(May 2, 2013) Chris Kelly, 1/2 of the pop/rap duo Kriss Kross (on the right in the picture), has died of drug-related causes at age 34. The young teenage duo shot to the top of the charts in 1992 with the hit "Jump" and became influential among teens and tweens for their unique style of wearing their clothes backwards.
Kelly and partner Chris Smith were discovered by hip-hop producer Jermaine Dupri at a mall in Atlanta and were thrust into the spotlight a year later with the album Totally Krossed Out. It sold over two million copies and gave the duo a relatively brief moment on top - a position that proved hard to sustain as they aged. They released two more albums, Da Bomb and Young, Rich and Dangerous, and had some lesser hits including "Tonight's Da Night" and "Alright." With deeper voices and a tougher image, Kris Kross had some difficulty adjusting the public image established a few years earlier.
(May 2, 2013) Chris Kelly, 1/2 of the pop/rap duo Kriss Kross (on the right in the picture), has died of drug-related causes at age 34. The young teenage duo shot to the top of the charts in 1992 with the hit "Jump" and became influential among teens and tweens for their unique style of wearing their clothes backwards.
Kelly and partner Chris Smith were discovered by hip-hop producer Jermaine Dupri at a mall in Atlanta and were thrust into the spotlight a year later with the album Totally Krossed Out. It sold over two million copies and gave the duo a relatively brief moment on top - a position that proved hard to sustain as they aged. They released two more albums, Da Bomb and Young, Rich and Dangerous, and had some lesser hits including "Tonight's Da Night" and "Alright." With deeper voices and a tougher image, Kris Kross had some difficulty adjusting the public image established a few years earlier.
Kelly and Smith split as a duo in the late 90s, but reunited for one night earlier this year for SoSoDef's 20th anniversary show.
Even though Chris Kelly's time in the spotlight was relatively brief, the fun and inspired image of the young Kris Kross will remain in our memories a long, long time. R.I.P.
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