Swing Mob

In the early 1990s, DeVante Swing decided to assemble a large crew of rappers, singers, instrumentalists and producer to sign to his Swing Mob label and collaborate with. He auditioned many local groups and acts. The performers met in Swing's basement studio in Rochester, a location that inspired the moniker "Da Bassment Cru" (also a pun on bass). The group brainstormed and recorded music together in Swing's studio, ultimately aiming to produce a VHS compilation project that could market the group members to record labels. Acts who were recruited into Da Bassment Cru included Jodeci, the R&B groups Fayze (later renamed to Sista) which was a group Missy Elliott was in, Playa, the rap duo Timbaland & Magoo, R&B group Sugah which members included famous singer Tweet, rock artist Baazar Royale, solo underground rappers Mr.Brendal & Accion, solo female rapper Reeboc and singer Ginuwine. Swing Mob also recruited record producers and audio engineers such as Jimmy Douglass and Stevie J. During this time, Swing also met Rochester School Of The Arts graduate Renee Anderson through Paul Boutte, a prominent figure in the Rochester gospel scene, producer Reginald Moore and Dave Schumaker. Anderson was a member of Colorz, a local R&B girl group at the time. Moore played Anderson's demo for Swing backstage during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Swing then flew back to Rochester to meet Anderson, agreeing to produce an album for her.{{Cite web |date=2018-12-26 |title=The show, the afterparty, da bassment |url=https://www.585mag.com/the-show-the-afterparty-da-bassment/ |access-date=2023-06-27 |website=(585) magazine |language=en-US}}

From 1993 to 1995, the collective crew released multiple collaborative EPs, though many of these were commercially unsuccessful. In 1994, Sista released its sole album, 4 All the Sistas Around da World;{{Cite web |last=Abraham |first=Mya |date=2021-09-25 |title=Missy Elliott Celebrates Her Introduction As An Artist In '90s Girl Group, Sista |url=https://www.vibe.com/music/music-news/missy-elliott-sista-album-anniversary-1234629814/ |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=VIBE.com |language=en-US}} this album received positive reviews but was shelved due to a lack of commercial success. Swing Mob members also featured on film soundtracks during this period, with their music appearing in titles such as Above the Rim and Dangerous Minds.{{Cite web |last=YKIGS |date=2021-01-28 |title=The Story of DeVante Swing's Da Bassment As Told By the Artists Who Were There - YouKnowIGotSoul.com |url=https://youknowigotsoul.com/the-story-of-devante-swings-da-bassment-as-told-by-the-artists-who-were-there |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=YouKnowIGotSoul.com {{!}} New R&B Music, Songs, Podcast, Interviews |language=en-US}}

The Swing Mob label dissolved in 1995. Artists such as Missy Elliott (who had been a member of Sista) Timbaland & Magoo, and Ginuwine had begun to leave the group and pursue musical careers elsewhere, and other artists from the collective stated that they felt Swing was underpromoting or mismanaging them. Smoke E. Digglera of Playa has stated that artists were forced to choose whether they wanted to sign directly to Def Jam or through Swing Mob instead, weakening some acts' loyalty to the Swing Mob brand.{{Cite web |title=Smoke of Playa: An Insider's View of Swing Mob - R&B Haven |url=https://www.rnbhaven.com/music-articles/20 |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=www.rnbhaven.com}}{{Cite web |last=Bowser |first=Edward |date=2012-11-05 |title=What Ever Happened to: Playa |url=http://www.soulinstereo.com/2012/11/what-ever-happened-to-playa.html |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=Soul In Stereo |language=en-US}} Since the disbandment of the collective, Swing has also been accused of physically abusive behavior toward his artists. Stevie J has described an incident in which Swing purportedly entered the studio with his entourage and began slapping the artists, a situation which devolved into an all-out brawl.{{Cite web |date=2021-09-14 |title=Missy Bravely Tells Why She Never 'Felt Pretty' In Devante Swing's '90s Girl Group |url=https://www.iloveoldschoolmusic.com/missy-bravely-tells-why-she-never-felt-pretty-in-devante-swings-90s-girl-group/ |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=I Love Old School Music |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2019-09-14 |title=Stevie J Recalls Brutal Brawl with K-Ci After Devante Smacked Missy Elliot [VIDEO] |url=https://eurweb.com/2019/09/14/stevie-j-recalls-brutal-brawl-with-k-ci-after-devante-smacked-missy-elliot-video/ |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=EURweb |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2018-04-18 |title=Missy Boldly Admits Why She Never 'Felt Pretty' In Devante Swing's 90s Girl Group |url=https://www.iloveoldschoolmusic.com/missy-boldly-admits-why-she-never-felt-pretty-in-devante-swings-jodeci-90s-girl-group/ |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=I Love Old School Music |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Balogun |first=Oyin |date=2019-09-08 |title=Stevie J Revealed Details about K-Ci Altercation after Devante Swing Allegedly Hit Missy Elliott |url=https://news.amomama.com/169810-stevie-j-details-alleged-fight-k-ci-deva.html |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=news.amomama.com |language=en}}

File:Missy Elliott 2006.jpg

After the dissolution of Swing Mob, its former artists collaborated, with Playa, Elliott, Timbaland, Magoo and Ginuwine forming the collective Superfriends in 1996.{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Stereo |title=Before 'Supa Dupa Fly:' The Rise Of Missy Elliott |url=https://rockthebells.com/articles/missy-elliott-before-supa-dupa-fly/ |website=rockthebells.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220716230331/https://rockthebells.com/articles/missy-elliott-before-supa-dupa-fly/ |archive-date=July 16, 2022 |access-date=March 3, 2025}} The founding members would add a few more members to the new roster which included Nicole Wray,{{Cite web |last=YKIGS |date=2014-07-18 |title=Nicole Wray Talks Joining Lady the Band, New Solo Music, Static & Aaliyah Memories, Missy Elliott Advice (Exclusive Interview) - YouKnowIGotSoul.com |url=https://youknowigotsoul.com/interview-nicole-wray-talks-joining-lady-the-band-new-solo-music-static-and-aaliyah-memories-missy-elliott-advice |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=YouKnowIGotSoul.com {{!}} New R&B Music, Songs, Podcast, Interviews |language=en-US}}{{cite web|title=Nicole Wray's Debut Album "Make It Hot" – An In Depth Look at the Creation of This R&B Gem|url=http://youknowigotsoul.com/nicole-wrays-debut-album-make-it-hot-an-in-depth-look-at-the-creation-of-this-rb-gem|website=youknowigotsoul.com|publisher=You Know I Got Soul|access-date=2018-01-26|archive-date=2017-06-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170610053933/http://youknowigotsoul.com/nicole-wrays-debut-album-make-it-hot-an-in-depth-look-at-the-creation-of-this-rb-gem|url-status=live}} N.E.R.D., the Clipse, Shaunta Montgomery, Sebastian, Danja Mowf, DJ Lonnie B, Tweet, and rising R&B artist Aaliyah.{{Cite web |date=2022-05-23 |title=Tank Says Validation From Aaliyah Meant Everything To His Career: "Nothing Trumps That" |url=https://rickeysmileymorningshow.com/2850451/tank-says-validation-from-aaliyah-meant-everything-to-his-career-nothing-trumps-that/ |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=The Rickey Smiley Morning Show |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2021-07-16 |title=Aaliyah's Final Album Turns 20 |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2154052/aaliyah-final-album-turns-20/reviews/the-anniversary/ |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=Stereogum |language=en}} The collective began working with each other and collaborating on each other's recordings, keeping the features within the group, and often appearing in each other music videos.

The first collaboration under the Suparfriendz name took place on Timbaland & Magoo's 1997 single "Up Jumps da Boogie", in which Elliott and Ginuwine provided background vocals and made appearances in the music video. Also providing background vocals was Aaliyah, who had become affiliated with the former Swing Mob roster after Timbaland produced her 1996 album One in a Million.{{Cite magazine |first=Brandon |last=Caldwell |date=August 26, 2021 |title=Aaliyah stepped into her own on One in a Million — and created the blueprint for modern R&B |url=https://ew.com/music/music-reviews/aaliyah-one-in-a-million-review/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |language=en}} Missy Elliott, who had served as a writer and background vocalist on One in a Million, went on to release her debut solo album, Supa Dupa Fly, in 1997. A critical and commercial success that featured production from both Elliott and Timbaland, this album helped to raise the profile of the collective.{{Cite web |title=Supa Dupa Fly Turns 25: A Tribute to Missy Elliott's Genre-Defying Debut |url=https://www.bet.com/article/mtrxd1/25-years-later-missy-elliott-is-still-supa-dupa-fly |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=BET |language=en}}{{Cite magazine |date=2018-11-20 |title=Missy Elliott's "Supa Dupa Fly" Came from the Future |url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/touchstones/an-appreciation-of-missy-elliotts-1997-album-supa-dupa-fly |access-date=2022-08-23 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Tinsley |first=Justin |date=2017-07-13 |title=Timbaland on Missy Elliott's 'Supa Dupa Fly' and how hip-hop got its groove back |url=https://andscape.com/features/missy-elliotts-supa-dupa-fly-how-hip-hop-got-its-groove-back/ |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=Andscape |language=en-US}} While affiliated with the Supafriendz collective, Playa released the 1998 album Cheers 2 U. Playa member Static Major also served as a songwriter for many other members of the collective, contributing writing to Ginuwine's "Pony" and many of Aaliyah's songs from this period.{{Cite web |date=2021-01-08 |title=Diddy Remembers Aaliyah And Biggie In Classic 1994 Throwback Photo |url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/diddy-remembers-aaliyah-and-biggie-in-classic-1994-throwback-photo-news.124349.html |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=HotNewHipHop |language=en}} Nicole Wray and Tweet also released music during the Supafriendz' period of peak activity.{{Cite web |date=2016-02-25 |title=Q&A: R&B singer Tweet explains why it took her a decade to release a new album |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-tweet-explains-hiatus-20160224-story.html |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}

Aaliyah, who had become a core member of the Superfriends due to her commercial success, died in 2001. This loss shook the collective, and its members gradually began to drift apart in the aftermath.File:Aaliyah Dana Haughton-06.jpg

• Missy Elliott (artist, writer, producer, background vocals)
• Aaliyah (singer, background vocals)
• Timbaland (producer, rapper, writer)
• Magoo (rapper, writer)
• Mad Skillz (rapper, ghostwriter)
• Static Major (singer, rapper, writer, background vocals)
• Ginuwine (singer, writer)
• Malice (rapper, writer)
• Pusha T (rapper, writer)
• Pharrell (rapper, writer, singer, producer, instrumentalists)
• Smoke E. Digglera (singer, producer, writer, background vocals, instrumentalists)
• Danja Mowf (rapper, writer)
• DJ Lonnie B (rapper, writer, producer)
• Chad Hugo (writer, producer, instrumentalists)
• Shaunta Montgomery (rapper, writer)
• Digital Black (rapper, singer, writer, background vocals)
• Shay Haley (rapper, writer, instrumentalists)
• Tweet (singer, writer)
• Sebastian(rapper, writer)
• Nicole Wray (singer, writer)

• Timbaland, Missy Elliott, and Static Major were actively been involved in majority of the collective works, with Timbaland serving as the predominant producer on majority of the songs on multiple albums. However the three do not serve as writer and producer on every song on each albums. The eight artists of the collective also appear and feature on multiple tracks on various albums also sharing writers credit. Many of the tracks may not have been marketed as a single, which of the above is a select few.{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Daniel |date=2022-03-07 |title=The Truth About Missy Elliot And Timbaland's Relationship |url=https://www.grunge.com/790328/the-truth-about-missy-elliot-and-timbalands-relationship/ |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=Grunge.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last1=Alex |first1=Brenda |last2=er |date=2021-01-07 |title=Missy Elliott Say's Tweet's 'Oops, (Oh My)' Isn't About Sex |url=https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/missy-elliott-says-tweets-oops-oh-my-isnt-about-sex.html/ |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=Showbiz Cheat Sheet |language=en-US}}

• The Term Superfriends, coined by the collective crew themselves, was a reference to them being superheroes, changing music every chance they got in order to save the world, as claimed by both Missy and Timbaland.{{Cite web |title=Aaliyah, RIP |url=https://www.thefader.com/2010/08/25/aaliyah-rip |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=The FADER |language=en}}{{Cite magazine |last=Thompson |first=Erica |date=2019-03-15 |title=Ginuwine & Timbaland Reflect on 20th Anniversary of '100% Ginuwine,' 'One of the Best Albums Ever Made' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/ginuwine-timbaland-100-percent-interview-8502578/ |access-date=2022-08-23 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}} It also comes from the track "Best Friends"(Featuring Aaliyah), with Missy explaining that they would come together as super friends. It also derives from the term 'supergroup', the collaboration of the urban R&B/Pop team being composed of music producers, writers, rappers and singers all from the Da Bassment Camp as well as solo artists who were becoming successful in their own right.

Some former Swing Mob members ultimately went on to establish their own record labels. Missy Elliott founded the Goldmind Inc., while Timbaland founded Mosley Music Group and the now-defunct Beat Club Records. After Playa broke up, member Static Major found mainstream success in writing songs for other artists including Aaliyah ("Try Again", "Are You That Somebody?"), Pretty Ricky ("Your Body"), and Lil Wayne ("Lollipop"). He eventually died in 2008 after complications from a medical procedure.

Ginuwine and Timbaland would eventually fall out with one another,{{Cite web |last1=VIBE |last2=VIBE |date=2010-04-12 |title=Ginuwine 'Doesn't Like' Timbaland, Still Calls Him One Of 'Best Producers Ever' |url=https://www.vibe.com/news/entertainment/ginuwine-doesnt-timbaland-still-calls-him-one-best-producers-ever-51986/ |access-date=2022-08-22 |website=VIBE.com |language=en-US}} but relations remain close between the other former members of the Swing Mob and Superfriends collectives.

• 1993: Da Bassment Cru (Swing Mob/EastWest)

• 1994: 4 All the Sistas Around da World (Elektra)

• 1997: Untitled Album (unreleased) (Swing Mob)

• 1996: From Where??? (Big Beat/Atlantic)
• 2002: I Ain't Mad No More (Rawkus)

• 1997: Supa Dupa Fly (Goldmind/Elektra/Violator)
• 1999: Da Real World (Goldmind/Elektra/Violator)
• 2001: Miss E… So Addictive (Goldmind/Elektra/Violator)

• 1995: S.B.I. AKA Surrounded By Idiots (unreleased (Swing Mob)
• 1997: Welcome To Our World (Blackground)
• 1998: Tim's Bio: Life from da Bassment (Blackground)
• 2001: Indecent Proposal (Blackground)

• 1995: Playa (unreleased) (Swing Mob)
• 1998: Cheers 2 U (Def Jam)
• 2003: Never Too Late (shelved) (Blackground/Def Jam)
• 2009: [https://web.archive.org/web/20120123174308/http://smokedigglera.bandcamp.com/album/unreleased-compilation Unreleased Compilation]

• 1995: Tornado (unreleased) (Swing Mob)
• 1996: Ginuwine...The Bachelor (550 Music/Epic)
• 1999: 100% Ginuwine (550 Music/Epic)
• 2001: The Life (550 Music/Epic)

• 2002: Southern Hummingbird (Atlantic)

• 2000: Met.A.Mor.Phic (Maverick)

• 1995: Untitled Album (unreleased) (Dajhelon/MCA/EMI/Swing Mob)

• 1995: Untitled Album (As Da Boogieman)(unreleased) (Swing Mob)
• 2003: What's It All For? (Def Jam/Ruff Ryders/Bloodline)

• 1994: Above the Rim
• 1995: Dangerous Minds
• 1996: The Nutty Professor
• 1998: Dr. Dolittie
• 2000: Romeo Must Die

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.rnbhaven.com/90s-music/feature/Playa-Interview-Part-1/20 Smoke E Digglera of Playa Interview About Swing Mob]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090623053956/http://njs4ever.com/index.cfm/pageId/506 Susan Weems tells all]

{{Jodeci}}

{{Ginuwine}}

{{Missy Elliott}}

{{Timbaland}}

{{Timbaland & Magoo}}

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Category:Hip-hop collectives

Category:Timbaland