Emerging from a very modest upbringing in Brooklyn, Glenn Toby began his career in music in the burgeoning genre of hip hop. Known as Mr. Sweety "G", in the early 1980's he released a couple of underground rap hits, "
At The Place To Be" and "
We Want To Get Down". By the mid-80's he'd moved on to house music, most notably doing featured vocals for producer Winston Jones, recording under the name
Cultural Vibe. Though he had dabbled in hip hop production, Toby's first notable foray into house music production was on the 1987 song "
I Can Tell" by MSG, for which he also performed lead vocals. Over the next few years he released more house tracks under aliases like Private House,
The Klub and Kustom Made. But it was the 1990 release of "Wake Up (Shay-Ama)" under the moniker Nu Civilization that got the attention of the world. Released on Toby's own label Permanent Records, it started as a local club hit but blew up over the next couple of years, especially here in Canada. UK label Vinyl Solution signed Toby to an album deal, and the album was released in the UK three years later (and on SPG Music Productions in Canada). The album featured Toby on vocals on most songs, though he also included several other vocalists, most notably club divas
Tafuri,
Channelle and
Chandra Simmons. While "Wake Up" was a huge club hit in Canada, the follow up singles, "When Will I Be Free," "You Are" and "Destiny", met with less success in Canada and elsewhere. Over the next couple of years Toby deserted the Nu Civilization name but produced and recorded a few more songs, and he also co-wrote songs with Sybil, including her minor 1993 hit "
You're The Love Of My Life". In 1998 he put music aside when he founded the Book Bank Foundation, which provides tutoring and education in order to encourage literacy in inner city youth. He then formed Glenn Toby Enterprises, a marketing, management and business development company with a focus on the entertainment industry, which he still runs to this day. Now, instead of making music himself, he's helping others get their music out there.
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Nu Civilization
1
When Will I Be Free?
2
I Need Someone
3
You Are (Featuring Tafuri)
4
Street Jazz (Featuring Dwayne D. Kerr)
5
New Breed (Featuring Disciples Of Sound)
6
Follow Me Now
7
The Way
8
Destiny (Featuring Chandra Simmons)
9
All Of Me
10
Life Still Goes On (Featuring Chanelle)
11
I Still Believe
12
Revelations
13
Wake Up (Shay-Ama)
Nice, thanks.
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