Synopsis
The UMC's deliver an energetic performance piece built around their dense, playful verses and a buoyant sample-based groove. Haas G and Kool Kim rap directly to the camera as the video moves through colorful, stylized setups, emphasizing movement, attitude, and the duo's chemistry rather than a conventional narrative. The visual mirrors the song's themes of confidence, individuality, and self-improvement, presenting the Staten Island pair as charismatic young voices with a message to pass along.
Factoids & Trivia
- "One To Grow On" was the second single from The UMC's debut album, "Fruits of Nature," released in 1991. The single followed "Blue Cheese" and reached No. 2 on Billboard's Hot Rap Singles chart.
- The track was produced by Haas G and RNS. Its layered beat draws from James Brown's "Funky President (People It's Bad)," Blue Mitchell's "Good Humour Man," and Bill Cosby's "Ursalena."
- The songwriting credits belong to Carlos Evans, better known as Haas G, and Kim Sharpton, known professionally as Kool Kim.
- The UMC's were a Staten Island duo active from 1989 to 1994. They released only two studio albums, with "Fruits of Nature" remaining their best-known and most commercially successful record.
- The track's emphasis on self-reliance, individuality, friendship, education, and respect reflects the broader lyrical character associated with "Fruits of Nature."