Siimply put, the main soundtrack of the 1990s was the hypnotic hip-hop and slick soul produced in the sound factory of Bad Boy Records. Led by chief bopper Sean “Puffy” Combs—who learned well the art of blending bubbly champagne R&B with 40-ounce rap from his mentor Andre Harrell—the booming Bad Boy label was originally supposed to be a subsidiary of Uptown Records (Guy, Mary J. Blige, Jodeci), but Puff’s plans quickly changed when he was abruptly fired in 1993.

While Harrell could’ve made it hard for Puffy if he wanted, the older executive allowed the cocky young man to take the artists he’d already signed and set up shop across town at Arista Records. Under the watchful eye of veteran record man Clive Davis, those three acts Puff already signed were MCs Craig Mack and The Notorious B.I.G. as well as trio of R&B cuties known as Total: singers Kima Raynor, Keisha Spivey and Pamela Long.

Although Total disbanded in 1999, recently Kima and Pam have been doing shows and preparing for a Bad Boy reunion tour slated for next year. Keisha (arguably the sexiest member, now married to actor Omar Epps) has not been a part of the comeback thus far. “Keisha has other obligations,” Pam says by phone, “but we are still waiting for her. We would never replace her, because no matter what, she’s still our sister and can return whenever she wants.”

The trio only made two albums—Total (1996) and Kima, Keisha & Pam (1998)—and a few buttery singles, including their classic debut “Can’t You See” (featuring Biggie and Puff’s ill intro). But their sleek sound and distinctive style pushed them to the forefront of the soul sista girl group heap that included contemporaries SWV, Xscape, Kut Klose and countless others. So what exactly made Total so different?

“Those other girls didn’t have Puff!” Pam says, laughing. “Big up to the others, but they didn’t have Puff. That dude helped set it. He knew the streets and he knew what the streets wanted, for the females and the males. Puff knew the sound that he wanted. It was fun, but it was also constant work.” Originally signed in 1992, the year when they auditioned for Sean Combs in the elevator at the Hit Factory recording studios (today a million-dollar-plus condo building) at 421 West 54th Street, the future “Bad Girls of Bad Boy” were determined to blow.

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mikemike13 said:

Keisha (arguably the sexiest member, now married to actor Omar Epps)

Wow! I did not know that.

I love both of their albums!

I am reminded of the Soul Food soundtrack, which had their non-album gem, "What About Us" produced by Timbaland and penned by Missy.

[Edited 11/30/15 10:41am]