What Happened To Kool & The Gang?

Throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s, everyone followed the instructions laid out by this band to Jungle Boogie, Get Down on It and have a Celebration! When the members of R&B/Soul/Funk band Kool & the Gang formed in 1964, they never imagined what success awaited them in the next 2 decades. The ensemble, formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, originally consisted of seven school friends who decided to perform together as an instrumental jazz and soul group under the name The Jazz Birds who would later become the Jazziacs. Among them were Robert "Kool" Bell on bass guitar, his brother Ronald Bell on saxophone, Dennis "D.T." Thomas on alto saxophone, Robert "Spike" Mickens on trumpet, Ricky West on keyboards, George Brown on drums, and Charles Smith on guitar.
SOURCES:
www.koolandthe...
www.whosampled...
www.thesoulsur...
funknstuff.net...
atlanticcitywe...
www.songwriter...
www.rnbjunkieof...
www.grammy.com...
www.billboard....
www.rollingsto...
en.wikipedia.o...
C O N N E C T W I T H M E!
I N S T A G R A M || / genuinelygenevieve
T W I T T E R || / genuinelygenn
T I K T O K || / genuinelygenevieve
Business Inquiries/PR: [e-mail]
INTRO & OUTRO:
Music by Ryan Little - Think About You - thmatc.co/?l=3...
VIDEO:
Music by Chinsaku - Voyage - thmatc.co/?l=8...
Music by Helkimer - Moments [Thematic Exclusive] - thmatc.co/?l=2...
ABOUT LET'S GET TO THE ROOT
Hi! I'm Genevieve and this is my second channel. I'm a lifestyle blogger who's obsessed with skincare, self love, 90's r&b music and anything chocolate! Don't forget to check out my main channel, Genuinely Genevieve!
Let's Get To The Root lives up to its name by going beyond just the surface. This channel takes a deep dive into all the interesting and shocking information about all your favourite Hollywood celebrities, entertainers, social media personalities, public figures, movies, television shows and more from back in the day to the present. You'll get all the nostalgic feels and find out what your favs have currently been up to. The answers to all your burning questions and extra juicy details you never knew before are all right here!

[@deewoo2776]

James J.T. Taylor's voice was so charismatic and pleasing to the ear. I love Kool & The Gang overall. 70s and 80s. Legends

[@LotusLady]

It's nice to finally hear a positive story about one of the greats that didn't involve a lot of drama, fighting with each other, financial struggles, and mismanagement. They are true legends! Thank you for your sharing!

[@NycBeauty]

Also, no public drug use …

[@rochstan123]

One of my favourite bands ever. They were grounded and that reflected in their music and success. Impressive how they didn't allow any thieving managers to take control, which is where most groups and artists fail. They deserved all their success.

[@nicolesherman8974]

Summer Madness and Get Down on It are such classics. Heavy on Summer Madness since it has been sampled throughout the years!

[@ytallowskids2seedepravityb219]

Yes! Summer madness is a Classic and heavily sampled from Fresh Prince to Jhene Aiko. September Love is my ALL TIME favorite and so underrated.

[@arnoldm.3639]

I Love Khalis's (Ronald's) Synthesizer Solo On Summer Madness, Especially The Live Version.

[@isaiahwinbrone]

We don't have bands like this today

[@ytallowskids2seedepravityb219]

So true. Talent was so abundant back then. What happened?

[@meeshafletcher]

Not at all, not Mainstream

[@Ramy-ql3tr]

True. Instead we're drowned by rappers who can't sing.

[@christ2994]

@@meeshafletcher l love you meesha

[@amandadunn7678]

We don't have bands period anymore. I'm tired of that!

[@jrors93]

Their music has stood the Test of Time. And they really need to be honored, awarded and placed in, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

[@gregoryingram7561]

So true!! And what's sad about that is now almost all the original members are dead, they should have been in the Rock and roll Hall of Fame many, many years ago!!

[@darhyllacylacy]

Absolutely!

[@playground2583]

ineed

[@drumsNstuff79]

They are being inducted this year! Better late than never. The R&RHOF has such a massive backlog of deserving bands that may or may not ever get in, too many to count. Each year they induct a bigger and bigger class. It's nuts. But with fan voting introduced years ago many bands and artist are now getting their well deserved due. I do wish they ahd done it while more of the guys were still with us, but so be it. They have been honored so much by so many already though. They have had a wonderful career and are still kickin' it night after night!

[@jrors93]

@@drumsNstuff79 The Class of 2024. Yes indeed. Thanks for update!

[@beaniegee5129]

Kool and the Gang definitely deserves their flowers while they're still here

[@markphilpot8734]

You got that right!

[@ezedikeohamadike9003]

Deodato ruined the band. I like the first four records. Light of worlds was brilliant.

[@gregoryingram7561]

It's a complete tragedy that they haven't been inducted into the Rock and roll Hall of Fame!!! What I remember is in the early eighties Kool and the gang would go back and forth with Hall and Oates scoring hit after hit! Hall and Oates are in the hall of Fame, Kool and the gang still waits.

[@christophermitchum6829]

End of story...Kool ran Hollywood swingin'

[@christophermitchum6829]

P.S.. Celebrate...ladies night...ran my band's lineup. Still Kool...💪😝😎

[@riverburrwouos9307]

I love the song "Cherish" I just love it, every time I hear the song, it warms my heart..🥰🥰🥰

[@robertpaciullo1540]

James taylor made this group the legendary band they became with his great voice and dancing. JT was a brilliant addition to the group in 1979

[@aaronj.brooks1977]

R. I. P. to some of the band members that we lost throughout the years 🙏🏾 Kool and The Gang should be rock ‘n roll hall of fame this band had decades of hit music 🎶.

[@terry21651]

They were inducted into THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME this year 2024. Congrats to them.....well deserved

[@olderface9939]

@@terry21651 YESSSIRRRR THE FAM IS HYPEDDD

[@lifesaver72]

I love me some Kool & The Gang. Their music is timeless. 🥰

[@Koolazzmike]

Can someone induct these legends into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame? Way overdue!

[@drumsNstuff79]

This year was the year!! They will be inducted in the class of 2024. What an honor!

[@kevinpayton2664]

A legendary band to say the least. Kool and the Gang dominated the 1970's and 1980's. My favorite songs by them are Summer Madness, Too Hot, Celebration, Cherish, Jungle Boogie, Get Down On It, You Can Have It, and Ladies Night.

[@rochstan123]

Loved all of these songs, but Jones vs Jones is right up there.

[@mysteria5705]

I'll also give "Let's Go Dancing" a nod.

[@kimberlyjackson7266]

I still play summer madness ❤

[@jasonallen3678]

@Kimberly Jackson I don't think any person who know good music, nomatter their color or creed could ever not love and enjoy Summer Madness..

[@kimberlyjackson7266]

@@jasonallen3678 agree

[@keithbenson2627]

I can’t believe no one mentioned “Dee Tee” Thomas’ daughter Michelle Thomas who was a Star in her own right ! She appeared on the Cosby Show as Theo’s girlfriend then she became a regular on Family Matters as Myra Monkhouse as Steve Urkles girlfriend ! She died at such a young age .She was absolutely gorgeous and when she walked into a room you couldn’t take your eyes off of her ! God bless you Michelle Thomas

[@musicmanson]

I actually didn’t know that. RIP Michelle Thomas

[@doreensika837]

Omg I love me some kool and the gang, I’m 27 but my father use to play them so I grew up loving them. They make timeless music, they are legends. Thanks for doing this. ❤ My favs will always be cherish, celebration, get down on it, fresh and summer madness. ❤

[@doreensika837]

@@workedfortheciawhenisoldrock awww that’s sweet thanks

[@Nanbebe7]

My kids are your age and I took them to a KATG concert 3 years ago in GA they had a blast. They grew up on old school

[@toneyisaiah3556]

I have the 45 single Hollywood Swinging on Delite records,1974.

[@toneyisaiah3556]

I also have Jungle Boogie on a Seventies compilation CD.

[@doreensika837]

@@Nanbebe7 you did your job mama.

[@wlee6685]

This band pretty much owned the 80's and 90's with R&B and Pop music and yet there's not even a whisper about them being inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. If there were no pop bands in the hall I could understand but there are tons of pop and R&B artists in there so what gives??

[@Thespeedrap]

That's crazy there's nothing about them around mainstream surfaces but yet Jay-Z and Eminem got one WTH.

[@gregoryingram7561]

A freaking travesty!!! They should have been in the Hall of Fame year's ago! I will always love Elton John, who blasted the Rock and roll board members that decides who goes in, when the board kept overlooking Donna Summer the Queen of Disco! Elton called them out on it! Unfortunately when they finally choose her she died a year before her induction.

[@chriso8193]

Hey...Teena Marie has no Grammy, no star on Hollywood Blvd neither does Rick James....plus, for some stupid reason....Rick james only got a Grammy for his sample on U Cant Touch This. Both made way more money than Kool & The Gang. Fire & Desire never got a nomination.

[@williamsnyder7945]

RIP to the ones that past away. They really did make classic music. Dang they made a lot of albums. They deserve all of they praise.

[@eluv173]

The archetype of music! Rest in power to the ones we lost! Thank You Kool & The Gang for all the jams y’all gave us!!! ❤❤❤❤

[@justmarguax9207]

Wow!! This was really nice. I was a kid when these songs were popular on radio as well playing at the basement parties my parents used to do . Those were the good ol days!!

[@beaniegee5129]

Jungle Boogie, Get Down on it, Celebration, Joanna, Ladies Night, Fresh and Cherish are my favorite songs from Kool and the Gang

[@ytallowskids2seedepravityb219]

YEEESS Love ALL of them But add September Love. That's my favorite💖

[@samuelwashington3646]

These guys were pure jazz until James Taylor joined.That,s when they got into r&b.

[@danavixen6274]

Tonight, Fresh, Mislead and Open Sesame are some of my MANY FAVORITES from this BEYOND LEGENDARY band! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@shawnmotley1898]

Too Hot was also great.

[@danavixen6274]

@@shawnmotley1898 👍🏾

[@shawnmotley1898]

Those as well.

[@ramsesstafford4640]

I'm a huge fan of this band. Their Jazz roots is what helped them be such great musicians. I'm more of a fan of their earlier jazz funk stuff but I'm a fan of their more popular stuff that came out around the time I was born in the late 70s as well. They were able to reinvent themselves over and over in different decades something that black acts did a lot back in the day.

[@beaniegee5129]

Summer Madness was heard in movies such as Baby Boy and You Got Served

[@v.a.993]

Summer Madness and Ladies Night are STILL my favorite Kook & The Gang songs. So very different in terms of genres, yet so classic and iconic.

[@v.a.993]

Get Down on It is the ish too.

[@rettathomas837]

One of the few groups that stay grounded, love their music, glad to hear they’re still forming

[@AlanaGurl]

Great video. I teach seniors at a fitness center. And let me tell you, when Kool and the gang comes on, they always go crazy. Today we played “too hot” and they started dancing lol. This band is so talented.

[@rheeryder2524]

😭😭😭😂😂😂😭😭😭😭

[@jasonallen3678]

Summer Madness wasn't nothing but a masterpiece and my favorite Gang song along with Too Hot..

[@beaniegee5129]

Get Down on it was also heard in movies such as B.A.P.S. and This Christmas

[@siedahholmes5031]

Kool and the Gang is the soundtrack to black BBQs😊💛🌻

[@darrylcarter3691]

There was also ladies rap sample by Missy Elliot

[@Thespeedrap]

I love Summer Madness song.I hate that B.E.T never gave them a lifetime achievement award yet or Rock and roll hall of Fame which feels so wrong.

[@selenat264]

Another great video and band. You always do a really good job!

[@nagel1968]

Ladies night is still my favourite...I remember when Michael jackson was in the audience singing the hook note ...just brilliant..

[@lorethajohnson8140]

Thanks to my father for introducing me to this awesome band

[@laticialockleer4929]

I've always loved this amazing band!

[@errolthomas9426]

Caribbean Festival is one of the best hits from the 1975 album Spirit of Boogie

[@MsPhylie]

I hope once they license their story, they mention Dennis Thomas' daughter too Michelle Thomas aka Justine from the Cosby Show/Myra from Family Matters.

[@nataliemscrzysxycoolharris]

Nothing like a band. There are a lot that are my faves. Kool & The Gang is mos def a fave. Plenty of parties got started with them. Cookouts too. Now when the elders request their music and they wanna dance what does that tell you?

[@pauladeegan6926]

Thank You so much for all of your hard work to put videos like this together! 🌟. 💫. They had some great music man!

[@lala40121]

Summer Madness just puts me in a feel good mood like I'm watching the sun set on a hill in Cali lol that song is in a lane of its own! Get Down on it & Too Hot...forever classics!!

[@twistoffate4791]

Same. There's just nothing like it!

[@MrBlaq]

Summer Madness is my favorite song by Kool & the Gang

[@ItsJustTuesday]

Summer Madness is an always be a gem

[@Shayoyeye5223]

I grew up hearing their songs play, thanks to my late dad. Celebration, Cherish and Get down on it were my favourites. Classic! 🤩✨❤️

[@deamonghod]

Legendary! And another hot one.... Thank you for this also hopefully gives the new genartion great insights as to how to do it as a band. Love these! Keep em. Coming ❤️❤️❤️🔥👍🏾💪🏾

[@ytallowskids2seedepravityb219]

Yeess Love Kool & the Gang!!🙌🏾!!! Thank you for the video!💕September Love, Cherish, Too hot, Joanna, Ladies Night my faves💕 Can you do one on HeatWave?

[@AP-yb8ji]

Real music that will never die.

[@serterriamonet4580]

Much Respect to real talent ❤️

[@garysmith8073]

RONALD BELL WROTE CELEBRATE.

[@mfcmfc8483]

One of my favorite groups saw them live in concert. They were the best.

[@timothykangethe7700]

Iconic Discography from the legendary Kool and the Gang. Personal favourites 👉Take my Heart, When you say you love somebody you gatta let em know about it, Cherish, Hi da Hi/Ho.🥰🎇🎇🎇

[@martymart42]

Kool & the gang was the reason why I started liking music that in the day when I was 10 years old late 80s.

[@tahirhubbard7633]

Skip Martin of the Dazz Band was a back up or a replacement lead singer for Kool and The Gang

[@cle-chi]

Thank you!!!! I was looking for this comment. Skip can sing

[@roywilson9342]

Who a group that held the test of time in beats and love. This was so soulful glad I subscribed.

[@lelomiliken7598]

Rest in Power to the ones we lost. ✨✨. Still bumping their music 💥💥💥. Emergency!! E- mer- gen-cy!!! 🌋.

[@davidlynn3631]

The got too pop that's what happened

[@davewollenberg1518]

J.T. Taylor should've stayed with the group.

[@chriso8193]

Fixit: It's called "Celebration"....not "Let's Have A Celebration"

[@marksaguindel1903]

I asked that question when JT joined the group. I liked them before that transition. They were less crossover. (Can't stand Celebration)

[@MsgJazz99]

Great information telling their story, but their best LP and one of the best LPs of all time was not mentioned. Their LP Something Special was truly something special. It's the one with Take My Heart, Get Down On it, and Be My lady. Started listening to them in the 70's, saw them live in the 80's, and plan to go see them live in 2023. There are no black R & B groups any more, but R & B will live forever because of talented musicians like Kool and the Gang. RIP departed band members.

[@thankthelord4536]

Hollywood Swinging is my favorite. Loved these guys while they were more into funk music.

[@cleftheart1969]

I prefer their 70s sound than 80's IMO but wish them well

[@beaniegee5129]

Love these stories so much

[@thegoldenseatlife]

"Fresh" is STILL my JAM!!!!!

[@michaelburton1924]

Me too🕺🏽

[@greatnation4328]

Undoubtedly, cool and the gang left their footprints in the sands of time.

[@mfcmfc8483]

I heard somewhere that kool and the game is the most sample group and hip-hop ever

[@darrylcarter3691]

Do Earth wind and Fire

[@lamontsgymandcustomknives7385]

C and G one of the best R&B groups of the 80s #80smusic

[@rheeryder2524]

I wouldn't doubt they're STILL receiving Celebrate song royalties. I hear that song everywhere...in malls, every New Year's on TV, etc.

[@shaylah2725]

Get Down On It was my Auntie Anns favorite song 💚 RIP 🙏🏾

[@saj8]

Kool and the Gang made the right choice when they made JT the lead singer. If they didn't make that move, they would have never made it out of the 70s.

[@paulupton3841]

Thank you for this fitting tribute to one of the standout acts of the 70s and 80s (amongst such fierce competition from that golden era)❤️.

[@raybon7939]

I lived in the city next door union city.

[@derreckbrown3833]

Nothing can touch “Kool & the Gang Live at the Sex Machine” album. The musicianship, the dynamics…outstanding. Funky George on the drums…influenced an entire generation of drummers.

[@ForeverFit72]

Fresh and Tonight were my jams when I was a kid and I loved the music videos. I can still picture the Solid Gold dancers jamming to both songs in the weekly countdown. Love this Channel!!!!

[@GalaxyGyrl8888]

👍YES!! One of my favorite musical gangs!!! Shout out to Mr.KOOL BELL! He’s REALLY a Kool dude/very down to earth person!!!🥳😎🌞☺️✨🎵🎯💯👍

[@benardjacan7021]

What happened to JT? I feel you missed him out.

[@ddw349]

I always heard jealousy over JT

[@lynej2011]

I thought that she would touch on that because he loathes his former band mates. He will not talk about Kool n the Gang AT ALL. I’m disappointed that wasn’t covered. Didn’t Kool transition? So much left out.

[@myishahutchinson652]

I have been curious about what happened to this talented group. Could you please make a video about Donnie Simpson (formally from BET's Video Soul)? JT Taylor and Donnie Simpson always favored each other to me.

[@GalaxyGyrl8888]

👍THISSS!!!☺️🎯💯👍

[@jessejohnson3138]

My favorite band of all time

[@kayodephillips5435]

Love this band

[@rodneysmith3759]

Hollywood Swinging!!

[@siphomogale779]

One of the bands of all time

[@darrellsadler2848]

One of my all time favorite music bands!

[@jeancruise3313]

We don't have bands like this anymore I wish we did

[@jaynice6542]

Seriously they need their flowers

[@martinanane3446]

My favorite Kool and the gang hits are: Stepping Out and Straight Ahead. Kool and the Gang was really popular in Anglophone West Africa, particularly, Ghana. They actually visited Ghana and performed a live show in 1988/89 thereabout.

[@toneyisaiah3556]

The group had been together for a long time since the 1960s.

[@saj8]

Funky Stuff was inspired by Manu DiBango's Soul Makkosa.

[@kevinlawrence8580]

They should be in the Rock in Roll Hall of Fame

[@darrylmilling2747]

They will be this year

[@TakeScareMedia]

I discovered them in the 80s when I found their cassette Tape EMERGENCY during recess at my elementary school and played that tape out!! Good times!!

[@bernie2231]

Oh yes! Back in the day when pop music was played with real musical instruments, not computer programs. It was so much better then.

[@asarkodee]

Amazing story of some seriously talented people. Great video as always😊

[@stevelawrence5268]

One of the most difficult metaphysical human emotional traits to appreciate within ones character , and this band did all this and much more the music spices and the lyrics and voices a perfectly marinate blend Its undeniable you're either KooL or you're Not

[@mdot100]

The most sampled R&B group of all time??!?! Ever heard of Parliament/Funkadelic?? EVERY hip hop and r&b artist has sampled them WAY more than Kool & The Gang! C'mon now....Don't forget Zapp/Roger either.....more than these guys and "I Got 5 on It" was a Club Nouveau sample, not Kool!

[@keithwitcher5130]

What happened to Kool And The Gang is they got old. James Taylor should've stayed with Kool And The Gang. Kool And The Gang need to stop doing concerts. Robert Kool Bell is same age as my father which is 73 years old. I like Ladies Night, Something Special, Emergency albums. RIP Ronald Bell. RIP Charles Smith. RIP Dennis Thomas. I like James Taylor, Robert Kool Bell.

[@krga94c]

You failed to mention their album "Something Special" which produced 2 big hits, "Take My Heart" and the bigger "Get Down On it".

[@missshannon9790]

Hey! They ripped off Teena Marie????? The name of HER debut album was Wild and Peaceful. The one without her picture cauz back then the industry didn't know how Black folks would take to a white girl singing soul music.

[@bluegreenwoodtiger]

Bruno Mars is what happened to Kool & the Gang! The Karaoke singer stole their act!

[@chichijima4257]

One of my favor in the Clubs. Thank everyone of them to bring us the best…I still have Cassette players, Long Records and CD. Wish I had a Time Machine to bring them back…

[@KARIM_HAMZA]

*One of if not the greatest band of all time.* *Unfortunately ever since lead singer James 'JT' Taylor left the band, no one could sing as good as him.*

[@robertshapiro-xu9di]

I remember when they played jazz. Kool Jazz is a fabulous album

[@scoot1105]

It's a damn shame this band isn't in the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame!!!

[@sxybbwms]

Kool looks like donnie Simpson to m