Ben first gained notoriety in late January of 1991 with the release of his first hit single "Luvmate" which debuted on radio stations in the San Francisco bay area. That single, which quickly became a most requested song, featured vocalist D'layna, singing the chorus. His first album titled "Just A Matter Of Time"
was released in early March of 1991, selling briskly from the exposure of the first single. Ben felt that since "Luvmate" was the only slow love song on the album he should write another slow love song to be included on future pressings. On Saturday, March 30, 1991, A.S.A.P. invited songwriters Chris Arevalo, Dylana and Kirby Coleman over to work on a new idea Ben had for a follow up to "Luvmate." The songwriters worked in teams and quickly came up the second hit single "Special," which featured Kirby Coleman and D'layna on vocals. On the following day, a Sunday, producer Michael Ortega mixed the song and made four cassette copies of which he sent one to Ben, one to the copyright office, and one to bay area radio station 107.7 FM. On Tuesday, program director Russ Allen, who had debuted the first single, went on heavy rotation with "Special" from that cassette. Incidentally, Chris Arevalo, D'lyana and Kirby Coleman heard the song on the radio and called Ben to ask, "Hey, isn't that the song we just worked on Saturday?" The single "Special" took off and was added to CHR stations 106.1 KMEL FM by Keith Naftaly and Hosh Gureli in the bay area and in Houston, Texas on KBXX FM by PD Greg Head.
Having had two slow love rap singles in a row gave Ben the image of being a pop cross-over artist. On the contrary, "Just a Matter of Time" was a diverse and well-rounded hip-hop album. The following year Ben started working on a new album in which the singles weren't love songs, yet every time he sent out demos of the new record he has asked in response why he wasn't recording more slow love jams. It seemed as if the labels and radio expected him to be a pop star since his first exposure was had been through those two cross-over love songs. Frustrated with the limits the industry was placing on Ben's creativity and style, he decided to continue to write what he felt inside regardless of the response he received from the industry. Ben emersed himself in writing and learning production, working on albums with rapper Jah, Vitamin C, Capitol D and Young Ace.
The new album entitled "One Mo' Time" € Click here for list of song clips!
