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3 on 3 Achieving success in the cut-throat competitive world of the music business is anything but easy, but so is surviving and succeeding on the streets of the Bronx. Which makes the imminent breakthrough of the singing trio 3on3 all the more amazing. On their debut album, Record Deal, one of the first releases on Wyclef Jean's new Clef Records, the teenaged brothers bring forth a sweet, soulful R&B sound with a hip-hop edge and gospel-tinged harmonies. Sons of former Harlem Globetrotter Mugsy Leggett, Anthony (20), Shawn (18) and Maleek (15) started singing in church, beginning with Anthony when he was just five. His two younger brothers joined him there when each of them reached that age. Even so, they were, not surprisingly, basketball prodigies who regularly tore up the local boys club. Yet "for some reason, we just fell into music," Anthony recalls. "The boys club was always looking for kids to sing with Kenny Rogers at the Westbury, NY, Music Fair every Christmas, and each one of us eventually joined in." Eventually, they naturally segued to singing in school choirs. Anthony, who was the first to do that, also auditioned-and got the part-in Michael Jackson's 1994 HBO special. Naturally, his brothers followed in his footsteps. Yet Anthony notes that "We didn't even think about singing as a group in the beginning. I wanted to be in a group with my friends; I went to a performing arts high school, so I was all about performing with my friends. But it was our dad's idea for us to sing together. I initially thought it would be cheesy, but my dad convinced me to give it a shot--and I started to see his vision. We did a couple of shows around the Bronx and got pretty good vibes from everyone, so we stuck with it. Now here we are." "Singing comes naturally to us," youngest brother Maleek adds. "But the more you keep working at it, the better you get. So we're still working on it." The turning point for the group was a show they did back at the old boys club they used to sing at when they were younger. "When we performed there, we did a hip-hop/R&B version of 'Lean On Me,' and the girls went crazy," Anthony says. "To hear them scream, we thought, 'Man we need to do this more often!' We really decided to take this seriously." From there, they met up with some notable figures who put them in a studio to cut a demo, and the roller coaster to a record deal began in earnest. 3on3 started showcasing for labels, and actually landed a production deal or two, but as fate would have it, they all fell through. "We had so many ups and downs, it was a real struggle," Anthony admits. "We were ready to give up; I wanted to take a break and concentrate on school. But our parents kept us grounded and they always stayed so supportive. As fate would have it, they hooked up with Funkmaster Flex, who told them that Wyclef Jean was looking for groups for his new label, Clef Records. "We went over there really psyched," Anthony says. "We saw what happened with Destiny's Child and City High, so we thought maybe this could work out. But when we walked in, he thought we were rappers. When we started to sing, though, he still liked what he heard, so he signed us." Wyclef may have had some reservations about 3on3's potential, yet he was blown away by their performance at a talent show in Indianapolis, where Jean was flown in to be a judge. "He brought us in just to perform in front of a couple thousand people, but we weren't part of the actual talent competition," Shawn says. "Everyone just went crazy when we jumped out into the audience. It was good that they got in touch with our music, dancing and singing. We showed Wyclef that we can sing live and not just in the studio." There's more than trace of irony to the album title, A Record Deal. "Everybody in our neighborhood wants to either go to the NBA or get a record deal; that's all the kids think about," Anthony says. "So A Record Deal really fits for us." Although they were in a totally new environment, the trio knew what had to be done to make their music come through. "We play around with each other, being brothers and all, but when we're in the studio, we know you can't play around that much," Maleek says. "You have to be serious. If you want something to come out just right, you have to really focus on it." The boys wrote and recorded a wide variety of songs, from irresistible uptempo groovers such as "Shake Ya Body" and "Delirious," to soulful ballads such as "Daddy's Song," and the compelling first single, "Da Bronx." "'Da Bronx is about who we are and what we've experienced," Anthony says. "Instead of coming out with a love song, we wanted something edgier and street, something the kids in our neighborhood can relate to. We feel like we're the young voice of the Bronx." "'Shake Ya Body' and 'Delirious' are more about being young and in love," Shawn says. "A lot of times when you see a girl, you want to approach her, and you hope it turns out well. What I like about it is that it can make everybody feel young. Everyone can relate to it." So what are the goals for this young but streetwise threesome? "I speak for all of us when I say that we want to just be like Wyclef--well respected in the game," Anthony states. "We see how he works and operates. He's recognized not only in the States, but worldwide. We want to touch our fans worldwide with our music. There's a purpose for everybody on earth, and we really believe that our purpose is to be a voice for our generation. We thank God that He set this up for us. We're grateful and blessed to be where we are, so we can showcase our talents to the world.
