J.J. Fad

BIOGRAPHY

J.J. Fad formed in Rialto, California in 1985, taking its name from the given names of original members Juana Burns, Dania Birks, Anna Cash, Fatima Shaheed and Juanita Lee. They became one of the first acts signed to Eazy-E's Ruthless Records. After a lineup shake-up left Burns and Birks as the core duo, they added Michelle Franklin and DJ Train, re-recording "Supersonic" in 1988 with production from Arabian Prince, Dr. Dre and DJ Yella. That single sold 400,000 copies independently before landing a deal with Atco Records. Both the single and its parent album, Supersonic, went gold in 1988, with the album reaching double platinum by 1992. In 1989 J.J. Fad became the first female hip-hop group nominated for a Grammy. A second album, Not Just a Fad, followed in 1991 before the group disbanded; they later reunited for old-school and freestyle shows, and their beatboxing intro has since been sampled by MF Doom and interpolated by Fergie in "Fergalicious."

WHY THEY'RE COOL

J.J. Fad's blend of electro production and rapid-fire rapping made them accessible to pop audiences at a time when much of West Coast hip-hop stayed underground. Their breakout single "Supersonic" turned a scrappy independent release into a gold record and helped build the commercial foundation of Ruthless Records alongside Eazy-E. Their 1989 Grammy nomination marked a milestone for women in hip-hop, and their influence lingers in later hits: MF Doom sampled their beatboxing, and Fergie's "Fergalicious" interpolated their signature hook, keeping J.J. Fad's sound audible decades after their run.

GEORGE'S PLAYS

First time on the station.

PLAYED ON WOKE1

• Supersonic1 PLAY