Bad Boy (G. Dep and Loon album)

Loon
Birth nameChauncey Lamont Hawkins
Also known asAmir Junaid Muhadith
Born (1975-06-20) June 20, 1975 (age 48)
New York City, New York, U.S.
GenresHip hop
Occupation(s)
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active1996–2009
Labels
Formerly ofHarlem World
Children3

Amir Junaid Muhadith (born Chauncey Lamont Hawkins; June 20, 1975), better known by his stage name Loon, is an American former rapper. He is best known for his association with Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Records; he guest appeared on the label-founder's 2002 singles "I Need a Girl (Part One)" and "I Need a Girl (Part Two)," which peaked at numbers two and four respectively on the Billboard Hot 100.

Prior, he formed the New York City-based hip hop group Harlem World in 1995, with whom he released one studio album—The Movement (1999)—to commercial success until their disbandment in 1999. Loon signed with Arista Records and later Bad Boy Records as a solo act that same year;[1] he released his eponymous debut studio album (2003) to commercial success, peaking at number six on the Billboard 200 despite mixed reviews. He departed from the label the following year due to his conversion to Islam, and released three independent albums until his retirement from recording altogether in 2009.[2]

Career

Chauncey Lamont Hawkins was born in Harlem, New York. He started his music career as a member of Mase's rap collective Harlem World[3] and then became part of P. Diddy's Bad Boy Records under the name Loon. He released his self-titled debut album Loon in 2003, and made numerous guest appearances on songs by Bad Boy labelmates, as well as hip hop/R&B contemporaries on other labels. While on the label, Loon served as a ghostwriter on songs by or featuring Diddy, including the hit single "I Don't Wanna Know" as well as his eponymous single.[4] Loon left Bad Boy Records in 2004 to launch his own record label, Boss Up Entertainment. He then retired from the music industry in 2009.[5] As a songwriter, Loon has received credits on singles by or featuring Diddy

Conversion to Islam

Loon converted to Islam in December 2008 after a trip to Abu Dhabi, and Dubai, UAE. Born Chauncey Lamont Hawkins, he officially changed his name to Amir Junaid Muhadith after traveling to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest site of Islam, to perform Umrah. After having converted to Islam, he subsequently ended his music career and would later relocate to Cairo, Egypt where he lived until 2011, and then lastly moved back to the United States of America from 2011 to 2022, and stayed in the United States of America in 2022.[6]

Legal issues

On November 22, 2011, Muhadith was arrested while on a trip to Brussels. He was extradited to the United States in May 2012 and was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment in July 2013 for conspiracy with intent to traffic one or more kilograms of heroin.[7] Many reports have advocated for and confirmed his innocence.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic effects in prison centers, Muhadith was granted early release on July 29, 2020.[8]

Discography

Studio albums

Album details Peak positions
Billboard 200
Loon
  • Released: October 21, 2003
  • Label: Bad Boy, Universal
  • Singles: "How You Want That", "Down for Me"
 6[9]
No Friends
Wizard of Harlem
  • Released: October 17, 2006
  • Label: Siccness
Bad Boy
  • Released: February 13, 2007
  • Label: Siccness
  • Collaboration album with G. Dep

Singles

As lead artist

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US US R&B US Rap AUS
[10] 		UK
"Down for Me"
(featuring Mario Winans) 		2003 24 28 19 — — Loon
"How You Want That"
(featuring Kelis) 		88[11] 41[12] — — —
"Show Me Your Soul"
(featuring P. Diddy, Lenny Kravitz & Pharrell) 		— — — 45 35 Bad Boys II soundtrack
"Who Is Dat"
(featuring T-Pain) 		2007 — — — — — —

As featured artist

Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US US R&B US Rap AUS
[10] 		UK
"Promise (So So Def Remix)"
(Jagged Edge featuring Loon) 		2000 — — — — — Promise
"You Gets No Love"
(Faith Evans featuring P. Diddy & Loon) 		2001 38 8 — — 124 Faithfully
"I Need a Girl (Part One)"
(P. Diddy featuring Usher & Loon) 		2002 2 2 1 5 4 We Invented the Remix
"I Need a Girl (Part Two)"
(P. Diddy featuring Ginuwine, Mario Winans, Tammy Ruggieri & Loon) 		4 2 2 — 4
"I Do (Wanna Get Close to You)"
(3LW featuring P. Diddy & Loon) 		58 [14] 50 [15] — 41 — A Girl Can Mack
"Young & Sexy"
(Lyric featuring Loon) 		— 79 [16] — — — Lyric
"Hit the Freeway"
(Toni Braxton featuring Loon) 		86 [17] 32 [18] — 46 29 More Than a Woman
"Crazy"
(Dream featuring Loon) 		2003 — — — — — Reality

Guest appearances

Filmography

Films
Year Title Role Notes
2003 Death of a Dynasty Turk directed by Damon Dash
2005 State Property 2 El Pollo Loco's father directed by Damon Dash

References

  1. ^ "Loon Off Bad Boy, Launches New Venture". Allmusic.com.
  2. ^ "Loon Celebrates Long-Awaited CD Release". Billboard.com. May 23, 2003.
  3. ^ Farber, Jim. "HARLEM WORLD READY FOR BLASTOFF RAPPERS TAP INTO NABE PRIDE TO LAUNCH DEBUT 'MOVEMENT' ALBUM". nydailynews.com.
  4. ^ https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.57258/title.5-breakfast-club-revelations-from-diddys-ex-bad-boy-star-loon-following-prison-sentence
  5. ^ "Loon Leaves Bad Boy 'Amicably,' Forms Own Label". MTV.
  6. ^ "Rapper also known as Loon released from prison after friends lobbied Trump". 29 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Former Bad Boy Rapper Loon Gets 14-Year Sentence". BET.
  8. ^ "Bad Boy Records rapper Loon granted release from prison". TheGrio. 2020-07-29. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  9. ^ "CLAY AIKEN GOES TWO FOR TWO, TOPS LEGENDS AND LOON ON ALBUMS CHART". MTV. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Discography Loon". australian-charts.com. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  11. ^ "Kelis". Billboard.
  12. ^ "Loon". Billboard.
  13. ^ "British single certifications – P Diddy – I Need a Girl Part II". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  14. ^ "Loon". Billboard.
  15. ^ "3LW". Billboard.
  16. ^ "Lyric". Billboard.
  17. ^ "Loon". Billboard.
  18. ^ "Loon". Billboard.

External links