Black Moon (group)

For other uses, see Black Moon (disambiguation).

Black Moon
File:Nvcsh1cez3oanacz.jpg
Background information
Origin	Brooklyn, New York, United States
Genres	East Coast hip hop, hardcore hip hop
Years active	1992 – 2006, 2011 -
Labels	Duck Down Records
Associated acts	Boot Camp Clik, Smif-n-Wessun, Heltah Skeltah, O.G.C., Crooklyn Dodgers, Mobb Deep, Outlawz, Da Beatminerz,
Past members
Buckshot DJ Evil Dee 5ft

Black Moon is an American hip hop group, consisting of members Buckshot, 5 ft and DJ Evil Dee (of Da Beatminerz). The group were most notable for their debut album Enta da Stage, and their affiliation with the Boot Camp Clik.

Biography

Black Moon (backronymed as Brothers who Lyrically Act and Combine Kickin Music Out On Nations) debuted in 1992, with the release of the single "Who Got Da Props?". The song became an underground phenomenon, and charted on the Billboard Hot 100. With the help of DJ Chuck Chillout, the group landed a record deal with Nervous Records and released their debut album, Enta da Stage, in late 1993. The album included "Who Got Da Props?", as well as the singles "Son Get Wrec", "How Many MC's...", "Buck Em Down", and another Hot 100 Hit, "I Got Cha Opin (Remix)". Enta da Stage went on to sell over 350,000 copies in the U.S., and is now regarded as an underground hip hop classic. Following the album's release, the group temporarily broke up.

During the group's hiatus, DJ Evil Dee continued his production career with Da Beatminerz, and MC Buckshot headed out and formed his own group called the Boot Camp Clik, featuring fellow Brooklyn locals Smif-n-Wessun, Heltah Skeltah and O.G.C.. Following the releases of the debuts from Smif-n-Wessun (Dah Shinin'), Heltah Skeltah (Nocturnal), and O.G.C. (Da Storm), Black Moon reformed on Duckdown Record's label. In late 1996, Nervous Records released a Black Moon compilation album titled Diggin' In Dah Vaults, which featured a number of remixes and b-side tracks. After the group's split with Nervous Records, Black Moon became entangled in a legal battle over the licensing rights of their group name, which lasted for a number of years. The case was finally settled in 1998, and they were able to license the name through Nervous.

In 1999, they released their long awaited second album War Zone. The album saw a change in the group's musical style, with a more mature Buckshot showing off a calmer, more serious lyrical delivery,and the noticeably more vocal 5 ft making appearances with M.O.P, "Annihilation", and Heather B, "For All Yall" and also featured a new lo-fi production sound from Da Beatminerz. The album's singles "Two Turntables & A Mic" and "This is What it Sounds Like (Worldwind)" made small impact, and the group wasn't able to properly capitalize on their hype. Despite the somewhat disappointing sales, the album received good reviews. 1999 also saw the solo debut album from Buckshot, titled The BDI Thug, which was seen as a major disappointment. The album was met with very mediocre reviews and little sales. Black Moon was largely missing from the hip hop scene between 2000 and 2001.

Black Moon returned in 2003 for the release of their third album Total Eclipse. The album featured the underground hit "Stay Real"'',"Pressure is Tight" as well as two music videos, shot for the singles "Stay Real" and "This Goes Out to You". The album, like their previous efforts, received good reviews, but wasn't able to reach outside the underground hip hop audience. DJ Evil Dee has continued production work with Da Beatminerz, and Buckshot has continued work with the Boot Camp Clik while 5ft is working on his solo project. In 2005, Buckshot released a collaboration album with producer 9th Wonder titled Chemistry. In 2006, DJ Evil Dee and his brother Mr. Walt released a mixtape titled Alter The Chemistry, which paired Buckshot's vocals from the Chemistry album with classic Black Moon beats.^[1]'

In 2007, 5 ft recorded the song "BK All Day" with Boot Camp Clik, for the BCC album of the same year, Casualties of War. In 2008, Buckshot released with 9th Wonder their second collaboration album titled The Formula.

5 ft is actually working in his solo album debut.^[2] He was featured on General Steel's solo album of the Group Smif-n-Wessun on Duckdown records, "Welcome To Bucktown", on the song "Made me do it". 5 ft is featured on the new compilation CD, "Moment of Clarity" Released August 2009 from Coalmine Records, Produced by Grant Parks. His song is "The God in You". It was recently confirmed by the group in 2011 that they started recording their 4th album together called 'Dark Side Of The Moon' and to be fully produced again by Da Beatminerz with possible new members to their production team.^[3]

Discography

Enta da Stage Released: October 19, 1993 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #33 Singles: "Who Got Da Props?"/"How Many MC's..."/"Ack Like U Want It"/"Buck Em Down"/"I Got Cha Opin"

Diggin' In Dah Vaults Released: October 29, 1996 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #33 Singles: "How Many Emcees (DJ Evil Dee Remix)"/"I Got Cha Opin (Remix)"/"Buck Em Down (Remix)"

War Zone Released: February 23, 1999 Billboard 200 chart position: #35 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #9 Singles: "War Zone"/"Two Turntables & A Mic"/"This Is What It Sounds Like (Worldwind)"

Total Eclipse Released: October 7, 2003 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #47 Singles: "Stay Real"/"Looking Down The Barrel"/"That'z How It Iz"/"This Goes Out To You"/"Why We Act This Way"/"The Fever"

Alter The Chemistry Released: September 26, 2006 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: - Singles: -

Album chart positions

Year	Album	Chart positions
		Billboard 200	Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums	Top Independent Albums	Top Heatseekers
1993	Enta Da Stage	-	33	-	7
1996	Diggin' In Dah Vaults	-	33	-	22
1999	War Zone	35	9	-	-
2003	Total Eclipse	-	47	23	-

Singles chart positions

Year	Song	Chart positions			Album
		Billboard Hot 100	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	Hot Rap Singles
1993	"Who Got Da Props?"	86	60	-	Enta Da Stage
	"How Many MC's..."	-	97	48
1994	"Buck Em Down"	-	81	17
	"I Got Cha Opin [Remix]"	93	55	15	Diggin' in dah Vaults
1996	"How Many Emcees [Must Get Dissed] [DJ Evil Dee Remix]"	-	-	32
1999	"Two Turntables & A Mic"	-	82	-	War Zone
	"This Is What It Sounds Like [Worldwind]"	-	-	13
	"Jump Up"	-	-	24	Duck Down Presents: The Album
2003	"Stay Real"	-	64	-	Total Eclipse

Filmography

• Behind The Moon (2004)

References

1. ^ "Black Moon biography from Duck Down". http://www.duckdown.com/website/blackmoon.html. 
2. ^ 5ft on Myspace
3. ^ [[1]]

External links

• Buckshot on Myspace
• 5ft on Myspace
• DJ Evil Dee on Myspace
• Da Beatminerz on Myspace