Audio Two

Audio Two were the Brooklyn, New York hip hop duo of emcee Kirk "Milk Dee" Robinson and DJ Nat "Gizmo" Robinson, most famous for its first hit "Top Billin'".[1]

Audio Two
OriginBrooklyn, New York, United States
GenresHip hop
Years active1985–1992
LabelsFirst Priority Music/Atlantic Records
Associated actsMC Lyte
MembersKirk "Milk Dee" Robinson
Nat "Gizmo" Robinson

History
Audio Two's trademark song "Top Billin'" launched the duo to popularity.

The duo's debut single, "Make it Funky", was released in 1987, but it was the b-side, "Top Billin'", that became the chart hit. The beat — made by Milk Dee and produced by Daddy-O of Stetsasonic[2] — and Milk Dee's lyrics would be sampled and referenced time and time again, even by the group itself: both the group's full-length debut, 1988's What More Can I Say? and its 1990 follow-up, I Don't Care: The Album, were titled after lines from the song.[1] However, the duo would never recapture its initial success. The singles of its second album, "I Get the Papers" and "On the Road Again," were only moderate hits. It was a time of rapid change in the hip hop market; gangsta rap was rising in popularity, and Audio Two found itself unsuccessfully struggling to maintain recording contracts and a fanbase.

Audio Two did, however, pave the way for the duo's labelmate MC Lyte, who launched her career with the hit single I Cram to Understand U (Sam). Lyte's 1998 album Seven & Seven featured a remake of "Top Billin'" — with the original instrumental — this time a duet between her and Milk. It has been a widely circulated rumor that both members of Audio Two were brothers of MC Lyte, however this is untrue.[3] In 1994, Milk released a solo EP titled Never Dated on Rick Rubin's American Recordings. While the EP was notable for its single "Spam," a duet with the Beastie Boys' Adrock with drum programming by Mike D, aside from the devoted Beastie Boys fanbase the album generated little interest. Milk eventually rediscovered success by producing the singer Eamon, who recorded the 2004 hit "Fuck It (I Don't Want You Back)."

In 2007, Milk Dee recorded a verse for a remix of "I Get Money" by 50 Cent, thanking all the music artists that sampled "Top Billin'," which earned him royalties.

In recent years, Audio Two member Gizmo became a recording engineer under the name "You Can Ask" Giz. His audio work has appeared on albums by Donell Jones, Calvin Richardson, Jaheim and Tyrese, among others.[4]

Discography

Albums

Singles
  • 1986: "A Christmas Rhyme / Audio Two's Jam"
  • 1987: "Make it Funky/Top Billin'"
  • 1987: "Hickeys Around My Neck"
  • 1988: "I Don't Care"
  • 1988: "Many Styles" / "The Questions"
  • 1989: "I Get the Papers"
  • 1990: "On The Road Again" / "Interlude One"

References
  1. Colin Larkin, ed. (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 20. ISBN 0-7535-0252-6.
  2. Interview with Milk Dee at AllHipHop.com
  3. "MC Lyte". Halftimeonline.net. January 14, 2013. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
  4. ""You Can Ask" Giz". Credits. allmusic.com. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
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