KRU

Last updated

KRU
KRU genKRU 2025.jpg
KRU performing at the GenKRU concert in May 2025. From left: Edry, Yusry, and Norman
Background information
Also known as
  • Selangor Rappers Unit (1992)
  • Tyco (2000–2001)
Origin Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Genres
Works
Years active1992–present [a]
Labels
Members
  • Norman Abdul Halim
  • Yusry Abdul Halim
  • Edry Abdul Halim
Website www.kru-group.com

KRU are a Malaysian boy band from Kuala Lumpur. They were formed in 1992 by brothers Norman, Yusry and Edry Abdul Halim. KRU performs songs in both Malay and English and released several hit singles around the rise of Malaysian pop music, collectively known as M-Pop and towards of the 21st century. The band's musical style, which has garnered praise for its anthemic quality and emotional engagement that appeals to a broad audience, spans with their blend of pop, R&B and hip hop, while their lyrics focus on subjects including loss, heartbreak and relationship, and personal struggles. KRU also established themselves as a renowned composer, lyricist and record producer and has contributed to material for prominent Malaysian music industry artists in various genres since then.

Contents

Their debut album, Canggih , was released in 1992 under EMI Music Malaysia, with songs like "Cherrina", "Hanya Kau" and "20/20" were released as singles and help raised KRU to prominence. KRU released their first and only English-language album, The Way We Jam (1998), which saws them collaborated with well-known international composers, lyricists, and producers. The album was a critical and commercial success, with the lead single of the same name won the 1999 Anugerah Industri Muzik for the Best Music Video while the album won the Best Engineered Album. In 2000, the brothers formed a virtual band named Tyco, which was touted as the Malaysia's first virtual musical group, with members consisted of 3D animated versions of themselves. The trio disbanded in 2018 after their last concert, Konsert Gergasi KRU25 in Istana Budaya and went hiatus to focus on their careers and personal lives individually, but reunited in 2024 to release their new album, Kaset and embarked on their GenKRU concert.

Apart from their music career, the KRU brothers made their acting debut in feature films Awas! (1995) and Cinta Metropolitan (1996), where they contributed soundtracks for both films. They also ventured into business with the establishment of KRU Group of Companies, which have subsidiaries operated in various business segments, including KRU Studios and KRU Music. KRU is the most successful male Malaysian music group of the 1990s and 2000s. They have received numerous accolades, including Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian, Anugerah Planet Muzik and Anugerah Juara Lagu as well as recognition from The Malaysia Book of Records. Their success inspired numerous other groups of their generation to follow in their tracks.

History

1992–1999: Formation, Canggih and early years

The three KRU brothers – Norman, Yusry and Edry – who was born to Abdul Halim Kamal and Zarina Abdul Wahab Fenner, shows their interest in music since they were very young, when one of their aunts bought Norman a keyboard which also attracted his other brothers. [1] They spent their teenage years in London, England for two years as their father worked there, and obtained musical and academical education. [2] The brothers doing many jobs to make ends meet, with Norman worked at a petrol station, Yusry worked at a Tandoori restaurant and Edry delivers newspapers to each homes. [3] [4] While in London, they were exposed to various genres of music, in contrast to the Malay music scene at that time which was dominated by classic rock and ballads. [5] [6]

The first song composed by the brothers themselves was "Untukmu", which Norman wrote at the age of 16. He said that the song is about his feelings towards someone else. [3] [4] [7] Starting from scratch, they began to learn how to compose songs and focused on production after purchasing a music CD. [4] They continued to write original songs since then and were unaware that one of Norman's college friends sent a demo to EMI. [8] [9] Calvin Wong, the then-International Label Manager of EMI and now a vice-president at Warner Music Asia Pacific, was very impressed by the song and called the brothers to audition. [8] During their formation on 19 May 1992, [10] the group initially settling the name Selangor Rappers Unit (SRU) with only Norman and Edry as members; [10] after Yusry joined them, the group immediately changed its name to KRU. The group's name (addressed by the initials "K.R.U." and not the pronunciation "kroo") stands for Kumpulan Rap Utama or "Major Rap Group", but it is also the Malay word for "crew", borrowed from English. [10] [11]

After signing with EMI, KRU released their debut album, Canggih on 5 October 1992. [11] [12] The album contains 12 songs which all of them were composed and written by the brothers themselves. Two songs from the album, "Cherrina" and "Hanya Kau" was released as singles and become hits. [13] The album also contains "20/20", which was specially dedicated to then-fourth Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad and is inspired by Wawasan 2020, which was introduced by Mahathir. [14] The album was well received by the market and sold over 20,000 copies, [15] earning KRU a platinum certification and propelling the brothers to fame. [16] [17] But, the Malaysian public broadcaster Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) complained about the album's content, which was deemed to promoting yellow culture, [18] [3] and banned 9 out of the 12 songs in the album from radio airplay. [18] [19] The broadcaster also demanded the brothers to change the lyrics of "2020" due to language concerns. [18] [20] [19]

Their second album, reKRUed , was released in October 1993, containing two lead singles "Mengerti" and "Janji Tinggal Janji". [21] [22] The album was well received and sold over 60,000 copies and also considerable attention from music critics for its rap and acappella influences. [23] [2] To promote the album's release, KRU held an interview session with fans via a telephone on 4 December, [24] as well as embarking their ReKRUed Rap Tour with three concerts held in Johor Bahru, Alor Setar and Kuala Lumpur from 27 March to 23 April 1994. In the concert, KRU performs songs from their first two albums. [25]

The wordmark logo of KRU. KRU logo.png
The wordmark logo of KRU.

The following year, KRU released their third album, Awas! in an extended play (EP) format in September 1994 with an accompanying biographical scrap book published by Kharisma Publications. [7] The album contains 6 songs including a new version of "Janji Tinggal Janji" and "Untukmu", which was made famous by Feminin. For the latter, KRU perform in a cappella. [7] [26] [27] [28] The album was well received, selling more than 60,000 copies and being certified double platinum. [29] Later, the brothers made their acting debut in 1995 film, Awas! , which saws the group portrays themselves. Principal photography began in November 1994 in Penang, the film was released on 7 September 1995 and became commercial success. [30] [31] They also released their fourth album, Awas! da' Soundtrack , which served as a soundtrack album for the film, containing 13 songs, composed and written by themselves. [32] [33] To promote both the album and the film of the same name, KRU embarked on their Awas da Concert series, with the first leg began in Datuk Sheikh Ahmad Stadium in Kangar, Perlis on 14 July and ended in Stadium Negara on 25 August. [34] [35] [36]

On 19 March 1996, KRU released their fifth album, Ooh! La! La! . [37] [38] Like their previous albums, all tracks composed and written by the brothers themselves. [39] Three singles from the album, the title track, "Apa Saja" and "Diari Metropolitan" were hits, as was the album; it sold 150,000 copies in seven months upon its release, and being certified multi-platinum. [40] [41] Later, KRU was among of 10 Malaysian artistes including Ziana Zain, Man Bai, Feminin and Ning Baizura who performed at the Konsert Kemuncak Dunia at Stadium Negara on 19 July 1996. The concert, which was held in support for the 1997 expedition to the Mount Everest, was attended by 3,000 audiences. They also performed an anthem for the expedition, entitled "Everest". [42] [43] The KRU brothers then become a main cast alongside Vanidah Imran in a romantic drama film Cinta Metropolitan, directed by the late Julie Dahlan. Unlike Awas! where KRU portrays as themselves, Cinta Metropolitan saws the brothers portrays different characters, with Norman took his role as Haris, Yusry as Irwan and Edry as Rizal. [44] [45] [46] They also contributed a soundtrack, which mostly consists of their songs from Ooh! La! La!, which was released six months earlier. [47] Released in September, the film was a commercial failure. [48]

On 3 March 1997, KRU released a compilation album entitled KRUmania which included three new songs, "Fanatik", "Di Pintu Syurga" featuring a duet with their protege, Elite and a cover version of P. Ramlee's "Getaran Jiwa". [49] [50] [51] The song, which is a theme tune of Ramlee's 1960 drama film Antara Dua Darjat , saws the KRU brothers sang along with archived Ramlee's recorded vocals. KRU's rendition of "Getaran Jiwa" have earned them a recognition from The Malaysia Book of Records as the first Malaysian artist to have a digital duet with a deceased musician. [52] [53] The album was well received by the market and sold over 80,000 copies in 5 days upon its release. [54] To promote KRUmania, the group embarked a three-month concert tour on 15 locations throughout Malaysia; the KRUmania Mega Concert '97 tour began with a concert in Johor Bahru, Johor on 17 May and ended in Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur on 4 October. [55] Later, KRU was commissioned by the Government of Selangor to produced a tribute album for Selangor national football team titled Viva Selangor. The album contains 8 songs that performed by the team players themselves. [56] [57] They also won six awards including Best Music Video for their single, "Fanatik" at the second Music Video Awards held at the Auditorium Besar in Angkasapuri, Kuala Lumpur. [58] [59] [60]

In August 1998, KRU was chosen by Pepsi to perform "Never Let the Spirit Die", one of the songs chosen as the theme song for the 16th Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur; [61] [62] [63] To promote the single, its interactive CD-ROM was released in September in conjunction with the KRU-Pepsi promotion. [64] They among a few artistes including Sharifah Aini, Zainal Abidin, Amy Search, Ning Baizura, Ella and Sheila Majid to recorded the soundtrack for Malaysia's first animated feature film, Silat Lagenda. KRU composed and perform three songs for the film's soundtrack, "Silat Legenda", "Fobia" and a duet with Sheila, "Setia Bersama". [65] [66] KRU's sixth studio album and their first English-language album, The Way We Jam , was released on 26 November 1998. The album includes songs written by other international composers like Diane Warren, David Foster and Babyface as well as some written by themselves. [67] [68] They also recorded a cover version of "Never Ask Too Much (of Love)" by American gospel music group, Take 6. [69] Spawned three singles, the album is a critical and commercial success. The music video for the titular song, won the 6th Anugerah Industri Muzik for the Best Music Video while the album itself won the Best Engineered Album on 10 April 1999. [70]

In January 1999, KRU composed and performed the official theme tune for the 1999 edition of Le Tour de Langkawi, titled "Fiesta". An official music video for the song was produced, with utilised 3D graphical and animation techniques. Produced by their own company KRU Motion Pictures, the music video for "Fiesta" costed RM40,000. [71] The group embarked on their Jammin' the Nation tour. It began in Kuala Lumpur on from March 20, continued in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines and ended in Brunei on 22 January 2000. [72] Later, KRU received sponsorship from Proton and embarked on their tour in Australia for the Proton World Tour. They headlining mini-concerts and make a public appearances at 15 different locations in Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane with the tour lasted for a month, from September 28 to October 17. [73] [74] [75] KRU's seventh studio album, Formula Luarbiasa was released on 16 December 1999. It was supported by three lead singles, "Luar Biasa", "Formula" and "Jangan Lafazkan". The album's first single, "Luar Biasa" was launched four months earlier with the limited copies of its CD single, contains four versions of the song, have been sold out and it was chosen as the theme song for Perodua. [73] [76] To promote the album, KRU utilised an airplane to carrying the album's banner. [77]

2000–2002: Tyco and KRUjaan

On 13 March 2000, KRU produced and released Ideologi, a compilation album consists of songs composed by the brothers and performed by renowned Malaysian artistes, [78] [79] including Indigo, Elite and Juliana Banos. [80] KRU was among seven artistes including Sheila Majid, Siti Nurhaliza and Raihan who performed at the Paralympic Charity Concert in Stadium Merdeka on 12 October 2000. The fundraising concert, which was organised by the Malaysian Paralympic Council (MPC), was a commercial success although the number of attendees are not many. [81] [82] [83]

Looking for a new direction in music industry, in December the same year, KRU formed a virtual band named Tyco, [b] whose members consisted of computer-generated alternate versions of themselves, with Norman, Yusry, and Edry as avatars Tylo, Yiko, and Psylo respectively. [84] [85] According to KRU, the concept and idea of Tyco was based on that of British virtual band, Gorillaz. To distinguished themselves from Tyco, KRU had pointed out that Tyco are "a separate entity with its own identity". [86] The animation process for the group was done by the Malaysian animation studio, Flare Studios. Their eponymous studio album, KRU's eighth studio album overall, was released on 1 January 2001, containing 13 songs in both Malay and English. [87] [88] Although the project was lauded as groundbreaking with its CGI music video "Bidadari" and "With U" and was awarded "Malaysia's First Virtual Artiste" by the Malaysia Book of Records, [89] Tyco failed to achieve mainstream success and the project was quietly dissolved. [90]

KRU's ninth studio album, KRUjaan was released on 16 May 2002 as part of their 10th anniversary celebration. [91] [92] The album's musical style was hiptronic, a portmanteau of hip-hop and electronic music. [93] It was supported by six lead singles, including "Impak Maksima", "Mahaguru" and "Aku Benci". [94] To promote the album, the brothers headlining a two-hour mobile concert, which was held on 18 May. [95] [96] Later, they was invited by the Malaysian low-cost airline, AirAsia to perform at one of its airplane in conjunction with the official opening of the AirAsia's booking office in Prangin Mall, Penang on 29 June, [97] and become the first Malaysian artist to have performing live on the airplane. [98]

On 26 October 2002, KRU released a reissue edition of KRUjaan, titled Empayar KRUjaan V2.0 , which contains four new songs, including "U Got Style" and a cover version of Revolver's "Perpisahan" and Sudirman Arshad's "Terasing", which they combined both songs and re-recorded them as "Perpisahan Terasing". [99] At the same time, they kicked off their fifth major tour, Konsert Empayar KRUjaan at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur. [100] [101] Their performance at the concert was well received, and attended by 50,000 audiences. [102]

2003–2012: Continued success

In June 2003, Yusry, one of the KRU brothers, released his first and only self-titled solo album and became the only KRU member to released a solo album. The album is preceded by three lead singles, "Dekat Padamu", "Warna Kehidupanku" and a duet with his then-wife, Erra Fazira, "Jika Kau Tiada". His debut solo effort was well-received, with many music critics compared his with to that of KRU. [103] [104] KRU released another compilation album, Relax in April 2004. The album includes several of their popular songs from their previous albums, as well as two new songs, "Babe" and "Di Hatimu". The compilation, according to KRU, was described as a "transition or change" in their music career. [105] [106] [107] In October, KRU announced that they will be released their new album, scheduled for 2005 release. Their eleventh studio album, KRUnisme , was released on the New Year's Day 2005. The album is preceded by its lead single, "Terhangat di Pasaran", featuring a Sabahan singer and former Akademi Fantasia season 2 contestant, Adam Mat Saman. Both the album and the single was well received by music critics. [108] [109] [110]

KRU is one of few Malaysian artists, collectively known as Artis Bersatu, who contributed a special song titled "Suluhkan Sinar". Released in January 2005, the song, which was produced by the brothers, was specially dedicated to the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami and it is officiated by the then-Deputy Prime Minister, Najib Razak. Other artists involved in the project were Akademi Fantasia contestants, Erra Fazira, Dayang Nurfaizah, Alleycats, Jaclyn Victor and Anita Sarawak. [111] [112]

10 di Skala Richter , KRU's twelfth studio album, was released in July 2006. It was supported by its lead singles "Gerenti Beres", "Buat Hal Lagi" and "C'mon Lah". [113] [114] It became their last studio album with EMI as their 15-year contract with the label ended soon after. [115] KRU was among seven Malaysian R&B and hip-hop artists, including Too Phat and Ruffedge, who involved in a tribute album for the Malaysian female rock singer, Ella called Urban Strike ...with Ella, which was released on 11 July. KRU re-recorded and performed "Kitalah Bintang" in the album. [116] Two years later, Edry released his debut solo single, "Sumpah Takkan Cari Yang Lain", which was composed and written by himself. The single was later included as one of the soundtracks of Cicakman 2: Planet Hitam . The film's soundtrack album also included "Di Bius Cinta", which performed by Yusry and Indonesian singer-songwriter, Melly Goeslaw, and "Planet Hitam" by Tyco, which features lead vocals solely from Norman. [117]

In January 2011, KRU released Hitman, a compilation album comprising 18 songs composed by Edry and performed by various artists. [118] An MTV karaoke of the album was released in May. [119] The compilation also included KRU new single, "Ganas". [120] Later, in November, KRU along with other artists including Ramli Sarip, Hannah Tan and Suki Low performed an anthem for the Malaysian contingent participating in the 26th Southeast Asian Games, titled "Gemuruh Suara", with the lyrics is in both Malay and English. [121] In 2012, KRU celebated 20th anniversary of their music career, and at the same time, they performed at an exclusive concert with artists under KRU Music on 10 June at the Neverland@Orange, Kuala Lumpur. [122] [123] [124] In September 2012, KRU released the first single from their upcoming album, "Wanita", which was specially dedicated to their mother, Zarina Abdul Wahab Fenner. [125]

2013–2018: KRUnomena and breakup

KRU released their thirteenth studio album and their first album in seven years, KRUnomena on 31 January 2013. [126] [127] Edry become the album's producer and composed all 10 songs. The album spawned four singles, including its first single, "Wanita" and a duet with Stacy Anam titled "Semalam Tanpamu". [128] The album, which took 2 years to completed, is their first studio album with their own record label, KRU Music after having signed with EMI. [129] [130] Later, KRU released their first Hari Raya Aidilfitri single, "Erti Aidilfitri" in July, [131] followed by a compilation album, 1, containing 30 songs from their previous studio albums in September. [132]

KRU performs on MeleTOP on 15 March 2016. KRU performs on MeleTOP.jpg
KRU performs on MeleTOP on 15 March 2016.

KRU was chosen to perform an official song for the 2015 SEA Games, which they entitled "Kuasa Juara". Released on 3 June 2015, the song, which was composed by Norman and Archie Nasution with lyrics by Norman, took a week to completed. According to Norman, the song was "blended with aggresive beats along with rap elements". [133] [134] On 11 January 2016, KRU released their new single, "Hingga Ke Jannah", which was written and composed by Edry. The single was heralded by a music critic from Galaksi Media as "far more mature", highlighting its "deep spiritual elements" while "retaining pop as a main genre". [135] On 6 February, one of the KRU brothers, Norman was among the 85 recipients of the Darjah Indera Mahkota Pahang (DIMP) which carries the title of Datuk in conjunction with Sultan of Pahang, Sultan Ahmad Shah's birthday. [136]

On 18 April 2018, KRU announced that they would disbanded after their last concert, the Konsert Gergasi KRU25 which was take place at Istana Budaya for three days from 4 to 6 May 2018, [137] [138] with 80 percent of tickets have been sold out. [139] At the concert's second and third day, at least a dozens of fans throughout the country congregated to see KRU for the last time. [140] The group's leader Norman said he and two younger brothers Yusry and Edry have reached the decision and agreed to disband KRU after exactly 25 years of being active in music industry. [141] There were also no plans for KRU to reunited in the future as the brothers concentrated on their own careers and personal lives respectively. [142] Norman also informed that all KRU's business entities will still in operation as usual. [143] To coincide with their disbandment, KRU released their last single before their breakup, entitled "Tahan Lama", featuring a duet with Joe Flizzow, [144] followed by their greatest hits album, Gergasi, which contains the group's 30 popular tracks. [140] A special rockumentary about KRU's career have been announced by Norman and was released on July 2018. [145]

2019–2023: Hiatus and post-KRU activities

After KRU's dissolution, the three brothers entered hiatus and went on to focus on their respective careers and personal lives, with Norman focus on expanding of their company's business, including KRU Studios, KRU Music and other subsidiaries operating under KRU Group of Companies. [138] In 2020, Tyco with Norman as sole member under his moniker, Tylo returns through the collaboration with Kazim Elias and Tuju from K-Clique for a song entitled "Salawat 1442" released by Imaan Music. [146] Edry moves to Manchester, United Kingdom to focus on his children's education, especially his son, Emery, who was born with autism, [147] while concurrently focused on composing and produced music for other artistes. [138]

Yusry focus on filmmaking, [138] directing several TV dramas including Ganjil and Nenek Bongkok Tiga, and films including 2022 film, Juang where he becomes one of the 5 directors. He also became one of the two judges of One in a Million season 4 on TV3. [148] Yusry was among the 335 recipients of the Orders, Medals and Stars of the Federal Territory and conferred the Panglima Mahkota Wilayah (PMW) which carries the title of Datuk by the then-Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah in conjunction with the Federal Territories' Day on 1 February 2021. [149]

2024–present: Reunion, Kaset and GenKRU concert

On 10 October 2024, KRU announced that they reunited after 6 years of hiatus and signed with Sony Music Malaysia on the same day. [150] [151] The group released their fourteenth studio album, Kaset on 25 April 2025. [152] [153] It is their first studio album in 12 years since KRUnomena (2013) and the album's title was chosen as a tribute to cassette era. Yusry said about the album's title: "We were born in the cassette era, and Kaset represents not just our journey, but also a tribute to the medium that first carried our music to the fans". [154] The album is preceded by the release of its first single composed by themselves, "Voodoo" on 22 November 2024. A music video was produced to promote the single, in which KRU become the first artist in Malaysia and also in Asia to utilized artificial intelligence (AI) technology to create their digital twin in a music video. [155] The music video of "Voodoo" has garnered 1.2 million views in YouTube since its released. The album's second single, "One More Time", was released on 17 January 2025. Like the first single, "Voodoo"'s music video, the KRU brothers also utilized AI technology for "One More Time"'s music video. [156] [157] [158]

KRU embarked on their GenKRU concert, which held for four nights from 3 to 11 May 2025 in Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil. The concert is a commercial success where 8,000 its tickets were successfully sold out within an hour. [159] GenKRU concert's success earned KRU received two recognitions from the Malaysia Book of Records (MBOR), namely the "Fastest Concert Ticket Sales in One Hour" and "Most Numbered Performances in a Concert Series". [160] [161] The group concluded their GenKRU concert series with the last leg held on 28 June 2025 in The Star Theatre, Singapore, where it received overwhelming response from KRU fans in Singapore. It is their first live performances in Singapore since 2016. [162] [163] [164] KRU also planned to held the GenKRU concert series in Penang by the end of August although they never announced publicly. Norman has since ruled this out, citing to "maintain performance quality, cost factor, production and technical aspects". [165] [166] [167]

On 29 September 2025, KRU announced in a press conference that a finale concert, entitled GenKRU the Finale: One More Time, was scheduled to held on 22 November at the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium. Norman revealed that the forthcoming concert would came up with a different scale as it was held in an open venue, marking the first time they headlined a concert from indoor to outdoor venue. The concert's ticket sales was opened on 3 October. [168] [169]

Artistry

Image

KRU have prided themselves as a rap group instead of being just a boy band. [170] [171] In an interview with Singapore's Berita Harian , Norman acknowledge there is a similarities and differences between KRU and other boy bands: "What makes us not a boy band is, we are not manufactured and not packaged in a seamless shapes like other boy bands. It's true [that] our group is made up of a men and we are also dancing while on stage. But, boy bands usually won't last long. They're just released one or two albums, and then, disappeared". [170] They later pointed out that the term 'boy band' is "just a public perception". [172]

Earlier in their career, KRU is known to have incorporates their cleaner image. [173] In order to be the role model to their fans, the trio take monitor of their moves. Norman said: "We don't smoke, drinking alcohols and we are always well-dressed" [...] For the sake of [our] fans, we'd tried to avoid these. Moreover, it is not good for health". [2] The brothers also take careful in social interactions. [2] While maintaining their clean and tidy images, KRU acknowledged that their appearances is always neat and edge and in line with the tastes of current teenager's trends. [174] KRU's personal image was later highlighted and praised by Roslen Fadzil of Harian Metro who commended the brothers for not brought bad images on any ocassions, even in their concerts, much like some of their contemporaries but still being able to have an illustrious career. [175]

Musical styles and themes

Throughout their career, KRU have explored many musical genres, which spans pop, R&B, dance and hip hop, with a focus on catchy melodies and energetic rhythms. [3] [138] [176] The brothers also included genres like a cappella, ballad, new jack swing and funk. [177] Most of their songs were performed by Yusry and Edry as the lead singers, while Norman contributed rap in some of their songs. Their first studio album, Canggih features distinct musical concepts with the blend of rap, pop, rock, techno and reggae, [12] while their third album, Awas! saws KRU exploring genres such as soul and dance. [178] With The Way We Jam, the brothers incorporates a more "stronger scent of the R&B" while still maintain their hip hop sound; [179] the album features a unique song identities which have been described as a "familiar rhythm and blues-soul grooves combined with some very mushy love ballads". [180] "Formula", from Formula Luar Biasa, on the other hand, was considered to be inspired by funky groove sounds. [181] Later in their career, KRU transitioned to spiritual [182] and other music genres, exploring a combination of "modern music and electronic sounds". [92]

Their lyrics are often centred around various subjects including loss, heartbreak and relationship, and personal struggles. Some of their lyrics also highlights themes such as hopes, reflections, and even social commentaries. Norman said that most of KRU's songs were based on their own experience or past history of any persons. [3] [4] In a separate interview with Utusan Malaysia and Harian Metro , Norman revealed that "Awas", their single which was released in 1994, was inspired by signboards and related to homewreckers: "[It's] about a female artist we were once admire due to her beauty. But what was disappointed us was when the female artist chose an older man as her boyfriend. We made that story into a song". [3] [4] Meanwhile, "Fobia", a soundtrack of 1998 animated film, Silat Lagenda, was considered as KRU's reflections of their outburst of anxiety. [183] "Cherrina" is said to be inspired by Norman's reflections of the death of his college friend due to road accident. [184] Saniboey Mohd Ismail, writing for Harian Metro , examined that messages in KRU's songs was "never directly leads to negative values ​​as expressed by most Western rappers who are based on the rhythm of gangsta rap". [185]

While they almost exclusively releases Malaysian Malay songs, KRU has also releases Malaysian English songs. They are also known to have at least three or more English tracks on each of their album, [69] [186] and released a full English album, The Way We Jam in 1998. [170] [69] "Wanita Jelita", one of the songs from the album, carrying lyrics in English despite its title is in Malay. [170] [69]

Songwriting

Over the course of their music career, KRU is also well-known for their songwriting and production works. [170] [187] Edry, one of the KRU brothers, is a primary songwriter and producer for most of their songs. [188] [189] Regarding their songwriting process, Norman explained that they "took seriously" when it comes to music: "We produced our own albums, composed our own songs and managed our own careers. The most appropriate title for us not just as a singer, but a singer-songwriter and [record] producer". [170] Besides their own music, KRU has also written and produced songs for other artists. [170] Songs they has composed have been performed by a number of artists, including Jaclyn Victor, Anita Sarawak, Erra Fazira, Ella, Tiara Jacquelina, Anuar Zain, Amy Mastura, Ning Baizura, Rabbani, Elite and Feminin. [187]

Legacy

"In their three decades in music, the trio have churned many hits that are still fresh in the mind of many local music lovers [...] The music of the brothers left a lasting mark on the local music scene, with their rise to stardom symbolising a modern shift in Malaysian pop culture".

— The Star's S. Navalan on KRU's impact in Malaysia's music industry [153]

KRU has been described as "legendary" by several media publications. [153] [190] According to Alfian Sa'at from Singapore's The Straits Times , "In a music market saturated by rock bands manufacturing one tortured rock ballad after another, KRU has managed to fill in a gaping vacum for boy bands". [191] New Straits Times' Gerald Chuah wrote that the brothers are seem to "growing restless about the progress of their music career, which has seemingly reached the plateau". [101] Riadz Radzi of Harian Metro hailed KRU as "an icon among teenagers who were crazy about rap music" during their early days in the 1990s. [132] Likewise, Zul Husni Abdul Hamid of Berita Harian praised KRU for championing the Malaysian music industry, commented that the brothers' brand "in the Malay music industry is still standing strong and has even developed into an increasingly respected brand at the international level". [192] He also wrote that KRU's presence has "leave a significant impact on the local music industry". [193]

Malaysian lifestyle portal, Hype, described KRU as "the forefront of the Malaysian music scene". [138] Akmar Annuar of The Malaysian Reserve praised the brothers for bolstering the Malaysia's music revolution and also praise their music has "continued to echo through the decades". [154] In her review of their GenKRU concert, she wrote, "Despite being in their late 40s and early 50s, Norman, Edry and Yusry perform with stamina and showmanship that rival their early days" and opined that the GenKRU "was never just a concert – it was a cultural reckoning, a generational checkpoint and for many Malaysians, a deeply personal rewind into adolescence". [194] Writing for Utusan Malaysia , Roshihan Annuar Yub hailed the brothers for "revolutionising Malaysian hip-hop and rap genres". He commented, "Although during that era, the Malaysian music industry was largely pioneered by artists and groups that brought pop, rock and ballad rhythms, the trio bucked the trend and created its own phenomenon, thus successfully changing the landscape of the country's music industry". [195] In his column for Free Malaysia Today , Affandi Ramli, who goes by his pen name Ronasina, said that KRU have "a charm that makes them quite influential". He wrote that "they have a formula for success and a recipe for staying relevant until now". [196] Dennis Chua of the New Straits Times described KRU as the "band of brothers" in Malaysian music history. He wrote that they were "defined by electrifying hip-hop beats and catchy pop tunes". [197] Danial Hakim of Sinar Daily wrote, "It is no secret that KRU has been around the Malaysian music industry since the olden days, having performed for countless of fans across multiple generations". [190]

A media critic from Billboard hailed the brothers as the "Malaysia's most enduring R&B-pop group". [198] In his review of their Jammin' the Nation tour, Yong Siew Fern of The New Paper described KRU as "unstoppable" while on stage. [199] Hartati Hassan Basri of Metro Ahad wrote, "A fact that no one can deny is Norman, Yusry and Edry, who called themselves KRU, went through a period of stardom due to their distinctive music and image back then". [200] Faizal Saharuni of Kosmo! wrote, "There is no doubt that everything has been done by KRU, which acts as a pioneer of modern Malay music [...] They succeeded in bringing about significant changes through the taste of local songs, thus opening up more space for various current rhythmic trends". [201]

Other ventures

The KRU brothers founded their own company, KRU Group of Companies to manage their business and career upon their establishment in 1992. [202] [203] They expanded their business with several subsidiaries — KRU Studios, KRU Music and KRU Academy. [204] [205]

They also diversified their ventures into film production with films such as the Cicak Man series, Duyung , Magika , Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa, and Vikingdom . In 2014, KRU ventured into animation production by set up Kartun Studios, which specialised in production of both 2D and 3D animation series and films. Its first release was the 2014 animated film, Ribbit [206] [207] [208] and followed by Wheely (2018). The group launched their own e-commerce platform called iLike under their subsidiary, KRU Entertainment on 11 October 2020. The platform aims to help well-known celebrities to promote their products online. [209] [210]

Members

Timeline

KRU

Discography

Studio albums
Studio album as Tyco

Filmography

Film

KRU's film credits with year of release, title(s) and role
YearTitleRoleNotesRef(s)
1995 Awas! ThemselvesFeature film debut [211]
1996Cinta Metropolitan [212]

Television

KRU's television credits with year of release, title(s), role and network
YearTitleRoleNetworkNotesRef(s)
1994In Person... KRUThemselves TV3 Guest stars [213] [214]
1997Hiburan Minggu Ini TV1 Guest performer [215]
2002Cit Cat Azwan Aidilfitri Astro Ria Guest artist [216]
2016 MeleTOP Guest artist/performer [217]

Concert tours

Malaysia
Australia

Awards and accolades

KRU has received numerous awards and nominations. [218] After their debut, they won the Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian for Most Popular Group at the 1995, 1996, 1998 and 1999 ceremony. Their third album, Awas!, won the Anugerah Industri Muzik for Best Vocal Performance in an Album (Group) at the 1995 ceremony. [219] At the 1999 ceremony of the award, KRU won the Kembara Award. Their debut English album The Way We Jam won the Best Engineered Album, while its titular song won the Best Music Video. [220] [70] The group also won the Popular Group Artiste at the Singapore's Popular Music Awards in 1996. [221] In addition, the group also receives five recognitions from the Malaysia Book of Records, including the First Malaysian Artiste to Have a Duet With the Deceased for "Getaran Jiwa" featuring a duet with its original singer P. Ramlee and the First Malaysian Virtual Artiste for Tyco.

Notes

  1. ↑ Hiatus from 2018 to 2024.
  2. ↑ Tyco is a Cantonese term which means "big brother".

References

  1. ↑ Hardi Effendi Yaacob (21 June 2009). "Daddy sumber inspirasi KRU" [Daddy is KRU's source of inspiration] (in Malay). Berita Harian. Archived from the original on 24 June 2009. Retrieved 19 February 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Hanim Mohd Salleh (21 April 1994). "KRU guna rap jadi 'modal' niaga" [KRU uses rap to become business 'capital'] (in Malay). Berita Harian. p. 5. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mohammad Al Faizal Abdul Karim (1 June 2025). "KRU pernah diugut 'baling telur'" [KRU once threatened with 'eggs']. Utusan Malaysia (in Malay). Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Norhayati Nordin (10 August 2025). "London 'sekolah' KRU" [London is KRU's 'school'] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  5. ↑ Wan Ahmad Atarmizi (14 June 2025). "A son's tribute: Norman KRU reflects on the greatest lessons from his father". Sinar Daily . Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  6. ↑ Adam Salleh (19 April 1994). "KRU 'dikawal' ibu" [KRU was 'controlled' by their mother] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 KRU 1994, p. 1.
  8. 1 2 Hanisah Selamat (11 June 2015). "KRU menongkah arus" [KRU goes against the tide] (in Malay). Berita Harian . Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  9. ↑ Zieman (29 September 1992). "Trio feel rap music can 'replace' rock". New Straits Times . Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 Farahi Kamaruddin (9 May 2025). "KRU: Legenda Melangkaui Generasi" [KRU: The Legend Beyond Generation] (in Malay). The Patriots. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  11. 1 2 "The art of business". FACES Spotlight. Faces Magazine Entertainment Portal. 1 November 2003. Archived from the original on 12 March 2007. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  12. 1 2 KRU 1994, p. 3.
  13. ↑ "KRU is real hot" . New Straits Times. 26 December 1992. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  14. ↑ "Rap juga satu seni - KRU" [Rap is also an art - KRU] (in Malay). Berita Harian. 8 November 1992. p. 13. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  15. ↑ Norhayati Nordin (11 August 2025). "Akur 'tewas' dengan 4U2C" [Accept the fact to 'lose' with 4U2C] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  16. ↑ "Identiti kumpulan KRU" [KRU's identity] (in Malay). Berita Minggu. 7 February 1993. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  17. ↑ "KRU semakin 'liar'" [KRU goes 'wild'] (in Malay). Harian Metro. 9 November 1993. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  18. 1 2 3 Ainaa Aiman (23 March 2021). "KRU on the upbeat, from hip hop to music mogul". Free Malaysia Today . Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  19. 1 2 Norhayati Nordin (12 August 2025). "Ujian besar KRU" [KRU's biggest test] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  20. ↑ "Rappers' songs refused airplay due to language" . New Straits Times. 1 January 1993. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  21. ↑ Rozila Saibi (18 September 1993). "KRU dengan Rekrued" [KRU with Rekrued] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  22. ↑ Aneesa Alphonsus (12 November 1993). "KRU-sing to success" . New Straits Times . Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  23. ↑ Nur Hajar Mohamed (26 November 1993). "KRU siblings album of a' capella and rap" . The Malay Mail . Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  24. ↑ "Sesi temubual KRU" [Interview session with KRU] (in Malay). Berita Harian. 3 December 1993. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  25. ↑ "KRU's rap tour dates". New Straits Times. 21 March 1994. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  26. ↑ "Tiga lagu lama dalam album terbaru KRU" [Three new songs in KRU's new album] (in Malay). Berita Harian. 22 September 1994. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  27. ↑ Zainuri Misfar (28 August 1994). "KRU nyanyi Untukmu tanpa muzik" [KRU sang Untukmu without music] (in Malay). Berita Minggu. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  28. ↑ Nur Hajar Mohamed (30 September 1994). "Power-packed effort from KRU" . The Malay Mail . Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  29. ↑ Rozila Saibi (19 October 1994). "KRU terima platinum" [KRU received platinum] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  30. ↑ Zainuri Misfar (10 November 1994). "KRU minta cuti berlakon filem Awas" [KRU asked for sabbatical for Awas] (in Malay). Berita Harian . Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  31. ↑ Daut Noor (20 January 1995). "Awas rancak di Pulau Pinang" [Awas gets hype in Penang] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  32. ↑ Zuhri Kamarzaman (26 September 1995). "Lagu penyelamat" [KRU's song a saviour] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  33. ↑ Zamani Yusof (30 September 1995). "KRU kini lega" [KRU can now relieved] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  34. ↑ "KRU begin concert series in Perlis" . The Malay Mail. 7 July 1995. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  35. ↑ Haliza Ahmad (15 August 1995). "KRU winds up concert tour in KL" . The Malay Mail . Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  36. ↑ "Teristimewa daripada KRU" [Specially from KRU] (in Malay). Harian Metro. 18 August 1995. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  37. ↑ Marina Abdul Ghani (2 March 1996). "Ooh! La! La! - The boys have arrived" . The Malay Mail . Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  38. ↑ "Ooh! La! Kru!". The New Paper. 11 March 1996. p. 22. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  39. ↑ "Perancangan jitu bawa hasil untuk KRU" [Precise plan brings a profit for KRU] (in Malay). Berita Harian. 6 April 1996. p. 6. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  40. ↑ "Artists & Music". Billboard . Vol. 108, no. 43. 26 October 1996. p. APQ-12. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  41. ↑ Alexandra Nuvich (5 April 1997). "AIM sets sights on future". Billboard . Vol. 109, no. 14. p. 46. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  42. ↑ "Entertainers all set for 'Mount Everest' concert". New Straits Times. 18 July 1996. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  43. ↑ "Artistes put up dazzling show at concert". New Straits Times. 19 July 1996. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  44. ↑ "Kumpulan KRU pelaris Cinta Metropolitan" [KRU topbills Cinta Metropolitan] (in Malay). Harian Metro. 17 September 1996. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  45. ↑ Haliza Ahmad (8 August 1996). "More to Cinta Metropolitan" . The Malay Mail . Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  46. ↑ Nor Haslinda Dalail (19 September 1996). "KRU gamit remaja" [KRU reaches teenagers] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  47. ↑ Junaidah Dahlan (8 July 1996). "Talented trio from Malaysia set to woo the region". The Straits Times. p. 6. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  48. ↑ "'Kami sangat kecewa'" ['We were very disappointed'] (in Malay). Berita Harian. 12 November 1996. p. 6. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  49. ↑ "KRU muncul dengan Krumania" [KRU came up with Krumania] (in Malay). Harian Metro. 14 January 1997. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  50. ↑ Gerald Chuah (12 February 1997). "Hectic programme keeps KRU busy" . The Malay Mail . Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  51. ↑ Jo Lee (12 April 1997). "KRU promotes new album" . New Straits Times . Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  52. ↑ Saniboey Mohd Ismail (17 January 1997). "KRU, P Ramlee berduet" [KRU, P Ramlee to be duets] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  53. ↑ "KRU sings with P Ramlee". The New Paper. 28 January 1997. p. 22. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  54. ↑ "KRU jelajah negara" [KRU touring country] (in Malay). Harian Metro. 8 March 1997. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  55. ↑ Sources on KRUmania Mega Concert '97:
  56. ↑ "Viva Selangor dari KRU" [Viva Selangor from KRU] (in Malay). Harian Metro. 2 May 1997. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  57. ↑ "KRU terbit Viva Selangor" [KRU produces Viva Selangor] (in Malay). Harian Metro. 5 May 1997. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  58. ↑ "KRU sweeps six awards" . The Malay Mail. 16 June 1997. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  59. ↑ Sajahan Waheed (18 June 1997). "'Fanatik' runs off with top prizes" . New Straits Times . Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  60. ↑ Saniboey Mohd Ismail (17 June 1997). "Kami tabah" [We are resilient] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  61. ↑ Rosli Manah (15 August 1998). "Forever As One rasmi lagu tema" [Forever As One is the official theme song]. Utusan Malaysia (in Malay). Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  62. ↑ Azman Ahmad (14 August 1998). "KRU touch to Sukom song" . The Malay Mail . Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  63. ↑ Hafidah Samat (29 August 1998). "KRU sings a cool tune" . New Straits Times . Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  64. ↑ Gerald Chuah (29 September 1998). "Chance to meet KRU in person" . The Malay Mail . Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  65. ↑ "Album Silat Lagenda pelbagai variasi" [Variations on the Silat Legenda album]. Utusan Malaysia (in Malay). 9 June 1998. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  66. ↑ "Sembilan artis jadi pilihan" [Nine artists were chosen] (in Malay). Harian Metro. 8 July 1998. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  67. ↑ "KRU mempersembahkan The Way We Jam" [KRU presents The Way We Jam]. Utusan Malaysia (in Malay). 6 December 1998. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  68. ↑ "KRU rakam lagu Inggeris" [KRU records English songs] (in Malay). Berita Harian. 6 January 1999. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  69. 1 2 3 4 Rebecca Lim (11 December 1998). "KRU, prepare for new take-off". The Straits Times. p. 5. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  70. 1 2 A. Kadir Pandi (23 April 1999). "KRU sedikit pun tidak iri hati..." [KRU doesn't have a little envious] (in Malay). Berita Harian. p. 7. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  71. ↑ "Sumbangan KRU kepada negara" [KRU's contributions to the country]. Utusan Malaysia (in Malay). 18 January 1999. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  72. ↑ Sources on KRU's Jammin' the Nation tour:
  73. 1 2 Shuib Taib (29 September 1999). "KRU on tour in Australia". New Straits Times . Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  74. ↑ Marina Abdul Ghani (25 September 1999). "KRU to take on Aussies" . The Malay Mail . Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  75. ↑ Marina Abdul Ghani (7 December 1999). "KRU gets confidence boost with Aussie trip" . The Malay Mail . Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  76. ↑ Sani Salleh (20 October 1999). "KRU buat kejutan" [KRU makes a surprise] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  77. ↑ "Kapal terbang bawa sepanduk KRU" [Airplane carrying KRU banner] (in Malay). Harian Metro. 14 December 1999. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  78. ↑ Sani Salleh (13 March 2000). "Ideologi KRU di pasaran" [KRU's Ideologi at music stores] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  79. ↑ "Pelancaran Ideologi KRU di Pulau Pangkor" [Launching of KRU's Ideologi in Penang] (in Malay). Harian Metro. 23 March 2000. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  80. ↑ Seto Nu-Wen (3 May 2000). "'Fame has changed us'". The New Paper. p. 24. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  81. ↑ Saniboey Mohd Ismail (9 October 2000). "Tujuh artis gegar konsert paralimpik" [Seven artists rock the Paralympic concert] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  82. ↑ Hanisah Selamat (12 October 2000). "Artis popular jayakan konsert Paralimpik 2000" [Popular artists perform at the 2000 Paralympic concert] (in Malay). Berita Harian . Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  83. ↑ Rosli Manah (9 October 2000). "Artis popular jayakan Konsert Amal Paralimpik 2000" [Popular artists perform at the 2000 Paralympic Charity concert]. Utusan Malaysia (in Malay).
  84. ↑ Ahmad Saufi Mansor (21 December 2000). "Tyco bayang KRU" [Tyco the KRU's shadow] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  85. ↑ "Tyco bukti KRU masih berbisa" [Tyco proves KRU still poisonous]. Utusan Malaysia (in Malay). 21 January 2001. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  86. ↑ Jad Mahidin (15 January 2001). "Virtual party time!" . The Malay Mail . Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  87. ↑ Zainal Alam Kadir (1 January 2001). "Feel the music charge from Tyco" . New Straits Times . Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  88. ↑ Sani Salleh (15 March 2001). "Imej unik Tyco menjadi" [Tyco's unique image impressive] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  89. ↑ "Tyco bakal disenarai dalam MBR" [Tyco to be listed in the MBR]. Utusan Malaysia (in Malay). 16 January 2001. Archived from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  90. ↑ Azrul Radi (27 December 2021). "Norman KRU kembalikan semula Tyco" [Norman KRU brings back Tyco] (in Malay). Majoriti. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  91. ↑ Hardi Effendi Yaacob; Ahmad Faizal Mohamed (12 April 2002). "KRU rai 10 tahun bersama KRUjaan" [KRU celebrates 10 years with KRUjaan] (in Malay). Berita Harian . Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  92. 1 2 Hardi Effendi Yaacob (10 June 2002). "Jualan KRUjaan membanggakan" [KRUjaan's sales are impressive] (in Malay). Berita Harian . Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  93. ↑ "HIPTRONIC MUSIC". The New Paper. 25 July 2002. p. 38. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  94. ↑ Sani Salleh; Sasmira Abd Rahman (11 April 2002). "KRU pertaruh Impak Maksima" [KRU came up with Impak Maksima] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  95. ↑ Hardi Effendi Yaacob (17 May 2002). "KRU buat konsert atas lori" [KRU headlined a concert above the lorry] (in Malay). Berita Harian . Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  96. ↑ Meor Shariman (31 May 2002). "KRU rocking the city, street by street" . The Malay Mail . Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  97. ↑ "KRU, Phyne Ballerz di konsert AirAsia" [KRU, Phyne Ballerz at the AirAsia concert] (in Malay). Berita Harian. 28 June 2002. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  98. ↑ "KRU menyanyi dalam pesawat AirAsia" [KRU sings in the AirAsia airplane] (in Malay). Berita Harian. 21 September 2002. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  99. ↑ "What's new with KRU?" . New Straits Times. 26 October 2002. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  100. ↑ Zul Husni Abdul Hamid (29 October 2002). "KRU bukti masih berpengaruh" [KRU proves still to be influential] (in Malay). Berita Harian . Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  101. 1 2 Gerald Chuah (24 October 2002). "Concert to mark KRU's 10th year". New Straits Times . Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  102. ↑ "KRU masih ramai pengikut" [KRU still have many followers] (in Malay). Harian Metro. 1 November 2002. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  103. ↑ "Yusry berdebar muncul solo" [Yusry throbbing to be soloist] (in Malay). Berita Harian. 22 July 2003. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  104. ↑ Suzan Ahmad (24 August 2003). "Yusry berjaya bebas daripada KRU" [Yusry managed to free from KRU] (in Malay). Berita Minggu. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  105. ↑ Zul Husni Abdul Hamid (22 April 2004). "(KRU menyifatkan penerbitan kompilasi...)" [(KRU describes the compilation's production...)] (in Malay). Berita Harian . Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  106. ↑ Faridul Anwar Farinordin (24 May 2004). "KRU can now 'Relax'" . New Straits Times . Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  107. ↑ Khadijah Ibrahim (22 April 2004). "KRU kini boleh 'Relax'" [KRU now can 'Relax']. Utusan Malaysia (in Malay).
  108. ↑ Rudy Syareme Sheriffudin (6 October 2004). "DETIK KERAMAT TIGA BERADIK KRU" [SWEETEST MOMENTS OF THE KRU BROTHERS] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  109. ↑ Eri Akbar (23 December 2004). "Yes, they're the KRU boys". The New Paper. p. 28. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  110. ↑ Abie Abdullah (13 February 2005). "Tawaran macho KRU" [KRU's macho offer] (in Malay). Metro Ahad. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  111. ↑ "Najib lancar Suluhkan Sinar" [Najib launches Suluhkan Sinar] (in Malay). Berita Harian. 14 January 2005. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  112. ↑ Gerald Chuah (1 July 2005). "A song for tsunami victims". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 11 September 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  113. ↑ Hafidah Samat (13 July 2006). "High on the Richter scale" . New Straits Times . Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  114. ↑ Zul Husni Abdul Hamid (10 August 2006). "(Selepas 14 tahun dan...)" [(After 14 years and...)] (in Malay). Berita Harian . Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  115. ↑ Ellyna Ali (15 January 2007). "Hubungan 15 tahun KRU, EMI berakhir" [KRU's 15 years of relationship with EMI ends] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  116. ↑ Adly Syairi Ramly (24 November 2006). "Tribute to Ella" . The Malay Mail . Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  117. ↑ Zul Husni Abdul Hamid (21 April 2008). "KRU jamin Cicakman 2 mampu beri lebih kepuasan" [KRU assures Cicakman 2 able to give more satisfaction] (in Malay). Berita Harian . Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  118. ↑ "Hitman ada semua" [Hitman have it all] (in Malay). Harian Metro. 18 January 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  119. ↑ "DVD Hitman Edry di pasaran" [Edry's Hitman DVD in stores] (in Malay). Berita Harian. 12 May 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  120. ↑ Wan Asrudi Wan Hasan (26 January 2011). "Abang-abang KRU 'mengganas'" [KRU brothers being 'volent'] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  121. ↑ "On the SEA Games beat" . New Straits Times. 11 November 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  122. ↑ Budiey (30 May 2012). "Selamat Ulangtahun ke-20 KRU" [Happy 20th anniversary KRU] (in Malay). Sensasi Selebriti. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  123. ↑ Hanisah Selamat (7 June 2012). "KRU 20 tahun" [20 years of KRU] (in Malay). Berita Harian . Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  124. ↑ Faten Saphilla Mohd Isa (7 June 2012). "KRU rai 20 tahun" [KRU celebrates 20 years] (in Malay). Kosmo!.
  125. ↑ Mohd Al Qayum Azizi (16 September 2012). "Tampil Single Baru, KRU Dedikasi Lagu Kepada Ibu" [Came Up with New Single, KRU Dedicated for [Their] Mother] (in Malay). mStar Online. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  126. ↑ Georgie Joseph (26 January 2013). "KRUnomena penyambung legasi" [KRUnomena continuing KRU's legacy] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  127. ↑ Muhamad Fairoz Azizan (30 January 2013). "Kuasa KRUnomena" [The power of KRUnomena] (in Malay). Berita Harian . Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  128. ↑ Feride Hikmet Atak (24 March 2013). "ALBUM BARU: 'KRUnomena' Ubat Rindu Peminat KRU" [NEW ALBUM: 'KRUnomena' Heals The Longing Of KRU's fans] (in Malay). mStar Online. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  129. ↑ "KRU tampil dengan KRUnomena" [KRU came up with KRUnomena] (in Malay). Astro Awani. 23 January 2013. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  130. ↑ Muhammad Azrul Mohd Radi (23 January 2013). "KRUnomena buah tangan terbaru KRU" [KRUnomena, KRU's latest offering]. Utusan Malaysia (in Malay).
  131. ↑ Feride Hikmet Atak (27 July 2013). "'Erti Aidilfitri' Buah Tangan KRU Sempena Syawal" ['Erti Aidilfitri', KRU's Offering In Conjunction With Shawwal] (in Malay). mStar Online. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  132. 1 2 Riadz Radzi (3 September 2013). "Kompilasi terhebat buat peminat" [Greatest compilation for fans] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  133. ↑ Hanisah Selamat (3 June 2015). "Kuasa Juara karya KRU lagu tema kontinjen negara" [KRU's Kuasa Juara the theme song for national contingent] (in Malay). Berita Harian . Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  134. ↑ Dennis Chua (5 June 2015). "KRU releases Sea Games 2015 theme song, "Kuasa Juara"". New Straits Times . Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  135. ↑ "Harapan KRU Hingga Ke Jannah" [KRU's hope for Hingga Ke Jannah] (in Malay). Galaksi Media. 12 January 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  136. ↑ Feride Hikmet Atak (7 February 2016). "Gelaran 'Datuk', Norman (KRU) Mahu Tingkatkan Industri Kreatif Di Pahang" [Datukship title, Norman (KRU) Wanted To Improve Creative Industry In Pahang]. mStar Online (in Malay). Star Media Group Berhad. Archived from the original on 22 May 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  137. ↑ Kemalia Othman (18 April 2018). "Tiga beradik akhirnya bubar KRU selepas 25 tahun ditubuhkan" [The three brothers finally disband KRU after 25 years established]. mStar Online (in Malay). Archived from the original on 18 April 2018. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  138. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Justin (18 April 2018). "After 26 Years In The Music Business, KRU Officially Disbands". Hype.my. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  139. ↑ Siti Nursyazwani (18 April 2018). "'Tak mahu dikenali sebagai KRU lagi' - Norman Abdul Halim" ['We don't want to be known as KRU anymore' - Norman Abdul Halim] (in Malay). Astro Awani . Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  140. 1 2 Dennis Chua (5 May 2018). "#Showbiz: KRU's final concert begins with a bang". New Straits Times . Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  141. ↑ SGMS Faida (18 April 2018). "Sah! KRU Umum Bubar, Konsert Terakhir 6 Mei" [It's Official! KRU Announce To Split, Last Concert On May]. XTRA (in Malay). Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  142. ↑ Michelle Gun (18 April 2018). "Berderai air mata Norman bubar KRU" [With tears in his eyes, Norman announced to disband KRU] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  143. ↑ "KRU bubar selepas konsert terakhir Mei ini" [KRU to breakup after last concert this May] (in Malay). Malaysia Gazette. 18 April 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  144. ↑ "Tahan Lama Hadiah Buat Peminat KRU Sebelum Dibubarkan" [Tahan Lama, A New Offering For KRU Fans Before Split] (in Malay). Astro Gempak. 29 April 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  145. ↑ Dennis Chua (3 May 2018). "#Showbiz: Rockumentary of KRU's musical journey out in July". New Straits Times . Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  146. ↑ Chua, Dennis (13 December 2021). "#Showbiz: KRU introduces new hip-hop artistes in 'Rise Up'". New Straits Times. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  147. ↑ Michelle Gun (20 April 2018). "Edry mahu fokus pendidikan anak" [Edry wanted to focus on his children's education] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  148. ↑ Affan Rostam (2 December 2024). "Penyanyi otai, baharu antara 100 peserta CSOIAM" [Older, newer singers among 100 contestants of CSOIAM] (in Malay). Berita Harian . Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  149. ↑ "Nora Ariffin, Habsah Hassan dan Yusry Abdul Halim kini bergelar Datuk, dikurnia pingat Panglima Mahkota Wilayah" [Nora Ariffin, Habsah Hassan and Yusry Abdul Halim now a Datuk, conferred with the Panglima Mahkota Wilayah] (in Malay). mStar Online. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  150. ↑ Wafa Aula (15 October 2024). "KRU kembali untuk peminat, bukan kerana wang ringgit" [KRU returns for fans, not because of money]. Utusan Malaysia (in Malay). Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  151. ↑ Ernalisa (11 October 2024). "KRU Tak Tergugat Dengan Kemunculan Artis Baru - "Kekuatan Itu Ada Pada Kami Bertiga..."" [KRU Unchallenged By The Presence Of New Artists - "The Power Is In The Three Of Us..."] (in Malay). Astro Gempak. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  152. ↑ Sources on Kaset album:
  153. 1 2 3 S. Navalan (11 October 2024). "S.E. Asia gets set for a biggie - Malaysian legendary hip-hop group KRU are back to strut their stuff with new album Kaset". The Star Online . Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  154. 1 2 Akmar Annuar (14 October 2024). "A bold new chapter with Sony Music, KRU returns stronger than ever". The Malaysian Reserve. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  155. ↑ Sources on "Voodoo" single:
  156. ↑ Nurul Naqiyah (17 January 2025). "Persembahan Vokal KRU Menyerlah Dalam Lagu "One More Time"" [KRU's Vocal Performance Stands Out In "One More Time"] (in Malay). Siakap Keli. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  157. ↑ Akmar Annuar (16 January 2025). "KRU reflects on love and loss with 'One More Time'". The Malaysian Reserve. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  158. ↑ S. Navalan (16 January 2025). "Legendary group KRU are doing it great again and it's the single 'One More Time' to delight the fans this time". The Star Online . Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  159. ↑ Sources on GenKRU concert:
  160. ↑ Izwan Roslin (11 May 2025). "KRU cipta sejarah, terima dua pengiktirafan Malaysia Book of Records" [KRU creates history, receive two The Malaysia Book of Records recognitions] (in Malay). Sinar Harian . Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  161. ↑ Serimah Mohd Sallehuddin (13 May 2025). "Konsert GenKRU diiktiraf MBR" [GenKRU concert recognised by MBR] (in Malay). Berita Harian . Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  162. ↑ Farah Solhi (24 April 2025). "KRU to bring 90s vibes to Singapore in June". The Malaysian Reserve. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  163. ↑ Fatin Farhana Ariffin (10 April 2025). "Konsert GenKRU labuh tirai di Singapura" [GenKRU concert concluded in Singapore] (in Malay). Berita Harian . Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  164. ↑ R. Bala (13 April 2025). "KRU announces Singapore date". The Sun Daily . Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  165. ↑ Budiey (14 August 2025). "KRU Tidak Pernah Umum Adakan Konsert GenKRU di Pulau Pinang" [KRU Never Announced To Held GenKRU Concert in Penang] (in Malay). Sensasi Selebriti. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  166. ↑ "#SHOWBIZ: Norman: GenKRU in Penang cancelled over quality and cost concerns". NST Entertainment. New Straits Times. 13 August 2025. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  167. ↑ Heidi Hsia (14 August 2025). "KRU decides to cancel GenKRU concert in Penang". Yahoo! Lifestyle . Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  168. ↑ Affan Rostam (29 September 2025). "KRU janji ledakan terakhir menerusi GenKRU The Finale: One More Time". Berita Harian . Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  169. ↑ "KRU Set For November Concert, Anita Sarawak On Wish List". BERNAMA. 29 September 2025. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  170. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hasleen Bachik (25 December 1998). "KRU bukan 'boy band'lah" [KRU is not a 'boy band'] (in Malay). Berita Harian. p. 5. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  171. ↑ Azman Ahmad (5 January 2000). "KRU's winning formula" . The Malay Mail . Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  172. ↑ "KRU-sing to the top" . The Malay Mail. 2 October 2000. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  173. ↑ Zurina Waji (8 April 1996). "KRU papar imej bersih" [KRU portrays cleaner image] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  174. ↑ Zainuri Misfar (12 April 1994). "KRU jamin tampilkan imej kemas" [KRU assured to portrays tidier image] (in Malay). Berita Harian . Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  175. ↑ Roslen Fadzil (8 July 1997). "KRU bersih, selamat" [KRU is clean, safe] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  176. ↑ Helmi Yusof (5 January 2000). "KRUning for the girl of their dreams". The Straits Times. p. 10. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  177. ↑ Ainin Alfiyani Jailani (1 July 2025). "KRU buktikan mereka tetap 'terhangat di pasaran'" [KRU proves they remain 'hottest in the market'] (in Malay). Berita Harian Singapura . Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  178. ↑ KRU 1994, p. 2.
  179. ↑ Saniboey Mohd Ismail (25 November 1998). "Evolusi muzik trio KRU" [KRU's musical evolution] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  180. ↑ Tan Ling Ai (8 December 1998). "Reaching out to the world" . New Straits Times . Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  181. ↑ Zainal Alam Kadir (22 November 1999). "KRU's funky and groovy 'Formula'". New Straits Times . Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  182. ↑ "KRU kembang sayap dari lagu rap ke santapan rohani" [KRU expands from rap to spiritual] (in Malay). Berita Harian. 28 September 2002. p. 21. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  183. ↑ Haryani Ismail (8 May 1998). "Makin KRU ternama, makin terkena 'fobia'" [The more famous KRU, the more affected by 'phobia'] (in Malay). Berita Harian. p. 6. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  184. ↑ KRU 1994, pp. 19–20.
  185. ↑ Saniboey Mohd Ismail (28 February 1997). "Teknologi KRU" [KRU's technology]. Harian Metro . Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  186. ↑ Errol de Cruz (27 April 2001). "KRU-zing their way to success and beyond" . Business Times . Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  187. 1 2 Sani Salleh (17 June 2000). "KRU mahu dikenali sebagai komposer" [KRU wanted to be known as composer] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  188. ↑ Hellinie Sina (20 May 2011). "Sentuhan emas Edry KRU" [Edry KRU's golden touch] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  189. ↑ Ridzuan Abdul Rahman (26 November 2014). "Lagu Edry lebih melekat" [Edry's songs more sticky] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  190. 1 2 Danial Hakim (24 May 2025). "Reliving KRU's legacy: Norman shares his thoughts on GenKRU's success". Sinar Daily . Retrieved 23 August 2025.
  191. ↑ Alfian Sa'at (31 May 1999). "These bad boys are KRU-ners at heart". The Straits Times. p. 7. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  192. ↑ Zul Husni Abdul Hamid (24 July 2008). "16 tahun penuh cabaran" [16 years full of challenge] (in Malay). Berita Harian . Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  193. ↑ Zul Husni Abdul Hamid (14 September 2013). "Legasi perjuangan muzik KRU" [KRU's musical struggle legacy] (in Malay). Berita Harian . Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  194. ↑ Akmar Annuar (19 May 2025). "KRU returns with stadium-filling nostalgia". The Malaysian Reserve. Retrieved 24 August 2025.
  195. ↑ Roshihan Annuar Yub (16 February 2025). "Revolusi KRU: Langkau pelbagai generasi" [KRU's revolution: Beyond many generations]. Utusan Malaysia (in Malay). Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  196. ↑ Ronasina (13 May 2025). "KRU dan tangkal pelaris" [KRU and the talisman] (in Malay). Free Malaysia Today . Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  197. ↑ Dennis Chua (10 May 2025). "#SHOWBIZ: KRU still a force to be reckoned with". New Straits Times . Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  198. ↑ "Artists & Music: News in Review". Billboard . 8 August 1998. p. APQ-2. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  199. ↑ Wong Siew Fern (29 May 1999). "KRU really rocks". The New Paper. p. 22. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  200. ↑ Hartati Hassan Basri (7 October 2001). "KRU dah lain" [KRU is different] (in Malay). Metro Ahad. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  201. ↑ Faizal Saharuni (29 July 2008). "Empayar gergasi KRU" [KRU's giant empire] (in Malay). Kosmo!.
  202. ↑ Elrafaei Sapi (30 July 2008). "Jenama KRU terus kukuh" [KRU brand remains strong] (in Malay). Harian Metro. Archived from the original on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  203. ↑ Zaidi Mohamed (8 October 2008). "Bisnes eratkan 3 beradik" [Business tied 3 brothers] (in Malay). Berita Harian . Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  204. ↑ "KRU Group of Companies". KRU Studios. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  205. ↑ Mumtaj Begum (20 August 2021). "EXCLUSIVE: Covid-19 'really humbled us' says Norman Abdul Halim, CEO of KRU Group Of Companies". The Star Online . Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  206. ↑ Nur Aqidah Azizi (4 July 2014). "KRU-sing to animation glory". New Straits Times . Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  207. ↑ Budiey (17 June 2014). "KRU Bakal Adakan Majlis Perasmian Kartun Studios" [KRU To Held A Launching Ceremony Of Kartun Studios] (in Malay). Sensasi Selebriti. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  208. ↑ "Pelancaran Kartun Studios" [Launching of Kartun Studios] (in Malay). Selebriti Online. 19 June 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  209. ↑ Budiey (30 September 2020). "KRU Entertainment Bakal Lancar Platform e-Dagang Sendiri Diberi Nama iLike" [KRU Entertainment Will Launch Its Own e-Commerce Platform Named iLike] (in Malay). Sensasi Selebriti. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  210. ↑ Syafil Syazwan Jefri (28 September 2020). "KRU Entertaiment akan lancar platform e-dagang, iLike" [KRU to launch e-commerce platform, iLike] (in Malay). Harian Metro . Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  211. ↑ "KRU mahu buktikan kebolehan berlakon" . Berita Minggu. 9 October 1994. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  212. ↑ "Watak berat uji KRU" . Harian Metro. 19 October 1995. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  213. ↑ Zainal Alam Kadir (29 October 1994). "KRU brothers drive the girls wild". New Straits Times . Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  214. ↑ TV3 (1994). In Person... KRU (Television show). Credits.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  215. ↑ TV1 (1997). Hiburan Minggu Ini (Television show). Credits.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  216. ↑ Astro Ria (2002). Cit Cat Azwan Aidilfitri (Television show). Credits.
  217. ↑ Astro Ria (2016). MeleTOP (Television show). Credits.
  218. ↑ "KRU dapat pengiktirafan" [KRU gets recognition] (in Malay). Berita Harian. 9 May 2001. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  219. ↑ Hafidah Samat (12 June 1996). "Another feather in rap group KRU's cap" . New Straits Times . Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  220. ↑ "SIAPA MENANG" [WHO'S WIN] (in Malay). Berita Harian. 12 April 1999. p. 6. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  221. ↑ "KEPUTUSAN ANUGERAH" [AWARDS RESULT] (in Malay). Berita Harian. 25 December 1996. p. 6. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
Book sources
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.