Editing Total (group)

{{Short description|American R&B girl group}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| name              = Total
| background        = group_or_band
| image             = Total at Legends of Bad Boy 2014.jpg
| landscape         = yes
| caption           = L-R: Pamela Long and Kima Raynor Dyson perform at the Legends of Bad Boy concert in [[Beverly Hills, California]] in 2014. Not pictured: Keisha Spivey Epps.
| origin            = [[New Jersey]], U.S.
| genre             = {{hlist|[[Contemporary R&B|R&B]]|[[hip-hop soul]]}}
| years_active      = {{hlist|1994–2001|2014–2016|2024–present}}
| label             = [[Bad Boy Records|Bad Boy]] (1994–1998)
| past_members      = * Pamela Long
| website           = 
| current_members   = * Kima Raynor
* Keisha Spivey
}}

'''Total''' is an American R&B [[girl group]] and one of the signature acts of the [[Bad Boy Records]] imprint during the mid-1990s.<ref name="Larkin90">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music]]|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=2000|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0427-8|pages=399/400}}</ref> The group consists of founding members Kima Raynor, Keisha Spivey, and Pamela Long.<ref name="Larkin90"/> Total is best known for their feature on [[Mase]]'s "[[What You Want (Mase song)|What You Want]]", as well as their hits "[[Kissin' You]]", "[[Can't You See (Total song)|Can't You See]]" (featuring [[The Notorious B.I.G.]]), and "[[What About Us? (Total song)|What About Us?]]" and [[Trippin' (Total song)|"Trippin{{' "}}]], both featuring [[Missy Elliott]]. Long also sung the chorus of [[The Notorious B.I.G.]]'s hit song "[[Hypnotize (The Notorious B.I.G. song)|Hypnotize]]", although she was not officially credited.<ref name="Larkin90"/> Total made their first appearance singing the hook on [[The Notorious B.I.G.]]'s debut single, "[[Juicy (The Notorious B.I.G. song)|Juicy]]", widely considered one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time.<ref name="Larkin90"/><ref>[https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-50-greatest-hip-hop-songs-of-all-time-20121205/notorious-b-i-g-juicy-19691231 The 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time]</ref><ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060214200158/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/source.htm#singles 100 Best Rap Albums:<!-- Bot generated title -->]}}</ref><ref>[http://rap.about.com/od/top10songs/ss/Top100RapSongs_9.htm Top 100 Rap Songs<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

In 2019, Pamela Long announced that she is working on her debut solo album. She released a video for her single "Why".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://youknowigotsoul.com/pamela-long-from-total-discusses-new-solo-album-leaving-total-possible-3rd-total-album-exclusive|title=Pamela Long from Total Discusses New Solo Album, Leaving Total, Possible 3rd Total Album (Exclusive) |website=YouKnowIGotSoul.com|date=March 26, 2019}}</ref>

==Career==
The trio made their first appearance singing the hook on [[The Notorious B.I.G.]]'s debut single, "[[Juicy (The Notorious B.I.G. song)|Juicy]]".<ref name="Larkin90"/> Garnering attention for the new group, they were also featured on the original version and "Hip Hop Remix" of his next single "[[One More Chance (The Notorious B.I.G. song)|One More Chance]]". They then immediately hit the studio with [[Bad Boy Records]] CEO [[Sean Combs|Sean "Puffy" Combs]] and began work on their debut album. The first single "[[Can't You See (Total song)|Can't You See?]]" first appeared on the soundtrack to 1995 motion picture, ''[[New Jersey Drive]]''. The song featured [[The Notorious B.I.G.]] and peaked at number 13 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] as well as #2 on the R&B Chart.<ref name="Larkin90"/> Their [[Total (Total album)|self-titled debut album]] was released nearly a year after the single. Total produced two more R&B top ten singles including:  "[[No One Else]]" (and its remix featuring [[Lil' Kim]],  [[Foxy Brown (rapper)|Foxy Brown]], and [[Da Brat]]) and '"Kissing You" (and its remix featuring [[Sean Combs|Sean "Puffy" Combs]]).<ref name="Larkin90"/> The album was certified platinum by the [[RIAA]].
 
While recording their second album, they appeared on numerous top ten singles, including [[LL Cool J]]'s "[[Loungin|Loungin (Who Do Ya Luv)]]", [[Foxy Brown (rapper)|Foxy Brown]]'s "[[I Can't (Foxy Brown song)|I Can't]]", and [[Mase]]'s "[[What You Want (Mase song)|What You Want]]" featuring Keisha Epps, and Pamela Long sung the chorus on the hit "[[Hypnotize (The Notorious B.I.G. song)|Hypnotize]]" by The Notorious B.I.G. The group also released another single, the [[Missy Elliott]] and [[Timbaland]] track "[[What About Us? (Total song)|What About Us?]]" from the ''[[Soul Food (film)|Soul Food]]'' soundtrack.
 
Their follow-up album, ''[[Kima, Keisha, and Pam]]'',<ref name="Larkin90"/> debuted to strong reviews, sales, and was certified gold by the [[RIAA]]. The first single, another [[Missy Elliott]] collaboration, [[Trippin' (Total song)|"Trippin{{' "}}]], reached the top ten of the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] chart.<ref name="Larkin90"/> Their next release, "Sitting Home", which made Top 10 of the [[Billboard R&B Singles|''Billboard'' R&B Singles]] did not garner the same attention. While in heavy rotation on video networks like BET, radio chose not to play the song. A remix of the track featured rap artist [[Shyne]].
 
After the release of ''Kima, Keisha, and Pam'', the girls sang the chorus to rap duo [[Gang Starr]]'s 1999 single "Discipline" and, in 2000, they were featured on the [[Tony Touch]] single "(I Wonder Why) He's the Greatest DJ". They also contributed to the songs "Crave" to ''[[3 Strikes (film)|3 Strikes]]'' and the songs "Quick Rush" to ''[[Bait (2000 film)|Bait]]'' movie soundtrack.
 
In their last official appearance together, they were thanked in the credits for their collaboration with [[Da Beatminerz]] and [[Talib Kweli]] - ''Anti-Love Movement'' in 2001 from their album ''[[Brace 4 Impak]]''.

===Comeback===
In 2014, Long and Dyson reunited and began performing as a duo under the "Total" name. On November 30, 2014, Total joined [[Lil' Kim]], [[Da Brat]], [[Missy Elliott]], and [[Left Eye]] (posthumously via video) to sing "[[Not Tonight (song)|Not Tonight (Ladies Night)]]" at the 2014 [[Soul Train Music Awards]]. [[Angie Martinez]] was the only living original performer who did not perform at the event.
 
In May 2015, Total toured with [[R. Kelly]], on the Funk Fest tour. In 2016, Spivey Epps rejoined the group for the nationwide [[Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.app.com/story/entertainment/music/2016/09/21/jerseys-total-finds-happy-place-bad-boy-tour/90771196/|title=Jersey's Total finds a 'happy place' on Bad Boy tour|first=Chris|last=Jordan|website=Asbury Park Press}}</ref>

=== Currently ===
<nowiki>*</nowiki> Keisha Spivey married actor [[Omar Epps]] in 2006 and is living in [[California]]. They have daughter K'marie and son Amir together; as well as Omar's daughter Aiyanna Yasmine with ex wife Yusra Salama.

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Pamela Long still lives in [[New Jersey]]. She is a faithful member at Agape Family Worship Center located in [[Rahway, New Jersey|Rahway]]. In 2021, she made an appearance on [[BET Presents: The Encore]].

<nowiki>*</nowiki>A track by Kima featuring her sister, rapper [[Vita (rapper)|Vita]], called "What U Want", also leaked online.

In 2024, Epps and Dyson came back together without Long and joined the Queens of R&B Tour along Xscape, SWV, 702 and Mýa.

==Discography==
{{main|Total discography}}
;Studio albums
* ''[[Total (Total album)|Total]]'' (1996)
* ''[[Kima, Keisha, and Pam]]'' (1998)

== Videography ==

* ''From [[Total (Total album)|Total]]'' ([[1996 in music|1996]])
** No One Else
** No One Else (Puff Daddy Remix)
** Kissin' You
** Kissin' You / Oh Honey
** Can't You See
** Can't You See (Bad Boy Remix)
** Do You Think About Us
* ''From [[Kima, Keisha, and Pam]]'' ([[1998 in music|1998]])
** Trippin'
** Sitting Home
* ''From [[Soul Food (soundtrack)]]'' ([[1997 in music|1997]])
** What About Us? ([[1997 in music|1997]])
* As Guest Artists
** [[LL Cool J]] - Loungin' (Who Do U Love?) ([[1995 in music|1995]])
** Notorious B.I.G. "Hypnotize" (Pam)
** Notorious B.I.G "Juicy" (Keisha & Kima)
** [[Mase]] - What You Want ([[1997 in music|1997]])
** [[Foxy Brown (rapper)|Foxy Brown]] - I Can't ([[1998 in music|1998]])
** [[Tony Touch]] - I Wonder Why (He's The Greatest DJ) ([[2000 in music|2000]])
* Cameos
** [[Craig Mack]] - Flava In Ya Ear (Remix) (Keisha from Total) ([[1994 in music|1994]])
** [[The Notorious B.I.G.]] - One More Chance/Stay With Me ([[1994 in music|1994]])
** [[Soul For Real]] - Every Little Thing I Do ([[1995 in music|1995]])
** [[112 (band)|112]] - Only You - Bad Boy Remix (Keisha from Total) ([[1996 in music|1996]])
** [[Missy Elliott]] - The Rain (Supa Supa Fly) ([[1997 in music|1997]])
** Jerome - Too Old For Me (Keisha from Total) ([[1997 in music|1997]])
** [[Lil' Kim]] - Not Tonight (Remix) ([[1997 in music|1997]])
** [[The Lox]] - We'll Always Love Big Poppa ([[1998 in music|1998]])
** [[The Bad Boy Family]] - You ([[2001 in music|2001]]) [Featuring Pam & Keisha]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Total}}
[[Category:American contemporary R&B musical groups]]
[[Category:Bad Boy Records artists]]
[[Category:African-American girl groups]]
[[Category:American R&B girl groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups from New Jersey]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1994]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2001]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 2014]]
[[Category:1994 establishments in New Jersey]]