West Street Mob
OriginUnited States
GenresOld school hip hop, boogie, funk, electro
Instrumentsvocoders, vocals
Years active1981–1984
LabelsSugar Hill
MembersWarren Moore
Sabrina Gillison
Past membersJoey Robinson, Jr. (deceased)

West Street Mob were an American boogie and electro music trio, active between 1981 and 1984,[1] best known for their 1983 song "Break Dance — Electric Boogie." The band comprised Joey Robinson, Jr., Warren Moore and singer Sabrina Gillison.

History

In 1981, West Street Mob recorded their eponymous album, which peaked at No. 57 on the Billboard Black Albums chart.[2] The single "Let's Dance" peaked at No. 18 on the Black Singles chart and No. 22 on the Dance chart.[3]

In 1983. the group released its second album, Break Dance – Electric Boogie.[4] The title track contains a sample of Incredible Bongo Band's 1973 recording of "Apache," written by Jerry Lordan.[4]

West Street Mob also recorded two singles that were not included on either of their two albums, "Ooh Baby" and "Sing a Simple Song."

The group is well known for "Break Dance – Electric Boogie" being featured in the first of Judson Laipply's Evolution of Dance videos.

Joseph "Joey" Robinson Jr., son of Sugar Hill Records founder Sylvia Robinson, died of cancer on July 11, 2015, in Tenafly, New Jersey, at the age of 53.[5]

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album Record
label 		Chart positions
[6]
US US
R&B 		UK
1981 West Street Mob Sugar Hill — #56 —
1983 Break Dance – Electric Boogie Sugar Hill — — —

Singles

Year Single Record
label 		Chart positions[3][7]
US US
R&B 		US
Dance 		UK
1981 "Let's Dance (Make Your Body Move)" C Sugar Hill #88 #18 #22 —
"Got To Give It Up" Sugar Hill — — — —
1982 "Ooh Baby" Sugar Hill — #55 — —
"Sing a Simple Song" Sugar Hill #89 #44 — —
1983 "Break Dance – Electric Boogie" Sugar Hill — #37 #52 #64
"Mosquito" Sugar Hill — — — —

References

  1. ^ "West Street Mob at Discogs". discogs. 1983. Retrieved 2011-08-28.
  2. ^ "Billboard (r) Soul LPs (tm)". Billboard/Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 93: 67. Dec 26, 1981. ISSN 0006-2510.
  3. ^ a b "West Street Mob- Singles (discography)". Allmusic, Billboard. Retrieved 2011-08-28.
  4. ^ a b Colin Larkin, ed. (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 365. ISBN 0-7535-0252-6.
  5. ^ Linda Moss (July 12, 2015). "Keeper of the Sugar Hill Records flame dies at 53". NorthJersey.com. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
  6. ^ "West Street Mob - Albums (discography)". Allmusic, Billboard. Retrieved 2011-08-28.
  7. ^ "West Street Mob (on The Official Charts Company)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2011-08-28.
  8. ^ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles". Cashbox. Retrieved 2011-08-28.
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