Brooklyn's Stetsasonic, formed in 1981, was one of the pioneering rap groups to incorporate a live band and advocate for positive Black consciousness, influencing the "Daisy Age" sound of De La Soul and the Jungle Brothers. The group, consisting of DJs "Prince Paul" Huston and Leonard "Wise" Roman, keyboardist/drummer/DJ Marvin "DBC" Nemley, and rappers Glenn "Daddy O" Bolton, Martin "Delite" Wright, and Bobby "Frukwan" Simmons, gained critical acclaim with their second album, In Full Gear, featuring the R&B hit "Sally." Following the release of their diverse album Blood, Sweat & No Tears in 1991, Daddy O disbanded Stetsasonic, later pursuing a successful career as a producer with artists such as Mary J. Blige and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, while Prince Paul continued his production work with De La Soul and the Gravediggaz, among others.

After establishing himself as a producer through his work with De La Soul and Fine Young Cannibals, Prince Paul furthered his career by collaborating with Frukwan in the Gravediggaz, co-founding the Handsome Boy Modeling School, and releasing several solo albums. Daddy O, on the other hand, ventured into a solo career with the release of his album You Can Be a Daddy, But Never Daddy-O in 1993, after disbanding Stetsasonic due to creative differences. Their influence on the hip-hop scene extended beyond their music, with members of Stetsasonic going on to work with acclaimed artists across various genres and projects.