Smooth (singer)

Last updated

Smooth
Birth nameJuanita Stokes
Also known asMC Smooth, Needa S.
Origin Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres Hip hop, R&B
Occupation(s)Rapper, singer
Years active1984–present
LabelsCrush Music, Jive, Perspective

Juanita Stokes, currently known as Needa S. (formerly Smooth), is an American singer and rapper. [1]

Contents

Career

Stokes began her career as MC Smooth, signing a record deal with the independent label Crush Music in 1990. She released her debut single "Smooth & Legit" that year, which peaked at #11 on the U.S. Rap chart. Her debut album Smooth & Legit followed on April 27, 1990 (peaking at #72 on the R&B/Hip Hop chart) and was produced by her brother Chris Stokes and Arabian Prince. Two singles "You Gotta Be Real" and "Where is the Money?" followed but did not garner much airplay. Three years later, she signed a major label deal with Jive Records and began work on her sophomore album, dropping the MC from her moniker. Her first single under the new deal, "Female Mac" garnered some airplay, and it was soon followed by the release of her second album You Been Played on August 24, 1993, which peaked at #77 on the R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. The title track was released as the set's follow-up single. Soon after, she began work on her third studio album, releasing the first single "Mind Blowin'" in 1995. The single began her breakthrough hit, hitting #7 on the Rap chart, #31 on R&B, and #75 on the Billboard Hot 100 (her first entry on that chart). Her self-titled third album was released on August 1, 1995, peaking at #35 on the R&B/Hip Hop albums chart and #17 on the Heatseekers chart. Four more singles would be released from the project: "Blowin' Up My Pager" "It's Summertime" "Love Groove" and "Undercover Lover" of which the latter three garnered her success in the UK.

Later that year, she collaborated with the R&B group Immature on their single "We Got It" which was released as a single in 1996 and became a hit, peaking at #37 on the Hot 100 and #11 on the R&B chart. She would later collaborate with them again on the song "Watch Me Do My Thing". She released a stand-alone single, "Love & Happiness" which had some airplay on the R&B stations.

In 1997, Smooth moved to Perspective Records, a joint venture with A&M Records and reintroduced herself as a R&B singer with alternative influences. She released her first single under the label, "Strawberries" that year, which became her biggest hit to date, peaking at #17 on R&B and #49 on the Hot 100. Her fourth album, Reality was released on March 10, 1998. It would peak at #48 on the R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart and #32 on the Heatseekers. One more single, "He Thinks She Don't Know" was released.

In 2003, she rebranded herself once again, under the Needa S moniker. Two singles "Sensitive" and "Baby's Mama" were released, but her fifth studio album What? was eventually shelved.

In 2013, it was announced she has joined the upcoming BET reality series Hip Hop Sisters which will focus on six female rappers' lives and their attempts to relaunch their careers. Other rappers confirmed to appear are MC Lyte, Lady of Rage, Monie Love, Lil Mama, and Yo-Yo. [2]

Personal life

She has a daughter named Earanequa Carter, born in 1990. She has a daughter Jaysa Charles born 2001. [3] [4]

Albums

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and certifications
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
US
R&B
/HH

[5]
US
Heat.

[6]
UK
R&B

[7]
Smooth & Legit
  • Released: April 27, 1990
  • Label: Crush Music
  • Formats: CD, cassette
72
You Been Played
  • Released: August 24, 1993
  • Label: Jive
  • Formats: CD, cassette, streaming
77
Smooth 351718
Reality
  • Released: March 10, 1998
  • Label: Perspective
  • Formats: CD, cassette, streaming
4832
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Unreleased albums

Singles

As lead artist

List of singles with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name
TitleYearPeak chart positionsAlbum
US
[8]
US R&B
[9]
US Rap
[10]
UK
[7]
UK Dance
[7]
UK R&B
[7]
"Smooth & Legit"199011Smooth & Legit
"You Gotta Be Real" [lower-alpha 1] [11]
"Where Is The Money" [lower-alpha 1] [12] 1991
"Female Mac"199347You Been Played
"You Been Played" [lower-alpha 2] 54 Menace II Society Soundtrack and You Been Played
"Mind Blowin'"19957531736147Smooth
"It's Summertime (Let It Get Into You)"46208
"Love Groove (Groove With You)"1996462210
"Undercover Lover"41294
"Love & Happiness" [lower-alpha 3] 66Non-album single
"Strawberries"199849178218Reality
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
List of singles as featured artist, with selected chart positions showing year released and album name
TitleYearPeak chart positionsAlbum
US
[8]
US R&B
[9]
NZ
[14]
UK
[7]
UK Dance
[7]
UK R&B
[7]
"We Got It"
(Immature featuring Smooth)
199637112726165 All That Soundtrack and We Got It
"Watch Me Do My Thing"
(Immature featuring Smooth and Ed from Good Burgers)
3216All That Soundtrack
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Promotional singles

List of singles, showing year released and album name
TitleYearAlbum
"Blowin' Up My Pager" [15] 1995 Smooth
"He Thinks She Don't Know" [16] 1998 Reality
"Virginity"
(TG4 featuring Smooth) [17]
2002Non-album singles
"Sensitive"
(featuring Da Brat & Jhené Aiko) [lower-alpha 4] [18]
2003
"Zoom"2004

Notes

  1. 1 2 Published as "MC Smooth"
  2. "You Been Played" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 15 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100. [13]
  3. "Love & Happiness" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 20 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100. [13]
  4. Published as "Needa-S"

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References

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  2. "@VIBEVixen» BET Announces 'Hip Hop Sisters' and Jeanette Jenkins Reality Series » Madison Lafayette". Vibevixen.com. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
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  4. "Earanequa Carter – About – Google". January 7, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
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  6. "Aesop Rock – Chart History: Top Heatseekers". Billboard . Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Smooth – UK Charts". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  8. 1 2 "Smooth- US Hot 100". billboard.com. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Smooth – US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". billboard.com. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  10. "Smooth – US Hot Rap Songs". billboard.com. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
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  12. Where Is The Money (track listing). Crush Music. 1990. A 10021.
  13. 1 2 "Bubbling Under Hot 100". Billboard . Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  14. "MC Lyte Chart History (Recorded Music NZ)" . Retrieved September 9, 2020.
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  16. He Thinks She Don't Know (track listing). Perspective Records. 1998. PSCDP 00692.
  17. Virginity (track listing). A&M Records/T.U.G. Entertainment. 2002. AMRR 10795-1.
  18. Sensitive (track listing). Universal Records. 2003. UNIR 20941-1.