At the tail end of the '70s and the start of the '80s, electro was born. Part funk, part hip-hop, and infatuated with synthesizer music, electro never grew past a flash in the pan trend in the mainstream, but was actually a very fertile scene of experimentation that gave many hip-hop and techno innovators their start. Newcleus was influential within that scene despite their brief career.

Newcleus came out of Jam-On Productions, a DJ group formed in 1977 in Brooklyn. The group would play local block parties, but eventually evolved into what would be Newcleus--Ben "Cozmo D" Cenac, Yvette "Lady E" Cook, Monique Angevin and Bob "Chilly B" Crafton. The quartet recorded under the name Newcleus in reference to the fact that Cenac was dating Cook, and Angevin was dating Crafton. The group brought all their families together.

Their playful blend of synth-rock, beats and bizarre, eletronically-modified vocals was unique and gave them a distinct sound. That they shared a surreal sense of humor with Funkadelic/Parliament didn't hurt. After recording a demo, they included one track that was from their block party days, in which each members voice was sped up to sound teeny and fast, and seemed to be about several aliens jabbering at each other. They titled it "Jam-Ons Revenge," and it proved to be irresistibly catchy. It became their first hit single.

"Jam On It," a follow-up, climbed the Billboard charts, peaking at 16 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. The band's debut record, 1984's "Jam-On Revenge," peaked at number 15 on the Top R&B/Hip-hop Albums chart. They would release a follow-up, Space is the Place, in 1985.

Though the group ran out of steam at that point (Space is the Place proving to be a financial disappointment), their contribution to hip-hop party music was indispensable.