How a Belgian studio project became a global dance music phenomenon
In short: In 1991, producers Jean-Paul De Coster and Phil Wilde began with an instrumental track. By adding a Dutch rapper and a traffic warden from Amsterdam, they transformed a studio experiment into 2 Unlimited, a project that would eventually sell eighteen million records worldwide.
The formation of 2 Unlimited was an organic evolution of the Belgian-Dutch dance scene. After creating the instrumental version of 'Get Ready for This' in May 1991, producers De Coster and Wilde sought rap vocals to complete the track. They eventually recruited Dutch rapper Ray Slijngaard and vocalist Anita Doth, a former traffic warden from Amsterdam, to form the group's iconic duo. Their debut single, 'Get Ready for This', reached number eight in Belgium and number ten in the Netherlands. It later became a top two hit in both the United Kingdom and Australia.
The project achieved massive mainstream success between 1991 and 1996, securing sixteen international chart hits. Their most recognizable single, 'No Limit,' released in January 1993, utilized a repetitive structure that helped it top charts across Europe, including Austria, Belgium, France, and the UK. While they faced heavy criticism from the British press—who dubbed them '2 Untalented'—their commercial impact was undeniable, with 'No Limit' alone seeing 500,000 units sold in Germany. The group's popularity extended to American sports, where several tracks became popular themes for the NBA and NHL. Their second album, Get Ready!, was released in February 1992 and achieved gold certification in the United States.
Internal tensions eventually led to a split in 1996. Disputes over musical direction and revenue splits led Slijngaard and Doth to decline a five-year contract renewal. Although the producers retained the rights to the name and recruited new singers, the original duo eventually reunited for performances in 2009, performing under the name Ray & Anita for certain releases. The original members eventually performed together again in 2009 at a concert in Hasselt. During this period, they also released music under the name Ray & Anita.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: 2 Unlimited
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