Pop star Bruno Mars formed an R&B supergroup called Silk Sonic when he linked with singer/rapper/drummer Anderson .Paak in 2021.
In the NBA, fans often love to discuss manufactured super teams.
LeBron James and Chris Bosh joining the Miami Heat made them a super team.
The same goes for the Golden State Warriors when Kevin Durant joined a team that had already made it to basketball’s mountaintop.
But what about musical supergroups?
What would make a solo star want to share the spotlight with other solo stars?
R&B legend Keith Sweat created the supergroup LSG because, unlike his superstar groupmates Johnny Gill and Gerald LeVert, the legendary singer/songwriter had never been a group.
During a Verzuz with Bobby Brown, Sweat talked about wanting to New Edition even though Brown said he was too old for the boy band.
Regardless of the reason, R&B and hip-hop stars have created some of the most compelling groups of all time by joining forces with other stars after reaching iconic status on their own.
Therefore, RegalMag.com honors the top 10 music supergroups of all time, in no particular order, to honor their talent and teamwork.
213—Technically, the hip-hop group consisting of Snoop Dogg, Warren G and Nate Dogg became a supergroup because of the business moves of Suge Knight. When Knight and Dr. Dre formed Death Row Records, they believed in the star power of Snoop and the crooning of Nate Dogg. However, Warren G did not find a home at Tha Row, causing 213 to break up before they had an opportunity to release an album. Thankfully, the trio from Long Beach, Calif. released one album, “The Hard Way,” before the untimely passing of Nate Dogg.
LSG—What happens when three of the best vocalists and songwriters get together at the height of 1990s R&B greatness to create a group? They shake up the R&B world. In 1997, when Gerald LeVert, Keith Sweat and Johnny Gill released their debut album “LeVert.Sweat.Gill,” it oozed sensuality and swagger. “My Body,” “Door #1” and “Curious” epitomized soul greatness. Although the three crooners stayed true to their soul roots, they added the right amount of hip-hop with features from The Lox, LL Cool J, Lil Kim and Busta Rhymes.
Lucy Pearl—R&B supergroup Lucy Pearl released their self-titled debut LP in 2000. The group consisting of Dawn Robinson of En Vogue, Raphael Saadiq of Tony! Toni! Tone! and Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest had a smash hit with “Dance Tonight.” The song even received a Grammy nomination. Their second single, “Don’t Mess With My Man,” found success overseas, and the album went gold. But that is all the group had in store for their adoring fans who desperately yearned for a sophomore effort.
Mount Westmore—Just imagine if Too $hort, Ice Cube, E-40 and Big Snoop Dogg had joined forces in the 1990s. Sure, Suge would have gotten in the way. But if an album had come out in the 1990s, it would have set the entire game on fire. Even in 2022, Mount Westmore made a lot of noise with their album “Snoop Cube 40 $hort.” In 2021, the single “Big Subwoofer” became an instant banger. The hip-hop supergroup followed that up with a second single, “Too Big,” which featured vocals from Dr. Dre.
The Firm—One hip-hop supergroup that came to fruition in the 1990s was The Firm. However, their debut album should have done better than it did. Just look at the lineup. The group had Dr. Dre and Trackmasters on production and Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ and Nature on the mic. That lineup alone should have sold 10 million units. Although the project reached number one on the pop charts, it should have made more of a dent in 1997.
TGT—R&B desperately needs TGT right now. R&B solo stars Tank, Ginuwine and Tyrese joined forces originally in 2007 on Tank’s remix of his hit, “Please Don’t Go.” Solo record contracts prohibited the supergroup from really taking flight until 2013 when the trio released their only album, “Three Kings,” which went number one on the R&B charts and number three on the pop charts. The album spawned the singles “Sex Never Felt Better,” “I Need” and “Next Time Around.”
Westside Connection—When Ice Cube joined forces with Mack 10 and WC, it solidified the West Coast’s dominance of hip-hop in the late 1990s. The beef between the East Coast and West Coast was so intense that the supergroup’s smash hit “Bow Down” was number one in many regions of the country. But it still got no real love and respect from New York radio stations. Despite the rivalry, Westside Connection continued to drop hits like “Gangstas Make The World Go Round,” “The Gangsta, the Killa and the Dope Dealer” and “Hoo Bangin’ (WSCG Style).”
Bell Biv DeVoe—The most unlikely supergroup in R&B history is Ricky Bell, Mike Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe of New Edition. After the departures of Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill and Ralph Tresvant, many thought the other three members of New Edition would just fade into the sunset. However, they changed the music game when they linked up with their mix of hip-hop and R&B, which was totally “mental.” The hits seemed endless like “Poison,” “Do Me,” “BBD (I Thought it Was Me),” “When Will I See You Smile Again?” and “Something in Your Eyes.”
The Carters—What’s better than one billionaire in a strong Black family? Two. Beyoncé and Jay-Z were pop music royalty by themselves. But together, they are totally unstoppable. The lovely couple had joined forces on several singles in the past. But they solidified their empire when they put out an album called “Everything is Love” under the name The Carters in 2018. The couple did not become billionaires by chance. They understand business. And they know marketing. The Carters took advantage of every negative news story and used it to sell solo records, culminating in a joint album and tours.
Silk Sonic—Mix a little Bruno Mars with a little Anderson .Paak, a dope band and some mentorship from funk legend Bootsy Collins, and the world received a smooth blessing known as Silk Sonic in 2021. Then, the icing on the cake was a legendary residency in Las Vegas. The dynamic duo could not stop releasing hits with their debut album “An Evening With Silk Sonic” such as “Leave the Door Open,” “Skate,” “Smokin Out the Window,” “After Last Night” and a cover of Con Funk Shun’s “Love’s Train.” Fans can only hope a follow-up possibly called “A Night With Silk Sonic” will follow soon.
