What do you get when you put five teenagers together who each share a passion for music, a desire for change, and skillful creativity? Young Crowd the latest forthcoming epidemic in youth and music. With an aim to influence change in the lives of all youth for a better tomorrow; this DC girl & boy group seems promising.
Despite their recent member drama, which at one point led to a messy break-up the ‘Young Crowd’ era refuses to disperse; showing no signs of giving up anytime soon. Formed in April 1999 as ‘The Platinum Kids’ in Washington, DC by two kid rappers Lil’Kilah and Mizz Redz, ‘Young Crowd’ the teen Urban Crunk group has developed into an upcoming super group. Majoring their musical focus in a new genre of music in which they call ‘Urban Crunk’, their distinctive style puts Young Crowd in no comparison to any other music groups.
This Urban Crunk group also delivers a universal message to all youth that its Time For A Change. No, they are not a gospel group but they do have a gospel to preach! They are not afraid to do what isn’t selling today’s hottest artists, and that is why they are expected to do more than just sell; This five-some will indeed make a difference and be trend-setters of tomorrows new world.
Like no other group but itself ‘Young Crowd displays a ‘Sassy City Essence’. That would explain why they would call their music Urban Crunk; ‘Dark edgy beats with a touch of city soul’. Urban Crunk is a genre made up of several different styles of music, which includes Hip-Hop, R&B;, Jazz, and even Rock. Most music genres make up of just one style of music.
‘Our music has purpose, meaning, and soul. Urban Crunk is music with lyrics telling a story in a way to grab your attention so that you can be positively influenced and become a leader of your own life; its like a gospel. We want to influence positive changes in the lives of today’s youth; and hopefully through those changes they’ll strengthen their religional beliefs and behavior. It has nothing to do with Crunk-n-B. Its just our little style that we have for our purpose.’ – Young Crowd.
It all started late July 1998, a audition call was issued in Washington, DC by the parents and grandparents of then uncle and niece kid rap duo ‘IC2’ (Larry Pretlow II, Kie’Arra Pretlow). They selected Keyshia Douglas (8) and Devin Williams (9) to join eight year-olds Larry Pretlow II and Kie’Arra Pretlow (who are just 53 days apart). The Pretlow’s then enrolled the kids into both dance & singing lessons where they would spend the next 9 months learning how to perform; they were not officially a group just yet.
The quartette was officially proclaimed as ‘The Platinum Kids’ on April 23, 1999 a kiddy hip/hop group. The kids spent the next two years performing on Saturdays & Sundays, Spring Breaks, and Summer Vacations. In June 2001 ‘The Platinum Kids’ were signed to a local record label ‘Starshine ENT.’, the group released their home-hit single ‘Something Different’. Despite the take-off success of the single the kids were in for a crash landing. ‘Starshine ENT.’ was faced with a $3 million dollar class-action lawsuit in March 2002 for making ‘mendacious claims that artist signed to the production label would be exposed to major recording labels & producers. It turns out that ‘Starshine Ent.’ had no actual connections with any professional producers or major recording labels. As stated in the judgment opposing in the companies favor Starshine ENT. no longer existed. The artist and their families also learned that the label did not own any of the rights associated with its artists music.
For about the next year and a half The Platinum Kids would go back to their normal routine before the Starshine deal. In August 2003 the group experienced its first membership change; the tragic passing of founding-member Keyshia Douglas (13). The singers passing left the group as a trio calling themselves IC3 as they refused to continue to perform as The Platinum Kids. Five months (January 2004) later the group called it splits when male singer Devin Williams (13) decided to move to ATL with his grandparents; leaving behind remaining members Larry Pretlow II and KieArra Pretlow.
The group reassembled in July 2004 as teen urban crunk group Young Crowd; a group with heart, a purpose and a soul. Looking at life a whole lot differently with a new attitude and a reconstructed passion for music 14 year-olds Larry LilKilah Pretlow II and KieArra Mizz Redz Pretlow refused to be held back. They were joined by 13 year-old Alzater Al-Baby Acee, Mitchell Big Mitch Brown (14), and KeVonna Misfit Graves (14). The newest members were all proclaimed original members of Young Crowd and not The Platinum Kids; though the prior group is well associated.
Shopping demos around to several major labels Sony Music seemed hopeful that Young Crowd belonged there. In August 2005 the group began performing under the Sony Music logo. As they worked on their first album; Acee and Graves began to bump heads. The conflicting views of the two singers resulted in a November 2005 fist fight. Graves left due to irreconcilable differences between herself and Lead Singer Acee. With the album not near completion and the changes taking places within the membership the group was booted. Graves was replaced 12 days later by Acees next-door neighbor Tranica Babee Phat Ford (14) who auditioned for the position.
As they traveled to the UK in December Acee began to distance herself from Brown, Pretlow, Ford, and Pretlow. The group had released a demo track as their street single a month earlier. Take Ya Time was a UK street-hit. Despite the minor success they traveled back to the states in late January 2006 to continue their USA career.
In February 2006 Lead Singer Alzater ‘Al-Baby’ Acee (15) who was the last original member added to the group; did not agree and/or comply with several of the groups policies which included her violation of the groups Confidentiality & Public Appearance Agreements; she was booted from the group and swiftly replaced by Shawnice Nee-Cee Clark. Al-Baby was then dubbed the Queen of Chaos by the groups hometown fans and reporters.
Shortly afterwards, founding-member KieArra Mizz Redz Pretlow was booted from the group for violation of the groups Sexual Preference policy when she was reportedly spotted being intimate with another girl. It is against group policy for any member or employee to have a homosexual or bisexual sexual preference due to the groups religious beliefs. Pretlows replacement was added to the group in April 2006.
In March 2006 replacement Tranica Babee Phat Ford was nixed from the group after she did not show up for several group functions which left Young Crowd in a temporary debt of $15,000 in fees for breaching several contract obligations. The groups management decided to reinstate KeVonna Misfit Graves whom Ford replaced originally.
Escaping the drama and getting the show back on the road, the remaining members of Young Crowd are currently preparing for the release of their professional debut single and album. As well as for their very own performance tour across the USA called ‘Music N’ The Streetz’. The headlined tour by Young Crowd will also feature some well-established performers! The tour will take place Spring 2007.
Meanwhile 2006 will be a year full of accomplishments for this upcoming teen super group. Stay tune! & Look out!
