# Benz (group)

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**Benz** were a British musical group from [Hackney](/source/Hackney,_London) which consisted of [B.I.G. Ben](/source/Ben_Ofoedu) (Benedict Spencer Ofoedu), [Tim Shade](/source/Overlord_X) (Benjamin Balogun), and [Darkboy](/source/Anthony_Benedict_Thompson) (Anthony Benedict Thompson). Their name came about due to all their names containing [Ben](/source/Ben). They entered the [UK Singles Chart](/source/UK_Singles_Chart) with "Boom Rock Soul" (No. 62), "Urban City Girl" (No. 31), "Miss Parker" (No. 35), "If I Remember" (No. 59), and "On a Sun-Day" (No. 73).

## Career

The group was formed by [B.I.G. Ben](/source/Ben_Ofoedu) (Benedict Spencer Ofoedu), [Tim Shade](/source/Overlord_X) (Benjamin Balogun), and [Darkboy](/source/Anthony_Benedict_Thompson) (Anthony Benedict Thompson).[1] They formed after Ofoedu saw Balogun performing as [Overlord X](/source/Overlord_X), liked what he saw, and invited him to produce a track for him; after Balogun became tired of performing as the said act, they formed Benz as a duo, with their name coming from both their names containing the given name [Ben](/source/Ben). Thompson, an old friend of Balogun, joined the group after Balogun saw him walking down the street.[2] Their first rehearsals were at the Wally Foster Community Centre in [Hackney](/source/Hackney,_London).[3]

Benz signed with their manager Paul Hendricks of Hendricks Records in July 1993[1] and with [RCA Records](/source/RCA_Records) in December 1993, after walking into their offices with a demo tape.[3] Hendricks attempted to trademark "Benz Boom Rock Soul" in November 1995. The following September, the then-separate companies [Daimler-Benz](/source/Mercedes-Benz_Group) and [Mercedes-Benz](/source/Mercedes-Benz) tried to sue the band on the basis of copyright infringement. They failed, and in August 2000, they were ordered to pay the band £935.[1]

In December 1995, their single "Boom Rock Soul" charted at No. 62 on the [UK Singles Chart](/source/UK_Singles_Chart), and in March 1996, their single "Urban City Girl" charted at No. 31 on the same chart.[3] On 13 May 1996, they released "Miss Parker", which made it onto that chart at No. 35;[3] they began broadcasting on Hacktown FM, their own radio station, the same day.[citation needed] The 22 June 1996 edition of [*Billboard*](/source/Billboard_(magazine)) noted that the said station played "R&B, rap, hip-hop, swing, and pop", and that such a combination could be expected on their debut album *3 Men Called Ben*, which was due later that year.[4] In 1997, on Hendricks Records, they had two further UK Singles Chart entries; "If I Remember" at No. 59, and "On a Sun-Day" at No. 73.[3]

## Artistry

Benz drew influence from [the Beatles](/source/The_Beatles), [Public Enemy](/source/Public_Enemy), [Hackney](/source/Hackney,_London), and Ofoedu's Christian beliefs[3] (the B.I.G. in his name was an [acronym](/source/Acronym) for "Believe in God"[4]). They described their music as "Boom Rock Soul",[3] a term coined by their manager,[1] based on perceived input to the band; they used a December 1995 issue of *[Echoes](/source/Echoes_(magazine))* to explain that Balogun contributed the Boom, or "the deep hip hop, the hard bass", while Ofoedu contributed the Rock, and Thompson contributed the Soul.[2]

## References

1. ["Trade Marks Opposition Decision (O/315/00)"](https://www.ipo.gov.uk/tm/legal/decisions/2000/o31500.pdf). [IPO](/source/IPO). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20211103035114/https://www.ipo.gov.uk/tm/legal/decisions/2000/o31500.pdf) 3 November 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 3 May 2023.

1. Clapham, Alain (23 December 1995). "boombastic". *[Echoes](/source/Echoes_(magazine))*. p. 17.

1. [Colin Larkin](/source/Colin_Larkin_(writer)) (ed.) (1998). *[The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music](/source/Encyclopedia_of_Popular_Music)*. First ed. [Virgin Books](/source/Virgin_Books). p. 255. ISBN 0-7535-0252-6.

1. ["Billboard"](https://books.google.com/books?id=qQkEAAAAMBAJ&q=benz&pg=PA61). 22 June 1996. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230503093717/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=qQkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA61&dq=benz+hackney+%22t.i.m.+shade%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjUuPyqxdj-AhVTg1wKHUo7BfoQ6AF6BAgHEAI#v=onepage&q=benz&f=false) 3 May 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 3 March 2023.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Benz (group)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benz_(group)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benz_(group)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.