Ollie & Jerry
| Company type | Partnership |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1984 in Los Angeles, United States |
| Founder | Ollie E. Brown, Jerry Knight |
| Defunct | 1985 |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
| Products | Singles ("Breakin'... There's No Stopping Us", "Electric Boogaloo") |
Ollie & Jerry represented a dance-pop partnership from the United States during the 1980s, featuring drummer Ollie E. Brown alongside R&B vocalist and bassist Jerry Knight.
While the duo never issued a full-length studio album under their own name, they gained recognition primarily for their successful single "Breakin'... There's No Stopping Us". This dance anthem climbed into the top 10 charts in both the US and UK markets. It was prominently featured as the main theme for the motion picture Breakin' and appeared on its official soundtrack. After their follow-up single, "Electric Boogaloo", failed to match the popularity of their debut, the duo dissolved by mid-1985, solidifying their reputation as a one-hit wonder.
History
Before forming their duo, Brown and Knight had collaborated as session musicians; Knight was formerly part of the R&B ensemble Raydio, with Brown contributing as a session drummer. The pair established Ollie & Jerry in Los Angeles in 1984 and secured a contract with Polydor Records. Their initial release, "Breakin'... There's No Stopping Us", served as the title track for the 1984 film Breakin' and was included on its soundtrack album. The single achieved a peak position of No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart and reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. To promote the song, they performed on platforms such as Soul Train. The Breakin' soundtrack itself attained No. 8 on the US Billboard 200 albums chart.
In 1985, their follow-up single "Electric Boogaloo" was released as the theme for Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo. This track peaked at No. 57 on the UK Singles Chart but did not enter the Billboard Hot 100. It found moderate traction on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Dance Club Play charts, reaching positions No. 45 and No. 43 respectively. Shortly after this release, Ollie & Jerry parted ways in mid-1985.
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 | US R&B | US Dance | UK | NL | BEL | NZ | AUS | ||
| 1984 | "Breakin'... There's No Stopping Us" | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 27 | 25 | 7 | 25 |
| 1985 | "Electric Boogaloo" | — | 45 | 43 | 57 | — | — | — | — |