Bass is Base

{{Short description|Canadian R&B music group}}{{Infobox musical artist | name = Bass is Base | image = | image_size = | landscape =  | alt = | caption = | alias = | origin = North York (Toronto), Ontario, Canada | genre = {{hlist|R&B|hip hop}} | years_active = {{start date|1993}}–{{end date|1997}} | label = A&M | associated_acts = | website =  | current_members = | past_members = Chin Injeti<br/>Ivana Santilli<br/>Roger Mooking }} thumb|Ivana at Montreal Jazz Fest thumb|CNE-Roger-Mooking-2012

'''Bass is Base''' was a Canadian R&B group based in North York, Ontario.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jam.canoe.com/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/B/Bass_Is_Bass.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160119092902/http://jam.canoe.com/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/B/Bass_Is_Bass.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 19, 2016 |title=CANOE - JAM! Music - Pop Encyclopedia - Bass Is Bass |website=canoe.com |date=2004-11-27 |access-date=2015-10-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Charlotte Dillon |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/bass-is-base-p174737/biography |title=Bass Is Base | Biography & History |website=AllMusic |date= |access-date=2015-10-12}}</ref>

==History== In 1993, Chin Injeti and Ivana Santilli were in the music group Syndicate 305. At the 1993 Music West conference in Vancouver, Injeti and Santilli met MC Mystic (Roger Mooking), who at the time was in a group called The Maximum Definitive. A few months later, Mystic invited the pair to back him for his group's performance at the Canadian Music Video Awards.<ref name="Inc.1995a">{{cite magazine|author=Larry LeBlanc|title=Bass is Base's Melting 'Soulshack'|magazine=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Zw4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA80|date=7 October 1995|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|pages=80–|issn=0006-2510}}</ref> The trio then formed the group Bass is Base that year with Injeti on bass, Santilli on keyboards, and Mystic on percussion.<ref>[http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7318829/the-weeknd-buffy-sainte-marie-more-honored-at-juno-gala-dinner-awards "The Weeknd, Buffy Sainte-Marie & More Honored at Juno Gala Dinner & Awards"]. ''Billboard'', 4/3/2016 by Karen Bliss</ref> All three members contributed vocals, Injeti and Santilli as singers and Mystic as a rapper.

The group's first gig was opening for Jamiroquai. The group also opened for The Pharcyde. In the spring of 1994, the group released their debut album, ''First Impressions for the Bottom Jigglers''. The album was released through their self-created label, SoulShack. They also released a single from the album, "Funkmobile",<ref name="Inc.1996">{{cite magazine|author=Douglas Reece|title=Loose Cannon Ready to Lob Multiethnic Bass is Base|magazine=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Og8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA19|date=2 March 1996|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|pages=19–|issn=0006-2510}}</ref> which featured a music video. The video was played on MuchMusic and was nominated for a MuchMusic Video Award for "Best Independent Music Video".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RPM-IDX/IDX/90s/RPM-1994-09-05-OCR-Page-0010.pdf|title=Nominees announced for MuchMusic CMVA Awards: Rap Music Video|magazine=RPM|access-date=January 31, 2024}}</ref> Their album went on to sell more than 20,000 copies in Canada. In October 1994, the group signed a co-venture deal with A&M Records and Loose Cannon Records in the U.S.<ref name="Inc.1995">{{cite magazine|author=Larry LeBlanc|title=Canada: Who's Who|magazine=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sAsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA80|date=4 February 1995|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|pages=80–|issn=0006-2510}}</ref> The group won a Juno Award in the Best R&B/Soul Recording category in 1995.<ref name="Inc.1996" />

In 1994 and 1995, the group toured through Canada with Barenaked Ladies<ref name="Inc.1995"/> and the Crash Test Dummies.<ref name="Inc.1995a"/> On September 27, 1995, the group released their ''Memories of the Soul Shack Survivors'' album in Canada. The album peaked at No. 38 on the ''RPM'' Canadian albums chart.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.2806&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.2806.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.2806|title=Top Albums/CDs - Volume 62, No. 15 Nov 13, 1995|magazine=RPM|access-date=June 17, 2021}}</ref> The album was released in the US on April 16, 1996.<ref name="Inc.1996" /> They released one top 40 hit, "I Cry".

In May 1997, Bass is Base broke up and all members pursued solo endeavours.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.chartattack.com:80/damn/052297.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030729163011/http://www.chartattack.com/damn/052297.html|url-status=usurped|title=Bass Is Base...Is No More|work=Chart Attack|archivedate=July 29, 2003|access-date=May 21, 2021}}</ref>

===Aftermath=== After Bass is Base disbanded, Santilli went on to a release four solo albums.<ref>[http://exclaim.ca/music/article/ivana_santilli_on_late_night_light_benefits_of_being_underrated "Ivana Santilli on 'Late Night Light' and the Benefits of Being Underrated"]. ''Exclaim!'', By Ryan B. Patrick. Nov 24, 2015</ref> Injeti works as a producer and bass player; in 2005 he produced "hick-hop" artist Ridley Bent's debut release, ''Blam''. Pranam Chin Injetii went on to work on the Grammy winning album Recovery by Eminem as well as songs by Drake, The Clipse and Kanye West. His work with rapper Eminem includes the Grammy-winning 2010 album ''Recovery'' and 2013's ''Marshall Mathers LP 2'', as well as the track “Survival” from the video game ''Call of Duty: Ghosts''. He’s worked with Dr. Dre, 50 Cent (''Before I Self-Destruct''), Virginia hip-hop trio Clipse featuring Kanye West (“Kinda Like a Big Deal”), not to mention Toronto’s own Drake on the mega-star’s ''So Far Gone'' mixtape/EP. Another album he worked on picked up a Grammy as well – Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae’s ''Gravity''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.socanmagazine.ca/features/chin-injeti-indian-roots-canadian-upbringing-global-reach/|title=Chin Injeti: Indian Roots, Canadian Upbringing, Global Reach|website=Socanmagazine.com|date=December 15, 2015|access-date=August 23, 2025}}</ref> Mooking left the music business, working as a chef in Toronto<ref name=cbc>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sunday/2008/10/100508_7.html |title=Sunday Spotlight |access-date=2008-10-05 |year=2008 |website=Cbc.ca |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106135900/http://www.cbc.ca/sunday/2008/10/100508_7.html |archivedate=January 6, 2009 }}</ref> and as an entrepreneur in the food industry;<ref name="theglobeandmail.com">[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/being-a-chef-was-in-my-soul/article1226722/ "Being a chef 'was in my soul'"]. ''Globe & Mail''. Aug. 09, 2010 Olivia Stren</ref> he returned to release two albums of soul music in 2008 and 2013.<ref>[http://www.news1130.com/2013/07/08/rapperchef-roger-mooking-serves-up-wide-ranging-emotions-on-album-feedback/ "Mooking serves up wide-ranging emotions on album 'Feedback'"]. by Victoria Ahearn, ''The Canadian Press'', via News 1130 Radio. Jul 8, 2013 1</ref>

==Discography== ===Singles=== *1994 "Funkmobile" (Soul Shack) *1995 "Straw Stix & Brix" (Soul Shack) *1995 "Westside Funk" (Soul Shack) *1995 "Diamond Dreams" (Loose Cannon/A&M Records) *1995 "Floating" (Loose Cannon/A&M) *1996 "I Cry" (Loose Cannon/A&M) *1996 "Why" (Loose Cannon/A&M)

===Albums=== *1994 ''First Impressions for the Bottom Jigglers'' *1995 ''Memories of the Soul Shack Survivors''<ref name="Inc.1995"/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.discogs.com/artist/Bass+Is+Base Bass is Base at Discogs] * {{IMDb name|nm13937277}}

Category:Musical groups established in 1993 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1997 Category:Musical groups from Toronto Category:North York Category:Canadian contemporary R&B musical groups Category:Canadian soul music groups Category:1993 establishments in Ontario Category:1997 disestablishments in Ontario Category:Juno Award for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year winners