“Music is the message” has always been the mantra for Kool & the Gang, who remain one of the most influential groups in music history, thanks to their groovy mix of R&B, soul, funk, and jazz.
The music has always flowed from Ronald “Khalis” Bell, his brother Robert “Kool” Bell, Robert “Spike” Mickens, Dennis “Dee Tee” Thomas, Ricky Westfield, George Brown, and Charles Smith, who began making music together in 1964 and debuted as Kool & the Gang five years later. Since then, they’ve earned two Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, numerous top hit placements, 31 gold and platinum albums, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
With timeless songs like “Celebration,” “Ladies’ Night,” “Get Down On It,” “Jungle Boogie,” and “Hollywood Swinging,” Kool & the Gang have filled dance floors around the world. Their music has also featured on iconic movie soundtracks such as Rocky, Saturday Night Fever, and Pulp Fiction.
Today, Kool & the Gang remain one of the most sampled bands globally, especially in pop and hip-hop, with artists like Jay-Z, Madonna, Cypress Hill, Janet Jackson, and Beastie Boys borrowing from their groovy beats, smooth basslines, and iconic horn sequences.
Half a century after their career began, Kool & the Gang’s songs are still etched in our musical consciousness, and that will be celebrated when they visit the first edition of FOREVER, led by original member Robert “Kool” Bell alongside a stellar live band.