History
Blackstreet is an American R&B group formed in 1991 by producers Chauncey Hannibal and Teddy Riley. The quartet released four studio albums between 1994 and 2003, achieving significant commercial success, most notably with their 1996 single "No Diggity."
Musical Journey and Key Releases
The group's self-titled debut album, Blackstreet, released in 1994, spawned the singles "Booti Call," "Before I Let You Go," and "Joy." Both "Booti Call" and "Before I Let You Go" charted within the Top 40 in the United States, with the latter reaching the Top 10.
Their follow-up album, Another Level, arrived in 1996 and became their most commercially successful release. This album featured the iconic hit "No Diggity," a collaboration with Dr. Dre and Queen Pen, which dominated the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks. The success of Another Level propelled the group to win a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals in 1998. The album itself peaked at number three on the Billboard album chart and was certified quadruple platinum in the United States. "No Diggity" was later recognized by Rolling Stone and MTV as one of the 100 greatest pop songs.
During the peak success of Another Level, the lineup included Mark Middleton and Eric Williams, who had replaced Dave Hollister and Levi Little. This period saw Blackstreet contribute guest vocals on Jay-Z's "The City Is Mine" and release the single "Take Me There" with Mýa and Mase for the soundtrack of "The Rugrats Movie." They also participated in the New Edition reunion tour.
Later Work and Reunions
Blackstreet continued their recording career with the album Finally, which reached the Top 10 and included the single "Girlfriend/Boyfriend," featuring Janet Jackson, Ja Rule, and Eve. Following Teddy Riley's work with Guy and plans for solo projects, the group eventually reunited the lineup that recorded Another Level for the album Level II, released in 2003.
After subsequent hiatuses and individual pursuits, members Chauncey Hannibal, Levi Little, Mark Middleton, and Eric Williams reunited as Blackstreet in 2014, resuming live performances, including an Australian tour in 2015. In the same year, Middleton and Williams provided backing vocals for Daniel Kajmakoski's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2015. Group associate Joseph Stonestreet passed away on June 25, 2018, at the age of 56.
