An LL Cool J disciple, Grandmaster Slice recorded a pair of hits, the slick club tune "Shall We Dance (Electric Slide)" and the commercial R&B track "Thinking of You" (an even tamer takeoff on "I Need Love"). Born and raised in small-town southern Virginia, Slice hit the rap game as a pre-teenager and DJed for a local group named Ebony Express. He later hooked up with a former rival, Scratchmaster Chuck T, and in 1989 the duo produced a dance record named "Shall We Dance (Electric Slide)," for the indie Select-O-Hits. It became a hit on the rap charts, and was picked up by Creative Force, who released an LP as well (Shall We Dance). After moving once again, to Jive, Slice reached the singles charts with the crossover-heavy "Thinking of You." A follow-up was not in the wings, though; nine years passed before Grandmaster Slice reached the charts again, with "Strokin' 2000" on the Wingspan label. ~ John Bush