Full Force
Full Force is an American hip hop and R&B music group formed in the mid-1970s in Brooklyn, New York, originally comprising six family members who performed as singers, songwriters, musicians, and record producers. Originally known as the Amplifiers, they gained early recognition by winning first prize at the Apollo Theater's amateur night competition four times in a row during the late 1970s.[1] They rose to prominence in the 1980s as prolific producers, most notably creating the hip hop classic "Roxanne, Roxanne" for UTFO in 1984, which is credited in the Guinness World Records for inspiring over 60 response records and marking the start of their recording history.[2][3] The original six members included three brothers—Brian "B-Fine" George (vocals, percussion), Paul Anthony George (vocals), and Lucien "Bowlegged Lou" George Jr. (vocals, died 2019)—along with their three cousins: Carlton "Curt-T-T" Bedeau (vocals, guitar), Gerry "Baby Gerry" Charles (vocals, keyboards), and Hugh "J.R. Shy Shy" Clarke (bass, backing vocals).[1][2] As a production team under Forceful Enterprises, Inc., they have collaborated with a wide array of artists, co-writing and producing multi-platinum hits such as Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam's "I Wonder If I Take You Home" (1985) and "Head to Toe" (1987), which topped the Billboard Hot 100, as well as James Brown's "I'm Real" (1988, No. 2 R&B) and "Static" (1988, No. 5 R&B).[1][2] Their songwriting credits extend to major pop acts, including the Backstreet Boys' "All I Have to Give" from their over 30-million-selling album Millennium (1999), the Black Eyed Peas' "Don't Phunk with My Heart" (2005, interpolation of their earlier work), and contributions to Selena's posthumous album Dreaming of You (1995).[2] Full Force has also released six studio albums of their own, featuring chart singles like "Alice, I Want You Just for Me" (1985, No. 16 R&B), and earned gold and platinum certifications for work with artists including Rihanna ("Pon de Replay," 2005), Justin Timberlake, and *N Sync.[1] In 2024, the group sold select music publishing assets. In addition to music, they appeared in the House Party film series (1990–1994), contributing original songs and soundtracks that blended their signature upbeat, dance-oriented style.[2][4]Background
Formation
Full Force was formed in the mid-1970s in Brooklyn, New York, by brothers Paul Anthony George, Brian "B-Fine" George, and Lucien "Bowlegged Lou" George Jr., along with their cousins Carlton "Curt-T-T" Bedeau, Gerry "Baby Gerry" Charles, and Hugh "Shy Shy" Clarke, blending elements of R&B, funk, and emerging hip-hop sounds.[5][2] The group drew early support from their parents, performing at local venues such as the Apollo Theater under the name The Amplifiers, where they won first prize four consecutive weeks in amateur night competitions.[2] This period marked their initial foray into professional session work, including contributions to Kurtis Blow's 1984 track "Basketball," which helped refine their instrumental and compositional abilities.[2] Further honing their craft, the group co-wrote, produced, and performed on James Brown's album I'm Real (1988), including hits like the title track (which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard R&B chart) and "Static" (No. 5 on the R&B chart), experiences that further solidified their reputation in the industry.[2][6]Musical Style and Influences
Full Force emerged as key innovators in the development of new jack swing during the 1980s, fusing R&B vocals with hip-hop beats and funky grooves to create a vibrant, dance-oriented sound.[7] Their music blended hip-hop loops into R&B-flavored tracks, incorporating soulful vocal harmonies and rhythmic elements that emphasized high-energy, party-ready rhythms.[7] This approach played a significant role in the early fusion of harder hip-hop percussion with smooth R&B singing, predating and influencing the broader new jack swing movement led by figures like Teddy Riley.[8] The group's production style relied on multi-layered arrangements, achieved through their self-contained workflow where members handled songwriting, instrumentation, engineering, and performance.[2] They integrated electronic elements like synthesized sounds alongside live-played basslines and percussion, drawing on hip-hop's street rhythms to drive danceable tracks infused with pop accessibility.[2] Lyrics often featured witty punchlines, metaphors, and nursery rhyme-style rapping, adding a humorous, streetwise edge to their high-energy compositions.[2][7] Full Force's sound was shaped by influences from funk and soul giants such as Earth, Wind & Fire, whose rhythmic complexity informed their groove-oriented foundations, as well as Michael Jackson and Prince, who inspired their melodic flair and performance dynamics.[7] Early hip-hop acts contributed to their adoption of looped beats and vocal interplay, reflecting Brooklyn's vibrant music scene.[8] This blend of inspirations allowed Full Force to pioneer a self-sufficient production model, where the George brothers and their collaborators controlled every aspect to craft polished, genre-blending records.[2]Members
Current Lineup
The current lineup of Full Force consists of its six original members, who have been together since the group's formation in the mid-1970s as the Amplifiers and have remained together without any official departures as of 2025.[2][9]- Paul Anthony George: Vocals, keyboards, founding member (one of the George brothers).[10][11]
- Brian "B-Fine" George: Backing vocals, percussion, founding member (one of the George brothers).[10][11]
- Lucien "Bowlegged Lou" George Jr.: Backing vocals, percussion, founding member (one of the George brothers).[10][11]
- Hugh "J.R. Shy Shy" Clarke: Backing vocals, bass, founding member (one of the cousins).[10][11]
- Curt "Curt-T-T" Bedeau: Backing vocals, guitar, saxophone, founding member (one of the cousins).[10][11]
- Gerry "Baby Gerry" Charles: Backing vocals, keyboards, founding member (one of the cousins).[10][11]
Roles and Contributions
Full Force exemplifies a multi-instrumentalist approach, with each member contributing to vocals, various instruments, and production aspects, which allowed the group to produce self-sufficient albums without extensive external support.[2] Members such as Curt "Curt-T-T" Bedeau on guitar and vocals, Gerry "Baby Gerry" Charles on keyboards and vocals, and Hugh "J.R. Shy Shy" Clarke on bass enabled this versatility, particularly in live performances where they played instruments alongside singing.[1] Brian "B-Fine" George handled percussion and drum programming, while the George brothers—Paul Anthony, B-Fine, and Bowlegged Lou—often focused on rhythmic foundations, including bass lines and beats to drive the group's energetic sound.[1] Paul Anthony, a key songwriter and frontman, led vocal deliveries and co-authored key tracks that shaped the group's output, while B-Fine and Bowlegged Lou emphasized bass and rhythmic elements to underpin their productions.[12] Bedeau and Charles brought live energy through their guitar and brass contributions, enhancing the group's onstage dynamics with layered instrumentation.[1] Collectively, Full Force employed democratic decision-making in arrangements, fostering a collaborative environment where all members shared input on songwriting and production choices.[2] This approach prioritized live instrumentation over sampling in their early work, reflecting their roots as performers who won multiple Apollo Theater amateur nights under the name the Amplifiers.[1] Members frequently rotated lead vocals to highlight the group's harmony, embodying their "full force" ensemble style that blended individual talents into cohesive performances.[1]Career
Early Productions and Breakthrough
Full Force began their production career with session work on Kurtis Blow's albums, co-writing and performing on tracks like "Basketball," which helped build their reputation in the New York music scene.[2] Their first major production came in 1984 with UTFO's "Roxanne, Roxanne," a hip-hop track they crafted as an answer record featuring a humorous narrative about unrequited advances from the group's members.[13] Released on Select Records in November 1984, the single introduced Full Force's innovative beat-making style, characterized by tight rhythms and playful sampling, and peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, number 40 on the Dance Club Songs chart, and number 77 on the Hot 100, sparking the "Roxanne Wars" series of response records that influenced early hip-hop beef culture.[14] This success led to Full Force signing a production and recording deal with Columbia Records in 1984, marking their transition from local session players to national industry players.[2] The signing paved the way for their debut single release that year, solidifying their shift to broader recognition beyond Brooklyn's underground circuit.[7] The group's breakthrough arrived with their production for Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam's debut, particularly the 1984 single "I Wonder If I Take You Home," which they discovered and fully produced after encountering the act at a local talent show.[2] Released on Columbia in late 1984 ahead of the 1985 album Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force, the track blended freestyle's upbeat synth-driven melodies with hip-hop's rhythmic edge, reaching number 1 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, number 6 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and number 34 on the Hot 100, establishing Full Force as architects of the emerging freestyle sound.[15][16]Recording Career
Full Force launched their recording career in 1985 with a self-titled debut album on Columbia Records, which peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The project showcased their signature blend of R&B harmonies and funk grooves, produced entirely in-house. A standout track, "Alice, I Want You Just for Me!", became an international breakout, reaching number 9 on the UK Singles Chart while climbing to number 16 on the US R&B singles chart.[17][18] Building on this momentum, the group released Full Force Get Busy 1 Time! in 1986, another Columbia effort that rose to number 19 on the US R&B albums chart. The album emphasized upbeat, dance-oriented tracks like "Unfaithful So Much," which hit number 20 on the R&B singles chart, reinforcing their reputation for energetic, self-contained productions.[18] Their third album, Guess Who's Comin' to the Crib? (1987), also on Columbia, achieved a peak of number 28 on the US R&B albums chart. It featured the slow jam "All in My Mind," one of their biggest singles as artists, reaching number 6 on the US R&B chart and highlighting their vocal versatility in ballad form.[18] Entering the 1990s, Full Force shifted toward a fusion of hip-hop rhythms and R&B sensibilities, evident in releases like Smoove (1989, Columbia), which incorporated new jack swing elements and peaked at number 61 on the US R&B Albums chart. This evolution continued with Don't Sleep! (1992, Capitol), blending rap-infused beats with group vocals, and Sugar on Top (1995, Capitol/EMI), marked by hip-hop/R&B hybrids like "Back Together" but which did not chart on major Billboard albums charts.[19] From 1985 through the mid-1990s, Full Force issued six albums as recording artists, sustaining consistent visibility on the R&B charts but with limited penetration into the pop mainstream, where their Billboard 200 peaks rarely exceeded the top 10.Later Career and Legacy
In the 2000s, Full Force continued releasing albums that showcased their evolving sound, though with diminished mainstream visibility compared to their earlier hits. Their 2001 album Still Standing, issued on TVT Records, featured collaborations with artists such as Gerald Levert, Method Man, and Scarface, blending R&B, hip-hop, and funk elements to maintain appeal among longtime supporters.[20] Legendary followed in 2007 on the group's own imprint, delivering a mix of original tracks and tributes that highlighted their production prowess, while Full Force, Of Cource in 2009 further emphasized self-released creativity, sustaining a core fanbase through live performances and digital platforms despite limited chart presence.[21] The group's output tapered in the 2010s, with With Love from Our Friends marking their most recent full project in 2014, released via Full Force Productions in partnership with Sony Legacy. Described as a heartfelt collection featuring contributions from friends and collaborators, it served as a reflective, compilation-style effort celebrating their career milestones rather than pushing new commercial boundaries.[22][23] As of November 2025, no major new releases have emerged, though the members have occasionally referenced ongoing side production work.[24] Full Force's legacy endures as pioneers in the fusion of hip-hop rhythms with R&B melodies, earning recognition as early architects of new jack swing through their 1980s innovations that influenced subsequent producers. Their hard-hitting beats and vocal harmonies provided foundational signals for the genre's development, directly impacting artists like Teddy Riley, who built upon similar blends in his groundbreaking work with Guy and beyond.[8] This influence persists in hip-hop and R&B histories, where Full Force is frequently cited for shaping the swingbeat era's rhythmic architecture and production techniques.[25] While no formal inductions into institutions like the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame have occurred, their contributions are acknowledged in discussions of genre evolution and production excellence.[26]Discography
Studio Albums
Full Force debuted with their self-titled album in 1985 on Columbia Records, which peaked at number 29 on the US R&B chart and included the UK hit single "Alice, I Want You Just for Me!". The follow-up, Full Force Get Busy 1 Time!, released in 1986 on the same label, reached number 19 on the US R&B chart. Their third album, Guess Who's Comin' to the Crib?, came out in 1987 on Columbia and charted at number 28 on the US R&B list.| Album | Year | Label | US R&B Peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Force | 1985 | Columbia | 29 |
| Full Force Get Busy 1 Time! | 1986 | Columbia | 19 |
| Guess Who's Comin' to the Crib? | 1987 | Columbia | 28 |
| Smoove | 1989 | Columbia | 61 |
| Don't Sleep | 1992 | Capitol | — |
| Sugar on Top | 1995 | Scotti Bros. | — |
| Still Standing | 2001 | TVT | — |
| Legendary | 2007 | Self-released | — |
| Full Force of Course | 2008 | Self-released | — |
| With Love from Our Friends | 2014 | Self-released | — |
Singles and Other Releases
Full Force released over 20 singles throughout their career, achieving their strongest commercial success in the UK and Europe during the 1980s, with several entries on the US Billboard R&B charts but limited mainstream Hot 100 presence.[7][27] Their singles often featured upbeat R&B and funk elements, many serving as lead tracks from their studio albums, though post-1990s releases saw no major chart hits.[17][27] Notable early singles include "Alice, I Want You Just for Me!" from their 1985 self-titled debut album, which peaked at number 16 on the US Billboard R&B chart and number 9 on the UK Singles Chart, marking their highest UK placement.[27][28] Follow-ups like "Girl If You Take Me Home" (1985, US R&B #79) and "Unselfish Lover" (1986, US R&B #34) continued their R&B momentum, while "Temporary Love Thing" (1986, US R&B #12) and "Unfaithful (So Much)" (1986, US R&B #20) highlighted their dance-oriented sound with additional peaks at number 16 on the US Dance Club Songs chart for the latter.[27] In the late 1980s, Full Force scored higher on the R&B charts with tracks such as "Love Is for Suckers (Like Me and You)" (1987, US R&B #11), "Old Flames Never Die" (1987, US R&B #27), "All in My Mind" (1988, US R&B #6), and "Your Love Is So Def" (1988, US R&B #24).[27] The group ventured into extended play formats with the Ain't My Type of Hype EP in 1989, featuring remixes of the title track (US R&B #36, US Dance #45) alongside "Friends B-4 Lovers" (US R&B #24).[29] Later singles like "Kiss Those Lips" (1990, US R&B #55), "Quickie" (1992, US R&B #26), and "Nice N Sleazy" (1992, US R&B #70) reflected a shift toward hip-hop influences but with diminishing chart impact.[27] A brief UK return came with "Back Together" in 1995, peaking at number 181.[17] Beyond standard singles, Full Force issued occasional holiday-themed releases in later years, including "Silent Night" (featuring Nu-B) as a 2020 single blending festive R&B with their signature harmonies.[24] Additional non-album B-sides and promotional singles, such as early cuts like "Turn You On" (1980 on Dazz Records), rounded out their extensive output without major charting.[27]| Notable Single | Year | US R&B Peak | UK Peak | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alice, I Want You Just for Me! | 1985 | 16 | 9 | Lead single from debut album; also US Dance #34 |
| All in My Mind | 1988 | 6 | - | Highest US R&B peak |
| Unfaithful (So Much) | 1986 | 20 | - | US Dance #16 |
| Temporary Love Thing | 1986 | 12 | - | From Full Force album |