The UB Interview: CultJam Talk 40th Anniversary + ‘Lisa Lisa’ Story

Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam will celebrate the 40th Anniversary of their debut album this summer.

Multi-platinum group CultJam currently consists of founding members percussionist Mike Hughes, guitar & keyboardist Alex ‘Spanador’ Mosely, and their new lead vocalist, Mystina Sol.

Best known for a string of massive hits, including “I wonder if I Take You Home,” “Head to Toe,” “Can You Feel the Beat,” and many others with then lead vocalist Lisa Velez.

CultJam launched freestyle music into the mainstream and around the world. With an infectious, unmistakable sound, CultJam inspired a generation of artists.

Over the years, they never stopped creating, both on their own and with some of the biggest names in music. CultJam continues to make music, influence musicians, and gain fans worldwide.

They began as three young New Yorkers; Alex Moseley and Mike Hughes – led by Lisa Lisa, as a trio that pleased their cult with their jams.

One of the greatest Latin Hip Hop/Freestyle/Pop divas to come out of the 1980’s music scene is the legendary Lisa Velez also known as Lisa Lisa.

Produced by Full Force, the group shot straight up the charts and went platinum several times over their first few albums.

The rise of Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam is a story of transition. For roughly two years, Columbia worked to re-shape the public figures of the group, to expand their image from cult status to the mainstream.

Expanding from a cult base at the time was difficult. However Lisa Lisa had hits. The campaign for the group represented an example of how to do it right!

It all began in the streets, in the underground, in fact, in the fall of 1984 — when quietly began the rise of a cult hero. With the single “I Wonder If I Take You Home,” the group won the early attention of British clubs. They became a sensation, then a rage.

Eventually, their success overseas prompted a domestic release of the record in spring 1985. From the beginning, clubs all over the nation matched the early support that British clubs had given Lisa Lisa. Soon “I Wonder If I Take You Home” was the #1 dance record.

The follow-up single, “Can You Feel The Beat,” indicated that the group’s first chart triumph was no fluke.

Their break out hits “I wonder If I Take You Home” and “Can You Feel The Beat,” helped to launch the underground genre of “Freestyle music” into mainstream.

Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam continued under the tutelage of the six-member performing and producing team, Full Force. The group and manager Steve Salem formed Full Force.

They had originally signed Lisa Lisa, before taking them to CBS to secure a deal.

In April of 1987, the groups sophomore platinum album “Spanish Fly” was released.

The album led with the Billboard #1 “Head to Toe,” the single also reached gold status. Followed by the second straight Billboard #1 from the album “Lost in Emotion.”

“We worked the first album for a year and a half. We just never gave up,” stated Ruben Rodrigues, VP/R&B Promotion at Columbia to an industry trade. “One of my first projects when I joined the company was Lisa Lisa’s ‘Can You Feel The Beat.’ It was going down the charts, at #96. We brought it back. We pushed it back to the high 50s. Consequently, we sold another 100,000 units. That set the stage for ‘All Cried Out.’ It became a top record. And Lisa Lisa was a star.”

“That record set the stage for ‘Head To Toe.’ Everyone here in the company got together on this. When you have the kind of machinery that CBS has working for you, there’s only one way to go. Everyone said, ‘We’re going to bring this one home.’ “We have a multi-platinum artist here. We went gold in only a few weeks. We want to do three to four million units, and beyond. That is what this company is about right now — taking a new artist and developing a superstar. Everyone knows who Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam is. They have a household name. “They went from a cult following to a huge, mass-appeal act.”

Lisa shared her thoughts at the time, to the key to their success? “Our ability to produce a different sound each time we come out. We don’t like to stay the same, we like to change with the times. What we really want to bring back is the feeling of the “live” band music from the ’60s and early ’70s. I think that’s what’s kept us on the top. While everyone’s doing that mainstream sound we come in from left field.”

The groups third album “Straight to the Sky,” came in April of 1989. It featured the modest hit “Little Jackie Wants to Be a Star.” The single reached the top 5 on the Billboard R&B chart.

Lisa told an industry trade why they led with it for the album release; “Because it’s different from what everyone else has out now. Everyone’s coming out with a dance hit that sounds the same, we just wanted to be different and do something that everyone liked. Plus, Little Jackie is a true story, it’s everybody’s true story, every little girl out there dreams of becoming a star some day. Everybody thinks that Little Jackie is Lisa, but it’s not.” Lisa went on to say; “It’s every little girl’s dream of going for what she wants to be. We’re kind of playing the role of Jackie telling people out there that if you want to be somebody go for it, but don’t get yourself into anything that you can’t get out of.”

In 1991, the group collaborated with two of the 90’s hottest producers Robert Clivilles, and the late David Cole, known as C&C Music Factory on their forth album “Straight Outta Hell’s Kitchen.”

The lead single “Let The Beat Hit Em,” was one of the biggest dance singles of that decade.

The album “Straight Out Of Hell’s Kitchen” was named after the neighborhood Lisa Velez was brought up in.

At age 13, Lisa would sneak out to nightclubs where she met Mike Hughes of ”Cult Jam.” Mike introduced her to music to producers Full Force.

As the group went their separate ways in 1994, Lisa released her first solo album “LL77.”

Not only did Lisa Lisa set the music bar high for those to come later but she set fashion trends as well.

Lisa’s hair flipped over one eye and her unique style caught fire in the urban community.

Lisa Lisa paved the way for an entire generation of Latino American artists to follow in her footsteps such as Selena, J-Lo & Cardi B, to name a few.

Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam were definitely pioneers and trendsetters, of an entire generation.

As the group gets ready to celebrate their 40th Anniversary of their debut album “Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force” originally released in August of 1985.

Lisa Velez recently celebrated the anniversary, with a biopic “Can You Feel the Beat: The Lisa Lisa Story.” Once it aired, it was met with more criticism than praise.

Full Force was intentionally totally left out of the film, without even one mention. As well as the timeline was completely off,and key songs like “All Cried Out” were omitted.

On top of all of that, the individual stories of Mike & Alex were left out.

Aries from UB included the online uproar in our UB Spotlight for the group, that’s been trending since posted. Shortly after, he was able to catch up with the multi-talented CultJam for a call to discuss the biopic and much more.

Mike breaks down the process of this particular biopic and surprises us by sharing they found out after it was announced publicly.

CultJam also tells UB about the bands involvement with Full Force and how any story on the group, not mentioning them isn’t authentic.

The group also gets candid on the music business.

Plus Alex and Mystina Sol talk about upcoming new music and shows.

And for the 40th Anniversary of their debut album, Mike tells us about their journey in the beginning and they share favorite Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam videos!