Hailing from the iconic era of ‘90s Hip Hop, Onyx was a formidable rap group in the industry. They are renowned for their gritty sound, unapologetic lyrics, and energetic performances that left an indelible mark on the rap landscape. As the years have rolled by, the members of Onyx have taken diverse paths in their personal and professional lives. However, the group remains active, with two of its original four members carrying on as Onyx.
With iconic albums like Slam, the group became popular for their hardcore, fire sound. As a result of their drop in popularity over time, listeners have lost track of the group. Nonetheless, Fredro Starr, Sticky Fingaz, and Sonny Seeza progressed, even if many fans aren't aware of their whereabouts. Here’s what they have been up to over the years.
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Onyx: A Hardcore Rap Group
The rap group Onyx was originally formed in 1988 by three of its members who were schoolmates. Following the release of their first single in 1990, "Ah, And We Do It Like This," Fredro Starr, Sonny Seeza and Big DS welcomed Sticky Fingaz into the fold in 1991. Subsequently, the group’s debut album, Bacdafucup, dropped in 1993. Since then, Onyx has released many additional studio albums. However, none were quite as successful as their debut.
Former member Big DS left the group in 1994 to start a solo career. Likewise, in 2009, Sonny Seeza said farewell to Onyx, deciding to focus on a solo career. This left two members in the group -- Fredro Starr and Sticky Fingaz. While they could have dissolved the group completely and focused on their solo rap careers, the two decided to keep Onyx alive. They have continued to release music together, dropping several bodies of work over the years. Some of their most recent projects are Onyx 4 Life (2021), Blood On Da X (2023), and World Take Over (2023).
Fredro Starr
One of the founding members of the Onyx, Fredro Starr has kept busy over the years. Not only has he stayed a member of Onyx, but also built an impressive solo career over the years outside of the rap group. Starr has been releasing solo albums since 2001, and so far, has four solo studio albums to his name. His last album, Firestarr 2, dropped on March 9, 2018, and contains some seriously impressive tracks, including “100,000 Miles” and “Private Jet 2 Heaven.”
In addition to his musical career, the hardcore emcee has also racked up acting credits in many films and TV shows since 1993. Some of the films and series he has starred in are, Deceitful (2013), CSI: Miami (2009), and Bust Down (2022). The 52-year-old is a father of three and has been married to model Korina Longin since 2007.
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Sticky Fingaz
Although Sticky Fingaz joined Onyx last, he has been a dedicated member of the rap group since 1991. With his cousin Fredro Starr, he makes up the current lineup of the group. Just like Starr, Fingaz dropped his debut solo album in 2001. Since then, he has released two additional studio albums, the most recent being It’s About T.I.M.E. (2019). Like his cousin, the rapper has an impressive filmography and has appeared multiple times on-screen over the years. Since his acting debut in 1993, Sticky Fingaz has starred in Breaking Point (2009), The Night Of (2016), and Empire (2016 - 2017), among others.
Sonny Seeza
Soon after he left Onyx in 2009, Sonny Seeza released his debut solo album Tytanium (2009). His sophomore studio album, Bridges, dropped in 2016, and he hasn’t released any new music since. While he appeared in two movies in the ‘90s, the rapper has not starred in any movies or shows since 1998. He owns an online clothing shop, Allskool Shop, where he makes and sells original Onyx merchandise and art.
Big DS
As aforementioned, Big DS was the first member to drop out of the rap group Onyx, leaving in 1994. As a solo act, he released one album, Demo Tape, in 1994. Sadly, he passed away at the age of 31 in 2003. The hardcore rapper died as a result of lymphatic cancer.
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