Pretty soon those lighthearted shows got serious, and the group-named for Baltimore’s Druid Hill Park neighborhood-signed with Island Records and released their self-titled debut in 1996. Their ease with each other was genuine the original members had known one another since they were teenagers working at a fudge factory, where they would put on impromptu performances to entertain customers. That playfulness has helped the group weather the ups and downs of the music industry. Rev.Baltimore R&B legends Dru Hill never met a pun they didn’t like: Witness the R&B group’s album titles, from Enter the Dru (1998) to Dru World Order (2002) to InDRUpendence Day (2010).Uncovering the roots: How African Americans are tracing their lineage using DNA October 15, 2022.130 years of excellence: AFRO Gala set to kick anniversary celebration into high gear August 4, 2022.Frances ‘Toni’ Draper announces retirement from pastorship at Freedom Temple AME Zion Church September 30, 2022 “Everybody needs to know that this issue is not going away this time.” “If we don’t continue to have the conversation about the problem, it’s not going to be a balance,” he said. “If you learn it and adopt certain practices, once you achieve your goal, you’re not going to be running out the gate to buy everything that you ever wanted in life.”Ĭontinuing the conversation about the negative issues that affect the Black community is also important, he said. “One of the biggest things that happens with us as artists and Black people in general is that we don’t ever learn about money as a concept,” he said. He said he hopes to build new schools in Baltimore at which students will learn about finances and managing money just as much as they learn about other subjects. The singer explained that he believes having “neighborhood cops” who are familiar with their assigned area and its citizens could be a move in the right direction.īut ultimately, he said he believes it all goes back to the kids. Your first thought of seeing a police officer should be ‘you are here to protect me,’ not ‘you are here to throw me away.’ As Black men, we will sit there and think about if we did something just at the sight of the cops pulling up.” “Within the laws of the land and the lessons that we are taught of right and wrong, what happened shouldn’t have happened. “The whole issue of police brutality isn’t something new,” he said. And now, with all of the recent drama that has unfolded in his city, he believes that this is perfect time to bring about change-especially in African Americans’ relationship with law enforcement. While he’s resided in different places over the span of his career, Nokio said that homesickness drew him back. Subsequently, the group went on to have a string of successful hits such as “In My Bed,” Never Make a Promise,” and “How Deep is Your Love.” They finally got their big break in 1995 when they were signed to Universal Music Group’s Island Records. The group’s humble beginnings started right on the streets of Charm City, where they performed at local talent shows as teens. That method is something that Nokio and the other members of Dru Hill know all too well. “That’s not me telling them to forget Baltimore, but I want to tell them that you can get out and learn something and bring it back.” “I want to be a voice to the kids who are here and I want to try to help them understand that you can get out of here,” he said. The singer explained that he’s also used this time to try to connect to the youth and speak at local schools. The ball’s been rolling on that and it will be coming out soon.” “From that conversation, I basically wrote a song in 15 minutes. “At first we were like, we should do a concert, but then we decided to do a song,” he said. So he and the group turned to their first instinct. Nokio, born Tamir Ruffin, knew that he had to do his part to aid in his city’s recovery. “I was out of town and to see parts of my old neighborhood on fire and to see the rioting and the protesting and everything that was going on, I couldn’t take it anymore,” he told the AFRO during a recent interview. That’s why he said he was devastated as he watched the Baltimore uprisings unfold following the death of Freddie Gray. Nokio has been all around the world in the two decades the 36-year-old has performed, written and recorded music as one-fourth of the R&B powerhouse group Dru Hill.īut while he’s seen it all, his hometown has stayed in his heart. Dru Hill member Nokio said he penned a song dedicated to Baltimore in 15 minutes.
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