The Ultimate Group | |
---|---|
Parent company | Universal Music Group |
Founded | 1997 |
Founder | Chris Stokes |
Status | Defunct |
Distributor(s) | Epic Records Interscope Records |
Genre | R&B/Pop |
Country of origin | United States |
Location | Los Angeles, California |
TUG Entertainment (acronym for The Ultimate Group) was a record label and management agency founded by filmmaker record executive Chris Stokes in 1997. It operated as an imprint of Interscope, Geffen and A&M Records (subsidiaries of Universal Music Group) for many of its releases, while later releases were distributed by Epic Records (subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment). Based in Los Angeles, the label signed commercially successful acts including B2K, Omarion, Marques Houston, Mila J, Jhené Aiko, and NLT before its closing c. 2010. Stokes also produced films through the company, namely You Got Served (2004) and Somebody Help Me (2007)—a horror film which includes in its cast Omarion and Houston. [1]
B2K was an American boy band that was active from 1998 to 2004, and again from 2018 to 2019. In 1998, the group was formed by American dance choreographer Dave Scott and Interscope A&R Keshia Gamble. The members consisted of Lil' Fizz, J-Boog, Raz-B, and Omarion. The group released their self-titled debut album on March 12, 2002. The album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 and number one on the U.S. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Omari Ishmael Grandberry, better known by his stage name Omarion, is an American R&B singer, dancer and actor. He rose to prominence as lead vocalist of the boy band B2K, which was formed in 1998 and managed by record executive Chris Stokes. The group achieved success in the early 2000s with their singles "Gots ta Be", "Uh Huh", "Girlfriend", and the Billboard Hot 100-number one hit "Bump, Bump, Bump".
You Got Served is a 2004 American dance drama film written and directed by Chris Stokes, who was also the business manager of the performers who were the film's main characters: recording artist Marques Houston and the boy band B2K. The plot follows a group of dancers who take part in a street dancing competition. You Got Served was produced by Marcus Morton, Cassius Vernon Weathersby, Billy Pollina, and Kris Cruz Toledo, and filming took place Between May 1, 2003, and June 25, 2003. The Columbia Pictures division Screen Gems released the film on January 30, 2004—the weekend of Super Bowl XXXVIII. It opened at #1 at the box office during its opening weekend, and grossed $16 million in its first week.
Immature is an American R&B boy band, managed by record producer Chris Stokes. Its members include Marques "Batman" Houston, Jerome "Romeo" Jones, and Kelton "LDB" Kessee, all natives of Los Angeles, where the group was formed. The group released four albums under the Immature moniker: On Our Worst Behavior, Playtyme Is Over (1994), We Got It (1995) and The Journey (1997).
Marques Barrett Houston is an American R&B singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. A member of the R&B group Immature/IMx from 1990 to 2002, Houston went solo in 2003. As an actor, he is best known for his role as Roger Evans in the television comedy series Sister, Sister.
Chris Stokes is an American filmmaker and former record executive. He founded the record label the Ultimate Group in 1997, whose roster included B2K, Omarion, Jhené Aiko, Marques Houston, IMx and NLT, among others. He has also directed the 2004 dance drama film You Got Served, as well as the direct-to-TV films House Party 4 (2001) and Somebody Help Me (2007).
Jerome Jones, known professionally as Romeo and Young Rome, is an American rapper and singer. He is a member of R&B group Immature/IMx. Jones released his solo debut album Food for Thought in 2004.
Somebody Help Me is a 2007 American horror television film starring Marques Houston and Omarion, written and directed by their music producer, Chris Stokes.
21 is the second studio album by American R&B singer Omarion. It was released on December 26, 2006, by Epic Records and Sony Urban Music. The album was produced by Timbaland, The Neptunes, Eric Hudson and Bryan-Michael Cox and saw Omarion co-write every song on the album. The album's title was inspired from when Omarion turned 21 years old months before the album's release.
NLT was an American boy band whose members were Travis Garland, Kevin McHale, Justin Joseph "JJ" Thorne, and Vahe "V" Sevani. They were discovered by Chris Stokes, who signed them to his TUG Entertainment label in 2006. Like other boy bands, NLT performances featured choreography.
Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo is an American R&B singer-songwriter and rapper from Los Angeles, California. Aiko embarked on her musical career in 2002, as a backing vocalist and music video performer for the R&B group B2K. She was signed by their record label, The Ultimate Group that same year and was marketed as the "cousin" of B2K member Lil' Fizz to cultivate her own following, although they are not related. Her debut album, slated for a 2003 release through the label with Epic Records, was shelved due to Aiko instead further pursuing her education.
TG4 was an American R&B female quartet. The group consisted of four members Keisha Henry, Davida Williams, Sevyn Streeter, and Ashley Gallo.
"Girlfriend" is the second single by American boy band B2K from their second studio album, Pandemonium! (2002). It was written and produced by R. Kelly. The song was included on the special edition of the album, which was released in March 2003. The single peaked at number 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 19 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. It's also B2K's final top-40 hit.
Sailing Soul(s) is the debut mixtape by American singer-songwriter Jhené Aiko; it was released on March 16, 2011, her 23rd birthday, & re-released for streaming platforms on March 12, 2021. Aiko began working on the mixtape after she gave birth to her daughter. Aiko wrote all the mixtape's songs except "July," which was written by Micah Powell. Most songs on the mixtape were produced by Fisticuffs, except “July” and “You vs Them” which were produced by Bei Maejor, “Real Now” which was produced by Roosevelt, “Do Better” which was produced by J. Lbs and “Growing Apart” which was produced by Tae Beast. The mixtape featured several guest vocalists, including Miguel, Drake, Gucci Mane, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar as well as others.
Jamila Akiko Aba Chilombo, known professionally as Mila J, is an American singer, rapper, and songwriter. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she is the older sister of R&B singer Jhené Aiko and is known for being in Prince's video for "Diamonds and Pearls" and appearing on tracks by RaRa, IMx, Trey Songz and Omarion. She released several singles in 2006–2009 under the name "Mila J" and then went on a hiatus for a number of years after the shelving of her original debut studio album, Split Personality, before returning as "Japollonia" in 2012 and then reverting to Mila J a year later.
Sail Out is the debut extended play (EP) by American recording artist Jhené Aiko, released on November 12, 2013 through Def Jam Recordings. It was Aiko's first release under the label after leaving her contract with Sony Music in 2003. After leaving Sony Music, Aiko released her first mixtape Sailing Soul(s) (2011), independently; the mixtape featured appearances from well-known artists and was met with generally positive reviews and was nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards. . In 2012, Aiko met with American record producer and vice president of A&R at Def Jam No I.D., who ended up signing Aiko to his Artium Records imprint, through Def Jam.
The discography of Jhené Aiko, an American musical artist, consists of three studio albums, one compilation album, one extended play (EP), one mixtape, 17 singles and 21 music videos.
"3:16AM" is a song by American singer-songwriter Jhene Aiko, taken from her debut extended play, Sail Out (2013). Following the release of Aiko's debut mixtape Sailing Soul(s) (2011), Aiko signed a record deal with ARTium Records where she began work on her debut album. The song was released for digital download on September 4, 2012, through ARTium record and Def Jam Recordings. The song was written by Aiko herself, along with her frequent collaborators Mac Robinson and Brian Warfield while the latter two handled the song's production under their production name Fisticuffs.
Dopamine is the debut studio album by American singer Mila J. It was released on April 7, 2017, through Silent Partner Entertainment and November Reign Records. The album is entirely produced by iRich, who also happens to be featured as a vocalist on the track "I Do Love You." The name of the project is inspired by the book This Is Your Brain On Music by Daniel Levitin.
Jarell Damonté Houston Sr., known as J-Boog, is an American R&B singer, rapper, producer and actor. He is a member of R&B group B2K. The group achieved success in the early 2000s with singles like "Bump, Bump, Bump", "Uh Huh", and "Girlfriend", which all reached success on the Billboard Hot 100.