2 unlimited was formed back in 1990 by Belgian producers Jean-Paul de Coster and Phil Wilde. After experimenting with dance/electro/techno projects by themselves, they decided to add vocals to their songs, and become producers. They got the rapped Kid Ray (real name Ray Slijngaard) to rap for them. Ray knew a singer from Amsterdam’s club scene called Anita Dells (real name Anita Doth) and suggested on bringing her along. So started the history of a successful formation, which sold over 18 million records.
VIDEO: 2 unlimited: Magic Friend (1992)
2 unlimited was active from year 1991 to 1996. During that time they made worldwide smash hits, the biggest one being a catchy little tune called No Limit. Also, the other catchy tune you can hear on NBA-games, numerous movies and tv-series called Get Ready For This is also made by these guys. They toured all over the world, got known from the steel-abs, rastahead rapper Ray, and the hot-looking, smiling and awesome sounding Anita. They made people all around accept techno and dance as a modern-day (nineties) pop music, and cleared all misconceptions about techno only being the music of drugheads.
During their active years they sold millions of records, made history in many different levels, got their shelves full of awards, and made so many people dance and enjoy themselves. Then came year 1996. The official explanation is that their contract ended, and because the producers wanted to do one thing, Ray wanted to do a second and Anita third, they decided to go their separate ways. Coincidentally, at the end of the previous year they released a greatest hits album Hits Unlimited, and stated in its booklet that “It’s not the end of an era, but the dawn of a new beginning”.
The producers then decided that the world is just not the same without 2 unlimited. To solve this problem they recruited two new faces to continue with the same name. Romy and Marion were nice looking and sounded decent, but because they stole the name from the one and only real 2 unlimited, I hated them straight from the beginning. Apparently, so did most of Europe, and they ended up making only one album, which didn’t sell, and then they split up too. Apparently, even after this the producers tried to make up a third version of 2 unlimited, this time again with a man and a woman, but this time they didn’t even get to make an album.
VIDEO: 2 unlimited : Jump for Joy (1996)
After 2 unlimited Anita worked as a presenter in the Dutch Tv, performed with Divas of Dance, and released her own solo album Reality in 2000. Ray worked as a producer, had projects and solo stuff.
Fast Forward to 2009: After 13 years of their split, ray and Anita got back together on the same stage at ‘I Love the 90’s’ –party in Belgium. The crowd was ecstatic, and it could be clearly seen from Anita and Ray that they had missed that and were still on top of their game, after so many years. They made other performances together, and later that year announced that they are making an official comeback under the name Ray&Anita (The producers still own the name 2 unlimited). Their first single “In Da Name of Love” was released in January 2010. Currently they are working on a new album, and a world tour. I’ll keep you posted!
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