J.J. Fad: First All-Female Rap Group to Land GRAMMY Nomination

In 1989, J.J. Fad made history. Their hit "Supersonic" earned them a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance, making them the first all-female rap group ever to get that recognition. The song even climbed to No. 10 on Billboard's Hot Dance/Club Play Songs chart.

It all started when Juana Burns was just 19 years old. She formed the group by hosting low-key auditions in her mom's den. "It was all word of mouth," Burns told SPIN. "That was it. There was no flyers. There was nothing. I would just tell people that went to my school. I told people in my neighborhood. I think there was probably 20 girls that came."

The original lineup of J.J. Fad had five women: Juanita Lee, Juana Burns, Fatima Shaheed, Anna Cash, and Dania Birks. Their initials formed the group's name. Later, the lineup went down to three.

When N.W.A's Eazy-E heard a rough cut of "Supersonic," he signed them to Ruthless Records. Dr. Dre then stepped in to produce a new version of the track.

Their big break was a twist of fate. "Supersonic" was originally just the B-side to another song, "Another Ho." But when a club DJ flipped the record by chance, the crowd went wild. That reaction pushed "Supersonic" to the front.

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Once KDAY radio in Los Angeles picked up the song, it took off. The track went gold, and its success helped fund other Ruthless Records artists.

The group hit big stages on the Run's House Tour with legends Public Enemy, Run-DMC, EPMD, and DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. During their video shoot on an L.A. rooftop, Burns even showed off her prize-winning skating skills.

The song "Supersonic" remains popular even decades later. It even made an appearance in the Sonic the Hedgehog movie trailer. Burns, now helping kids as a school nurse, sees its lasting power. "It's a generational song. It's going from generation to generation to generation," she said.

In the studio, Dr. Dre ran a tight ship. "You better be here at 6 a.m. and you better not be late," Burns recalled. That strict work ethic stuck with them long after their time in the spotlight.