Brutha
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Founder | Anthony Harrell, Cheyenne Harrell, Grady Harrell III, Jacob Harrell, Jared Overton |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
| Parent | Island Def Jam Music Group (label) |
Brutha was an American ensemble specializing in R&B and soul, consisting of five siblings: Anthony Harrell, Cheyenne Harrell, Grady Harrell III, Jacob Harrell, and Jared Overton. Established in 2002, the group gained exposure through an introduction by Brian McKnight on the 2003 Soul Train Holiday Special. They secured a contract with Def Jam Records and launched their first album, Brutha, in December 2008. Their progression in the music world was documented in the reality series Brothers to Brutha. By 2011, the three eldest siblings—Grady, Anthony, and Jared—departed to embark on individual careers, while Jacob and Cheyenne continued performing together as Jake & Papa.
Early life
The band members, listed from oldest to youngest, are Grady Harrell III, Anthony Harrell, Jared Overton, Cheyenne "Papa" Harrell, and Jacob Harrell. Four of the brothers share the same father, Grady Harrell Jr., a vocalist from Los Angeles who significantly influenced their musical direction. Jared has a different father but shares a mother with two of his brothers, making him unrelated to Cheyenne and Jacob. Their father, known for both his strict discipline and singing talent, taught them vocal skills; additionally, their uncle Donny (Drano) Harrell played a crucial role in advancing their careers. Valerie is the mother of Papa and Jacob, while Nancy Lynn is the mother of Jared, Anthony, and Grady Jr. Papa and Jacob were not raised by their father due to his conviction for fraud and subsequent imprisonment lasting two and a half years. Early musical inspirations for the group included artists such as Sam Cooke and Stevie Wonder. Prior to achieving broader recognition, they performed at events like graduation ceremonies and bar mitzvahs.
Early career
The Harrell siblings began their involvement in entertainment at a young age, continuing a family tradition spanning four generations of musicians. When they were around five or six years old, Anthony and Grady III formed a group called Papa's Results alongside their cousin Canela Cox under the mentorship of Grady Harrell II, who had previously been signed to MCA Records before his incarceration. This group appeared in his R&B track "Sticks and Stone," and Anthony provided the voice for young Michael Jackson in the 1992 mini-series The Jacksons: An American Dream. After Canela relocated to Holland due to her mother's career, the brothers brought in family friend Jeff Lee as her replacement and renamed themselves Serenade. In 1997, they made an appearance on Saved by the Bell: The New Class, with Anthony becoming a regular cast member. As a duo, Grady and Anthony independently produced two albums.
Brutha
In 2002, Grady and Anthony were joined by JR, Jake, and Papa to form Brutha. Brian McKnight discovered them, leading to their feature on the 2003 Soul Train Holiday Special. In 2008, their uncle Donny "Drano" Harrell (CEO of Goodfellas Entertainment) along with Island Def Jam A&R SVP Shakir Stewart invited them to Atlanta for auditions before Jermaine Dupri and other producers. This opportunity resulted in a one-hour television special titled Jermaine Dupri Presents: Brutha, which aired on Peachtree TV in March 2008. Subsequently, Dupri signed them to Island Def Jam Music Group. In 2007, Brutha also guest-starred on Discovery Kids' program Hip Hop Harry.
Studio albums
| Year | Details | Chart Rankings | Sales & Certifications | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | U.S. R&B | BCA | |||
| 2008 | Brutha
|
Template:Center | Template:Center | Template:Center |
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| 2011 | Vacancy
|
Template:Center | Template:Center | Template:Center | |
Singles
| Year | Track | Chart Rankings |
Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | |||
| 2008 | "I Can't Hear the Music" (featuring Fabolous) |
51 | Brutha |
| "She's Gone" | 103 | ||
| 2010 | "One Day on This Earth" | 94 | Vacancy |
| "Can't Get Enough" | 50 | ||
| 2011 | "High Is Coming Down" | — |