Blackstreet

Blackstreet, often stylized as BLACKstreet, is an American R&B group founded in 1991 by Teddy Riley, and (record producer) Thomas Taliaferro (Bobby Brown, BLACKstreet) After the breakup of Guy, Riley came to Taliaferro (who had just Joined Riley's NJSP company as a producer) with the idea to start a new group to replace GUY and feature Riley. Taliaferro who had Chauncey Hannibal and Levon Little, both Paterson, New Jersey natives,under production and management contracts, suggested them as vocalists and Riley had Joseph Stonestreet, a Cincinnati, Ohio, native, who Riley met while both were on the west coast in Los Angeles through mutual friends. Originally, the group was to be named Stonestreet, but during a meeting with Taliaferro and Riley's younger brother Markell (Wreckx-n-Effects) Taliaferro suggested to use part of Stonestreet's last name and Chauncey's nickname "Black" as a symbol of Urban life, like the Black tar of the street in the "hood". Riley agreed and the group became Blackstreet Feat. Teddy Riley. The original members of Blackstreet were Teddy Riley, Chauncey Black, Levi Little, and Joseph Stonestreet.