Kid 'n' Play

Kid 'n Play were a hip-hop and comedy duo from New York City that was popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The duo comprised Christopher "Kid" Reid (born April 5, 1964 in The Bronx, New York City) and Christopher "Play" Martin (born July 10, 1962 in Queens, New York City). Besides their successful musical careers, Kid 'n Play are also notable for branching out into acting.

Music career

Kid 'n Play recorded three albums together between 1988 and 1993: 2 Hype (1988), Kid 'n Play's Funhouse (1990), and Face the Nation (1991). Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor, the producer for Salt-n-Pepa who had been a member of the hip-hop group the Super-Lovers with Play, served as Kid 'n Play's manager and producer during the early portion of their career. All three albums focused upon positive lyrics backed by pop-friendly instrumental tracks. Among the group's most successful singles were 1989's "Rollin' with Kid 'n Play" (#11 on the Billboard R&B singles chart), 1990s "Funhouse" (#1 on the Billboard rap singles chart), and "Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody" (another #1 rap hit). The group's stage show highlighted their teen-friendly personalities, and dances such as their trademark, the Kick Step.

Kid's visual trademark was his hi-top fade haircut, which stood six inches high at its peak. Play regularly wore eight-ball jackets.

During the height of their popularity in early 1991, the duo had a short-lived dispute with Vanilla Ice. The lyrics "You better hit bullseye/the Kid don't Play" from his hit "Ice Ice Baby" was a direct shot at the duo. The group addressed the dis on the track "Next Question" from the album Face the Nation. The song was also used to respond to comments made by Luther Campbell and criticism they received after comments from an interview were taken out of context.

Kid 'n Play were also notable for their dance known as the Funky Charleston or affectionately known as the Kid and Play to most, influenced by the Roaring Twenties popular dance move, first seen in their video "Gittin Funky". The Funky Charleston featured the New Jack Swing-aerobic dance moves typical of late 1980s urban street dancing (see also "Groove Me" by Guy). Unlike the original Charleston, The Funky Charleston/Kid and Play requires two participants instead of one. This dance also was made quite popular in the movie House Party, in which Kid and Play have an impromptu dance competition with Tisha Campbell and A.J. Johnson in one of the most memorable moments of that movie.

Acting careers

In addition to their music, Kid 'N Play starred together in four motion pictures, all of them based around hip-hop characters and themes. The duo also appeared on the soundtrack albums to these films. Three of the Kid 'n Play films were entries in the House Party series. The first two House Party films (1990's House Party and 1991's House Party 2 also featured the then-relatively unknown Martin Lawrence and Tisha Campbell, later stars of the TV sitcom Martin). House Party 3 featured hip-hop/R&B girl group TLC as the music group Sex as a Weapon.

Class Act, produced in 1992, was a comedy in the same vein as the House Party films. For that film, Kid cut his trademark high-top fade (the haircut is used as a plot device in the film).

Kid 'n Play even had their own NBC Saturday morning cartoon, Kid 'n Play, for one season from 1990 to 1991. On the show, Kid 'n Play were regressed to teens, but their recording careers remained intact, as did their comic personas. The real Kid 'n Play appeared in live-action wraparounds of the cartoons, but voice actors (again including close friend Martin Lawrence) took over for the animated versions of the duo. The show stressed positive role models, teaching kids how to get along and stay out of trouble. A 1992 Marvel Comics comic book based on the cartoon lasted nine issues. They also shot some segments for the PBS math show Square One TV and Sesame Street.

After the duo

Kid and Play amicably split in 1995. Kid continued acting, guest starring in a number of television sitcoms, most notably Sister, Sister, and hosting shows such as It's Showtime at the Apollo and Your Big Break. Play became a born-again Christian, and devoted his time to working on Christian-based hip-hop music projects. Play eventually took his industry experience and founded HP4Digital Works, a multimedia company that provides pre- and post-production for film, digital, and live theater productions.[4] He also founded Brand Newz, an online syndicated magazine focusing on positive community leaders and events.