UTFO

UTFO (an abbreviation for Untouchable Force Organization) was an American old-school hip hop group from Brooklyn, New York City.[1]

UTFO
OriginNew York City, U.S.
GenresHip hop
Years active1983–1992
Labels
Associated acts
Past members
  • Doctor Ice
  • Educated Rapper (deceased)
  • Kangol Kid
  • Mix Master Ice

The group consisted of Kangol Kid (Shiller Shaun Fequiere), Educated Rapper (Jeffrey Campbell), Doctor Ice (Fred Reeves), and Mix Master Ice (Maurice Bailey).[1] The group's best-known single is "Roxanne, Roxanne,"[1] a widely-acclaimed hip hop classic, which created a sensation on the hip hop scene soon after it was released and inspired a record-high of 25 answer records in a single year (Roxanne Wars),[2][3][4] with estimates ultimately spawning over 100.[5] The most notable remake was done by Marley Marl's protégée Roxanne Shanté, which led to hip hop's first rap beef.[6][2] "Roxanne, Roxanne" was originally the B-side of the lesser-known single "Hangin' Out."[4] Due to personal issues, Educated Rapper was absent for its second effort, Skeezer Pleezer (1986), which produced one notable track with the song "Split Personality." EMD was, however, on one album track, "Pick Up the Pace", also featured in the movie Krush Groove.

In 2008, “Roxanne, Roxanne” was ranked number 84 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.[7]

History

The group formed in the early 1980s and were originally known as UFO. However, the name was taken by a rock group so they were forced to change it to UTFO. Kangol Kid and Doctor Ice were originally known as The Keystone Dancers and were a dance duet, before going on to be dancers for Whodini.[1] Eventually, they went on to form UTFO in their hometown of Brooklyn, New York City, New York. In 1984, the group signed with Fred Munao's Select Records, and, in the same year, it released its hit single, "Roxanne Roxanne".[8] The group's debut album was produced by R&B group Full Force.[1] Full Force brought in New York's sound and sampling wizard, Gary Pozner, to help create the sounds and the beats. This was one of the first instances of the new sampling machine, the E-mu Emulator, used on a commercially released record.

On June 3, 2017, Educated Rapper (Campbell) died following a battle with cancer.[9]

The members of UTFO were the first breakdancers to appear on The Phil Donahue Show.[10]

Discography

Studio albums

Singles
Year Single Peak chart positions
US Dance
[11]		 US R&B
[11]		 US Pop
[11]		 UK
[12]
1984 "Hangin' Out" b/w "Roxanne, Roxanne" ― ― ― ―
"Roxanne, Roxanne" 40 10 77 72
"Beats and Rhymes" ― ― ― ―
1985 "Bite It" ― 79 ― ―
"Leader of the Pack" 43 32 ― ―
"Pick Up the Pace" ― ― ― ―
"Fairy Tale Lover" ― 36 ― ―
1986 "Split Personality" ― 50 ― ―
"We Work Hard" ― ― ― ―
1987 "Ya Cold Wanna Be with Me" ― 43 ― ―
"Lethal" ― ― ― ―
1988 "Let's Get It On" ― ― ― ―
1989 "Wanna Rock" ― ― ― ―
"Lisa Lips" ― ― ― ―
"My Cut Is Correct" ― ― ― ―
"Rough & Rugged" ― ― ― ―
1990 "If You Don't Wanna Get Pregnant" ― ― ― ―
1991 "I'm a Dog" ― ― ― ―
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Compilation albums

See also

References
  1. Colin Larkin, ed. (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 350. ISBN 0-7535-0252-6.
  2. "Yo Kangol!: INDUSTRY ADVISOR". All HipHop. September 1, 2008. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  3. Palmer, Robert, ed. (August 14, 1985). "THE POP LIFE". The New York Times. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  4. MacInnes, Paul, ed. (June 12, 2011). "The Roxanne wars". The Guardian. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  5. Hess, Mickey, ed. (November 25, 2009). Hip Hop in America: A Regional Guide. ABC-CLIO. p. 36 (xxxvi). ISBN 9780313343216. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  6. Wilkinson, Dan, ed. (August 13, 2015). "The story of the first ever rap beef". RedBull. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  7. "100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. June 2, 2017. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  8. Prato, Greg. "Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  9. "Educated Rapper aka EMD of UTFO Has Passed Away At the Age of 54". HotNewHipHop.com. June 3, 2017. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
  10. "OldSchoolHipHop.Com - Old School News". Archived from the original on March 19, 2006. Retrieved April 11, 2006.
  11. "UTFO Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography". Music VF. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  12. "U.T.F.O. - full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
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