From The Vault: Danity Kane – ‘Damaged’

It’s 2006 and Diddy’s super-group Danity Kane were finally ready to prove that the vocal training and “book kacks” had paid off. Composed of Dawn Richard, Shannon Bex, Aundrea Fimbres, Wanita “D.Woods” Woodgette and Aubrey O’Day, the ladies embarked on a short-lived, yet ultimately impressive adventure.

This week’s From The Vault relives the group’s biggest hit, the Stereotypes produced ‘Damaged’.

Released in early 2008 as the Making The Band winners’ first single from sophomore set ‘Welcome To The Dollhouse’, the track is a definitive homerun, serving as one of DK’s finest audio-visual moments. With its seamless fusion of Urban and Electro-Pop , the upbeat cut allows the ladies to truly show the masses that they are more than capable vocalists. Underscoring the fact that after only 3 years being bandmates, their chemistry as a recording act was off the chain.

Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for their chemistry off the record. Indeed, in-fighting rumors were whipped into overdrive, ultimately proving more than accurate. As such, Mr. Combs decided to put an end to his own creation, sacking star-member Aubrey O’Day as well as D.Woods -rendering many a fan…well…damaged.

Three years down the road, there seems to be no turning back for Aubrey and co. as a collective. However, we seriously hope the budding divas  put their talent to good use, for it would be a crime against the  industry if they were to ‘sleep on it’.

Still, we’d like to know:

Do you think it is essential for band members to be friends in order to succeed?
Was disbanding the group Diddy’s biggest mistake? (… after signing Cassie of course)?

Your thoughts?

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  1. Kerry Johnson August 28, 2011

    They was better than Gaga’s lame ass 🙂

  2. HURRICANE BEYONCE BLEW LACEFRONCAPE’S WIG AWAY.(IS†ANN4GAGA) August 28, 2011

    I remembered seeing Chris Crocker dancing to this song…SMH SMH

  3. askew90 August 28, 2011

    Their never going to get back together, they have too many issues with each other.

  4. Kerry Johnson August 28, 2011

    They should contact Rihanna, she can help them 🙂

  5. DanityKiWi August 28, 2011

    They were my girlz! Miss them a lot, but they won’t be getting back together!
    They made some good-ass music!

  6. O_O August 28, 2011

    How much did they have to pay D Woods to stand that close to Dawn? She still out there in the grey area.

    I these h*** messed me up bad man.

  7. Nichole August 28, 2011

    FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER! @MUSIC_ME84. I FOLLOW BACK!
    FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER! @MUSIC_ME84. I FOLLOW BACK!
    FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER! @MUSIC_ME84. I FOLLOW BACK!

  8. Dave August 28, 2011

    I think the band members have to be friends because it makes them much more passionate in their work, & makes it better quality. Especially with females (or so they say). Yeah, disbanding the group was the biggest mistake that Diddy could make. I mean who really talented does he have right now. & they were disbanded off of a greatly successful platinum album, so it was really weird & random. But, then again I think it would’ve been inevitable because apparently there was already issues internally in the group, so idk.

  9. JohnVidal August 28, 2011

    Didn´t knew about them. Who are they??? Did they ever have succes? They seem pure crap just like all those type of bands

  10. Dabest August 28, 2011

    god I love Aubrey. ALl about Aubrey season 2 coming this winter! her album will be released during it I assume.

  11. MuzikJunkie! August 28, 2011

    I really miss them, they were really good together. On the bright side they made some great music together that I still listen to today!

  12. ASAP (As Sincere As Possible) August 28, 2011

    I loved them.They were the most talented girl band out there at that time (more than Pussycat Dolls for sure).Their career was so poorly handled, though.It’s unbelievable how one so promising group only got the chance to release 4 singles and 4 (low budget) videos in their entire career.And they weren’t even properly promoted.
    Disbanding them was a mistake.Every band has some conflit between the members and maybe some problems with the label too, but it’s not like these girls were bullying each other.They were just having normal problems.5 girls together working their butts off for 2-3 years would definetely have problems, but that’s more than normal.And his excuse for disbanding them was cheap!He just wanted TV drama and he would prefer a 3-member band to give less money.

  13. timoth August 28, 2011

    almost 4got about Danity Kane..lol..

    Subway giving back after laying off over 1300 people.. http://goo.gl/E8HQP $100 giftcards..s**t i grab 3 of them..lol

  14. ASAP (As Sincere As Possible) August 28, 2011

    Btw “This week’s From The Vault relives the group’s biggest hit, the Stereotypes produced ‘Damaged’.”
    _________________________________________________________________

    I think that ‘Show Stopper’ was their biggest hit, but anyway…

  15. RosaRubbel August 28, 2011

    I was a huge DK fan. I’ve bought both albums and still listen to them (‘Welcome To The Dollhouse’ was a great effort). In my opinion they were way better than PCD, because DK was actually a group, while PCD seemed always like a bunch of background dancers to me.

  16. IKNOWTHETRUTH August 28, 2011

    DANITY WAS DIDDY’S BIGGEST ACT IN YEARS AND PUT HIM BACK ON THE MAP BUT HE SCREWED UP WITH HIS WHOLE “DIRTY MONEY” VISION FOR THAT CRAPPY ASS POOR SELLING ‘LAST TRAIN TO PARIS ALBUM’. HE DID NOT PROMOTE THIS GROUP RIGHT. THEIR FIRST ALBUM SHOULD HAVE DEFINITELY HAD “RIGHT NOW” RELEASED AS A SINGLE AS WELL AS “HOLD ME DOWN” WHEN URBAN SONGS SUCH AS THEIR DEBUT SINGLE AND FIRST FROM THEIR ALBUM “SHOW STOPPER” WERE STILL HITS AT RADIO. THEIR SECOND ALBUM HAD SO MANY POTENTIAL HIT SINGLES SUCH AS “SUCKA FOR LOVE” AND “LIGHTS OUT” AS WELL AS “POETRY”, “STRIP TEASE” AND “IS ANYBODY LISTENING. THE TOUR THAT THEY WENT ON WAS ONLY 16 DATES AND HAD TEN OF THEM CUT SO THE PROMO FOR THAT ALBUM WAS WEAK. THESE GIRLS HAD GREAT SONGWRITING ABILITY, GREAT HARMONIES AND THEY WERE JUST WELL ROUNDED. THEY WERE A SOLID BAND. EVERYBODY COULD SING, HAD THEIR OWN SOUND, HAD THEIR OWN STYLE. AUNDREA DEFINITELY SUNG CIRCLES AROUND THEM BUT THE OTHERS WERE NOT FAR BEHIND HER. THEY HAD TWO NUMBER ONE, PLATINUM, ALBUMS WITH NEXT TO NO PROMO FROM BAD BOY SO THESE LADIES OBVIOUSLY HAD SOMETHING ABOUT THEM. THEY HAD THAT “IT” FACTOR TO MAKE IT. NOW NONE OF THEM ARE HAVING SOLO SUCCESS. THEY DEFINITELY ALL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO, BUT NOT AS BIG AS IT WOULD BE IF THEY WERE A GROUP. DIDDY IS A HORRIBLE BUSINESS MAN AND ONLY CARES ABOUT HIMSELF AND THAT NO TALENTED ASS CASSIE. HOW MANY VIDEOS AND SINGLES HAS SHE HAD RELEASED FROM THIS SOPHMORE ALBUM THAT HAS TAKEN THREE YEARS TO RELEASE AND STILL ISN’T OUT? HOW MANY VIDEOS DID HE DROP FOR ‘LAST TRAIN TO PARIS’ AND ONLY TWO OF THEM WERE HITS? THEN THE WHOLE ALBUM FLOPPED. AUBREY WAS ONLY HONEST WHEN SHE WAS FIRED AND HE DIDN’T LIKE THE TRUTH, D. WOODS AGREED SO HE FIRE HER TOO. YOU CAN’T FIRE THE TWO MOST POPULAR PERSONALITIES FROM THE GROUP AND EXPECT TO HAVE SUCCES WITH THE THREE THAT DIDN’T SAY TOO MUCH BUT WERE STILL VERY TALENTED. DIDDY IS ALL TV. HE HAD THIS PLANNED FROM THE GET GO. THE WHOLE TWO SEASON STRETCH OF AUBREY AND AUNDREA AND THEN AT THE FINALE OF THE WHOLE THING WHEN THEY WERE NO LONGER GOING TO BE A GROUP HE SAID HE WAS DOING ANOTHER SHOW WHERE THE GIRLS WOULD STAY TOGETHER. HE’S JUST SUCH A QUEEN AND A TV W****. DANITY KANE AND YUNG JOC PUT BAD BOY BACK ON THE MAP AND NOW LOOK, THEY’RE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND AND NEITHER IS BAD BOY. HE WOULD RATHER PROMOTE CASSIE AND HIS WEAK MUSIC. DAY26 NEVER HAD THE PROPER CHANCE WITH TWO ALBUMS EITHER. THEY’RE EXTREMELY TALENTED AND “COME WITH ME” SHOULD HAVE BEEN RELEASED FROM THEIR DEBUT ALBUM AS A SINGLE BUT NEVER HAPPENED. THEY HAVE TWO UNCERTIFIED ALBUMS AND DONNIE KLANG WAS SIGNED STRICTLY FOR IMAGE PURPOSES BECAUSE HE WAS NOT TALENTED. IF HE KNEW WHAT HE WERE DOING RUNNING A LABEL, BAD BOY WOULDN’T BE SO HORRIBLE BUT IT IS BECAUSE HE CAN’T RUN HIS LABEL CORRECTLY, HE’S TOO BUSY TRYING TO BE THE STAR OF EVERYTHING. THESE GIRLS WORKED THEIR ASSES OF FOR YEARS AND WERE NEVER PROPERLY COMPENSATED. YOU HAVE TO PUT FOCUS AND TIME AND THE PROPER PUSH BEHIND SUCH A GREAT INVESTMENT BUT HE NEVER REALLY DID SO IT DIDN’T COST HIM THAT MUCH. THEY WOULD HAVE DONE MUCH BETTER ON A LABEL SUCH AS INTERSCOPE RECORDS THAT ACTUALLY PROMOTES ARTISTS. FOUR OFFICIALLY RELEASES SINGLES AND VIDEOS IN FOUR YEARS AFTER TWO ALBUMS. OTHER SONGS FROM THEIR ALBUMS CHARTED DUE TO DOWNLOADS BUT WHY? DIDDY SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO HANDLE SUCH TALENTED ACTS, EVER. THESE GIRLS WERE THE BEST GIRL GROUP SINCE DESTINY’S CHILD LEFT. NOW THE ONLY GROUP I SEE POSSIBLY BEING AS GOOD, IS RICHGIRL IF JIVE RECORDS EVER RELEASES THEIR ALBUM AND SOME HIT SINGLES BECAUSE THEY’RE A VERY SOLID GROUP. I PRAY THESE GIRLS WISE UP AND REUNITE AND BECOME WHAT THEY ONCE WERE BUT THEY MAY BE REACHING A BIT. THEY’RE AMAZING.

  17. IKNOWTHETRUTH August 28, 2011

    I’D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THEY WERE ONE OF THE FIRST ACTS TO START WITH THE URBAN/DANCE MOVEMENT WITH “DAMAGED” AND THEN ALOT OF OTHERS FOLLOWED. THEY WERE SO CAPABLE OF BEING SUCCESSFUL IN BOTH URBAN AND POP FIELDS. ALSO, “SHOW STOPPER” MAY HAVE BEEN THEIR HIGHEST CHARTING SINGLE BUT “DAMAGED” WAS THEIR HIGHEST SELLING AND WENT PLATINUM.

  18. BrooklyniteRan August 28, 2011

    Such a mistake. Their second album was very underrated (even though it went plat. ) DIDDY f***** up like he always does !!!!!

  19. NE-YO*STAN August 28, 2011

    Danity Kane and Day26… man, that throws me back.

    I couldn’t read IKNOWTHETRUTH’s whole post, but I generally agree with what I caught from it. Diddy is horrible at management. Look further into the past of Bad Boy and you’ll see. He probably would have mismanaged Biggie as well if the he had lived a few more years.

  20. PYTFROMAL August 28, 2011

    Every band Diddy created he f***** up. SMH . Day 26, DK, and wasnt it a band before them? Like a rap grouP

  21. pop royalty (MUSIC OF THE SUN) August 28, 2011

    Do you think it is essential for band members to be friends in order to succeed? YES .
    Was disbanding the group Diddy’s biggest mistake? (… after signing Cassie of course)?
    NO.

    I LIKE THIS SONG BTW 🙂

  22. number1k9 August 28, 2011

    Do you have to be friends, NO!

    Should you be friends or try to be friendly with each other, HELL YES -that’s what everybody does with their daily JOBS, which is essentially what a singing group is, a JOB!

    BUT, look at KINGS OF LEON, they’re 3 brothers and 1 cousin, and are having HUGE issues!

    The thing is groups always do well at the beginning because they it is usually full of eager, excited artists. Years down the line egos develop (or in some cases just start to show), favoritism is shown by management, industry stakeholders, ect. …and people don’t take well to either of those things.

    * * Awww, I miss Danity Kane – such a great group, I still blame Diddy most of all! * *

  23. BeBeJuJu August 28, 2011

    this was my jam!

  24. IKNOWTHETRUTH August 28, 2011

    YES YOU NEED TO BE FRIENDS TO WORK IN A GROUP, EVEN IF YOU’RE FAMILY YOU STILL NEED TO BE FRIENDS BECAUSE THAT’S THE ONLY WAY IT’LL WORK.

  25. R.I.P. DK August 28, 2011

    It would be wise to start a group with friends, wth people you trust and know that jealousy and all the bull ish wont get in the way. But look at Girls Aloud and the Saturdays they didnt know each other but they had/have long careers. Obviously creating a group through a competition mentality would be hard cause they still thinkin they gotta compete with each other. I wish they could have got it together though cause theyre my favorite girl band and WTTDH is one of my favorite albums

  26. Imgunnacheckuboo August 28, 2011

    DIDDY RUINS LIVES! He’s a life ruiner!

  27. nice_gurl August 28, 2011

    I don’t know them. Are they english or american?

    You don’t have to be friends, but you have to get along and be able to make decisions together as a group to be successful.

  28. Miguel August 28, 2011

    They sucked anyway.

  29. RIHANNA FAN August 29, 2011

    danity kane sucked anyway….someone gotta be outta they f****** mind to think that this group ACTUALLY had potential…..

  30. Jazz August 29, 2011

    I had high hopes for them. They could actually sing. But as usual, none of the bands actually “make it” after about 2 albums. This makes me think Diddy is just money hungry.

  31. vladica07 August 31, 2011

    @ASAP
    Firstly,Im sorry if I have some mistakes,english isnt my native language,although I’ve been learning it since I was a kid.

    I completely agree with your comment.There were many issues,of course,its natural to have beef between bandamates,but the lack of promotion and not releasing enough singles are some serious problems.In the show they all said that their shows were sold out,but there was no money,no earning.That was stressing for sure,to give your best and have successful albums,but you dont earn enough for a living.

    Im dissapointed because they were truly talented and every one of them sang on the album (all of them had parts,Im not going into the whole Shannon-had-small-parts issue),they had so much potential,but PCD,where Nicole was the important one,were huge in Europe.Danity Kane should have been at least big as PCD,if not even bigger,if only there was will and motivation to do the best job of making them big and letting ppl know about them.

    I listen to their music still and even-though there’s no chance for them to reunite soon,since they are doing different stuff and all dont communicate,Im hopin’ for their reunion any day,Im a hopeless believer when it comes to those girls 🙂

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