Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly Archives

On this day in Hip Hop history, Atlanta based tag-team Kriss Kross released their ridiculously successful debut album, Totally Krossed Out.

The album was the follow up to the mega-hit single Jump released in February of the same year. Largely written and produced by Jermaine Dupri, it took two years to produce the album after the musical concept for the group was conceptualized.

Totally Krossed Out was as successful as anyone could ask their debut album to be. The album claimed the #1 spot on both the Billboard 200 chart and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop chart and sold over four million copies in the year of its release. Two of the four singles released from the album, “Jump” and “Warm It Up” were both #1 Hot Rap Singles.

“Jump” is one of the biggest singles of its era. It claimed the #1 spot on the Eurochart Hot 100 as well as the top music charts in Australia, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, and Switzerland. It was a Top 10 hit all over Europe. The single went double platinum in the United States and Silver in France (125,000 copies sold) all in 1992.

At the time of this release, Kris Kross members Mac Daddy and Daddy Mac were only 12 and 13 years old. Jump was the fasting selling single in fifteen years and the two rose instantly to be among the ranks of child stars in the entertainment industry.

The critical reception for the album was much better than one would expect for a rap album by two children. Publications praised Jermaine Dupri for his creation and Kriss Kross for their iconic swagger and style. They received high ratings from a plethora of magazines and media outlets with little negative feedback. The success of this album landed the duo a spot opening on Michael Jackson’s 1992 European Dangerous World Tour and a cameo in Michael Jackson’s “Jam” music video.

The post Today in Hip Hop History: Kris Kross Dropped Their Debut Album ‘Totally Krossed Out’ 32 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

The post Today in Hip Hop History: Kris Kross Dropped Their Debut Album ‘Totally Krossed Out’ 32 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Lifelong best friends Chris “Mac Daddy” Kelly and Chris “Daddy Mac” Smith quickly became international music and cultural icons as the Hip Hop Duo “Kriss Kross” with their debut Billboard number one single “Jump” and Billboard number one and certified four-time platinum album “Totally Krossed Out.”

On Saturday, September 30, 2023, at 4 p.m, Dr. Leigh Wise, will be joined by a host of family and friends and fellow music industry icons to honor Chris Kelly’s legacy.

“This year’s event is very special to me and my family because we honor the 10th anniversary of Chris’s death and celebrate 50 years of Hip Hop,” says Dr. Wise. “Hip Hop originated in the Bronx, New York, on August 11, 1973; ten years later, Chris Kelly’s mother gave birth to him on August 11, 1983.”

The event features storytelling by celebrity guests such as Kirk and Rasheeda Frost, Shane Bobb, Vince Phillips, Zak Wallace and an encore performance by Chris “Daddy Mac” Smith. There will also be a live performance by Atlanta Legend Kilo Ali and music soundtrack by the renowned DJ Jelly.

Dr. Wise and her family raise funds to award a scholarship to a graduating student from Kelly’s alma mater, Atlanta Institute of Music, and East Point, Georgia’s Tri-Cities High School. In 2023,a scholarship will be awarded to a student passionately pursuing a performing arts or healthcare career.

The post The Live & Die For Hip Hop Celebration Honoring Chris “Mac Daddy” Kelly of Kriss Kross To Be Held In ATL This Weekend first appeared on The Source.

The post The Live & Die For Hip Hop Celebration Honoring Chris “Mac Daddy” Kelly of Kriss Kross To Be Held In ATL This Weekend appeared first on The Source.