“deeply thoughtful with a generous splash of wit… invincible” – BBC
Arrested Development delivers onstage energy to thirsty audiences looking to quench their soul! Thirty years ago, Arrested Development slammed the gangsta dominated world of hip hop with defiant lyrics of hope. The message worked, as AD became the first, and only, hip-hop artist to receive the Best New Artist Grammy. Additionally, the group also received a Grammy award for Best Rap Single for their anthemic prayer- like hit song, “Tennessee”. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame named it one of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll. Also, VH1 listed it in their 100 Greatest Songs of the 90’s.
Money came in, but not for precious stones and big cars. Instead, they gave back, becoming the first African American artists to donate money to Nelson Mandela and the ANC. They used their voices and their status to the benefit of many underprivileged brothers and sisters around the world.
With the success of the single “Mr. Wendal”, Arrested Development brought the issue of homelessness to the forefront. Then, the group donated half of the royalty earnings from “Mr. Wendal” to the National Coalition of the Homeless. Awards, chart success and accolades continued to follow. Their song “Revolution” was written for Spike Lee’s Malcolm X film, X. There, it would forever be associated with one of the most important Spike Lee joints.
Their album, 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life of…, earned them two Grammy awards. Additionally, they won two MTV awards, a Soul Train Music Award, and the NCAAP Image Award. Rolling Stone named them 1992’s Band of The Year, while VH1 named them one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time!
Recommended for fans of De La Soul, Digable Planets, Yasiin Bey and A Tribe Called Quest.
