Koffee Brown

by Ed Hogan The duo Koffee Brown had major success with their debut single "After Party," a smooth jazzy dance track that started climbing the charts in early 2001 and is included on their Arista debut album Mars/Venus. Filling a male/female-singing duo void of the time, Koffee Brown was easily embraced. Singer/songwriters Fonz and Vee were teamed together at the suggestion of J Records head/industry vet/former Arista head Clive Davis. Next member Kay Gee formed his own Divine Mill Records whose roster includes Warner Bros. artist Jaheim, Eddie Berkeley, Barry Salters, and Allstar who produced "After Party" and co-produced with Teddy Riley, Joe's R&B/pop chart topper "Stutter." R.L. of Next suggested Fonz leave his native Mississippi to come to Minnesota and audition for Kay Gee. East Orange, NJ-born Vee was an old neighborhood friend of Kay Gee and had toured as a background singer with Mary J. Blige and Faith Evans. She can also be heard on Case's "Touch Me Tease Me" from The Nutty Professor soundtrack and Next's "Too Close." At times silly, scathing, sexy, and sweet, Mars/Venus is an enticing debut.