From the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Best Hip-hop Act

September 21 2005

Pretty Ricky
www.prettyricky.com

Comprising singer Pleasure and rappers Slic 'Em, Baby Blue and Spectacular, the Miami-bred Pretty Ricky has been performing all over the Southeast since the late '90s. But after Power 96 started giving the group's highly requested single "Grind With Me" heavy airplay, the major labels started taking notice. Atlantic Records signed the act, and its debut album, Bluestars, is climbing the charts. The four brothers often compare themselves to the Jackson 5, with their father, Blue Smith, serving as their Joe Jackson, a staunch disciplinarian who pushed his sons to develop their craft. Their other influences cover the ground from Tupac to 'N Sync to Usher to Nelly, but after teaming up with Jim Jonsin of the Unusual Suspects production team (Trick Daddy's "Let's Go"), they discovered their own voice. Pretty Ricky recently performed with the cross-country BET Presents Scream Tour IV Festival: The Heart Throbs 2005, and the brothers have already started their own clothing line, Marco de Bleu.