Nice & Smooth is a Bronx, NY hip-hop duo comprised of Greg Nice (a.k.a. Greg Mays) and Smooth B (a.k.a. Daryl Barnes). They released a string of top 10 Billboard rap singles in the early 1990s including “Funky For You,” “Hip-Hop Junkies,” and the number one hit “Sometimes I Rhyme Slow.” They also appeared on Gang Starr’s 1992 underground hit “DWYCK.”

The duo is known for their humor, light-hearted subject matter, and lo-fi pop fusion. Each rapper has a distinctive style: Greg Nice is the hype party-starter with an echo effect on his voice, while Smooth B is the laid-back lothario who sings and raps. The group produced the majority of their own songs.

In the mid-‘80s, Greg Nice performed human beatbox on records by T La Rock and Ultramagnetic MCs, while Smooth B was a backup singer and rap ghostwriter for Bobby Brown. They first teamed up in 1987 on the independent single “Dope On A Rope” / “Skill Trade.” The group’s DJ, Teddy Tedd of Awesome Two, was a well-known radio DJ at the time.

In 1989, the duo appeared on Big Daddy Kane’s “Pimpin' Ain’t Easy” and released their own self-titled debut album on Fresh Records. Nice & Smooth included the #8 Billboard Rap single “Funky For You,” which was the first of many tracks by the duo to feature a hook sung by R&B group Pure Blend.

In 1991, Nice & Smooth released their second album Ain’t A Damn Thing Changed on Columbia Records, via Def Jam spinoff Rush Associated Labels. The first single, “Hip-Hop Junkies,” reached number five on Billboard’s rap chart. The followup, “Sometimes I Rhyme Slow”—an unusually somber track that sampled Tracy Chapman’s 1988 hit “Fast Car”—became the group’s biggest hit, peaking at number one on the rap chart and number 44 on the Hot 100. The third single, “How To Flow,” was a number five rap hit.

At the peak of their success in 1992, Nice & Smooth collaborated with Gang Starr on the underground hit “DWYCK,” which became a signature song for both groups. The following year, Nice & Smooth appeared on the single “Dirty Dawg” by boy band New Kids On The Block. In 1994, they collaborated with dance pop group C+C Music Factory on the “Do You Wanna Get Funky” remix.

Nice & Smooth’s third album, Jewel Of The Nile (released in 1994), was the first to feature beats by outside producers. It failed to match the critical or commercial success of their first two releases, although the single “Old To The New” became a number six rap hit.

The duo’s fourth and final album IV: Blazing Hot, was recorded in Santa Monica, CA for independent label Scotti Bros. Records. It was released in 1997 and failed to generate any top 20 rap singles. Nice & Smooth have not released any official recordings together since.

Over the years, Greg Nice and Smooth B have continued to collaborate individually with a variety of artists, including The Beatnuts, KRS-One, and DJ Premier. In 2009, Nice & Smooth appeared together on the track “I Do” by rapper MIMS. As a duo, they still perform live periodically.

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