In 1964, Khalis Bayyan (AKA Ronald Bell) and his brother, Robert "Kool" Bell, joined several Jersey City neighborhood friends to create a unique musical blend of jazz, soul and funk. At first calling themselves the Jazziacs, the band went through various names before settling on their moniker. Over the next several years they solidified their musical chemistry on the rough-and-tumble East Coast music scene. Their self-titled 1969 debut album introduced their signature instrumental sound and fierce horn arrangements and spawned their first Billboard RandB charted single.
Kool and the Gang has sold over 70 million albums worldwide and influenced the music of three generations. Thanks to songs like "Celebration," "Cherish," "Jungle Boogie," "Ladies Night" and "Get Down On It," they've earned two GRAMMY Awards, seven American Music Awards, 25 Top Ten RandB hits, nine Top Ten Pop hits and 31 gold and platinum albums. Kool and the Gang has performed continuously for the past 43 years, longer than any RandB group in history. Their bulletproof funk and jazzy arrangements have also made them the most sampled band of all time.
Kool and the Gang continues to tour and delight fans around the globe with their timeless hits.