Blaque

Blaque is an R&B girl trio (active from 1996–2009), which consisted of Shamari Fears, Natina Reed and Brandi Williams. The group was signed by Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes of TLC to her production company, Left Eye Productions. For legal reasons, they are known as Blaque Ivory outside the US. Blaque stands for “Believing in Life and Achieving a Quest for Unity in Everything”. Natina formed Blaque (in 1996), while Shamari formed another group called Intrigue. Intrigue won a recording contract with Elektra Records, and Shamari met up with Brandi at a talent show while a member of that group. Shamari left Intrigue to join up with Natina in Blaque, and Brandi joined shortly after. Natina then met Ronald Lopes, who introduced her to his sister Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes of TLC, who then signed them to her production company in 1997. She managed to get them a record deal with Columbia Records. Their debut album ‘Blaque’, released in mid-1999, sold more than 1.5 million copies and was certified platinum, charting at 53 on the Billboard 200. It included the gold-selling single, ‘808’; the international hit, ‘Bring It All To Me’; and the R&B bop, ‘I Do’. In addition to their recording work, they appeared in the 2000 film Bring It On. They recorded a single for the album, called ‘As If’, but was unsuccessful. Their second album ‘Blaque Out!’ was due for release in 2002, but they were dropped from Columbia Records. They had released a single beforehand (Can’t Get It Back) for the album, which received minor success. It was later leaked, and released on iTunes in 2007 and again in 2011 (when it was removed in 2008). Blaque’s third album, Torch, was set for release in 2003 with Elektra Records, but then pushed back to 2004. The lead single, I’m Good, was released in 2003 for the movie, Honey. 2 more singles were released: Ugly (produced by Missy Elliott) and No Ganksta (answering back to 50 Cent’s ‘Wanksta’). News came up their next single would be “Hopeless” – a man-bashing, Darkchild-produced song. But it failed to be released, as well as the album. Plans for its release were shelved. In 2004, Natina left the group to go into ministry. She was soon replaced by singer/rapper Erica Pullins who performed with them overseas although no one really knows where she came from. With the fate of the group unclear, they disbanded in mid-2004. In 2005, Blaque came back together to record their fourth studio album Private Show (originally titled Beauty). They worked on the album sporadically from 2005 to 2009. Blaque agreed to film a show, Blaque In the House, for airing in the summer of 2008; however, the show was never picked up, and the album went unreleased. Some songs were leaked or released digitally, before their second disbandment. Blaque reunited in 2012 for the Left Eye Music Festival in Decatur, Georgia. At the event, Blaque performed their single “808”. Shortly after, the group contracted with artist manager Inga “Nandi” Willis, and started working on another new album and a reality television show. On October 26, 2012, Reed died after being hit by a car near Atlanta, Georgia. The group broke up shortly after her death.

Related performers: Fugees , Channel Live , Will Gunz , Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes

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Number of songs Blaque has created by producer

Albums & EPs

2007

Blaque By Popular Demand

Can't Get It Back (Radio Edit) produced by Salaam Remi

2003

Torch

2002

Blaque Out!

Can't Get It Back produced by Salaam Remi

Singles