Grand Daddy I.U.
 | This biography needs additional citations for verification. (December 2022) |
Grand Daddy I.U. | |
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SME Records |
Ayub Bey (August 23, 1968 – December 13, 2022), known as Grand Daddy I.U., was an American
rapper who was a member of the hip-hop group Juice Crew in the 1980s.[1]
Career
Grand Daddy I.U., born in
Queens, New York, was raised in Hempstead, Long Island, and encouraged to begin performing by his brother, also known as Kay Cee. He recorded a demo tape and gave it to Biz Markie, who signed him to the label Cold Chillin' Records in 1989. In 1990 he released his debut, Smooth Assassin, which spawned two Rap Chart hits: "Something New" (#11) which sampled James & Bobby Purify's "I'm Your Puppet", and "Sugar Free" (#9). He became noted for his high-end tailored attire, always appearing in public wearing a suit and tie.[2]
Grand Daddy I.U. appeared as a guest on several hip hop albums in the 1990s, including Big L's Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous and Positive K's The Skills Dat Pay da Bills.[3][4]
Grand Daddy I.U. did
Roxanne Shanté but became disenchanted with Markie over a dispute involving publishing credits for the tracks on his debut.[2] He released a sophomore effort, Lead Pipe, in 1994. Its lead single "Represent" charted modestly on the US Dance Singles Chart. The album received little promotion, so after the standalone single "All About Money" in 1996, Grand Daddy I.U. quit rapping for nearly a decade.[5]
Grand Daddy I.U. continued to do production work in hip-hop for
2Pac, DV Alias Khryst, and Pudgee Tha Phat Bastard. In 2017 he reunited with long-time collaborator Pudgee Tha Phat Bastard on the album Still Hear by Long Island emcee Lantz. The pair featured together on two songs, "Til The Casket" and "Yesterday".[6]
In 2020 I.U. released an album The Essence, which featured artists
, and a host of other artists. The album was composed of songs all produced by I.U. and showcased his beat making talents.After a short break from releasing music, Grand Daddy I.U released a new single "Stay Fly" under Get@Em Recordz on July 2, 2021.[7]
Bey died at age 54 on December 13, 2022.[8]
Personal life
I.U.'s daughter is the indie soul singer Yaya Bey.[9]
Discography
Albums
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. R&B | ||
| 1990 | Smooth Assassin
|
91 |
| 1994 | Lead Pipe
|
88 |
| 2007 | Stick to the Script
|
– |
| 2015 | P.I.M.P. (Paper Is My Priority)
|
- |
Singles
- 1990 "Something New" (US Rap #11)
- 1990 "Sugar Free" (US Rap #9)
- 1990 "This Is A Recording"
- 1990 "Pick Up The Pace"
- 1994 "Represent" (US Dance #54)
- 1994 "Don't Stress Me"
- 1996 "All About Money"
- 2005 "I Be Thuggin'"
- 2021 "Stay Fly" (with Shawn Haynes & Monsta Mook)
- 2022 "Trust Me" (with Paula Perry & Da Inphamus Amadeuz)
References
- ^ Grand Daddy I.U.: The Unkut Interview Archived 2012-09-17 at archive.today July 12, 2010 (Retrieved November 14, 2011)
- ^ Allmusic
- ^ "Rapper Grand Daddy I.U., Known for His Debut Album Smooth Assassin, Dead at 54". Peoplemag. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
- ^ Dee, Erika. "Grand Daddy I.U. Dead at Only 54: Real Cause of Death Tragic, LL Cool J Pays Tribute". musictimes.com. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
- ^ Lerner, Jamie (2022-12-14). "Rapper Pete Rock Reveals Grand Daddy I.U.'s Cause of Death". Distractify. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
- ^ Lantz on Bandcamp
- ^ "Grand Daddy I.U New Single "Stay Fly" Under Get@Em Recordz". Boom Bap Nation. 2021-06-01. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
- ^ "Rap Legend Grand Daddy I.U. Dies At 54". AllHipHop.com. 2022-12-13.
- ^ Pierre, Brittny. "Yaya Bey Is Done With Misogyny". daily.bandcamp.com. Bandcamp. Retrieved 2023-01-29.
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