Born Jamericans

The hip-hop duo Born Jamericans consisted of Notch (Norman Howell) and Edley Shine (Horace Payne). They joined forces in Washington D.C. in the early 1990s, finding a striking balance between Notch’s smooth delivery and Shine’s harder sound. They developed a unique sound that combined dancehall reggae with hip-hop, as was showcased on their debut single, 1993’s “Boom Shak-a-Tack”, which would be the closing track for their 1994 debut album Kids From Foreign. The song would be a top 20 rap hit, and get to number 84 on the pop chart. Their sophomore album, Yardcore, featured a over of the Frankie Avalon classic “Venus” as well as the title track, a number 8 rap and number 45 R&B hit that would prove to be their biggest success on either of those charts. One final single, “Send My Love (Send One Your Love)”, would bring them one more top 20 rap showing, and would be their highest charting pop single, climbing to number 72.