The group was formed in 1988 and Onyx released its first 12" single, "Ah, And We Do It Like This", in 1990. One year later, Onyx was going to demo off some tracks for Run DMC front man, Jam Master Jay, but there was a small problem. Big DS and Sonee Seeza were in CT at the time. Fredro Starr called up his cousin Sticky Fingaz who then worked at a barber shop but was always rhyming. Sticky Fingaz hooked up Fredro and did a demo to present to Jam Master Jay and he instantly loved the Madface sound. When presenting the tape to Def Jam, and Onyx returned to them, the first question was "Where's the guy with the deep, raspy voice?". Of course they were referring to the cross-eyed slightly insane member, Sticky Fingaz. The rest was history the group released Throw Ya Gunz in 1992.

After the track Onyx inked a deal with Def Jam and were promised an album which became 1993's Bacdafucup LP. The album met with great commercial success, including heavy airplay on radio and MTV for the single "Slam". Onyx also performed with Biohazard on the tune "Judgment Night", taken from the soundtrack album of the same name. Onyx also received critical acclaim, winning Soul Train's album of the year.

Big DS left the group during the recording of All We Got Iz Us because he felt he wasn't getting enough time on the microphone.[citation needed] In 1995, Onyx released their second album All We Got Iz Us. While the album was much less successful commercially, it proved to be a critical success. In the August 2008 issue of VIBE, All We Got Iz Us was listed as the best produced rap album of 1995 and one of twenty albums every fan of hip-hop must own.

The release was followed by another gap in albums, but the members remained in the public eye by appearing in several movies, including Clockers, Sunset Park (1996), and Dead Presidents (1995). Both rappers continue to appear in movies and television, appearing on the FX Network on The Shield and on HBO's The Wire.

Onyx returned in 1998 with their third album Shut 'Em Down, which featured appearances from DMX, Lost Boyz, Raekwon, Method Man, Big Pun, Noreaga and a then-unknown 50 Cent. This album found critical as well as commercial success. The album produced two singles "React" and "Shut 'Em Down", the latter featuring DMX. After leaving Def Jam, the group returned in 2002 with Bacdafucup Part II and "Sa'ad Part 4" released on Koch Records, Followed by the 2003 release Triggernometry on D3 Entertainment.

There has been a low-level argument between Onyx member Fredro Starr and 50 Cent. According to the Rap News Network, 50 Cent started a confrontation with Fredro Starr at the 2003 Vibe Awards. In a 2003 interview Fredro Starr explained, "50 Cent basically started shit with me, started a scuffle, and a bodyguard broke us up. He's a punk. He's disrespectful to Jam Master Jay ever since he passed". In an interview with the Source magazine, Fredro Starr said that 50 Cent had been disrespectful towards the Onyx rap group even though Onyx had given him his first breakthrough on a song called "React" from the 1998 album, Shut 'Em Down.

Former member Big DS released one solo album after his departure from the group. On May 22, 2003 he died from complications from cancer.

In the summer of 2006, Fredro released a project known as Yung Onyx.

In June 2008, Onyx released their debut DVD: "Onyx: 15 Years of Videos, History and Violence". The DVD contains every Onyx video digitally remastered with optional commentary, all solo videos, and over an hour of rare footage all the way back from 1992.

In January 2010, Onyx was featured on a song called "Vrijeme je" by Croatian rappers Nered and Stoka. In 2010, they worked with Croatian and Ukrainian rappers. They also are to be featured on French rapper Soulkast's album due out in early 2011.

Their new album, "Cuzo", is coming soon!


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Onyx est originaire de New York. Le groupe est composé de Sticky Fingaz, Fredro Starr et Sonsee. Big DS (RIP) a également été membre, mais laissa le groupe après le premier album.

Le groupe, formé en 1988, publie son premier maxi "Ah, and We Do it Like This", en 1990. En 1991, Onyx présente une démo à Jam Master Jay chez Def Jam. Problème, Big DS et Sonee Seeza sont tout deux dans le Connecticut à ce moment. Fredro Starr appelle donc son cousin Sticky Fingaz (qui est coiffeur à Brooklyn), lui aussi rapper. Jam Master Jay est impressionné par la tape, et particulièrement par le flow de Sticky Fingaz. Ce dernier rejoint donc définitivement le groupe, qui réalise son premier single chez Def Jam : « Throw Ya Gunz », en 1992.

Par la suite Onyx signe l’album "Bacdafucup". Cet album rencontre un grand succès commercial, le single "Slam“ tournant en radio et sur MTV. Onyx participe également à la B.O. de "Judgment Night" avec Biohazard. Ils remportent cette même année le "Soul Train's album of the year".

En 1995, Onyx sort son deuxième album “All We Got Iz Us”, sans Big DS. Bien qu'il n’ait pas rencontré le succès commercialement parlant, il s'est avéré être un succès critique. Au mois d'août 2008, VIBE répertorie "All We Got Iz Us" comme meilleur album rap produit depuis 1995 et l'un des vingt albums que tout fan de hip-hop doit posséder.

Par la suite, le groupe cesse de produire des albums pendant quelque temps, tout en restant actifs : ils apparaissent dans plusieurs films, dont « Clockers », « Sunset Park » (1996), et « Dead Présidents » (1995), et des séries télévisées comme « FX Network », « The Shield » ou encore « The Wire ».

Onyx revient en 1998 avec son troisième album "Shut 'Em Down", avec des featuring préstigieux : DMX, Lost Boyz, Raekwon, Method Man, Big Pun, Noreaga et le jeune 50 Cent. Cet album rencontre un réel succès commercial ainsi qu'une critique très favorable. Les deux singles phares sont "React" et "Shut 'Em Down".

Après avoir quitté Def Jam, le groupe revient en 2002 avec "Bacdafucup Part II" et "Sa'ad Part 4", sorti sous le label Koch Records, suivi par "Triggernometry" chez D3 Entertainment.

En Juin 2008, Onyx sort son premier DVD: "Onyx: 15 Years of Videos, History and Violence". Le DVD contient toutes les vidéos de Onyx remasterisées avec commentaires optionnels, toutes les vidéos solo, et plus d'une heure de séquences rares depuis 1992.

En 2008, ils sortent la compilation « Cold Case File », contenant des inédits issus des sessions des trois albums précédant.

En 2010, ils collaborent avec des groupes croates, ukrainien, et Soulkast, le MC français.

Leur prochain LP, "Cuzo", est en préparation et arrivera dans les bacs prochainement!