Editing Blaque (section)

== History ==
=== 1994–1996: Early beginnings ===
In 1994, [[Shamari Fears]] formed her first girl group with a rotation of members, including [[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]] high school classmate [[Natina Reed]].<ref name="Unung_Part 1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCA-NS-kXFA|title=Blaque Unsung (2024) (Part 1)|work=Unsung|date=April 15, 2024 |access-date=July 14, 2024|language=en-US|via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> They soon met a producer, who was looking for an urban country singing act and took them under his wings,<ref name="Unung_Part 1"/> naming the four member band Buutz.<ref name="Unung_Part 1"/> Still in training, Reed left the group a year later, after her father Paul, a [[reverend]], no longer agreed with his daughter performing non-religious and [[secular music]].<ref name="Unung_Part 1"/> After Reed's departure, Fears connected with vocal coach and manager Cynnamyn Robinson who found a replacement member for Reed and re-named the band Intrigue.<ref name="Unung_Part 1"/> With the help of Robinson, the members of Intrigue received dancing and acting classes and were able to acquire further experience in the recording studio.<ref name="Unung_Part 1"/> In 1995, twelve-year-old Brandi Williams was added to the group but Intrigue still struggled to secure a record deal.<ref name="Unung_Part 1"/> 

After her parents' divorce, Reed again began pursuing secular music and met [[Talent scouts|talent scout]] Ronald Lopes, brother of [[Lisa Lopes|Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes]], while singing jingles to earn extra cash.<ref name="Unung_Part 1"/> Lopes, the co-owner of a production company named Blaque House, agreed to manage her and hired Reed to write for his sister's band [[TLC (band)|TLC]].<ref name="Source19">{{cite web|url=http://youknowigotsoul.com/interview-natina-reed-ready-to-ignite-blaque-comeback-after-extended-hiatus|title=Interview: Natina Reed Ready To Ignite Blaque Comeback After Extended Hiatus|last=Ykigs|date=August 13, 2012|publisher=YouKnowIGotSoul|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201081738/http://youknowigotsoul.com/interview-natina-reed-ready-to-ignite-blaque-comeback-after-extended-hiatus|archive-date=December 1, 2017|url-status=live|access-date=July 14, 2024}}</ref> In the meantime, he was looking for "an outlet" for Reed, who suggested that he make her part of a new girl group and asked Fears to join the group.<ref name="Unung_Part 1"/> In turn, Fears inivited Williams to join.<ref name="Unung_Part 1"/> Named after Lopes' company, Blaque was officially formed in 1996.<ref name="Unung_Part 1"/> In hopes of securing the trio a jump start to their career, Lopes looked to his sister who began mentoring the group and arranged demo recordings and photo shootings for them.<ref name="Unung_Part 1"/> Six months after their formation, Left Eye had them audition for [[Sony Music Entertainment|Sony Music]] CEO [[Tommy Mottola]] who offered Blaque a deal with [[Columbia Records]].<ref name="Unung_Part 1"/>

=== 1997–2000: Debut and breakthrough ===
Fast-tracking the production of their debut album, Columbia Records set up recording sessions with several producers for the trio, with Jean-Claude Olivier and Samuel Barnes from hip hop production duo [[Trackmasters]] eventually emerging as the album's executive producer alongside Left Eye and [[Cory Rooney]].<ref name="Unung_Part 1"/>
In 1997, the group made a cameo appearance in the video for [[Lil' Kim]]'s "[[Not Tonight (song)|Not Tonight (Remix)]]".

Their [[Blaque (album)|self-titled debut]] debuted at number 23 on ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'''s Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart, and at number 53 on the official [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] and was certified platinum by [[RIAA]]. The album's lead single "[[808 (Blaque song)|808]]" was a success in the U.S. reaching number 8 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] singles chart and earning Gold certification. The follow-up single "[[I Do (Blaque song)|I Do]]" was not a success like the previous singles, reaching number 73 on the R&B/Hip-Hop single chart. The music video for "I Do" was nominated for a [[MTV Video Music Award]] for Best Editing. The last single "[[Bring It All to Me|Bring It All To Me]]", which featured [[JC Chasez]], was a hit song that made the number 5 position on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] singles chart and topped the [[Rhythmic (chart)|Rhythmic]] charts in late 1999 to early 2000 for six weeks.

In mid-1999, Blaque toured as one of the opening acts for [[boy band]] [[NSYNC|'N Sync]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1426102/blaque-gets-n-sync-for-new-single-talks-touring-days/ |title=Blaque Gets 'N Sync For New Single, Talks Touring Days |last=Gill |first=John |date=November 19, 1999 |work=MTV News |access-date=March 4, 2015 |archive-date=March 13, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150313104833/http://www.mtv.com/news/1426102/blaque-gets-n-sync-for-new-single-talks-touring-days/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Blaque also performed as one of the opening acts for [[TLC (band)|TLC]]'s [[FanMail Tour]] later that year.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Pareles|first=Jon|date=January 24, 2000|title=POP REVIEW; A Girl Group That Takes No Prisoners In Love|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/01/24/arts/pop-review-a-girl-group-that-takes-no-prisoners-in-love.html|access-date=|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=July 15, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715184520/http://www.nytimes.com/2000/01/24/arts/pop-review-a-girl-group-that-takes-no-prisoners-in-love.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2000, the group starred as cheerleaders in the film ''[[Bring It On (film)|Bring It On]]'' and went to the studio and recorded the [[Shelly Peiken]] and Guy Roche song "As If" for the soundtrack that same year.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Shemesh|first=Yasmine|date=August 20, 2020|title='Bring It On' at 20: Blaque Reflect on Playing Clovers With Gabrielle Union|url=https://observer.com/2020/08/blaque-interview-bring-it-on-anniversary/|url-status=live|access-date=|website=[[The New York Observer|Observer.com]]|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200821060939/https://observer.com/2020/08/blaque-interview-bring-it-on-anniversary/ |archive-date=August 21, 2020 }}</ref> A remixed version of the Blaque song "Bring It All To Me" appeared in the film, with added rapping by [[50 Cent]].

=== 2001–2002: ''Blaque Out'' ===
While their self-titled debut album went platinum, the second album called ''[[Blaque Out]]'', which was set for release in 2001,<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Hall|first=Rashaun|date=October 20, 2001|title=Blaque, Can't Get It Back|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fhEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA22|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|page=22}}</ref> was shelved as the group was dropped from Columbia Records for unknown reasons. The video for the first single "[[Can't Get It Back]]" was never released.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Reid|first=Shaheem|date=October 24, 2001|title=Blaque Love Their Group But ...|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1450309/blaque-love-their-group-but/|url-status=dead|access-date=|website=MTV News|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180311225531/http://www.mtv.com/news/1450309/blaque-love-their-group-but/ |archive-date=March 11, 2018 }}</ref> The album was soon leaked on the Internet. After Lopes' death in a car crash in [[Honduras]] on April 25, 2002, the group signed with [[Elektra Records]]. They began work on their third album after Reed gave birth to a son. An alternate version of the shelved album was released to [[iTunes]] on May 22, 2007, but was later taken down. In December 2011, ''Blaque Out'' was released back onto iTunes.

=== 2005–2012: Reunion and Reed's death ===
Fears was signed to Darkchild Records in 2005. Williams also signed a new record deal and started working on a solo album. She also provided vocals on the hook of [[Nelly]]'s single "[[Grillz]]". In 2005, Blaque came back together to record their studio album ''Private Show'' (originally titled ''Beauty''). They worked on the album sporadically from 2005 to 2009. Blaque agreed to film a show ''Blaque In the House'' set to air in the summer of 2008; however, the show was never picked up, and the album went unreleased. Blaque released four songs on YouTube: "Cut You Off", "All Nighter", "Blue Jeans" and "High Definition" before they decided to disband.

On July 28, 2012, Blaque reunited for the Left Eye Music Festival in [[Decatur, Georgia|Decatur]] near northeast Atlanta. At the event, Blaque performed their single "808". Shortly after, the group contracted with artist manager Inga "Nandi" Willis, and started working on an album and a reality television show. Reed died on October 26, 2012, after being hit by a car near Atlanta. The group broke up shortly after her death.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://uk.eonline.com/news/357888/natina-reed-musician-star-of-bring-it-on-dead-at-32 |title=Natina Reed, Musician & Star of Bring It on, Dead at 32 &#124; E! Online |website=uk.eonline.com |access-date=January 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130122074205/http://uk.eonline.com/news/357888/natina-reed-musician-star-of-bring-it-on-dead-at-32 |archive-date=January 22, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Months later, "Cut You Off", a song intended for their album, leaked via the internet.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Blaque|url=https://theeyeisright.wixsite.com/theeyeisright/blaque|url-status=live|website=The Eye is Right {{!}} Tribute Website to Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526161032/https://theeyeisright.wixsite.com/theeyeisright/blaque |archive-date=May 26, 2021 }}</ref>

=== 2013–2019: ''Torch'', change in lineup ===
Blaque's intended third album, ''Torch'', featured [[Missy Elliott]], songwriter [[Linda Perry]], and producer [[Rodney Jerkins]]. The intended single "Blackout" was derided as being a "rip-off" of [[50 Cent]]'s song "[[In da Club]]".<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Hardy|first=Ernest|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3iYEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA291|title=Blaque: Torch|date=September 2003|publisher=[[Vibe (magazine)|Vibe]]|volume=11|issue=9|pages=291}}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><!-- Ganksta vs Wanksta -->

''Torch'' was scheduled to be released exclusively to [[iTunes]] in 2008, nearly five years after its completion by [[Mathew Knowles|Music World Entertainment]], but that was canceled. It has been confirmed that [[Mathew Knowles]] owns the rights to the albums ''Torch'' and ''Blaque Out''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Victoria|first=Da'ryl|date=March 29, 2016|title=GIRL GROUP TRIBUTE: THE SWEET SOUNDS OF BLAQUE|website=[[The Source (magazine)|The Source]]|url=http://thesource.com/2016/03/29/girl-group-tribute-the-sweet-sounds-of-blaque/|access-date=February 14, 2019|archive-date=February 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190215050353/http://thesource.com/2016/03/29/girl-group-tribute-the-sweet-sounds-of-blaque/|url-status=live}}</ref> On May 31, 2019, Blaque released ''Torch'' under the label Blaque/The Move Entertainment.