Kris Kross
| Company type | Musical duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music, hip hop |
| Founded | 1990 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
| Founder | Jermaine Dupri (producer) |
| Headquarters | Atlanta , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly, Chris "Daddy Mac" Smith, Jermaine Dupri |
| Products | Hip hop music, studio albums, singles |
| Parent | So So Def Recordings (label) |
Kris Kross was a hip hop duo from the United States, composed of rappers Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly and Chris "Daddy Mac" Smith, created by producer Jermaine Dupri. They hold the distinction of being the youngest hip-hop act to attain commercial success, achieving chart recognition by the age of 13. Dupri discovered them in 1990, subsequently signing them as the first artists on his label So So Def Recordings.
The pair rose to national prominence with their 1992 debut single, "Jump," a diss track aimed at Another Bad Creation, which dominated the Billboard Hot 100 for eight consecutive weeks and received double platinum status from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Their discography includes three studio albums: their initial release Totally Krossed Out (1992), which reached the top position on the US Billboard 200; followed by Da Bomb (1993) and Young, Rich & Dangerous (1996), both of which secured spots within the top 20. The duo was also recognized for their trademark style of wearing clothes backwards. Kelly passed away due to a drug overdose on May 1, 2013.
History
James Christopher Kelly (August 11, 1978 – May 1, 2013) and Christopher Smith (born January 10, 1979), both hailing from Atlanta, became friends in first grade. In 1990, Jermaine Dupri, then 18 years old, discovered them at Atlanta's Greenbriar Mall. At that time, neither Kelly nor Smith were actively pursuing music or rapping. Impressed by their unique style, Dupri signed them as the inaugural artists on his So So Def label.
1992: Totally Krossed Out
The duo signed with Ruffhouse Records alongside Dupri and released their debut album Totally Krossed Out on March 31, 1992. The album was fully produced by Dupri and achieved sales of four million copies in the United States. It featured the chart-topping single "Jump", which held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks.
Their music videos also achieved significant commercial success. Directed by Rich Murray, the "Jump" video reached No. 1 on MTV and sold over 100,000 VHS copies. The subsequent single, "Warm It Up", also under Murray's direction, earned a Billboard video award for "Best New Artist" and peaked at No. 14 on the charts. These achievements contributed to Totally Krossed Out attaining multi-platinum certification.
1992–1993: Michael Jackson tour and media appearances
Kris Kross participated in Michael Jackson's 1992 European Dangerous World Tour and appeared in his "Jam" music video. They made appearances in Run-D.M.C.'s "Down with the King" (1993) and TLC's "Hat 2 da Back" (1992) videos, guest-starred on A Different World, and performed in the finale of the May 29, 1992 episode of In Living Color.
In 1992, a video game titled Kris Kross: Make My Video was launched on the Sega CD, offering players an interactive experience editing Kris Kross music videos. Despite its innovative concept, it is often cited as one of the worst games ever made. The duo also made a cameo appearance in Ted Demme's film Who's the Man? (1993).
In addition, Kris Kross collaborated with Sprite in 1993 by recording an exclusive rap track, participating in a promotional photoshoot, and starring in a commercial as part of a marketing initiative.
1993: Da Bomb
The duo's sophomore album, Da Bomb (1993), earned platinum status and featured popular singles such as "Alright" with Super Cat, "I'm Real", and the title track "Da Bomb" which included a guest appearance by Da Brat, an artist discovered by Smith. Several songs on this album were directed at competing groups like Da Youngstas, Illegal, and Another Bad Creation.
1996: Young, Rich & Dangerous
Their third studio release, Young, Rich & Dangerous, arrived in early 1996 and achieved gold certification. This album spawned notable tracks including "Tonite's tha Night" and "Live and Die for Hip Hop".
Education
Both Kris Kross members were enrolled at Woodward Academy in College Park, Georgia. Kelly pursued studies in mix engineering and later established C Connection Records. Meanwhile, Smith focused on marketing and business management before founding One Life Entertainment, Inc.
2013: Final show
Kris Kross performed their last live show at the Fox Theatre as part of the So So Def 20th Anniversary event on February 23, 2013.
Death of Chris Kelly
Chris Kelly was discovered unconscious in his Atlanta residence on April 29, 2013, and was subsequently hospitalized. He passed away on May 1 at the Atlanta Medical Center at age 34. The day prior to his death, he had recorded himself rapping at home. Police records revealed Kelly had a history of substance abuse and was in the process of recovering from drug use while at home.
Producer Jermaine Dupri referred to Kelly as "a son that I never had," commending his artistic talent. Chris Smith described Kelly as his "Best Friend" and "brother," emphasizing their lifelong bond and shared achievements as Kris Kross.
In the aftermath of Kelly's passing, numerous artists and fans acknowledged him as a source of inspiration. A toxicology report released on July 1 confirmed that Kelly died from a drug overdose involving heroin and cocaine, according to the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office.
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Highest chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | AUS | AUT | SWE | UK | ||||
| 1992 | Totally Krossed Out
|
1 | 1 | 7 | 33 | 30 | 31 |
| |
| 1993 | Da Bomb
|
13 | 2 | 133 | — | — | — |
| |
| 1996 | Young, Rich & Dangerous
|
15 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| |
| "—" indicates albums that did not chart | |||||||||
Remix albums
| Year | Album information |
|---|---|
| 1996 | Best of Kris Kross Remixed '92 '94 '96
|
Compilation albums
| Year | Album information |
|---|---|
| 1998 | Gonna Make U Jump
|
Singles
| Year | Song title | Highest chart rankings | Certifications (sales milestones) |
Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | AUS | BEL (Fl) | CAN | FRA | IRE | NZ | SWI | SWE | UK | ||||
| 1992 | "Jump" | 1 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
|
Totally Krossed Out |
| "Warm It Up" | 13 | 21 | 21 | — | 44 | 16 | 3 | 34 | 34 | 16 |
| ||
| "I Missed the Bus" | 63 | 95 | — | — | — | — | 28 | — | — | 57 | |||
| "It's a Shame" | — | — | 35 | — | — | 27 | 19 | — | — | 31 | |||
| 1993 | "Alright" (featuring Super Cat) | 19 | 97 | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | 47 |
|
Da Bomb |
| "I'm Real" | 84 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1994 | "Da Bomb" (feat. Da Brat) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995 | "Tonite's tha Night" | 12 | 123 | — | — | — | — | 11 | 48 | — | — |
|
'Young, Rich, & Dangerous' |
| 1996 | "Live and Die for Hip Hop" | 72 | — | — | — | — | — | 30 | — | — | — | ||
Grammy Awards
| Year | Work nominated for | Category | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Kris Kross (the duo) | Best New Artist category | required nomination status (no win) | |
| 1993 | "Jump" | "Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group" | required nomination status (no win) |
External links
- Articles with short description
- Musical groups founded in 1990 in Georgia (U.S. state)
- Musical groups disbanded in 1998 in Georgia (U.S. state)
- African-American music ensembles
- American male vocal groups
- American hip hop ensembles
- Artists signed to Columbia Records
- Duo musical acts from Georgia (U.S. state)
- Groups that ended in 1998
- Groups formed in 1990
- Atlanta-based musical acts
- Ruffhouse Records performers
- Southern hip hop music groups
- Musical groups disestablished in 1998