Black Moon (group)
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hip hop music |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Founder | Buckshot, 5ft, DJ Evil Dee |
| Headquarters | Brooklyn , United States |
| Products | Studio albums, singles |
Black Moon—an acronym for Brothers Lyrically Acting Combining Kicking Music Out On Nations—is a Brooklyn-based underground hip hop ensemble from the United States. Established in 1992 by rappers Buckshot and 5ft alongside producer DJ Evil Dee, they initially gained attention with their single "Who Got da Props". The group is predominantly recognized for their debut album Enta da Stage and their association with the collective Boot Camp Clik. By 2024, Black Moon has produced four studio albums.
Formation and Early Development
The roots of Black Moon can be traced back to Bushwick High School in Brooklyn, where Kasim "5ft" Reid and Ewart "DJ Evil Dee" Dewgrade created the group Unique Image. They subsequently joined forces with Kenyatte "Buckshot" Blake from Brownsville, Brooklyn, who shared their artistic vision.
Their first single, "Who Got da Props", was released in 1992 and reached number 86 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. With backing from DJ Chuck Chillout, the group secured a deal with Nervous Records, a New York-based independent label initially concentrated on house music, becoming its first hip hop signing.
To enhance production quality, they brought in Walter "Mr. Walt" Dewgrade—Evil Dee’s elder brother—for pre-production work, which led to the creation of the production team Da Beatminerz. Their debut album Enta da Stage was launched on October 19, 1993, featuring notable tracks such as "Who Got da Props?", "Son Get Wrec", "How Many MC's...", "Buck Em Down", and the Hot 100-charting single "I Got Cha Opin (Remix)". The album included guest contributions from Havoc of Mobb Deep, promoter Drew "Dru-Ha" Friedman, and the then-new duo Smif-N-Wessun. This release sold over 350,000 copies domestically. Shortly after this success, the group parted ways temporarily.
Separation from Nervous Records
In 1994, Buckshot and Dru Ha founded Duck Down Management to oversee Black Moon and Smif-N-Wessun’s careers. The following year, Smif-N-Wessun debuted their album Dah Shinin' on Wreck Records, a Nervous Records subsidiary, featuring production by Evil Dee and Da Beatminerz. Buckshot also brought together Brooklyn-based acts Heltah Skeltah and Originoo Gunn Clappaz to form the supergroup Boot Camp Clik.
After a period of inactivity, Black Moon opted not to deliver a new album to Nervous Records and were consequently dropped by the label. Despite this, Nervous Records issued Diggin' in dah Vaults, a compilation of remixes and B-sides in late 1996 without the group's consent. This unauthorized release sparked a legal battle over licensing rights that concluded in 1998 with an agreement permitting the group to license their name through Nervous.
In 1999, Black Moon unveiled their sophomore album War Zone under Priority Records. This record showcased an evolution in style with Buckshot delivering more refined lyrics, increased vocal contributions from 5ft, and Da Beatminerz providing a fresh lo-fi production approach. Incorporating appearances from Boot Camp Clik members as well as guests like Busta Rhymes, Heather B., M.O.P., Q-Tip, and Teflon, the album achieved a peak position of number 35 on the U.S. Billboard 200—their highest chart ranking despite limited success of its singles.
2000s
Throughout the 2000s, DJ Evil Dee continued his production work alongside Da Beatminerz, while Buckshot remained active with Boot Camp Clik projects. In 2004, the collective unveiled the documentary Behind the Moon. The following year, Buckshot collaborated with producer 9th Wonder to release the album Chemistry. Then in 2006, DJ Evil Dee and Mr. Walt put out Alter the Chemistry, a mixtape that combined Buckshot’s vocals from Chemistry with iconic beats from Black Moon’s catalog.
2010s
In 2011, Black Moon revealed they had started work on their fourth studio album, Dark Side of the Moon, which was to be produced by Da Beatminerz and potentially include new collaborators. However, this project was postponed until 2019, marking their first album release in sixteen years. Their fourth full-length record, titled Rise of da Moon, was released on October 18, 2019, and featured guest appearances from artists such as Method Man, Rock of Heltah Skeltah, along with longtime affiliates Swif-N-Wessun.
Studio albums
- Enta da Stage (1993)
- War Zone (1999)
- Total Eclipse (2003)
- Rise of da Moon (2019)
Compilation albums
- Diggin' in dah Vaults (1996)
Remix albums
| Title | Information |
|---|---|
| Alter the Chemistry
(with Buckshot) |
|