K-Ci & JoJo
| Company type | Duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey, Joel "JoJo" Hailey |
| Headquarters | Charlotte, North Carolina , United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
K-Ci & JoJo is a renowned American R&B pair made up of siblings Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey (born September 2, 1969) and Joel "JoJo" Hailey (born June 10, 1971). Hailing from Charlotte, North Carolina, they also serve as the lead vocalists for the highly successful R&B ensemble Jodeci, alongside brothers Donald (DeVante Swing) and Dalvin (Mr. Dalvin) DeGrate. Their most notable track is the 1998 hit "All My Life", which dominated the Billboard Hot 100 chart for three consecutive weeks and garnered three Grammy Award nominations. Additionally, they appeared on Tupac Shakur’s 1996 multi-platinum single "How Do U Want It", which was nominated in 1997 for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. K-Ci & JoJo continued their commercial success with the 1999 single "Tell Me It's Real", reaching number two on the Hot 100, and their 2001 track "Crazy" from the Save the Last Dance soundtrack, which climbed to number 11.
Their discography includes five albums. Their first release, Love Always (1997), achieved triple platinum status as certified by the Recording Industry Association of America. Both It's Real and X also earned platinum certifications.
1983–1996: Formation and early years
The origins of K-Ci & JoJo trace back to their participation in the family gospel ensemble Little Cedric and the Hailey Singers, which produced three albums under AIR: I'm Alright Now (1983), Jesus Saves (1984), peaking at #4 on the Billboard Gospel chart, and God's Blessings (1985), reaching #22. In 1988, they partnered with Donald "DeVanté Swing" DeGrate and Dalvin "Mr. Dalvin" DeGrate to establish Jodeci. K-Ci's initial solo feature appeared in 1992 as a duet on Mary J. Blige’s debut record What's the 411?. He also recorded a rendition of Bobby Womack’s "If You Think You're Lonely Now" for the 1994 movie Jason's Lyric. Early in 1996, K-Ci & JoJo contributed "How Could You" to the soundtrack of Bulletproof. By mid-1996, they prominently appeared on Tupac Shakur’s chart-topping single "How Do U Want It" as well as his song "Toss It Up".
1996–1998: Release of Love Always
During the period from 1996 to 1997, K-Ci & JoJo developed their side projects into a full album titled Love Always, which was launched on June 17, 1997. This record yielded two R&B top-ten singles: "You Bring Me Up" (which reached No. 26 on the Pop chart) and "Last Night's Letter" (No. 46 Pop). The album’s most significant success was its third single, "All My Life", a heartfelt ballad dedicated to JoJo's daughter. The track held the number one spot on the Hot 100 for three weeks, marking their first chart-topping achievement and becoming their hallmark song, widely recognized beyond their established audience due to its frequent appearances in movies and television shows. The album sold four million copies, which postponed Jodeci’s reunion plans. Concurrently, they participated in "I Care 'Bout You" as members of the R&B supergroup Milestone for the Soul Food soundtrack, produced by Babyface.
In 1998, they recorded "Money Can't Buy You Love" for The Players Club film soundtrack. The following year, they released "Life," written and produced by R. Kelly, featured on the soundtrack of the movie Life, starring Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence.
1999: It's Real
The duo's sophomore album, It's Real, was released on June 22, 1999. It reached number eight on the Billboard 200 chart and climbed to number two on the R&B/Hip Hop Albums ranking, ultimately receiving platinum status from the RIAA. On an international scale, the album secured spots within the top 20 of both the Dutch Mega Album Top 100 and the Canadian Albums Chart, while also charting in New Zealand’s Top 40 Albums and Australia’s ARIA Charts. The record included four singles, most notably the hit "Tell Me It's Real," which attained the No. 2 position on the Billboard Hot 100.
It's Real was awarded a three-star review by AllMusic.
2000: X
Marking their tenth year in the music business, K-Ci & JoJo released X on December 5, 2000. This album featured the single "Crazy", which peaked at number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100 and was also part of the soundtrack for Save the Last Dance. Additionally, X contained a hidden track from their former group Jodeci, titled "Slip And Fall," alongside songs such as "Honest Lover," "One Last Time," and "All the Things I Should Have Known," which Vibe magazine highlighted for their hip hop elements.
2002–2008: Emotional and other projects
The fourth studio effort by K-Ci & JoJo, Emotional, was released on November 26, 2002, but did not achieve significant commercial impact. It featured two singles: "This Very Moment" and "It's Me," produced by Rodney "Dark Child" Jerkins, as well as their personal favorite track "How Long," co-written by Steve Vaughn and Jojo Hailey. In late 2006, K-Ci embarked on a solo path with his debut album titled My Book. The pair also compiled a greatest hits collection released on February 8, 2005, followed by another compilation named Love, which was exclusively available in Japan in 2008.
2013–present: My Brother's Keeper
In 2010, K-Ci & JoJo inked an exclusive contract with Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds' Soda Pop Records, distributed through E1 Music. They debuted the single "Knock It Off" on iTunes on June 25, 2013. Subsequently, their album My Brother's Keeper was released on September 30, 2013.
Media
The reality docu-series K-Ci & JoJo... Come Clean premiered on TV One in 2010, documenting Cedric "K-Ci" and Joel "JoJo" Hailey’s battles with alcoholism as they worked to restore both their personal relationship and professional careers. Produced by John Doe Media with executive producers Carl Craig and D. Renard Young, the show aired for one season but continues to be broadcast intermittently.
Legal issues
In connection with an incident during the December 16, 2000 Jingle Ball concert at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium, K-Ci entered a no contest plea in 2001 to four counts of lewd conduct after exposing himself twice during his performance.
Discography
Studio albums
- Love Always (1997)
- It's Real (1999)
- X (2000)
- Emotional (2002)
- My Brother's Keeper (2013)
American Music Awards
|- | 1999 || K-Ci & JoJo || Favorite R&B Band/Duo/Group || Won |- | 2000 || K-Ci & JoJo || Favorite R&B Band/Duo/Group || Nominated
Blockbuster Awards
|- | 1999 || K-Ci & JoJo || Best Group – R&B || Won
Grammy Awards
|- | 1997 || "How Do U Want It" || Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group || Nominated |- | 1999 || "All My Life" || Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals || Nominated |- | 1999 || "All My Life" || Best R&B Song || Nominated
MTV Video Music Awards
|- | 1998 || "All My Life" || Best R&B Video || Nominated |- | 2001 || "Crazy" || Best Video from a Film || Nominated
NAACP Awards
|- | 1999 || K-Ci & JoJo || Outstanding Duo or Group || Nominated
Soul Train Awards
|- | 1999 || "All My Life" || Best R&B/Soul Single, Group, Band or Duo || Nominated