born 2 B, Kiss FM London 1992 - Play on N1M
• Ninja Tune - Two decades of mixes and mash-ups

External links

• Template:Official
• The Us3 YouTube channel
• Us3 on Instagram
• Innerviews' 2025 audio interview with Geoff Wilkinson
• Innerviews' 2009 interview with Geoff Wilkinson
• "Jazz and Hip-Hop: Can They Really Mix?" by Jared Pauley, (Jazz.com)