Pretty Ricky

Pretty Ricky is an American R&B/hip hop group originating from Miami, Florida. The group originally consisted of brothers Ala Diamond (Baby Blue) Smith and Spectacular Smith, plus Corey (Slick 'Em) Mathis and Marcus (Pleasure P) Cooper. Pleasure P was the group's main singer while the other three members performed as rappers. After he departed in 2007 to embark on a solo career, the group shuffled through several replacement vocalists.

For the pro wrestler who also went by this name, see Ron Killings.
Pretty Ricky
Also known asPretty Rickie and The Maverix
OriginMiami, Florida, United States
Genres
InstrumentsVocals
Years active1997 (1997)–present
Labels
Associated acts
MembersMarcus "Pleasure P" Cooper
"Spectacular" Blue Smith
Diamond "Baby Blue" Smith
Corey "Slick'em" Mathis
Past membersChristopher Myers ("4Play")
Carl Lovett ("Mowet")
Emmanuel Ramone DeAnda ("Lingerie")

The name "Pretty Ricky" was taken from a character in the sitcom Martin. The group enjoyed its biggest success in the mid-2000s with their gold-selling albums Bluestars and Late Night Special, and the platinum singles "Grind With Me" and "On The Hotline".

History

1997-2003: Beginnings

In 1997, while performing together in Miami, Pretty Ricky was signed to Bluestar Entertainment by CEO Joseph "Blue" Smith. Supported by their father, Joseph Smith, Sr., who also served as the band's manager and who is of Jamaican descent,[1] the group developed their music under the name of "Pretty Rickie and The Maverix" before changing it to "Pretty Ricky". With the help from producer Jim Jonsin of the Unusual Suspects production team, Pretty Ricky began to gain desirable attention through their local performances. However, it was not until 2002 that the group encountered their initial success as their song "Flossin'" became a huge hit on Miami radio station Power 96.[2]

2004–05: Bluestars

In 2004, Pretty Ricky released their first official single "Grind With Me". It reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was certified Platinum by the RIAA.[3]

The single made its way to popularity on WPOW-Power 96, and station Program Director Ira Wolf A/K/A/Tony the Tiger sent the single to Craig Kallman of Atlantic Records. After auditioning with Kallman, Pretty Ricky was offered a record deal on the spot.[4]

On May 17, 2005, Pretty Ricky released their debut album titled Bluestars. It debuted at #16 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 56,000 copies in the first week, and within several months, was certified Gold by RIAA.[5] On June 15, 2005, Pretty Ricky released their second single from the album, "Your Body", which charted on the Billboard Hot 100 at #12.

In the summer of 2005 the group toured with Omarion, Bow Wow, Chris Brown, Bobby V, and other acts in the Scream Tour IV concert series.[6]

2006–09: Late Night Special and Pleasure P's departure

On November 9, 2006, Pretty Ricky released the first single off their second album, Late Night Special, titled "On the Hotline". It peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at #97 and was certified platinum by the RIAA.[7] In January 2007, Late Night Special topped the Billboard 200 album charts with over 132,000 copies sold in the first week.[8] The second single from the album, "Push It Baby", featured Sean Paul but failed to crack the Hot 100, reaching only #109. Pleasure P was later expelled from the group after accusations of child molestation surfaced,[9] and was replaced by singer Carl Lovett "Mowet" in 2007 then Christopher "4Play" Myers, who wrote most of Pretty Ricky's songs.[10]

In 2008, Pretty Ricky began work on a new album, Eighties Babies,[11] with an intended release date of October 14, 2008, but the album was shelved due to leaking and creative differences. 4Play quit the group in 2009 and was replaced by Emanuel "Lingerie" DeAnda.[12] Pretty Ricky then split from Atlantic and signed with independent Atlanta label Big Cat Records, who released their official third album, Pretty Ricky, in November 2009.[13] It charted for only one week on the Billboard 200, at #97.

2010–present

In 2010, Pretty Ricky released the singles "Personal Freak" and "Cookie Cutter", neither of which charted.[14] On August 10, 2010, they released an extended play titled Topless.[15] In December 2010, the group announced their fourth album, Bluestars 2, was in the works,[16] but the album was never produced.

On August 12, 2011, Pretty Ricky released a mixtape titled Sex Music Vol. 1: Streets N The Sheets.[17]

After a three-year hiatus, Pretty Ricky released the non-charting single "Puddles" on February 16, 2015. This marked the return of Pleasure P.[18][19]

In 2019, Pretty Ricky joined The Millennium Tour along with B2K, Mario, Chingy, Ying Yang Twins, Lloyd, and Bobby Valentino.[20] on February 21, 2020, Pretty Ricky returned with a new single titled "Body", which is set to appear on the group's reunion album.[21]

Discography

Studio albums
List of albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
US
 US R&B US Rap
What They Call Em
  • Released: July 8, 2003 (Underground)
  • Label: Bluestar Ent.
  • Formats: CD, LP
 –––
Bluestars
  • Released: May 24, 2005
  • Label: Bluestar Ent., Atlantic
  • Formats: CD, MD, LP
 1653
Late Night Special
  • Released: January 23, 2007
  • Label: Bluestar Ent., Atlantic
  • Formats: CD, MD, LP
 111
Pretty Ricky
  • Released: November 17, 2009
  • Label: Bluestar Ent., Big Cat, Tommy Boy
  • Formats: CD, MD, LP
 9714—

EPs
Title Details
Topless
  • Released: August 10, 2010
  • Label: Bluestar Ent.
  • Format: MD

Mixtapes
Mixtapes
Title Details
Sex Music Vol. 1: Streets N The Sheets[17]
  • Released: August 12, 2011
  • Label: Bluestar Ent.

Singles
Year Title Chart positions Certification Album
US US R&B US Rap AUS
[22]		 FIN NZ UK
[23]
2005 "Grind with Me" 7 6 2 70 — 6 26
  • RIAA: Platinum[7]
 Bluestars
"Your Body" 12 22 5 45 — 13 37
2006 "Nothing but a Number" — 70 — — — — —
"On the Hotline" 12 6 — — — — 121
  • RIAA: Platinum[7]
 Late Night Special
2007 "Push It Baby" (featuring Sean Paul) 109 51 18 — 2 — —
"Love Like Honey" — 101 — — — — —
2008 "Knockin' Boots 08" — 75 — — — — — Eighties Babies (unreleased)
"Cuddle Up" (featuring Butta Creame) — 76 — — — — —
2009 "Tipsy (In Dis Club)" — 52 — — — — — Pretty Ricky
"Say a Command" — 98 — — — — —
2010 "Personal Freak" (by J. Long feat. Pretty Ricky) — — — — — — — Non-album singles
"Cookie Cutter" — — — — — — —
2011 "Topless" — 124 — — — — —
2015 "Puddles" — — — — — — —
2017 "Good Girlz" — — — — — — —
2020 "Body" — — — — — — —

References
  1. "Boys to Men - Pretty Ricky". Vibe Magazine. Google Books: Vibe Media Group. 1 October 2008. p. 108. Retrieved 10 February 2020. Born to a Jamaican mother, Smith's father died...
  2. "Pretty Ricky | MusicWorld". BMI.com. 2006-03-09. Retrieved 2019-10-12.
  3. "You searched for Pretty Ricky grind on me". RIAA. Retrieved 2019-10-12.
  4. "teenhollywood.com".
  5. "A Welcome 'Exile': Audioslave Opens At No. 1". Billboard. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  6. archive-Chris-Harris (2005-06-20). "Bow Wow, Omarion Roll Out Scream IV Summer Dates". MTV. Retrieved 2019-10-12.
  7. "Gold & Platinum: Pretty Ricky". RIAA. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  8. "Pretty Ricky, Shins Grab Top Album Chart Spots". Billboard. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  9. Cooper, Roman (December 4, 2009). "Pleasure P Responds To Molestation Accusations". HipHopDX.
  10. Vibe (2018-01-08). "Pleasure P Talks 'Love & Hip-Hop: Miami,' Pretty Ricky Reunion And More". Vibe. Retrieved 2019-10-12.
  11. "Eighties Babies [Unreleased]". AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  12. "Pretty Ricky's Newest Member...he's mean, he sings, he's Lingerie!!! – Z 107.9". Z 107.9. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  13. "Big Cat Records to Distribute Pretty Ricky's Self Titled New LP November 17th". PRWeb. 26 August 2009. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  14. "Cookie Cutter – Single". iTunes. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  15. "Topless – EP". iTunes. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  16. "Pretty Ricky "Blue Stars 2"". BET.com. 27 December 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  17. "Pretty Ricky – Sex Music Vol. 1: Streets N The Sheets". DatPiff. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  18. "Puddles (feat. Baby Blue, Spectacular, Slickem & Pleasure P) – Single". iTunes. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  19. "Listen: Pleasure P Reunites with Pretty Ricky on New Single "Puddles" – ThisisRnB.com – Hot New R&B Music, Videos, News". Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  20. Miss2Bees (December 21, 2018). "OMARION ANNOUNCES B2K REUNION TOUR WITH PRETTY RICKY, MARIO, LLOYD, CHINGY & YING YANG TWINS". The Source. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
  21. "Pretty Ricky Returns With LSG Sampled Single "Body"". YouKnowIGotSoul. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
  22. "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 3 October 2005" (PDF). Pandora Archive. October 20, 2005. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  23. Everyhit.com – accessed March 2011
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