Gritsis aChristian hip hopgroup fromNashville,Tennessee.Their name is anacronym,which stands for "Grammatical Revolution In the Spirit".[3]GRITS is made up of Stacey "Coffee" Jones and Teron "Bonafide" Carter,[4]both of whom wereDC Talkdancers.[5]
Grits | |
|---|---|
 Coffee (left) and Bonafide | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Nashville,Tennessee,U.S. |
| Genres | Christian hip hop,[1]alternative hip hop,[2]Southern hip hop[2] |
| Years active | 1995–2010, 2017 |
| Labels | Revolution Art,Gotee,5e,EMI |
| Members | Stacy "Coffee" Jones Teron "Bonafide" Carter |
| Website | myspace |
Their song "Ooh Ahh"has appeared on theMTVshowMy Super Sweet 16.It is also used as the theme song ofThe Buried Lifeand on the soundtracks toThe Fast and the Furious: Tokyo DriftandBig Momma's House 2.Their song "Tennessee Bwoys" was used on the popular television showPimp My Ride.They were also involved in!HeroThe Rock Opera.They recorded a remix of professional wrestlerA.J. Styles' entrance music and performed it on the May 28, 2009, episode ofTNA Impact!.[6]
Background
editTheChristian hip hopduo began as dancers for DC Talk and then formed the group in 1995, with Teron David "Bonafide" Carter,[7](born January 17,[8]1971) and Stacy Bernhard "Coffee" Jones,[9](born September 8,[10]1972), forming the group together inNashville, Tennessee.[1]GRITS is an acronym with a meaning of "Grammatical Revolution in the Spirit".[1][2]They both credited the inspiration for their rapping to hearingDC Talk,when the two first encountered each other in 1990.[11]This is the reason the duo signed withGotee Records,a label founded by DC Talk member,tobyMac,where they were one of his first signees.[12]They are also considered to be one of the pioneering groups in the Christian hip hop movement, while they eventually started their own record label, Revolution Art, in 2007, where it was first known as 5E Entertainment.[13][14][15]They explained it was like graduating from school by leaving Gotee Records, and founding their own label.[15]
Style
editMainly, their style isalternative hip hopandSouthern rap,while several of their songs havepopinfluences, thus an occasional pop-rap sound, and their song "We Don't Play" has a Jamaican influence complete withsteel drums.They were one of the first acts signed toGotee Records,[5]and have released seven albums with Gotee, with an eighth one released by Gotee and AudioGoat. In 2014, Gotee Records announced that the GRITS song "Ooh Ahh" was RIAA Digital Gold Certified, having surpassed 500,000 downloads.[16]They have appeared atCornerstone FestivalandRock the Universe.In addition their song "Bobbin Bouncin'" was added to the track list in the video-gameProject Gotham Racing 4.
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions[17] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Christ. |
US Gospel |
US Heat. | |||
| Mental Releases |
|
— | — | — | |
| Factors of the Seven |
|
— | — | — | |
| Grammatical Revolution |
|
39 | — | — | |
| The Art of Translation |
|
16[18] | — | — | |
| Dichotomy A |
|
12 | — | 14 | |
| Dichotomy B |
|
24 | — | 38 | |
| 7 (Seven) |
|
49 | 17 | — | |
| Redemption |
|
— | 13 | — | |
| Reiterate |
|
— | 16 | — | |
| Quarantine |
|
— | 37 | — | |
| Saints & Sinners |
|
— | — | — | |
EPs
edit| Album information |
|---|
Ooh Ahh EP
|
Heeyy EP
|
Remix albums
edit| Album information |
|---|
The Art of Transformation
|
Singles
editAs lead artist
edit| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Christ. Streaming[19] |
US Christ. Digital Sales |
US Gospel Streaming | ||||
| 1995 | "Set Ya Mind At Ease" | — | — | — | Mental Releases | |
| 1998 | "What Be Goin' Down" | — | — | — | Factors of the Seven | |
| "Alcoholic Plagiarism" | — | — | — | |||
| "Hopes & Dreams" (featuring Joy Danille Kimmey andKnowdaverbs) |
— | — | — | |||
| 1999 | "They All Fall Down" | — | — | — | Grammatical Revolution | |
| 2002 | "Here We Go" | — | — | — | The Art of Translation | |
| "Ooh Ahh" (featuringTobyMac) |
5 | 1 | 3 | |||
| 2004 | "Hittin' Curves" | — | — | — | Dichotomy A | |
| "High" | — | — | — | |||
| 2004 | "We Don't Play" (featuringManchild) |
— | — | — | Dichotomy B | |
| 2006 | "If I..." | — | — | — | GRITS 7 | |
| 2006 | "We Workin" | — | — | — | Redemption | |
| "Heeyy" | — | — | — | |||
| "Ambitions" (featuringCanibus) |
— | — | — | |||
| "You Said" (featuringPigeon JohnandBtwice) |
— | — | — | |||
| "Open Bar" (featuringPigeon John) |
— | — | — | |||
| 2008 | "Fly Away" (featuringMac Powell) |
— | — | — | Reiterate | |
| "Beautiful Morning" (featuringPigeon John) |
— | — | — | |||
| "Say Goodbye" (featuringTobyMacand Jade) |
— | — | — | |||
| 2010 | "Different Drum" (featuringVerbs) |
— | — | — | Quarantine | |
Other songs
edit- With or Without You-In The Name Of Love: Artists United For Africa
- Wedding Celebration -!Hero
Vinyl
edit- The Art of Translation (Single)(2002)
- They All Fall Down (Redneck Remix) (Single)(2002)
- They Al Fall Down (Ruff Nation Remix) (Single)(2002)
- Ima Showem (Single)(1999)
- Instrumentals 1(1999)
- Instrumentals 2(1999)
- Instrumentals 3(1999)
- They All Fall Down (Original) (Single)(1999)
- Factors of the Seven (song)(1997)
Guest Artists
edit- Manchild- "We Don't Play"
- Jennifer Knapp- "Believe" (Dove Award winning Rap/Hip Hop song of the year)
- TobyMac-"Ooh Ahh";"Say Goodbye"; "Don't Bring Me Down"; "Hey Now"
- Stefan the Scientist- "Hittin Curves"
- Pettidee- "I Be"
- Jason Eskridge- "I Try"
- Antonio Phelon- "Love Child"
- Lisa Kimmey- "It Takes Love"; "Shawty"; "Time To Pray"
- Iz- "Jay Mumbles Mega Mix" "Dusk Till Dawn"
- Pigeon John- "Open Bar"; "You Said"; "Beautiful Morning"
- Canibus- "Ambitions"
- KJ52- "Integrity"
- Mac Powell- "Fly Away"
- Michael Tait- "Fly Away (Remix)"
- Verbs- "U.S. Open"; "Hopes and Dreams"; "Gospel Rap; Parables"; "Strugglin'"; "C2K"; "Video Girl"; "Different Drum"
- Dan Haseltine- "Sky May Fall"
- Jade Harrell- "Turn it Up"; "Say Goodbye"; "Neverland"
- Brittany Waddell (Better known asBritt Nicole) "Rainy Days" "Soul Cry" "Right Back" "Dusk Till Dawn"
Awards
editGMA Dove Awards
editThey have received severalGospel Music AssociationDove Awardsthroughout their career. Their first award was for a song about plagiarism ( "Plagiarism" from their albumFactors of the Seven). For this, they received the best "Rap/Hip Hop Song" award.[22][23]The next year they took the same award for "They All Fall Down", fromGrammatical Revolution.[24]In 2003The Art Of Translationwon the award for "Rap/Hip Hop Album",[25]and the following year their song "Believe" from the same album took "Rap/Hip Hop Song". They also shared in the "Special Event Album" that year, for their contribution to!Hero The Rock Opera.[26]
| Year | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Rap/Hip-Hop Recorded Song of the Year ( "Hittin' Curves" ) | Won |
| 2006 | Rap/Hip-Hop Recorded Song of the Year ( "We Don't Play" ) | Nominated |
| Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the Year (Dichotomy B) | Nominated | |
| 2008 | Rap/Hip-Hop Recorded Song of the Year ( "Open Bar" ) | Nominated |
| Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the Year (Redemption) | Nominated | |
| 2009 | Rap/Hip-Hop Recorded Song of the Year ( "Beautiful Morning" ) | Nominated |
| Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the Year (Reiterate) | Nominated | |
| 2010 | Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the Year (Reiterate) | Nominated |
Other Awards
editThey were nominated for Rap/Hip Hop Performer of the Year at the 2009 Visionary Awards Show (held at the First Baptist Church in Frisco, Texas). However, instead, the award went to the Christian rap duo "Word of Mouth"[27]
References
edit- ^abcHuey, Steve."GRITS: Biography".AllMusic.RetrievedFebruary 1,2016.
- ^abcDiBiase, John."GRITS discography".Jesus Freak Hideout.RetrievedFebruary 1,2016.
- ^Hoffmann, Frank W.Rhythm and Blues, Rap, and Hip-hop(2005), Page 112 (0816069808): "A Nashville-based Christian rap act, Grits (standing for" Grammatical Revolution in the Spirit ") have shown steady artistic growth, eschewing the P-Funk vogue of the present day in favor of plainspoken rhymes, propulsive bounce, and stylistic adventurism."
- ^"Grits | Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos".Myspace.com.RetrievedJune 19,2014.
- ^abPowell, Mark Allan (2002).Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music(First printing ed.).Peabody,Massachusetts:Hendrickson Publishers. pp.391–392.ISBN1-56563-679-1.
- ^Boutwell, Josh (May 29, 2009)."Impact Results - 5/28/09".WrestleView.RetrievedFebruary 24,2010.
- ^Broadcast Music, Inc."Songwriter/Composer: CARTER TERON DAVID".Broadcast Music, Inc.RetrievedFebruary 1,2015.[permanent dead link]
- ^OfficialGrits (OfficialGrits) (January 17, 2016)."Today is Bonafide's birthday!!…".Twitter.RetrievedFebruary 1,2016.
- ^Broadcast Music, Inc."Songwriter/Composer: JONES STACY BERNARD".Broadcast Music, Inc.RetrievedFebruary 1,2015.[permanent dead link]
- ^OfficialGrits (OfficialGrits) (September 8, 2011)."It's Coffee's Birthday today!!!!".Twitter.RetrievedFebruary 1,2016.
- ^Cummings, Tony (October 1, 1996)."Grits: The dc Talk sidekicks are grammatically correct".Cross Rhythms.RetrievedFebruary 1,2016.
- ^Cummings, Tony (March 5, 2003)."Grits: The hip-hop duo with album number four".Cross Rhythms.RetrievedFebruary 1,2016.
- ^Rimmer, Mike (January 6, 2010)."Grits: The hip-hop duo now running the Revolution Art label".Cross Rhythms.RetrievedFebruary 1,2016.
- ^Boreanaz, James (November 1, 2006)."The Road to Redemption"(PDF).CCM Magazine:40–1. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on May 10, 2012.RetrievedFebruary 1,2016.
- ^abBlack, Beau (October 1, 2007)."Graduation Speech"(PDF).CCM Magazine:30–1. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on May 5, 2012.RetrievedFebruary 1,2016.
- ^"email: Webview: Gotee Records Celebrates 20th Anniversary; Co-Founder TobyMac shares why he loves being involved".T.e2ma.net.RetrievedJune 19,2014.
- ^Billboard."GRITS: Awards".AllMusic.RetrievedFebruary 1,2016.
- ^Search for "The Art of Translation" on Christian Albumsat billboard.com/biz
- ^"GRITS Song & Chart History".Billboard Magazine.RetrievedJune 1,2019.
- ^"American album certifications – Grits. Recording Industry Association of America".Recording Industry Association of America.RetrievedMay 29,2014.
- ^"Certified Awards"(enter "Grits" into the "Keywords" box, then select "Search" ).British Phonographic Industry.RetrievedAugust 30,2020.
- ^"Dove Award Recipients for 1999ArchivedOctober 20, 2006, at theWayback Machine".Published by theGospel Music Association.Retrieved February 5, 2007.
- ^"N.W.A Twitter Updates".Published by Peso_3Stackz. Retrieved December 27, 2010.
- ^"Dove Award Recipients for 2000ArchivedOctober 20, 2006, at theWayback Machine".Published by theGospel Music Association.Retrieved February 5, 2007.
- ^"Dove Award Recipients for 2003ArchivedFebruary 8, 2007, at theWayback Machine".Published by theGospel Music Association.Retrieved February 5, 2007.
- ^"Dove Award Recipients for 2004ArchivedOctober 20, 2006, at theWayback Machine".Published by theGospel Music Association.Retrieved February 5, 2007.
- ^"Christian Music Hall of Fame Visionary Awards Show information page"
External links
edit- GRITSon MySpace