Whatever Happened to: Christion

Yesterday, I asked the wifey to chime in on the next artists to feature for Whatever Happened to… She said, “you should do that R&B group…that had two light-skinned guys…and remade a song…and one of them was sitting in a chair in the video.”


That cryptic description was all I needed:





Never question my encyclopedic knowledge of long-forgotten R&B groups.


Let’s journey back to meet up with the enigmatic Christion.





In the mid-90s, brothers Kenny Ski and Allen Anthony, known as Christion (I can’t figure out how to make the little accent mark over the “o,” sorry) was the first group signed to Roc-A-Fella Records. This was back in Jay-Z’s faux pimp days, and years before he encouraged grown men to flash the Delta sorority sign.


No offense to my Deltas – I fear you more than Jay-Z.


Christion released their amazing first single “Full of Smoke” in 1996, and soon dropped their first album under the Def Jam umbrella. “Full of Smoke” sounds just as good today as it does back then – the spooky, subdued beat and mellow, yet scratchy vocals are all the rage these days. The track was definitely ahead of its time.


Ghetto Cyrano certainly wasn’t a one-song album. Their remake of Rose Royce’s “I Wanna Get Next To You,” in the video above, was the perfect vehicle for Anthony’s harmonies. “Bring Back Your Love” sounded like something from Tony Toni Tone’s playbook, while the remix with Jay-Z borrowed from Zapp’s “Computer Love.”  The boys knew how to pay homage to their forefathers, and that helped them create an overlooked gem of an album.


Sadly, that’s the end of the story for the original incarnation of Christion. But individually, the brothers weren’t through.


In 2003, Anthony went solo, maintaining his Roc-A-Fella ties. The inspirational “Alright” lived up to its name – eh, it’s all right. It sounds typical of a track released in ’03, like a retread of Glenn Lewis’ “Don’t You Forget It.” That’s fine for ’03 but it doesn’t age nearly as well as Christion’s older work. “You” also was pretty mediocre.







Meanwhile, Ski found a new partner, T. Ross, and reformed Christion, dropping Project Plato in 2005. Of course, without Anthony the group sounded totally different. “My Reason” is decent, serviceable R&B, but again, it’s nowhere near the excellence of the original group.


Christion The Sequel has been quiet since Project Plato, but last year Anthony released a four song EP – er, actually, two songs and two remixes of the same song. “My Room” would be really good if he didn’t lower himself to the dingy depths of autotune. I can do without “Do 4 U,” and its menagerie of remixes.
 
Should They Come Back?: According to Anthony’s Facebook page, he’s in the studio working on a project and I haven’t heard anything about Christion Part Deux reuniting. While I won’t lose sleep waiting on those separate comebacks, I think reuniting the original Christion would be a treat. Their ’70s soul act would sound right at home among the current generation of artists. I can picture them assisting Currensy or Wiz Khalifa while simultaneously dominating BET Centric. I’d love for them to renew their legacy and not just be remembered as “those two guys with the chair in the video.”

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25 Comments

  1. I don’t know what your sources are, but thank you for the info! I have mentioned Christion several times over the years, not knowing that they split up and attempted separate endeavors. I will have to look them up. “Ghetto Cyrano” remains one of my top 20 R&B albums of all time, and find it tragic that they’re careers did not flourish. We can only speculate that there was a falling out between Christion and Roc-A-Fella/Jay-Z or simply angst between each other. My CD was stolen years ago, so Christion will live on in my iPod/iTunes forever!

  2. Full of smoke has always been my fav tune from the duo. It’s sad indeed that they parted ways. I wish for their come back.

  3. Looked for ‘Full of smoke’ for years. Couldn’t remember the band name. Decided to resume my search this year. Success. Listening to it now. An underrated classic.

  4. Always loved the song and wasn’t aware of what happened to these sexy guys.

    • And he looks very much different from what he used to be. Its like, after he finished with Christión he became someone else. Kenni ski is chubby now and kinda favor Lauren London and pastor Barksdale

  5. Kenni ski is with the groove divinities and friends

  6. I completely agree. I was in Oakland when they hit, and have never got why they did not go further. One of the great records.

  7. Kellie Larson-Pouchie August 6, 2016 at 12:07 am

    We named our last son Christión after this group ♡
    after months of not agreeing on a name for our unborn son, sitting around playing music one night on the turntables the name was decided.

  8. I named my son Kristion as well with this group oin mind. There hit song “full of smoke” kinda described my youthful lifestyle living in Washington dc in the early 90s.

  9. I loved them and want them back!The music and visuals were amazing.Christion “Come To Me”

  10. From reading different articles over time, It was a split between Jay and Christion , it was a split from Dame Dash, had an issue with them over another Rocfella groups, what it was is still unknown but I understand that it was Dame, we see how dame was the one who destroy the business relationship between him and Jay. but I wish the would regroup and give us that good grown man sexy music.

  11. Donald L. Thomas II February 12, 2018 at 7:59 am

    cool ass dudes, the record business is dirty.

    • You are correct. The record industry is down right dirty/ruthless. I would never allow my son/daughter to get into that world because of how they treat people.

  12. Full of smoke! “Fire” They had the voices to be big, but small minds took em out.

  13. I just found my cristion CD. Man, it sounds as good to me as it did in 1996. Please ski and Anthony. You are not one hit wonders

  14. Full of Smoke is still in rotation. Just too smooth. I saw BET’s Boomerang and they had twin movie makers on the show and Christion came to mind. That’s not these brotha’s is it? Anybody know?

  15. These brothers ran across my mind tonight as I took out the cassette; yes, I said cassette single of “Full of Smoke.” I’m Old School , like that! Not only talented, but handsome and sexy these brothers are! Just how brothers should be today. We are missing you two! Make that comeback and show these “youngins” how it’s done for real!

  16. One of my Greatest Albums ever…..I never Knew what I had, until one raining night I decided to play there album. I miss the group, we need music like that again….!!!!!!

    • Allen Anthony is in an all Black metal band now. And they’re dope! Although they’re on hiatus at the moment. I’m not sure about Ski. Full of Smoke was and is still such an impactful song that took me outside of the mainstream mindset when it came out! No one my age at the time was feeling grown music lol except me LOL.

  17. very underrated group — in my opinion i think they could do a successful reunion tour (along with other artists of their time) … my brothers hit the gym and be ready for the phone call 😉

  18. I love Full Of Smoke that’s been one of my fave songs since I was a young one lol. Allen Anthony is in a heavy metal band called ABCP-A Band Called Pain. Not sure about Kenny Ski. I like metal and I’m listening to his band now..

  19. They need to get back together. And coming from a hustler that’s a big compliment. In the game there’s no one bigger than the game stick together and be together and do the best you can do people always try to separate you okay adult group up in smoke that’s my shitt get back together brother’s going to I do some s*** like that I’ll be there to watch you.Dig that

  20. Their CD is still in my routine. Their voices sounded wonderful over the tones. I remember seeing them in a club in DC and I was only one of a few to truly appreciate their voices and sound.

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