RETROSPECTIVE SERIES

Where’d They Go? Shop Boyz

They’re about to change the game

Alexander Razin
The Riff
Published in
5 min readNov 14, 2021

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Image by Shopboyzmusic.com from The Boombox

In 2007, Shop Boyz, reached the mainstream when they caught the attention of record producers.

The producers enjoyed their unique take of hip-hop with rock-inspired samples. Soon, the producers drew them to the mainstream, and the United States reacted to the threesome with praise—placing the group in the limelight.

After 2007, the trio remained quiet, and the next breakout stars faded away.

So, where’d they go?

Totally dude!

In 2007, deep in the heart of Atlanta, Georgia (Hotlanta) two cousins, Demetrius “Meany” Hardin, Richard “Fat” Stephens, and friend, Rasheed “Sheed” Hightower, as Shop Boyz brought their style of hip-hop to the clubs to see what attention they could garner. The crowd loved their blend of hip-hop-infused rock.

Producer Richard “Fire” Harris heard the trio’s music and saw star potential, so he offered them free beats. From there, Fire introduced the trio to Brain “Bingo” Ward, who felt honored to record the Shop Boyz.

The trio then assembled the hits from the clubs and fresh ideas to create their debut album. Once they finished recording, the group released their initial LP…

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Alexander Razin
The Riff

Aficionado and connoisseur of obscure and experimental music, movies, and TV. Fictional and nonfictional pieces have their place here, too