As the world celebrates the 50th anniversary of hip-hop this year, one of the culture’s most beloved groups has splintered, deading any possibility of them reuniting on stage in the future.
Naughty By Nature debuted in 1991 with their single, which had everyone asking, “You down with O.P.P.?”
Anthony “Treach” Criss and Vinny “Vin Rock” Brown were the two rappers, and Keir “Kay Gee” Gist served as the deejay and producer. The trio had two platinum and two gold albums.
However, a rift between members caused the group to divide into two factions, with Treach on one side and on the other Vin Rock and Kay Gee, now known as the Illtown Sluggaz.
Some may not have been aware of the group’s problems, but others peeped at the full group’s absence from several key tribute performances this year, including the Grammys — particularly since they won the first “Best Rap Album” award from the Recording Academy in 1996.
TMZ caught up with Treach recently for a quick interview, where he explained why the trio did not perform at this year’s BET Awards. He told the outlet the group was invited, but certain members had scheduling conflicts.
“So, we tried to make it happen but you know I’m holding it down,” said the 52-year-old.
He was then asked if the group was actually still together, and he implied that the full group might not be performing together anytime soon.
“They’re doing their thing, and I’m gonna keep the brand poppin’ over here,” the rapper said. “So, you know. We do our thing. We’ll see what happens in the future, but right now, I’mma hold this Naughty down, this brand down for the 50th. Hard body.”
He then revealed that a forthcoming documentary was in the works but it would solely be about him, adding, “working on it now.”
In other interviews, Vin Rock shared one of the reasons why he and Kay Gee were forced to do “their thing.”
Naughty By Nature was presented with an opportunity to perform in Australia over a decade ago, but Treach could not obtain a passport to go due to back child support he owed.
“What we did is we agreed to pay the money in advance,” the artist explained in February, adding that when it came down to getting the money back from the performance payment, “all of a sudden there’s amnesia.”
During the argument over the money in 2011, Rock alleges Treach pulled a knife on him out of frustration.
“He pulled a knife on me, and I ran in the bathroom. Like, I am not getting cut up here, yo,” said Rock. The two did not speak for two years after the incident, but years later, they reunited on stages for different performances.
Another reason could reach back to 2013 when Treach dissed Rock in a song titled “Tall Midget.” He called his group member “Uncle Adlib” and “Winnie the Pooh,” implying that Rock was leaching off of him.
“F—k your fat a—, you’re a bagel away from Barney, you wack rapper, backstabber, so greedy. I’ll make it so, d-mn, they’ll never see your wack a— on TV,” said Treach on the track.
In the meantime, Rock and Kay Gee have not slowed down working as the Illtown Sluggaz. The two founding members of NBN celebrated the group’s 30th anniversary in March, and a month later, they teamed up with the R&B group Next to release new music.
The collaboration was a spin on both acts’ names: Next by Nature, proving one individual won’t stop any show.
Treach is working too. He has been booked to perform at DJ Cassidy’s Pass the Mic concert at Radio City on July 21.
