Total (girl group)

Total is an American R&B girl group originally from the Plainfield, New Jersey, United States, and one of the signature acts of Sean Combs' Bad Boy Records imprint during the 1990s.[1] The group consisted of members Kima Raynor, Keisha Spivey, and Pamela Long.[1] Total is best known for their feature on Mase's "What You Want", as well as their hits "Kissin' You", "Can't You See" (featuring The Notorious B.I.G.), and "What About Us?" and "Trippin'", both featuring Missy Elliott. Long was also featured on The Notorious B.I.G.'s hit song "Hypnotize", singing the chorus.[1] Total made their first appearance singing the hook on The Notorious B.I.G.'s debut single, "Juicy", widely considered one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time.[1][2][3][4]

Total
L-R: Pamela Long and Kima Raynor Dyson perform at the Legends of Bad Boy concert in Beverly Hills, California in 2014. Not pictured: Keisha Spivey Epps.
Background information
OriginPlainfield, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres
Years active1994–2001, 2014–present
LabelsBad Boy (1994–1998)
Associated acts
MembersKima Raynor Dyson (born January 1, 1973)
Keisha Spivey Epps (born May 27, 1975)
Pamela Long (born March 24, 1976)

Career

New Jersey R&B trio Total made their first appearance singing the hook on The Notorious B.I.G.'s debut single, "Juicy".[1] Garnering attention for the new group, they were also featured on the original version and "Hip Hop Remix" of his next single "One More Chance". They then immediately hit the studio with Bad Boy Records CEO Sean "Puffy" Combs and began work on their debut album. The first single "Can't You See?" first appeared on the soundtrack to 1995 motion picture, New Jersey Drive. The song featured The Notorious B.I.G. and peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 as well as #2 on the R&B Chart.[1] Their self-titled debut album was released nearly a year after the single. Total produced two more R&B top ten singles including: "No One Else" (and its remix featuring Lil' Kim, Foxy Brown, and Da Brat) and '"Kissing You" (and its remix featuring Sean "Puffy" Combs).[1] The album was certified platinum by the RIAA.

While recording their second album, they appeared on numerous top ten singles, including LL Cool J's "Loungin'/Who Do U Love?", Foxy Brown's "I Can't", and Mase's "What You Want" and Pamela Long was the feature on the hit "Hypnotize" by The Notorious B.I.G.. The group also released another single, the Missy Elliott and Timbaland track "What About Us?" from the Soul Food soundtrack.

Their follow-up album, Kima, Keisha, and Pam,[1] debuted to strong reviews, sales, and was certified gold by the RIAA. The first single, another Missy Elliott collaboration, "Trippin'", reached the top ten of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.[1] Their next release, "Sitting Home", which made Top 10 of the Billboard R&B Singles did not garner the same attention. While in heavy rotation on video networks like BET, radio chose not to play the song. A remix of the track featured rap artist Shyne.

After the release of Kima, Keisha, and Pam, the girls sang the chorus to rap duo Gang Starr's 1999 single "Discipline" and, in 2000, they were featured on the Tony Touch single "(I Wonder Why) He's the Greatest DJ". They also contributed to the songs "Crave" to 3 Strikes and the songs "Quick Rush" to Bait movie soundtrack.

In their last official appearance together, they were thanked in the credits for their collaboration with Da Beatminerz and Talib Kweli - Anti-Love Movement in 2001 from their album Brace 4 Impak.

Comeback

In 2014, Long and Dyson reunited and began performing as a duo under the "Total" name. On November 30, 2014, Total joined Lil' Kim, Da Brat, Missy Elliott, and Left Eye (posthumously via video) to sing "Not Tonight" (Ladies Night) at the 2014 Soul Train Music Awards. Angie Martinez was the only living original performer who did not perform at the event.

In May 2015, Total toured with R. Kelly, on the Funk Fest tour. In 2016, Spivey Epps rejoined the group for the nationwide Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour.[5]

In 2019, Pamela Long announced that she is working on her debut solo album. She released a video for her single "Why".[6]

Discography
Main article: Total discography
Studio albums

References
  1. Colin Larkin, ed. (2000). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 399/400. ISBN 0-7535-0427-8.
  2. The 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time
  3. 100 Best Rap Albums:
  4. Top 100 Rap Songs
  5. Jordan, Chris. "Jersey's Total finds a 'happy place' on Bad Boy tour". Asbury Park Press.
  6. "Pamela Long from Total Discusses New Solo Album, Leaving Total, Possible 3rd Total Album (Exclusive)". YouKnowIGotSoul.com. March 26, 2019.
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