It's hammer time...part 2!

Awhile back we featured one of the artists spawned from MC Hammer's incredibly successful career in the late 80's/early 90's, B Angie B. Well, she wasn't the only act to gain notoriety thanks to the Hammer. Oaktown's 357 were MC Hammer's answer to Salt-N-Pepa.

Oaktown's 357 debuted in 1989 with their album, "Wild And Loose". The original line up consisted of Terrible T, Sweet LD and Lil'P. All three had been back up dancers for MC Hammer and were featured in his 1988 video, "Pump It Up". However, when it was time to film the video for the first single, "Yeah Yeah Yeah", Lil'P left the group to get married. Two new members were added, Sweet P and VC, making the group a quartet. After that first single, VC broke her leg and never returned while Sweet P left to replace Sassy C of JJ Fad. Despite experiencing more line up changes than Destiny's Child, by the time the second single was released, "357 Straight At You", the group (now a duo consisting of Terrible T and Sweet LD) were starting to get heavy video and club play. This prompted two more singles to be released, the now old school classic "Juicy Gotcha Krazy" (featuring the unforgettable guest vocals of B Angie B) and "We Like It". Both songs were remixed for their single releases much to the dismay of the fans who bought the album. Neverthless, Oaktown's 357 were gaining visibilty and momentum in the hip-hop community.



After a brief hiatus the girls returned in 1991 with their sophmore effort, "Fully Loaded". This album saw the girls taking more control over their image and music. Long gone were the MC Hammer parachute pants as the girls ushered in a brand new sexy look and sound. The first single, "Turn It Up" wasa Top 20 dance and RnB hit. The video boasted elaborate sets and stunning choreography which helped it gain immense popularity on the now defunt video channel, "The Box". Two more singles were released, "It's Not Your Money" and "Honey". Both enjoyed minimal success but "Fully Loaded" failed to really break these girls into the mainstream. In 1993 there was tentative release date for a follow up EP, "Fila Treatment" but for reasons unknown here at Milk Carton Pop Stars, this release sadly never saw the light of day.

In 2005 both albums were remastered and reissued. The big bonus though was the DVD that came with the reissue of "Wild & Loose" that featured all 7 of their music videos!

Very little information is out there about Oaktown's 357. However, this is one of the reasons why we do this blog. We hope someone out there can tell us what ever happened to the fabulous and fierce ladies known as Terrible T and Sweet LD! Until that happens though we leave you with two of their best videos.

Juicy Gotcha Krazy




Turn It Up