Kid 'n Play is an American hip-hop act from New York City that was popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The duo was composed of Christopher "Kid" Reid (April 5, 1964) and Christopher "Play" Martin (July 10, 1962) working alongside their DJ, Mark "DJ Wiz" Eastmond. Besides their successful musical careers, they are also notable for branching out into acting.
The pair met while performing in rival high school groups The Turnout Brothers and The Super Lovers, and initially formed their duo under the name The Fresh Force Crew. In 1986 She's a Skeezer and Rock Me were recorded. By 1987 they had changed their name to Kid 'n Play.
Kid 'n Play recorded three albums together between 1988 and 1991: 2 Hype (1988), Kid 'n Play's Funhouse (1990), and Face the Nation (1991). Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor, the producer for Salt-n-Pepa (who had been a member of The Super Lovers with Play) served as Kid 'n Play's manager and producer during the early portion of their career. All three albums focused upon positive lyrics backed by pop-friendly instrumental tracks. Among the group's most successful singles were 1989's "Rollin' with Kid 'n Play" (#11 on the Billboard R&B singles chart), 1990s "Funhouse" (#1 on the Billboard rap singles chart), and "Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody" (another #1 rap hit). The group's stage show highlighted their teen-friendly personalities, and dances such as their trademark, the Kick Step. Kid's visual trademark was his hi-top fade haircut, which stood ten inches high at its peak. Martin regularly wore eight-ball jackets.
Kid 'n Play is an animated cartoon series based on the real life hip-hop duo, Kid 'n Play. It ran for one season on NBC from September 8, 1990 to August 31, 1991. On the show, Kid 'n Play were portrayed as teenagers, but their recording careers remained the same as in real life, as did their character traits. Production was by Marvel Productions.
The real Kid 'n Play appeared in live-action wraparounds of the cartoons, but voice actors took over for the animated versions of the duo. The show stressed positive role models, teaching children how to get along with each other and stay out of trouble. Akin to the House Party films, Play was the less responsible member of the duo, cooking up get rich quick schemes, while Kid, the more responsible member, would usually be made to clean up messes. Oftentimes the issue would be resolved by the characters' girlfriends, or sometimes by an elderly jazz musician who wore a blue beret and was aptly named "Old Blue". The lessons ranged from serious to lighter fare. One of the "less serious" episodes dealt with Kid's father not understanding hip-hop and Kid not having the means to put it in a positive light, to which he gets a trip back to the days of peakeasies and jazz to see the origins of his current music.
Toe To Toe
Intro:
(spoken)
Wiz press the button
yo Wiz press the button down with your nose
Play I'm gonna need a little more energy from you
OK
ladies and gentlemen Martin Lawrence
boo
this is Marin Lawrence's First video visit to a
recording studio
and his last
Verse 1:
toe to toe Kid 'N Play's on a roll again
it's only right that we keep the crowd dancin'
the rhymes are dope the tempo is steady
you ready let's rip up the floor like confetti
cause we'ed never fess or front
when it's time to get hyped on the mic or on a fly dance tip
paid to entertain ya never short change ya
but if you run out of breath it means danger
now I seen alotta kick step impressionist
but I'm not impressed so I guess that it must be a diss
get it together we might seem soft but we ain't havin' it
Kid 'N Play get takin' out I can't imagine it
set the rcord strait as an arrow
I see alotta dancers but the floor is narrow
so Wiz give me a scratch and drop the beat
and check the meters so we can show them who's the dance leaders
we're letting you know we're ready to go so get up
you thought you were hot
played with fire and got lit up
round for round, step for step, show for show
Kid 'N Play's ready to go toe to toe
Verse 2:
Kid the mic master dance perfectionist
split, drop, twist like a gold metalist
even though legandary as I might be
suckas wanna try and kick step all over me
first I ignore them and try to be cool about it
but here I am at a club man it's too crowded
back up chump better give me ten pases
gonna let you know who's runnin' this stage
it's Kid a dope crowd pleaser
been dancin' since my hightop fade was a ceasar
you try to diss I'ma get destuctive
walk in with a bubble man I'm gonna bust it
one by one wack dancers I'm callin' off
yo Play see anybody over there fallin' off
I didn't think so he tryed to wink yo
ain't nobody here takin' my rank so chill
or you're gonna force my hand on the floor
prepare for som torture man
just kickin' in stereo and video
that's how you know we're ready to go toe to toe
Verse 3:
Play's gonna settle the score 'cause I'ma floor wrecka
you can't give more 'cause you're a poor stepper
watch me shift gears here's an example
the oraginal tramp is gonna trample hard
prepare to get scared I wear a medium
come on Play you know you large
now that may well be but, my mind tells me
to step with pep each time I here a bell see
Dj Wiz conductin' like a band leader
that boy's a man eatter he makes the jams sweeter
toe to toe let's throw like a slugfest
and when wr're done we'll see who cuts a rug best
go for it let nothin' stop ya
just slamin' and jammin' like the Phantom Of The Opera
out of the blue comming thru like a champ at it
after the house party the boy's still trampin'
competition done it's automatic
if you got beef or want to start static
with the brothers with the high and low cameos
that's how you know we're ready to go toe to toe