The Harrell brothers say their father was a strict disciplinarian, but being raised with a hard hand has apparently paid off.  The R&B quintet, now known as Brutha, signed to Island Def Jam/Good Fellas Entertainment in 2007 and the lead single, "I Can't Hear The Music," featuring Fabolous, from their self-titled debut (out Dec. 23), entered the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs  chart at No. 92 two weeks ago.

"Our dad was a singer, so he basically put music in us at a  young age," says Anthony Harrell, whose father was a member of  an R&B group once signed to RCA Records. "Before we could walk we were singing and dancing. It was all our dad's doing."

Based in Los Angeles, Grady, Anthony, Jared, Cheyenne and Jacob have been performing since early childhood, at school talent shows, weddings, parties, bar mitzvahs and even on street corners. But it wasn't till 2003, after a show at the L.A. Key Club for the celebrity basketball team the Hollywood Knights, that they decided to make the five-member group official.

"It just felt natural," says Jacob Harrell, who adds that  before becoming one unit, he and Cheyenne (also known as Papa) had their own group, and Anthony and Grady had another, while Jared (aka J.R.) was trying his hand at rapping.

Special performances for Brian McKnight, Wayne Brady and Michael Jackson followed, but still, the siblings felt something – or someone – key was missing in their efforts to achieve success.

"We were trying to mess with Draino, but he knew we were knuckle heads," says Jacob about their desire to team up with their uncle Donny "Draino" Harrell, an industry veteran. "But
we begged our grandma to speak to him in our behalf, and within weeks he'd taken us to Shakir [Stewart, former executive VP of Def Jam], and they made it happen together."
Stewart and Draino took Brutha to perform before Island Urban/So So Def President Jermaine Dupri, and "within weeks we were signed," adds Jacob.

Days later the brothers were on a flight to Atlanta to work at the Marvin McEntyre Studios for an intense, six-month, six day a week training that included sessions with a singing coach, choreographers and work-out trainers. "It was hard, but we did it," says Jacob. "We put our hearts in it."



Simultaneously, the brothers recorded their album. For it, they teamed with Jazze Pha, Shae Taylor, Ne-yo, RL from Next, the Corna Boyz, the Heavyweights and 112 founding member Daron Jones. Fabolous makes the only guest appearance.

Tracks like “Like This,” a “fun song for the ladies,” “Set It Off,” about a guy in need of affection,“ and second single “She’s Gone,” which will be released in January, will be included on the set.

To help introduce the group and to promote the album, Brutha has a reality show titled “Brothers To Brutha,” which premiered on BET on Nov. 18. The show documents the brothers’ battle to make it in the music industry as well as their struggles as a family unit, including a visit to their father’s home, in which he not only has a fist fight with his brother Draino, but also has an intense argument with his son Cheyenne.

“We were in Atlanta recording and working out and my uncle had the idea, a vision that our life could be a reality show,” says Grady Harrell. “He called and said cameras would follow us. Then he reached out to James Dubose from the Keyshia Cole [reality] show and before we knew it we had cameras following us. Shakir was also a very integral part of that.”

In addition, Brutha is on a high school tour and has scheduled some TV appearances, including one on BET’s “106 and Park.” “We’re out there meeting fans everyday,” says Grady.

They are also doing radio shows, and are in the planning stages for an early ’09 tour. Jared adds that, in the future, they hope to branch out into some acting and endorsements, eyeing a possible one with Coca Cola. They also plan on expanding their writing roster.

Although these days their father doesn’t have a very essential part in their career, the brothers say they will be eternally grateful for his gift to them – music.  “Our father was basically who started this off, and we appreciate him for that,” says Jacob. “He instilled singing and performing and entertaining in us. He’s the reason we have music in us.”