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Jodeci with members Cedric & Joel Hailey and Donald & Dalvin DeGrate American R&B Group, whose repertoire includes R&B, soul music, and new jack swing.

The group consists of two pairs of brothers from Charlotte, North Carolina: Cedric & Joel Hailey and Donald & Dalvin DeGrate, all respectively known by their stage names: K-Ci & JoJo, DeVante Swing and Mr. Dalvin.

The group had a successful string of hit singles in the 90’s along with a host of platinum albums until the members went on hiatus after 1998. The Hailey brothers continued to perform together under the pseudonym K-Ci & JoJo, and had success on the pop charts beyond that of the original band.

In 2009, the group rebounded for H-Town’s song, “Knockin’ Boots”.

Both with strong roots from a Pentecostal background, the Haileys and DeGrates originally performed and recorded with both appearing on the locally produced “Charlotte’s Furious Black Family Gospel Songs” compilation.

DeVante traveled to Minneapolis, Minnesota when he was sixteen to audition for Prince’s band, but was turned down. He then returned to Charlotte, North Carolina to record a song JoJo was performing. Soon, the two went to New York City to shop their demo tapes in hopes of getting signed. K-Ci and Dalvin both decided to tag along, and joined their respective brothers for the trip. Eventually, hip hop artist and record producer Heavy D heard one of the tapes and loved it. He talked Uptown Records CEO Andre Harrell into listening to the tape, who was impressed enough to sign the group.

The group was assigned to Uptown executive Sean “Puffy” Combs, who took on the task of developing the new act. He helped the group create its rough hip-hop-based image.

Jodeci were exposed to the public by singing background vocals on a number of singles by Father MC. K-Ci also contributed background vocals (alongside Uptown label mates Terri Robinson and Tabitha Brace) on some tracks for Ralph Tresvant, produced by Kyle West, and Jasmine Guy’s solo debut album, produced by D.J. Eddie F of Heavy D and The Boyz.

Jodeci made their live performance debut on the June 11, 1991 episode of Soul Train, while their first television interview was on BET’s Video Soul a few months earlier.

Today We Salute Them During Black Music Monty