Oakland rap duo
Luniz, original named
Luni Tunz, consisted of
Yukmouth (
Jerold Ellis III) and
Numskull (
Garrick Husbands), two friends who knew each other since junior high. The duo gained fame after six years together when they appeared on
Dru Down's
Explicit Game album. Their debut album,
Operation Stackola, was released in 1995 and knocked
Michael Jackson's
HIStory off the top of Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart on the strength of the
Club Nouveau-sampling platinum hit single "I Got 5 on It," which featured guest vocals by
Michael Marshall of
Timex Social Club. The album's lyrics took novel, comic approaches to sex, drugs, and everyday occurrences. Neither
Lunitik Muzik (1997) nor
Silver & Black (2002) fared as well, and they subsequently split. ~ Steve Huey