The Gap Band rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s. The band adopted a formula of quiet-storm ballads (such as the #5 R&B song “Yearning for Your Love” and “Are You Living”) supported by funk songs (such as the R&B chart-topper “Burn Rubber on Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me”) and “Humpin'”). They repeated this formula on the #1 R&B album “Gap Band IV” in 1982, which resulted in three hit singles: “Early in the Morning” (#1 R&B, #13 Dance, #24 Hot 100), “You Dropped a Bomb on Me” (#2 R&B, #31 Hot 100, #39 Dance), and “Outstanding” (#1 R&B, #24 Dance). Throughout the 80s, The Gap Band continued to deliver hits. Since the 1990s, many of The Gap Band hits have been sampled and covered by R&B and Hip-Hop artists such as Nas, 69 Boyz, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Jermaine Dupri, Da Brat, Notorious B.I.G., II D Extreme, Blackstreet, Shaquille O’Neal, Mia X, and Mary J. Blige. These days, The Gap Band continue to tour and play funk around the world.
