The Cataracs and Dev are at the top of the world!

From ranking number 8 on the Billboard Rap Chart to peaking at #1 in the USA on the iTunes top 100 songs in 2010, ‘Like a G6’ has been an accomplishment of sorts for The Cataracs as well as Dev. The song went on to peak #1 on the Billboard charts as well!

Meet Devin Star Tailes

Even though both the band The Cataracs and Dev, the singer from Manteca, California have been in the music scene for quite some time; there collaboration is when their rise to fame began. Dev or Devin Star Tailes was first discovered by The Cataracs when they saw her Amy Winehouse cover posted onto MySpace. She had recorded this song on her MacBook and had made it in response to her ex boyfriend’s new girlfriend. Calling it a super weird diss track, she probably had no clue when her friend posted it on MySpace that The Cataracs would notice it and contact her. She soon dropped out of her freshman year at San Joaquin Delta College to pursue her singing dreams and gradually rise to fame as Dev.

The Cataracs were already an established band by then, recording and producing albums that were getting noticed. A hip hop American indie pop group from Berkeley, California; the band consists of vocalist and songwriter David ‘Campa’ Benjamin singer-Vine and vocalist, songwriter and producer Niles ‘Cyrano’ Hollowell-Dhar. They met at their sophomore year at Berkeley High School and there is quite a story to how they started out! Singer Vine was in a CD that was circulated around the school campus and Dhar responded to it. The ‘diss’ response did not take the natural course of animosity but instead turned into a friendship and they formed their band The Cataracs in 2003.

The name Cataracs was after their favorite Snoop Dogg’s song “What’s my name Pt. 2”. There is a phrase in the song which goes “Who smoke ‘til your eyes get cataracts”. The Cataracs’ first album “Technohop Vol 1” was released in the summer of ’06 when the two graduated. In the month of August the same year, they joined The Pack on the single “Blueberry Afghani” that soon gained popularity. The song came to be chosen as the ‘download of the week’ by 106 KMEL and there were abundant praises from various sites like UK’s Hip Hop Connection and The Fader. Though they went to different colleges, eventually they decided to put their degrees on hold while they pursued their dreams and came to Los Angeles, California where they are still based.

Since then the world has witnessed several hits from them including their second and third albums, Technohop Vol 2 (2007) and The 13th Grade (2008). Some of their other famous songs like “Baby Baby” and “Club Love” have ensured them a huge fan following. In fact, the song ‘Baby Baby’ was featured in the hit series “Keeping up with the Kardarshians” in 2010.

The Cataracs and Dev “2Nite”

This was the first collaboration and the single ‘2Nite’ by The Cataracs and Dev. They had both signed to Indie Pop and other musicians like The Pack and Bobby Brackins were also featured.

The Cataracs and Dev “Like a G6”

Later The Cataracs and Dev signed to Universal Records and starting music production for artists like Far East Movement. There major success finally came with the single “Like a G6” that got to #1 on the Billboard charts. The song was produced by Dhar and written by both him and Singer-Vine. The song’s chorus was a sample from Dev’s song “Booty Bounce” which was also produced by The Cataracs. The song with Far East Movement came at a time when The Cataracs and Dev have been grinding it out in the studio together to come out with random tracks like these. Released in April of 2010, the song sold more than 2 million downloads in the US alone!

New Boyz featuring The Cataracs and Dev

In 2011, The Cataracs and Dev featured in the single ‘Backseat’ from New Boyz’s album Too Cool To Care. Currently the song is ranked at #37 on the Billboard charts. If you thought this was the end of it, you couldn’t be more mistaken. Since 2009, Dev has been busy working on her debut album with The Cataracs.

To be released in September of 2011, this new album from Dev will mean she will move on from the ‘Like a G6’ fame to more. She told Fashion Indie, “I am confident in The Cataracs and myself that this album is going to speak for itself and I won’t just be known as the ‘G6’ girl.” The title of the album was announced on February 25th.

It is just a few more days now before you can hear more of The Cataracs and Dev in Dev’s debut album “The Night Sun Came Up” which will also feature the already famous ‘Bass Down Low’. Keep tuned in The Cataracs and Dev!