Abena Agyapong
“Truth and Knowledge”
“Stop the Violence! Stop the Violence!” blared through every radio station bringing the D.C. group the Real Mob to national spotlight. The group members, Don Juan the Truth and Wiz Kid Knowledge had been struggling for about seven years to get their message across through music in a way that would not be too serious or too boring and a plain out hit. Overnight the duo saw big success, touring big cities like New York City, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Atlanta, just to name a few. As their album “Truth and Knowledge is the Key” hit store shelves, many purchased it in record numbers, causing major pressure on them for their next album. Many couldn’t get enough of the album or the duo themselves. They shocked the nation with hits like “Stand Up for Your Self,” “Degree and the Power,” “The Real Message,” “I Need School,” and not to mention their debut hit, “Stop the Violence.”
Soon the success became short lived as the duo became two solo artists as their shocking break up hit the media and tabloids over night. Don Juan the Truth and Wiz Kid Knowledge couldn’t stand each other because of difference in the group’s future, each wanted to be their own star representing a different style. Truth wanted to follow the current change in music, no message, heavy base and ridiculous mindless dance movements while Knowledge wanted to follow their old original type of style, message music, filled with substance rap and a serious beat. Truth released “Crank that Butterfly” an instant hit while Knowledge released, “Be Real, Be True to Yourself” which got mixed reviews because the change in the game.
A decade later Whiz Kid Knowledge’s solo album “Realness” with the debut single, “Be Real, Be True to Yourself” was regarded as one of the best rap albums of all time representing substance music while Don Juan the Truth became forgotten about and failed to create another hit after “Pop that Butterfly” lost its...