Full Force
Full Force rose to prominence in the mid-'80s, writing and producing popular R&B hits for Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam before embarking on a moderately successful solo career that ultimately led them back to production work. The six-man collective -- featuring Paul Anthony, Bowlegged Lou, B-Fine, Baby Gerry, Shy Shy, and Curt-t-t -- originated in New York City's Brooklyn borough, where they originally met up with Steve Salem -- a business-savvy individual who functioned as their manager -- in the late '70s. With a manager in place and plenty of talent among the group members, Full Force struggled throughout the early '80s to find a label willing to sign them, though they did release one independent single, "Turn You On."
Full Force got a break when they wrote and produced fellow Brooklyn group U.T.F.O.'s "Roxanne Roxanne," a rap song that would attain a certain level of fame thanks to a series of answer records. In early 1985, the single peaked at number ten on Billboard's R&B chart, proving a substantial hit for both the rap group and the production team. From there, Full Force moved onto their next major success with Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam, a dance-pop group led by a 16-year-old singer named Lisa Velez. Originally Velez had auditioned for the production team, who then went ahead and recorded "I Wonder If I Take You Home" with her, releasing the single under the moniker Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force on indie New York label Personal. The song scored success initially overseas before eventually being released by Columbia in the U.S. after getting immense play in New York clubs as an import single. Almost overnight, the song topped Billboard's dance chart and went on to peak at number six on the R&B chart by summer 1985.
Thanks to the momentum surrounding that hit single, Full Force signed a deal with Columbia to release their own material. Though they scored some minor R&B hits ("Temporary Love Thing," "Unfaithful So Much," "All in My Mind"), their biggest success continued to be as a production team for Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam ("All Cried Out," "Head to Toe," "Lost in Emotion"). In 1988, Full Force produced James Brown's I'm Real, scoring a substantial hit for the struggling legend with the album's title track, and worked with a number of late-'80s dance-pop stars: Jasmine Guy, Cheryl Pepsii Riley, and Samantha Fox, among others. Throughout the early and mid-'90s, the group remained relatively quiet before again churning out a number of R&B-flavored pop hits with Selena, Backstreet Boys, and LFO, among others.
In 2001, they released Still Standing, a set that combined new material recorded with high-profile guests (including Gerald Levert, Method Man, Scarface, and Raekwon) and some of Full Force's greatest hits. Their work with Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam lived on through singles by the likes of Kylie Minogue ("Secret [Take You Home]") and Nina Sky ("Move Ya Body"). During the late 2000s and early 2010s, they sporadically performed and recorded. In 2012, an episode of TV One's Unsung series covered the group's history. Two years later, supported by numerous collaborators (such as Raphael Saadiq, Shanice, Faith Evans, U.T.F.O., and Roxanne Shanté), they released With Love from Our Friends through Sony's Legacy division. Dedicated to Paul Anthony for his battle with and triumph over cancer, it featured originals as well as updates of "All Cried Out" and "Roxanne Roxanne."
© Jason Birchmeier /TiVo
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Discography
23 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Crazy 'Bout The TikTok and I.G
R&B - Released by Forceful Music on 9 Oct 2020
Available in24-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
What's Come Over Me
Chris Curry, Mel Holder, Full Force
Jazz - Released by Forceful Music on 31 Jul 2020
Available in24-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
The Baddest Chick (New House Party Re-Mix)
R&B - Released by Forceful Music on 3 Jan 2020
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Love of a Hero (Kobe Changed The Game Remix)
R&B - Released by Forceful Music on 8 Aug 2020
Available in24-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
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I'm God Good (God's Always Grindin) (Remix)
Gospel - Released by Force Music LLC - JLT Nation - Street Legal Entertainment Inc. on 23 Oct 2020
Available in24-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Dance Dance, Throw Ur Hands up in the Air Air
R&B - Released by Legacy Recordings on 3 Mar 2015
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Friends B-4 Lovers
R&B - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 6 Mar 2020
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Your Love Makes Me High
R&B - Released by Legacy Recordings on 9 Oct 2015
Available in24-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Full Force Get Busy 1 Time! (Bonus Track Version)
R&B - Released by Legacy Recordings on 1 Jan 1986
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Forceful MIX-ture
R&B - Released by Ear Force Records on 22 Mar 2011
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
"FULL FORCE Of Course"
R&B - Released by Ear Force Records on 14 Oct 2008
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Ain't My Type of Hype
R&B - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 31 Jul 1989
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Don't Sleep!
R&B - Released by CAPITOL CATALOG MKT (C92) on 31 Aug 1992
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
With Love from Our Friends
R&B - Released by Legacy Recordings on 22 Aug 2014
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
A Good Woman / A Good Man (Just Because) (BtOVEN Mix)
Soul - Released by Forceful Music on 29 Mar 2019
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Call Me When You Want It
R&B - Released by Legacy Recordings on 18 Mar 2016
Available in24-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Kiss Those Lips
R&B - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 7 Aug 1989
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Full Force Presents "Wake Up And Smell The Coffee" The Single (FULL FORCE)
Pop/Rock - Released by Ear Force Records on 8 Feb 2011
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Everyday Is Mother's Day
R&B - Released by Ear Force Records on 8 May 2007
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Silent Night
Christmas Music - Released by Forceful Music LLC on 17 Dec 2020
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo