Naughty by Nature

Band

Photo: christopherharte · CC BY 2.0
Active 1986-2002; 2006-present
Origin East Orange, New Jersey
Albums 7
Tracks 106
Most frequent collaborator Terence Abney · 18 tracks
Genres East Coast Hip HopHip Hop
Artist
92%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 97 of 106 tracks

Did Naughty by Nature write their own songs?

Yes, at a rate few of their peers matched. Members are credited on 95 of the group's 106 studio tracks, and 46 of those have no writer outside Treach, Vin Rock and Kay Gee. The eleven with nothing are mostly interludes and skits.

By the Numbers

7
Studio Albums
106
Tracks Credited
92%
Self-Written
40
Years Active
178
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 97 / 106 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 106 tracks: how many Naughty by Nature wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Naughty by Nature has a writing credit92%
45%
46%
8%
Sole author48tracks45%
Co-written49tracks46%
Outside writers9tracks8%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Naughty by Nature's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 106 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)92%
Composer (music)90%
Producer85%
Performer100%

Member Credit Breakdown share of tracks each member is credited on

Percentage of all 106 tracks, across every album, where each member holds a credit - split by role.

MemberPeriodLyricsMusicProductionPerformance
Treach 1986-present
92%
90%
73%
100%
Vin Rock 1986-present
75%
74%
73%
100%
Kay Gee 1986-present
88%
86%
85%
100%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Naughty by Nature's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 92%
100%
100%
71%
94%
100%
100%
100%
1989Independent Leaders
1991Naughty by Nature
199319 Naughty III
1995Poverty's Paradise
1999Nineteen Naughty Nine: Nature's Fury
2002IIcons
2011Anthem Inc.
Early · 89% written
Mid · 98% written
Late · 100% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

100%
1980s
Independent Leaders
92%
1990s
Naughty by Nature, 19 Naughty III +2 more
100%
2000s
IIcons
100%
2010s
Anthem Inc.

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Naughty by Nature sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Naughty by Nature
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

EXO8%
Xscape17%
Salt-N-Pepa35%
TLC59%
Destiny's Child69%
11279%
MC Hammer87%
92%Naughty by Nature
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

O.P.P.
Naughty by Nature
Written by Treach, Berry Gordy, Kay Gee, Vin Rock, Anthony Shawn Criss, Keir Gist, Vincent Brown
Co-wrote
Everything's Gonna Be Alright
Naughty by Nature
Written by Treach, Bob Marley, Kay Gee, Vin Rock, Anthony Shawn Criss, Keir Gist, Vincent Brown
Co-wrote
Hip Hop Hooray
19 Naughty III
Written by Treach, Kay Gee, Vin Rock, Anthony Shawn Criss, Keir Gist, Vincent Brown
Wrote it
It's On
19 Naughty III
Written by Treach, Kay Gee, Vin Rock, Anthony Shawn Criss, Keir Gist, Vincent Brown
Wrote it
Written on Ya Kitten
19 Naughty III
Written by Galt MacDermot
Outside writers
Feel Me Flow
Poverty's Paradise
Written by Kay Gee, Treach, Vin Rock, Art Neville, Ziggy Modeliste, Leo Nocentelli, George Porter Jr., Keir Gist, Anthony Shawn Criss, Vincent Brown, Arthur Neville, Joseph Modeliste
Co-wrote
Craziest
Poverty's Paradise
Written by Kay Gee, Treach, Vin Rock, Keir Gist, Anthony Shawn Criss, Vincent Brown
Wrote it
Jamboree
Nineteen Naughty Nine: Nature's Fury
Written by Kay Gee, Treach, Vin Rock, Benny Golson, Keir Gist, Anthony Shawn Criss, Vincent Brown
Co-wrote
Feels Good (Don't Worry Bout a Thing)
IIcons
Written by Treach, Vin Rock, Kay Gee, Allen Gordon Jr., Teron Beal, Nastacia C. Kendall, D'Wayne Wiggins, Raphael Saadiq, Timothy Christian Riley, Maze, Anthony Shawn Criss, Vincent Brown, Keir Gist, Dwayne Wiggins, Timothy Riley Clemon Jr., Carl Wheeler
Co-wrote

Discography 7 albums

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Photo of Naughty by NatureNaughty by Nature106 tracks
TA18Terence Abney, 18 tracks SR14S.I.D. Reynolds, 14 tracks LV13Luis Vega, 13 tracks M7Minnesota, 7 tracks MB7Marcella Brailsford, 7 tracks B6Brice, 6 tracks KN6Kid Nyce, 6 tracks RR4Rottin Razkals, 4 tracks RD4Road Dawgs, 4 tracks TB4Tramp Baby, 4 tracks B"4Brian "BK" Coleman, 4 tracks QL3Queen Latifah, 3 tracks P3Phiness, 3 tracks AG3Allen Gordon Jr., 3 tracks A3Allstar, 3 tracks AB3Abdullah Barr, 3 tracks RL3Rob Lewis, 3 tracks DO2Dana Owens, 2 tracks BG2Berry Gordy, 2 tracks JS2John Smith, 2 tracks FF2Freddie Foxxx, 2 tracks AN2Art Neville, 2 tracks LN2Leo Nocentelli, 2 tracks JM2Joseph Modeliste, 2 tracks DR2Donald Robinson, 2 tracks FM2Falonte Moore, 2 tracks M2Mag, 2 tracks BG2Bernard Griffin, 2 tracks G&2Griff & Wok, 2 tracks JC2Joel Campbell, 2 tracks JR2Jeffery Ray, 2 tracks DB2Da Beatminerz, 2 tracks C"2Christopher "Cannon" Mapp, 2 tracks EL2Eritza Laues, 2 tracks AW2Andrew Williams, 2 tracks DK2Dupré Kelly, 2 tracks EC2Esteban Crandle, 2 tracks MH2Malik Hall, 2 tracks YB2Young Boyz, 2 tracks S1Swing, 1 track U1Unique, 1 track BM1Bob Marley, 1 track LW1Lakim Welch, 1 track A1Apache, 1 track LS1Lakim Shabazz, 1 track A1Aphrodity, 1 track HD1Heavy D, 1 track YF1Yossi Fine, 1 track GM1Galt MacDermot, 1 track IF1I Face Finsta of Cruddy Click, 1 track AM1Al Mal, 1 track ZM1Ziggy Modeliste, 1 track GP1George Porter Jr., 1 track AN1Arthur Neville, 1 track DD1Doctor Dre, 1 track EL1Ed Lover, 1 track CW1Chris Webber, 1 track TW1Tony Williams, 1 track CC1Cruddy Click, 1 track GC1Gordon Chambers, 1 track L"1Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner, 1 track GW1Gregory Webster, 1 track AN1Andrew Noland, 1 track M"1Marshall "Rock" Jones, 1 track RM1Ralph Middlebrooks, 1 track MP1Marvin Pierce, 1 track NN1Norman Napier, 1 track MJ1Marshall Jones, 1 track KK1Kandi Kain, 1 track NJ1New Jersey Drive, 1 track V21Vol. 2, 1 track LM1Les McCann, 1 track C1Change, 1 track TW1Tanyayette Willoughby, 1 track DR1Davide Romani, 1 track ST1Silkk the Shocker, 1 track M1Mystikal, 1 track WB1Walter Becker, 1 track DF1Donald Fagen, 1 track M1Mufi, 1 track MP1Master P, 1 track TB1The Bomb Squad, 1 track CD1Chuck D, 1 track on Public Enemy's page HS1Hank Shocklee, 1 track RO1Rustic Overtones, 1 track BG1Benny Golson, 1 track Z1Zhané, 1 track RD1Randy DeBarge, 1 track ED1El DeBarge, 1 track BD1Bunny DeBarge, 1 track EJ1Etterlene Jordan, 1 track KB1Koffee Brown, 1 track KB1Krayzie Bone, 1 track on Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's page KS1Kyron Sumpter, 1 track NW1Norman Whitfield, 1 track C1Castro, 1 track BP1Big Pun, 1 track J"1Johnny "Guitar" Watson, 1 track JW1John Watson, 1 track R1RL, 1 track RL1Robert Lavelle Huggar, 1 track N1Next, 1 track LW1Lorraine Whittlesey, 1 track TB1The Brothers Johnson, 1 track LJ1Louis Johnson, 1 track GJ1George Johnson, 1 track PS1Platune Sounds, 1 track CG1Chain Gang Platune, 1 track RB1Reginald Brown, 1 track G1Genna, 1 track KW1Keith Watts, 1 track R1Redman, 1 track MM1Method Man, 1 track on Wu-Tang Clan's page CS1Clifford Smith, 1 track on Wu-Tang Clan's page MM1Method Man & Redman, 1 track JE1Junod Ettienne, 1 track P1Pink, 1 track K"1Keith "Wok" Watts, 1 track TB1Teron Beal, 1 track NC1Nastacia C. Kendall, 1 track DW1D'Wayne Wiggins, 1 track RS1Raphael Saadiq, 1 track TC1Timothy Christian Riley, 1 track M1Maze, 1 track DW1Dwayne Wiggins, 1 track TR1Timothy Riley Clemon Jr., 1 track CW1Carl Wheeler, 1 track 313LW, 1 track RG1Raheem Gibson, 1 track BS1Barry Smith, 1 track R&1Rah-Nyse & Storm, 1 track CT1Carl Thomas, 1 track KG1Klaus Günter Neumann, 1 track WS1Willi Stanke, 1 track JM1Jose Matos, 1 track OW1Omar Williams, 1 track JR1Jonte Ray, 1 track MM1Marcus Moore, 1 track KS1King Shameek, 1 track RG1Richard Grant, 1 track RG1Raymond Grant, 1 track NP1Neil Phillips, 1 track BK1Bumpy Knuckles, 1 track DT1DJ Twinz, 1 track MC1Marc Curry, 1 track DW1Donald Woolfolk, 1 track DT1Dream Team, 1 track LJ1Lil Jon, 1 track CW1Chyna Whyte, 1 track SM1Stephanie Martin, 1 track

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. Showing the 150 most frequent of 172. TA Terence Abney · SR S.I.D. Reynolds · LV Luis Vega · M Minnesota · MB Marcella Brailsford · B Brice

Photo credits

Portraits in the web and the rail come from Wikimedia Commons. The artist's own photo carries its credit under the picture.

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Members are credited on 95 of the group's 106 studio tracks, and 46 of those carry nobody but the three of them. That is one of the highest self-authorship rates of any 1990s rap group in the catalogue, and it holds from the 1989 debut through to 2011. The catch is how the credits are written: several albums name the group as a whole rather than a person, so "all three" is often the best reading available rather than a precise one.

Quick Facts

  • Self-writtenMembers are credited on 95 of the group's 106 tracks
  • Nobody else46 tracks carry no writer outside the three of them
  • Biggest song"O.P.P." reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100
  • GrammyPoverty's Paradise won Best Rap Album in 1995
  • CertificationsNaughty by Nature and 19 Naughty III are certified platinum by the RIAA
  • Earlier nameThey released their 1989 debut as The New Style

Creative Fingerprint

Three names on nearly everything, and on almost half of it nobody else at all.

The Story

Treach, Vin Rock and DJ Kay Gee started out in East Orange, New Jersey in 1986 as The New Style. Queen Latifah picked them up after their first album went nowhere, renamed them Naughty by Nature and "O.P.P." made them a household name in 1991. Seven studio albums have followed.

Awards & Recognition

Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, Poverty's Paradise (1995)
American Music Award for Favorite New Artist, Rap/Hip-Hop (1992)

Frequently Asked Questions Naughty by Nature

Did Naughty by Nature write their own songs?
Yes, at a rate few of their peers matched. Members are credited on 95 of the group's 106 studio tracks, and 46 of those have no writer outside Treach, Vin Rock and Kay Gee. The eleven with nothing are mostly interludes and skits.
Who wrote "O.P.P."?
Anthony Shawn Criss, Vinnie Brown and Kier Gist, with Berry Gordy credited because the track samples the Jackson 5's "ABC". It reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100.
Who wrote "Hip Hop Hooray"?
The group. The Discogs release for 19 Naughty III credits the writing to Anthony Shawn Criss, Kier Gist and Vinnie Brown as a unit rather than track by track. It reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100.
How many albums have they released?
Seven studio albums: Independent Leaders (1989, as The New Style), Naughty by Nature (1991), 19 Naughty III (1993), Poverty's Paradise (1995), Nineteen Naughty Nine: Nature's Fury (1999), IIcons (2002) and Anthem Inc. (2011).
Who is in the group?
Treach, born Anthony Shawn Criss; Vin Rock, born Vincent Brown; and DJ Kay Gee, born Keir Gist. Kay Gee produces as well as writes.
Did they win a Grammy?
Yes, for Best Rap Album for Poverty's Paradise in 1995. They were nominated three other times for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.
What was The New Style?
The name they released their 1989 debut Independent Leaders under, before Queen Latifah took them on and the group was renamed.
Which album sold the most?
Naughty by Nature and 19 Naughty III are both certified platinum by the RIAA. No sales figure for any album is published on the cited pages.
Why do several albums credit the group rather than a member?
Independent Leaders and 19 Naughty III have no per-track writer list anywhere. Their Discogs releases name the writers of the record as a whole, which is recorded here as all three members on every track.
Are they still going?
The group split in 2002 and reformed in 2006. Anthem Inc. in 2011 is the most recent studio album in this catalogue.

Sources

Wikipedia: Naughty by Nature Wikipedia: Naughty by Nature discography