In 1988, one song took E.U. from a local band to a globally known name: “Da Butt”, a Grammy nominated hit which reached #1 on the Billboard Black Singles Chart, and was ranked #61 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s. The music video was directed by Spike Lee. E.U. received Soul Train award for Best New Artist in 1989 and performed on the Soul Train show, as well as on the Arsenio Hall show. A Tour with Run DMC followed, as well as a tour with Salt-N-Pepa, with whom he collaborated with on “Shake Your Thang”. An OSU tour took the band around the world. 2 additional Billboard charting hits “Buck Wild” and “Taste of Your Love” came from their Virgin Records debut album.
Sugar Bear and E.U. continued a top the DC Go-Go scene over the years that followed, building a large and loyal fan base while releasing local hits like “Umm Bop Bop”. They dropped the single “Bounce” in 1999, garnering extensive airplay. In 2001, EU was a featured act in the Put Your Hands Up The Tribute to Chuck Brown DVD, cited as “..quite possibly the greatest live concert video/dvd I have ever seen” by Murder Dog Magazine. In 2003, EU performed to a national audience on the televised NAACP Awards’ Tribute to Spike Lee. EU has been featured in 2009 on VH1 one hit wonders of the 1980’s. Sugar Bear received the Legend Award
at the second annual WKYS Go-Go Awards in 2007. In 2014 Sugar Bear was featured as lead vocal on “Pop That Trunk” on the posthumous Chuck Brown “Beautiful Life” album. In 2016, EU performed at the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. In 2019, during the #DontMuteDC campaign, DC native and movie star Regina Hall brought out Sugar Bear & E.U. and Rare Essence to perform at the opening of the BET Awards. During the 93rd Academy Awards, actress Glenn Close shouted out Sugar Bear and danced to the song “Da Butt”. In 2021 The Chuck Brown Foundation presented Sugar Bear with the LEGEND award. In 2022 EU released a remake of their classic “Peace Gone Away”.
With a heart for uplifting people in his life and through his music and a dedication to the music born in DC that he loves, Sugar Bear and E.U. continue to keep the dance floor packed.