Kriss Kross
These guys were the youngest rap duo to reach high levels of success, earning their fame at eleven and twelve years old. James Christopher Kelly (known as “Mac Daddy”) and Christopher HE Smith (known as “Daddy Mac.” Seriously.) are most known for their 1992 hit, “Jump,” which was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for over eight weeks and eventually went double platinum. This made “Jump” the first rap song to lead the Billboard Hot 100 for such a long period of time. And frankly, we still think it deserves it. “Jump” has withstood the test of time, and we still sing it in the car on our way to buy groceries.
Unlike some of their rivals, they didn’t fizzle out after giving us one great song– Kriss Kross continued making a name for themselves with a ton of certified platinum and gold singles and albums. They also wore their clothing backwards, which is insanely charming when you’re a preteen in the 90s. If an adult rap duo tried to do the same thing in 2015, we doubt it would go over so well. In 1992, Kriss Kross earned a part in Michael Jackson’s Dangerous World Tour, plus cameo appearances in his music video for “Jam.” As adults, they both got an education and found “serious” jobs– Kelly started C Connection Records, and Smith created One Life Entertainment, Inc. Not bad for a pair of kids who were discovered by a producer in an Atlanta shopping mall!
Despite a hiatus or two, they continued rapping through the aughts and into the 2010s. Their last performance was in 2013, at the 20th anniversary concert for record label So So Def Recordings.
Unfortunately, their career was cut short later that year. On May first of 2013, 34-year-old Chris Kelly was found unconscious in his home in Atlanta. After paramedics rushed him to the hospital, a friend claimed that he had taken a combination of heroin and cocaine the previous night, and that she had dropped him off at his house to recover. His uncle disclosed that he had a history of drug abuse, and toxicology reports later proved that the cause of death was drug overdose. Friends and family members wore their clothes backwards in remembrance of the late half of Kriss Kross.
The other half of Kriss Kross, Chris Smith, launched a comeback solo project a little over a year after his friend’s death. He continues to speak positively about his friend, and admits that he misses him deeply. Us too, Daddy Mac.
