View source for Brand Nubian

{{Short description|American hip hop group}}
{{for|the self-titled song by the group|Brand Nubian (song)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Brand Nubian
| image             = Brand Nubian at the knitting factory.jpg
| landscape         = yes
| caption           = Brand Nubian performing live in 2008
| origin            = [[New Rochelle, New York]], U.S.
| genre             = {{flatlist|
* [[East Coast hip hop]]
* [[political hip hop]]
* [[Hip hop music|hip hop]]
* [[alternative hip hop]]
* [[conscious hip hop]] 
}}
| years_active      = {{hlist|1989–1995|1997–2000|2003–present}}
| discography       = [[Brand Nubian discography]]
| label             = {{flatlist|
* [[Elektra Records|Elektra]]
* [[Arista Records|Arista]]
* [[Bertelsmann Music Group|BMG]]
* [[Babygrande Records|Babygrande]]
}}
| current_members   = * [[Grand Puba]]
* [[Lord Jamar]]
* [[Sadat X]]
* [[DJ Alamo]]
| past_members      = 
* DJ Sincere
* DJ Stud Doogie 
}}

'''Brand Nubian''' is an American [[Hip hop music|hip hop]] group from [[New Rochelle, New York]], composed of three emcees ([[Grand Puba]], [[Sadat X]] and [[Lord Jamar]]), and formerly three DJs ([[DJ Alamo]], DJ Sincere, and DJ Stud Doogie). Their debut studio album, ''[[One for All (Brand Nubian album)|One for All]]'' (1990), is one of the most popular and acclaimed [[alternative hip hop]] albums of the 1990s, known for socially conscious and political lyrics inspired by the teachings of [[The Nation of Gods and Earths]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Steve Huey |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/brand-nubianmn0000933772/biography |title=Brand Nubian &#124; Biography |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=2015-06-26}}</ref> In 2008, [[About.com]] placed the group on its list of the 25 Greatest Rap Groups of All Time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rap.about.com/od/artist1/tp/BestHipHopGroups.htm |title=The 25 Greatest Rap Groups |website=Rap.about.com |date=2008-08-14 |access-date=2015-06-26 |archive-date=2015-04-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405192751/http://rap.about.com/od/artist1/tp/BestHipHopGroups.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==History==
===The Formation and naming Brand Nubian===
In 1988, [[Grand Puba]] was looking to recruit new members to form a new band after his group Masters of Ceremony broke up. [[Sadat X]], [[Lord Jamar]] and [[DJ Alamo]] all joined together. The group didn't have a name or any recorded demos to shop their music. While the group was at [[Tommy Boy records]] looking for a deal, they came across [[Dante Ross]], an executive A&R at [[Elektra Records]] who liked their talents, but told them that they need a group name and a song. The group recorded their first ever demo called "I Ain't Goin' Out Like That" at [[Jazzy Jay]] Studios. After the group recorded their first demo, they started looking for names, while at a session of [[Jazzy Jay]]'s studios. The word "Nubian" came about after Jamar was reading one of [[Dwight York]]'s books that he found inside the pages. It was meant to be a new term for [[African American]] people. "Nubian" was the name at the time, then later on added the word "Brand" as in for "Brand New". Then "Brand Nubian" was put together. Puba stated in an interview with Jamar on the ''Yanadameen Godcast'' saying the conclusion of naming the group was at the mall in New Rochelle, when they finally made a decision for the group name.<ref>{{cite web |title=Grand Puba On Leaving Masters Of Ceremony & Starting Brand Nubian|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQm6lK28L2o|website=Youtube.com|date=April 27, 2021 |access-date=10 June 2024}}</ref>   The group officially named themselves "Brand Nubian".<ref>{{cite web |title=F.D.S. 141 - Lord Jamar - Talks Eminem, Brand Nubian History, Malcolm X & Much More - Full Episode | date=January 25, 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQm6lK28L2o  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/VQm6lK28L2o |archive-date=December 21, 2021 |url-status=live|via=[[YouTube]] |access-date=May 27, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Sadat X on how Brand Nubian started, his Hip Hop heroes, & being a Five Percenter Juan EP is Life|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A21XkSNJac|via=YouTube|date=March 4, 2023 |access-date=3 June 2024}}</ref>

===1989–1992===
Brand Nubian formed in 1989, and their first single, "Brand Nubian", was released in 1989. Signed to [[Elektra Records]] by A&R man [[Dante Ross]], their debut album, ''[[One for All (Brand Nubian album)|One For All]]'', was released in 1990. Generally acclaimed, the album drew fire for militant [[The Nation of Gods and Earths|Five-Percenter]] rhetoric on tracks such as "Drop the Bomb" and "Wake Up". The controversy helped selling in excess of 400,000 copies. A version of the [[Fab Five Freddy]]-directed video of the single "Wake Up", featuring a black man in white-face makeup, was banned from [[MTV]]. On that channel and from official [[Warner Music Group|WEA]] sources, this image was replaced by a Baptist preacher.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ_l-lxlBXA| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140217112928/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ_l-lxlBXA| archive-date=2014-02-17 | url-status=dead|title=YouTube|via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> The singles "[[Slow Down (Brand Nubian song)|Slow Down]]", "All for One", and "Wake Up" all became hits on ''Billboard’s'' [[Hot Rap Tracks]] chart in 1991.

Shortly after the group's debut release, Grand Puba quarreled with Sadat X and Lord Jamar, and he left the group, along with [[DJ Alamo]], to pursue a solo career.<ref name="Larkin90"/> Following this, Lord Jamar and Sadat X asked DJ Sincere to join the group in 1992. The same year, Puba released his solo debut, ''[[Reel to Reel]]''.

At the end of 1992, Brand Nubian released the single "Punks Jump up to Get Beat Down". The track created controversy because of its [[Homophobia|homophobic]] content such as Sadat X's line "I can freak, fly, flow, fuck up a faggot/I don't understand their ways; I ain't down with gays". The single charted on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] at number 77. Later versions omitted the line and replaced it with different lyrics, including the version on the greatest hits compilation ''The Very Best of Brand Nubian''.

===1992–1996===
In early 1993, Brand Nubian released their second album, ''[[In God We Trust (Brand Nubian album)|In God We Trust]]'',<ref name="Larkin90">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music]]|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=2000|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0427-8|page=62}}</ref> which included the song "[[Punks Jump Up to Get Beat Down]]" and the number 92 Hot-100 single "Love Me or Leave Me Alone". That same year, the group's song "Lick Dem Muthaphuckas" was released as part of the ''[[Menace II Society]]'' soundtrack.

Brand Nubian's next release, ''[[Everything Is Everything (Brand Nubian album)|Everything is Everything]]'', was released in November 1994.<ref name="Larkin90"/> Reviews were mixed and sales mediocre, despite the top-40 Hot Rap Tracks singles "Word is Bond" and "Hold On". In 1995, Brand Nubian broke up and its members started solo careers in music and television. That same year, Grand Puba released his second solo album, ''[[2000 (Grand Puba album)|2000]]'', featuring another Billboard Hot 100 single, "I Like It (I Wanna Be Where You Are)", and Sadat X released his first solo album, ''[[Wild Cowboys]]'', in 1996.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Encyclopedia of Popular Music|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|year=2006|isbn=978-0-19-531373-4|url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195313734.001.0001/acref-9780195313734}}</ref>

===1997–2000===
Brand Nubian's original members reunited in 1997 and contributed "A Child is Born" to the ''[[Soul in the Hole]]'' soundtrack. In 1997, "Keep It Bubblin'" appeared on the ''[[Money Talks (1997 film)|Money Talks]]'' soundtrack. In 1998, Brand Nubian released the album ''[[Foundation (Brand Nubian album)|Foundation]]'' on [[Arista Records|Arista]]/[[Bertelsmann Music Group|BMG Records]].<ref name="Larkin90"/> It featured contributions from producers such as [[DJ Premier]], [[Buckwild (music producer)|Buckwild]], [[Lord Finesse]], and [[Diamond D]]. The lead single "[[Don't Let It Go to Your Head (Jean Carn song)|Don't Let It Go to Your Head]]" became, at number 54, the group's highest-charting single on the [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]]. In 1999, Grand Puba and Sadat X were featured on "Once Again", from the first [[Handsome Boy Modeling School]] record. In 2000, Brand Nubian once again teamed up with Buckwild of [[D.I.T.C.]], releasing the single "Rockin' It", after which the members, once again, pursued their solo projects. Sadat X released a solo EP in 2000, ''The State of New York vs. Derek Murphy''.

===2001–present===
[[File:Grand Puba, Lord Jamar of Brand Nubian and Common, 2014.jpg|thumb|Brand Nubian performing with [[Common (entertainer)|Common]], 2014]]
Grand Puba released his third solo effort, ''Understand This'', in 2001, which received little attention. Brand Nubian reunited once again in 2004 for their fifth album, ''[[Fire in the Hole (album)|Fire in the Hole]]'', released by [[Babygrande Records]]. Sadat X released another solo effort in 2005, titled ''Experience & Education'', to mostly positive reviews. Jamar pursued his acting career, appearing on an episode of ''[[The Sopranos]]'', as well as episodes of ''[[Oz (TV series)|Oz]]'', ''[[Third Watch]]'', and ''[[Law & Order]]''. Lord Jamar released his first solo album, ''[[The 5% Album]]'', in June 2006, on [[Babygrande Records]]. Sadat X's third album ''[[Black October (album)|Black October]]'' came out in October 2006. In 2007, the group released an album titled ''[[Time's Runnin' Out]]'', containing material recorded ten years earlier during the sessions for the 1998 ''Foundation'' album.

===2007–present: Touring===
Since 2007, following the release of their latest group album and other solo projects, Brand Nubian still undertake live concerts. They have performed at sold out shows in the US and Europe.<ref>{{cite web |title=Brand Nubian|url=https://www.songkick.com/artists/140247-brand-nubian/gigography?page=2|website=Songkick.com|access-date=12 June 2024}}</ref>

==Members==
* [[Grand Puba]] (1989–1991, 1997–2000, 2003–present)
* [[Sadat X]] (1989–1995, 1997–2000, 2003–present)
* [[Lord Jamar]] (1989–1995, 1997–2000, 2003–present)
* [[DJ Alamo]] (1989–1991, 1997–2000, 2003–present)<!--Currently in group?! Answer: YES-->
* DJ Sincere (1991–1995)
* DJ Stud Doogie (1997–2000, 2003–2021)<!--When did this member join the group?! Answer: 1st was Solo with Grand Puba 1992-1996, joined 1997--><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.65554/title.lord-jamar-reveals-brand-nubian-grand-puba-dj-stud-doogie-has-died|title=Lord Jamar Reveals Brand Nubian + Grand Puba DJ Stud Doogie Has Died|date=November 1, 2021|website=Hiphopdx.com}}</ref>

==Discography==
[[File:Brand nubian logo.png|thumb|right|Brand Nubian logo with a two finger peace symbol]]
{{See also|Brand Nubian discography}}

;Studio albums
* ''[[One for All (Brand Nubian album)|One for All]]'' (1990)
* ''[[In God We Trust (Brand Nubian album)|In God We Trust]]'' (1993)
* ''[[Everything Is Everything (Brand Nubian album)|Everything Is Everything]]'' (1994)
* ''[[Foundation (Brand Nubian album)|Foundation]]'' (1998)
* ''[[Fire in the Hole (album)|Fire in the Hole]]'' (2004)
* ''[[Time's Runnin' Out]]'' (2007)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
*{{allMusic}}
*{{Discogs artist}}
* [http://www.scion.com/broadband/index.html?ch=0&sh=1&ep=6 Brand Nubian interview with Scion Broadband]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140112101834/http://halftimeonline.net/portfolio/brand-nubian/ Hip Hop Icon Series: Brand Nubian]

{{Brand Nubian}}
{{Sadat X}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Music|United States}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Arista Records artists]]
[[Category:East Coast hip-hop groups]]
[[Category:Elektra Records artists]]
[[Category:Five percenters]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1989]]
[[Category:Musical groups from New York (state)]]
[[Category:1989 establishments in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1995]]
[[Category:American political music groups]]