Organized Noize

During the mid- to late '90s, Organized Noize was the pre-eminent production crew for Atlanta-area contemporary R&B and rap, crafting chart-topping hits like <a href="spotify:artist:0TImkz4nPqjegtVSMZnMRq">TLC</a>'s "Waterfalls" and <a href="spotify:artist:5fikk4h5qbEebqK2Fc6e48">En Vogue</a>'s "Can't Let Go (Love)" as well as critically acclaimed albums for <a href="spotify:artist:1G9G7WwrXka3Z1r7aIDjI7">OutKast</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2ht3wxeT69CzyKFChNnNAB">Big Boi</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:3F2Y683ovlWT53WKCeq0oj">Goodie Mob</a>. Though the trio, comprising Rico Wade, Ray Murray, and <a href="spotify:artist:7Dnu2NmddNymEI2LMZVH5v">Sleepy Brown</a>, made a few attempts to strike out on their own in the mid-'90s as <a href="spotify:artist:4rFhAWl7KrMNII4rZYVbK5">Society of Soul</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3ZpPpNkWa5UWftZVjXw7jl">Sleepy's Theme</a>, they primarily worked behind the scenes, elevating other artists to success with impressive frequency, especially those in their <a href="spotify:artist:1ElKnrmCBRnIjTrrzkAL42">Dungeon Family</a> collective, which included <a href="spotify:artist:1G9G7WwrXka3Z1r7aIDjI7">OutKast</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3F2Y683ovlWT53WKCeq0oj">Goodie Mob</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0ulZIID59tvIwcfTkiYLy5">Joi</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2N4EYkIlG1kv25g6Wv8LGI">Killer Mike</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1RyvyyTE3xzB2ZywiAwp0i">Future</a>, and many others.

At the turn of the millennium, their mainstream output slowed somewhat. However, in addition to continued involvement with active <a href="spotify:artist:1ElKnrmCBRnIjTrrzkAL42">Dungeon Family</a> artists, the trio was involved with a number of notable albums by acts like <a href="spotify:artist:5SbkVQYYzlw1kte75QIabH">Gnarls Barkley</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6ueGR6SWhUJfvEhqkvMsVs">Janelle Monáe</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:4RnBFZRiMLRyZy0AzzTg2C">Run the Jewels</a>. A 2016 documentary, The Art of Organized Noize, returned the team to the spotlight, and the response to the film prompted a resurgence in their creative output. The Organized Noize EP arrived in 2017 and featured familiar faces like <a href="spotify:artist:0ulZIID59tvIwcfTkiYLy5">Joi</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2ht3wxeT69CzyKFChNnNAB">Big Boi</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5nLYd9ST4Cnwy6NHaCxbj8">Cee Lo</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:17lzZA2AlOHwCwFALHttmp">2 Chainz</a>. Wade died of heart failure on April 12, 2024 at the age of 52. ~ Jason Birchmeier & Neil Z. Yeung, Rovi