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Cardiac Arrest - Cameo released their debut album in 1977, Cardiac Arrest, turning the funk thermostat all the way up. What they were doing for Black music changed the whole game with their in-your-face style and electro-funk beat. (Photo: Chocolate City Records)

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The Lead - Larry Ernest Blackmon was the front man for the funk crew. He was raised in Harlem and came to Cameo Black Ivory, a soul group that performed throughout the '70s. His nasal sound and absurdity set him apart. (Photo: PolyGram Records)

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The Original Cool Kid - From Larry Blackmon's outfits to his high-top, he was a force to be reckoned with.(Photo: Anthony Barboza/Getty Images)

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What Rules? - The group's outlandish, weird-ish stage presence and sense of humor carried this group through both the good and bad times in funk's transformation.  (Photo: Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images)

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Word Up! - "Word Up!" was Cameo's first U.S. Top 40 hit, landing at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and spending three weeks at number one on the U.S. R&B chart. (Photo: PolyGram Records)

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She's Strange - This shot up to the top of Billboard's R&B albums chart. While other bands of the era weren't able to sustain themselves, Cameo charged ahead with "She's Strange," helping to maintain both the freshness and its popularity.(Photo: Casablanca Records) 

7 / 8

Sexy Sweet Thing - The group released their last album in 2000. The 13-track release was Cameo's first full album of new material since In the Face of Funk in 1994. (Photo: PolyGram Records)

Photo By Photo: PolyGram Records

8 / 8

He's Still Got It - Even at the age of 59, he's still doing his thing. He hasn't lost his rhythm or funk.(Photo: Monica Morgan/Getty Images)