LEN

The alternative group Len was formed in Toronto in 1991 by Marc "The Burger Pimp" Costanzo and his sister Sharon, initially growing out of Marc's basement demos and Sharon's singing. However, an outside interest in hip-hop gradually crept into the group's style over the course of an EP and two full-length independent albums they issued from 1992 to 1996 (including 1996's Get Your Legs Broke). As time passed, Len picked up new members, including D Rock, DJ Moves, and Planet Pea. National exposure of the bright, laid-back pop single "Steal My Sunshine" on the soundtrack of the 1999 film Go set the stage for Len's debut album, You Can't Stop the Bum Rush, later that year. "Steal My Sunshine" became a Top Ten hit, but it was a difficult hit to follow up, despite the release of singles "Feelin' Alright" and "Kids in America" during 1999 and 2000. Len signed to Dreamworks and recorded a follow-up, but the label soon folded; most of the album was eventually released in 2005 as The Diary of the Madmen. Len disbanded soon after, although Marc and Sharon came together for another Len album, 2012's It's Easy If You Try. ~ Steve Huey, Rovi