Kool & the Gang songs were more than just hits. The jazz-influenced funk outfit run by brothers Ronald and Robert Bell wanted audiences to “Jungle Boogie” and “Get Down On It.” They captured scenes in upbeat dance songs in the groove of “Ladies Night,” encapsulated exuberance in “Celebration” and influenced listeners to “Cherish” the lives they lived.
Kool & the Gang’s Las Vegas residency helps keep their legacy alive, with Robert “Kool” Bell leading the band through the aforementioned hits plus chart classics like “Joanna” and “Too Hot.” While music director Ronald passed in 2020 and drummer George Brown died last September, their energy can still be felt.
Brown produced the last Kool & the Gang album, People Just Want to Have Fun, before he retired in August 2023. He would not live to attend Kool & the Gang’s induction ceremony into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this October, but he was well aware of his role in the band becoming the most sampled in hip-hop history. Public Enemy, Ice Cube, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince are just a few of the countless acts that borrowed Brown’s beats. Kool & the Gang became pre-eminent architects of ’70s funk while laying the foundation for all beat-driven culture to subsequently build on, and the beats go on.
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