Swing Mob

Swing Mob (sometimes known as Da Bassment Cru) was an R&B/hip hop collective consisting of artists and record labels first discovered by Jodeci member DeVante Swing. The artists on Swing Mob included: Missy Elliott with the group Sista, Timbaland, Magoo, Ginuwine, Playa, Darryl Pearson, Mike "Funky Mike" Jackson, Tweet with the group Sugah, Majik, Jimmy Douglass, Stevie J, Maija Max, Renee Anderson, Bazaar Royale and Chad "Dr. Ceuss" Elliott among others, although all official members had never been confirmed. A list of some known artists in Swing Mob at the time of the group's activity can be found in the liner notes of Jodeci's third studio album, The Show, The After-Party, The Hotel. Swing Mob and formation of Da Bassment Cru In the early 1990s, DeVante Swing decided to assemble a large crew of rappers, singers, instrumentalists and producer to sign to his Swing Mob label and collaborate with. He auditioned many local groups and acts. The performers met in Swing's basement studio in Rochester, a location that inspired the moniker "Da Bassment Cru" (also a pun on bass). The group brainstormed and recorded music together in Swing's studio, ultimately aiming to produce a VHS compilation project that could market the group members to record labels. Acts who were recruited into Da Bassment Cru included the R&B groups Fayze (later renamed to Sista) and Playa; the rap duo Timbaland & Magoo; the singer Ginuwine; and a trio called Sugah. Swing also recruited record producers and audio engineers such as Jimmy Douglass and Stevie J. During this time Swing also met Rochester School Of The Arts graduate Renee Anderson through Paul Boutte, a prominent figure in the Rochester gospel scene, producer Reginald “Reggie” Moore, and Dajhelon Studio owner Dave Schumaker. Anderson was a member of Colorz, a local R&B girl group at the time. Moore played Anderson's demo for Swing backstage during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Swing then flew back to Rochester to meet Anderson, agreeing to produce an album for her. From 1993 to 1995, the collective crew released multiple collaborative EPs, though many of these were commercially unsuccessful. In 1994, Sista released its sole album, 4 All the Sistas Around da World; this album received positive reviews but was shelved due to a lack of commercial success. Swing Mob members also featured on film soundtracks during this period, with their music appearing in titles such as Above the Rim and Dangerous Minds.