Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy are an American R&B record production and songwriting duo, releasing recordings under the names Foster & McElroy and Fmob. They have written and produced songs for musicians such as Club Nouveau, Tony! Toni! Toné!, Alexander O'Neal, Regina Belle, and Swing Out Sister. Their music has been sampled in hit songs by the Luniz, Puff Daddy, Ashanti, Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez, LL Cool J, Jessica Simpson, and others. Foster & McElroy are best known as the founders of the group En Vogue, listed by Billboard as one of the "Top 10 Girl Groups of All Time". In addition to producing music for various television shows, they are also credited for songs in numerous movie soundtracks including The Great White Hype, Lean on Me, and Who's That Girl.
Biography
Denzil Foster was born in Oakland, CA and was greatly influenced by different styles of music, from The Beatles to Parliament/Funkadelic. Thomas McElroy, also born in Oakland, was influenced by his father's love for jazz music. The two musicians first met in California while attending college and decided to work together as colleagues.
Career
Signing to the independent Triangle label, they released one 12" single. Soon after, Foster & McElroy joined forces with Jay King producing Timex Social Club's hit single "Rumors" in 1986. When that group disbanded, they regrouped with King to form Club Nouveau. Eventually, the duo left Club Nouveau after their first album Life, Love & Pain to focus on production and songwriting.
Foster & McElroy are considered pioneers of new jack swing, a genre they helped define with the group Tony! Toni! Tone!. The duo produced the group's first album and had success with the first single release, "Little Walter", which peaked at number 47 on the Billboard Hot 100. with what eventually became the group En Vogue.
After several audition calls, Foster & McElroy eventually selected Cindy Herron, Maxine Jones, and Dawn Robinson to become the members of the newly titled "For You". The group became a quartet after the addition of Terry Ellis and the name was changed to "Vogue". After learning that another group already had that moniker, Foster & McElroy changed the name to "En Vogue". The duo has also written theme songs for television programs, including Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Roc (both themes, used during the former’s first season and the latter’s final two seasons, were performed by En Vogue), and BET's Video Soul. They have also been credited with numerous movie soundtracks.
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! scope="row" | 2000
| Riddle
| En Vogue
| Writers & Producers
| From the album Masterpiece Theatre
|-
! scope="row" | 1999
| Satisfy You
| Puff Daddy
| Writers
| Peaked at #1 on Billboard Hot Rap Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|-
! scope="row" | 1995
| I Got 5 On It
| The Luniz
| Writers
| Peaked at #4 on Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|-
! scope="row" | 1993
| Give It Up, Turn It Loose
| En Vogue
| Writers & Producers
| Peaked at #10 on Mainstream Top 40 and #15 on Billboard Hot 100
|-
! scope="row" | 1993
| Free Your Mind
| En Vogue
| Writers & Producers
| Peaked at #8 on Billboard Hot 100 and nominated for Grammy.
|-
! scope="row" | 1989
| Dr. Soul
| Foster McElroy
| Writers & Producers
| #10 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|-
! scope="row" | 1989
| Body Talk
| Sharon Bryant
| Writers & Producers
| #15 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|-
! scope="row" | 1989
| For The Love Of You
| Tony! Toni! Tone!
| Writers & Producers
| #3 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|-
! scope="row" | 1988
| Baby Doll
| Tony! Toni! Tone!
| Writers & Producers
| #2 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|-
! scope="row" | 1988
| "Born Not to Know"
| Tony! Toni! Tone!
| Writers & Producers
| #2 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|-
! scope="row" | 1988
| Tell Me It's Not Too Late
| LIA
| Writers & Producers
| #33 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|-
! scope="row" | 1988
| True Obsession
| LIA
| Writers & Producers
| #49 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|-
! scope="row" | 1988
| Little Walter
| Tony! Toni! Tone!
| Writers & Producers
| #1 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|-
! scope="row" | 1988
| Little Drummer Boy
| Alexander O'Neal
| Writers & Producers
| #1 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|-
! scope="row" | 1987
| To Prove My Love
| Michael Cooper
| Writers & Producers
| #1 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|-
! scope="row" | 1986
| Last Time
| Theresa
| Writers & Producers
| #12 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|-
! scope="row" | 1986
| Heavy On My Mind
| Club Nouveau
| Writers & Producers
| #7 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
|-
! scope="row" | 1986
| Why You Treat Me So Bad
| Club Nouveau
| Writers & Producers
| #2 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, #21 Pop
|-
! scope="row" | 1995
| Reachin' Back
| Regina Belle
| Writers & Producers
| Peaked at #18 on Billboard R&B
|-
! scope="row" | 1994
| Once In A Blue Moon
| FMob
| Writers & Producers
|
|-
! scope="row" | 1993
| Runaway Love
| En Vogue
| Writers & Producers
| Peaked at #16 on Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
| Platinum, #1 R&B, #8 Pop
|-
! scope="row" | 1990
| Revival
| Tony! Toni! Tone!
| Writers & Producers
| 2× Platinum, #1 R&B
|-
! scope="row" | 1990
| Living in Black Paradise
| Samuelle
| Writers & Producers
| #37 R&B
|-
! scope="row" | 1989
| FM2
| Foster & McElroy
| Writers, Producers, Performers
|
|-
! scope="row" | 1988
| Let It Be Me
| Robert Brookins
| Writers & Producers
| #37 R&BTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
|-
! scope="row" | 1988
| Who?
| Tony! Toni! Tone!
| Writers & Producers
| Gold, #1 R&B
|-
! scope="row" | 1986
| Life, Love & Pain
| Club Nouveau
| Writers & Producers
| 3× Platinum, #1 R&B, #2 Pop
|-
|}
Movie soundtracks
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Soundtrack
! scope="col" | Song(s)
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Credits
|-
! scope="row" | 1996
| The Great White Hype
| We Got It
| Writers & Producers
|-
! scope="row" | 1989
| Lean on Me
| Lean on Me
| Writers & Producers
|-
! scope="row" | 1987
| Who's That Girl
| Step by Step
| Writers & Producers
|-
|}