In Essence

In Essence (occasionaly referred to simply as, I.E.) is a 5-member Canadian R&B group that has had success both in Canada and USA. The groups members, Dru, Pops, Smooth, Que and Touch all met in Toronto, Ontario in 1993. On a trip to NYC, In Essence met Funkmaster Flex and his manager and in 2001 they were signed to Franchise Entertainment. Shortly thereafter they released a the single "You'll Never Find". The song garnered tremendous exposure in the US and aided in the success of Funkmaster Flex's Mix Tape Vol. 4. As a result of this exposure and success, In Essence signed a record Deal with Vik Recordings / BMG Canada and released their first album, The Master Plan, in 2003. In April 2004, In Essence won a Juno Award for Best R&B/Soul Recording Of The Year. In June of that same year they took home an MMVA Award from MuchMusic for Best R&B Video Of The Year. The year also saw them win a SOCAN #1 Award for "Friend Of Mine" along with 2 Canadian Radio Music Award nominations. Lead singer, Dru, has recently embarked on a successful solo career. He is currently recording his debut album for a Fall 2008 release.