While some hip-hop artists insist on making tracks solo, some of the greatest sounds happen when a group brings multiple talents together. Perhaps that is why fans have been flocking to the hip-hop group Swollen Members. It all started back in the 1990s when two artists, Mad Child and Prevail, were each out making a name for themselves in the industry. When they met, their talents seemed like a perfect complement to each other, and they teamed up to create Swollen Members. Their first performance as a group was at the B-Boy Summit in San Diego. They were affiliated with the Rock Steady Crew soon after, giving the group even more credibility.

They started releasing singles on Battle Axe Records, Mad Child's label. They released their debut album, Balance, in 1999 and embarked on a tour to promote the aggressive-sounding album. Their popularity started to take off in Canada with the release of Bad Dreams in 2001, which was receiving extensive radio and video play there. They won a Juno Award for the album, which started a string of Juno wins. The album went platinum and then released Monsters in the Closet in 2002. The contribution of another artist, Rob the Viking, was so perfect for the group's sound that they made him a full-fledged member of the group.

Swollen Members released Heavy in 2003, which also featured vocalist Moka Only. The group took a little longer to record their next album, Black Magic, which dropped in 2005. The wait was well worth it, as the album pushed the group into mainstream success in the U.S. The album reached number 19 on the Top Heatseekers and number 21 on the Top Independent albums. Moka Only branched out for a solo career, but the group continued on without him. They toured to promote Black Magic and are poised to release another top album.