Naughty By Nature News

(12/14/01, 7 a.m. ET) -- Hip-hop group Naughty By Nature recently returned to the U.S. after completing a tour of Nigeria, passing through such cities as Ibadon and Lagos on December 6 and 7, and playing Benin on December 5. More than 150,000 fans attended the show at Benin's Ogbe Stadium.

During the group's two-hour sets, they performed staple songs including "O.P.P.," "Hip-Hop Hooray," and "Ghetto Bastard," as well as material from the new album, iicons, which is scheduled to be released in Spring 2002.

"Hip-hop is flourishing in Africa," said group member Treach. "Whenever we perform, we invite local acts onto the stage to represent hip-hop for their hometown. In Nigeria, it is so apparent from their verses and rhyme style that U.S. hip-hop has a strong influence on young people throughout Africa. Sometimes when we gave them the mic, they didn't want to give it back."

Added the group's Vinnie, "We wanted to be the first group to lay the path for hip-hop through the motherland. Nigeria and South Africa are just the beginning. Next year, we hope to visit Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Senegal, just travel all across the motherland and give the continent back some of what is has given to us."

During their travels, the group also visited the U.S. Consulate, and made a surprise visit to the 45 U.S. Marines stationed at the Marine Security Attachment in Lagos.

In related news, Treach has landed a co-starring role on new HBO series Baseball Wives. The show is scheduled to debut in the spring, telling the story of the wives of a professional baseball team.

-- Billy Johnson Jr., Los Angeles

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