Blaque - 808 1999

Blaque Ivory – 808
Label: Columbia – 667289 2
Format: CD, Maxi-Single
Country: Europe
Released: 1999
Genre: Funk / Soul
Style: Contemporary R&B

Real Name:
Believing in Life and Achieving a Quest for Unity in Everything
Profile:
Natina Reed and Shamari Fears both moved to Atlanta, Georgia, and met while in high school. Reed formed Blaque while Fears formed another group called Intrigue. Intrigue won a recording contract with Elektra Records, and Fears met up with Brandi Williams at a talent show while a member of that group. Fears left Intrigue to join up with Reed in Blaque and Williams joined the group shortly thereafter. Reed met Ronald Lopes while singing jingles to earn extra cash and he introduced her to his sister Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes of TLC. Lisa Lopes signed the group to her production company, Left Eye Productions.

Blaque has said that their name means "Believing in Life and Achieving a Quest for Unity in Everything".

Their debut album Blaque sold more than 1.5 million copies and was certified Platinum. The group's debut included the Gold-selling single "808", the international hit "Bring It All to Me", and a third single, "I Do". The group went on hiatus from 2002 until 2007, releasing only three unsuccessful singles, "Can't Get It Back", "Ugly", and the international single from the film Honey, "I'm Good". In 1999, Billboard named Blaque the 4th Best New Artist of the year, with "Bring It All to Me" landing at number 30 on the 2000 Year End Chart.

In addition to their recording work, Reed, Fears, and Williams appeared in the 2000 film Bring It On as members of the East Compton Clovers cheerleading squad, fronted by Gabrielle Union. Williams also had a small role (playing herself) in the 2001 movie On the Line. Blaque also appears on Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes's 2001 solo debut album, Supernova, on the track titled "Head to the Sky", which was only released internationally. In 2005, two clips of Fears's solo songs titled "The One" and "NJ2" were leaked onto the internet.

Blaque attempted a comeback in 2012 but this effort came to an end with the death of Natina Reed.

Known as Blaque in the US. Named Blaque Ivory in Canada and elsewhere for legal reasons.