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Frank n Dank

 
Artist: Frank-n-Dank

Group Members:

Frank Nitty, Dankery Harv

Similar Artists:

Influenced By:

Formal Connection With:

  • Formed: 1995, Detroit, MI
  • Genres: Rap
  • Representative Albums: "Xtended Play, Version 3.13", "European Vacation

Biography

Dispensing rhymes obsessed with girls and late-night adventures, Frank Bush and Derrick "Dank" Harvey, known collectively as Frank-n-Dank, were hustling on the streets of Detroit's east side before mentor and revered producer Jay Dee (aka Dilla) channeled their talents into music. Growing up together in Detroit's Conant Gardens area, the three were friends since the mid-'80s and even had a preliminary rap group where Dilla was the MC, Frank the DJ, and Dank the breakdancer. However, the Frank-n-Dank tag team came to fruition in 1995 as they both began sharpening their rhyme skills. In the initial stages of the duo, Frank-n-Dank were entirely produced by Jay Dee, even while the producer was a full-time member of another Conant Gardens-bred group, Slum Village. Their first 12" singles, "Everybody Get Up" b/w "Give It Up, Pt. 2" and "Love Is a Thing of the Past," appeared in 1999 via Fat Beats Records before the duo signed to major label MCA the following year. The duo continued to release Dilla-produced underground 12"s, selling relatively well overseas, through Up Above, Groove Attack, and ABB. However, all of the effort that went in to making their major-label debut, 48 Hours, was cast to the side as MCA refused to support and release the album. (A bootlegged version of the LP was eventually released in 2003.) Frank-n-Dank kept their name afloat by contributing verses to various Jay Dee projects, including Welcome 2 Detroit (2001) and the Dilla/Madlib collaboration Champion Sound (2003), and finally issued their official debut, Xtended Play, Version 3.13, in 2006. When Jay Dee passed away earlier that year, it left a big void in the group's musical direction, but they still attempted to remain intact his hip-hop soul blueprint on subsequent releases, offering both The EP and the CD/DVD combo European Vacation in 2007. The latter effort chronicled some of Jay Dee's last days and also debuted the FDR Project, which consists of Frank-n-Dank plus former B.R. Gunna producer Young RJ. ~ Cyril Cordor, All Music Guide
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Wikipedia: Frank n Dank
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Frank n Dank
Origin Detroit, Michigan, United States
Genre(s) Hip hop
Years active 1999-present
Label(s) McNasty, MCA, Loose Zipper, Needillworks?, Chisel Sound, Dopeness Galore
Associated acts J Dilla, Young RJ, The F.D.R. Project
Website www.myspace.com/frankndank
Members
Frank Nitt
Dankery Harv

Frank n Dank (real names Frank Bush, and Derrick Harvey) are an American hip hop group from Detroit, Michigan. They also go by the names Frank Nitt previously known as Frank Nitty (a reference to the 1930s crime boss Frank Nitti) and Dankery Harv. They are mainly known for their many collaborations with the late J Dilla. Known for their party-driven, tongue-in-cheek raps, the duo first came to public attention as guests on producer J Dilla's album, Welcome 2 Detroit in 2001. Prior to this, they had been performing in their hometown, Detroit, since the mid-1990s and had released the 12"s "Everybody Get Up!" and "Me and My Man" between "Love (A Thing of the Past)", both produced by J Dilla.

The group signed a recording deal with MCA Records, but their 2003 album, 48 Hrs, was at first rejected by the label, reworked with new production and resubmitted by the group, and finally shelved by the label altogether. Bootlegs of the reworked version eventually surfaced on the underground. The album was entirely produced by J Dilla, who uses very few samples throughout the album, instead choosing to concoct synth-driven beats for the MCs to rhyme over. It is believed that the original version of 48 Hours was more sample based, and that this may have been a factor in it being rejected by MCA, due to sample clearances.[1]

Frank n Dank released their follow up albums, Xtended Play in 2004, and Xtended Play Version 3.13 in 2006. The album Xtended Play Version 3.13 contained production by J Dilla (who died before its release), and other Detroit producers. The song "MCA" details their uphill climb in the music industry.

Que D featured on Frank n Dank's European Vacation CD and DVD released on July 24, 2007.

Frank N Dank teamed up with Ralph "Young RJ" Rice to form a group called The FDR Project under their new record label For da Record, both utilizing the first initial of each of their names; Frank, Dank and RJ. The first project slated for production on For Da Record is a DVD titled Frank n Dank & J Dilla's European Vacation, which will come packaged with a 8 tracks EP featuring work from the members of The F.D.R. Project. The DVD and EP will include the last performances from J Dilla and Frank n Dank. The highly anticipated Frank n Dank’s European Vacation was released in 2007.[2]

Discography

References

External links


 
 

 

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Artist. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
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