POOF: Father MC

Welcome back to my homage to VH-1's Behind The Music. The focus of my attention this time is Father MC.


Born Timothy Brown, Father MC was one of the first artists a young A&R named Sean "Puffy" Combs was able to sign to Uptown Records. Before stepping in the hip-hop arena, Father MC actually made his performing debut as a dancehall/reggae artist.

One might describe his style as kind of a poor man's Big Daddy Kane. Like BDK, he was real smooth with his delivery and directed a lot of his attention to the ladies. He burst on the scene in 1990 with his debut album Father's Day. The lead single was I'll Do For You, which sampled the Cheryl Lynn disco hit Got To Be Real and featured a young, and then unknown Mary J. Blige on the hook (yes, the future Queen of R&B had to pay her dues too).

The song was a hit, reaching as high as number 20 on the charts. Unfortunately, the rest of the album did not do as well, but it did have another stand out single that provided another legendary Uptown Records R&B act its platform to be heard. Father MC dropped the "new jack swing" influenced Treat 'Em Like They Want To Be Treated featuring none other than Jodeci singing the hook.

The success of those two singles was enough for Uptown Records to release another Father MC album in 1992 titled Close To You. Though it did produce two more hits in One Night Stand and Everything's Gonna Be Alright featuring Jodeci once again, this album did not do as well, His relationship with Uptown Records soon deteriorated, and when Puffy left the label to start Bad Boy Records, the future Diddy did not bring Father MC along to join the Bad Boy roster.

Father MC released four more non-noteworthy albums on different labels since then (1994's Sex Is Law, 1995's This Is For The Players, 1999's No Secrets, and 2003's My). The Father also managed to pose in a full spread for Playgirl magazine in the late 1990's. In 2007 he reinvented himself with the name Fambody (whatever the hell that means) and laid plans to create more music in the near future. So far I haven't heard anything, but let's just say I'm not holding my breath.

I remember Father MC as being real suave, so it makes perfect sense that he would pose for Playgirl. I was a fan, yet not a fan. What I mean is I liked the songs he released, but was never intrigued enough to get his albums. From the looks of the titles of the songs, the context is pretty much the same throughout: the ladies. I guess you could say he was like the early 90's version of Drake.

For what it's worth, Father MC did assist in launching the careers of two of my all-time favorite R&B acts, Jodeci and Mary J. Blige, and for that I salute him. My favorite song of his would have to be Everything's Gonna Be Alright featuring Jodeci. Take a listen a listen. You're welcome.