Robert Kool Bell

1950-10-08

Youngstown, Ohio, USA

Biography

Robert Earl "Kool" Bell (born October 8, 1950), also known by his Muslim name Muhammad Bayyan, is an American musician, singer & songwriter. He is one of the founding members of the American R&B, soul, funk and disco band Kool & the Gang. Bell was born in Youngstown, Ohio, to Aminah Bayyan (1932–2014) and Robert "Bobby" Bell (1929–1985). Bell grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey. Growing up, Bell was nicknamed "Kool", due to being "laid back": That's a nickname from the neighborhood I grew up in here in Jersey City. It's a faddish thing and I just happened to take the name Kool 'cause I'm kind of a laid back person. Along with his brother, Ronald Bell, he began playing jazz & in 1964 they formed a group named The Jazziacs. They began playing at clubs in New York City under a series of different band names before settling on the name "Kool & The Gang" in 1968. Their debut album, Kool...