After the dissolution of Swing Mob, its former artists collaborated, with Playa, Elliott, Timbaland, Magoo and Ginuwine forming the collective Superfriends in 1996. The founding members would add a few more members to the new roster which included Nicole Wray, N.E.R.D., the Clipse, Shaunta Montgomery, Sebastian, Danja Mowf, DJ Lonnie B, Tweet, and rising R&B artist Aaliyah. The collective began working with each other and collaborating on each other's recordings, keeping the features within the group, and often appearing in each other music videos.
The first collaboration under the Suparfriendz name took place on Timbaland & Magoo's 1997 single "Up Jumps da Boogie", in which Elliott and Ginuwine provided background vocals and made appearances in the music video. Also providing background vocals was Aaliyah, who had become affiliated with the former Swing Mob roster after Timbaland produced her 1996 album One in a Million. Missy Elliott, who had served as a writer and background vocalist on One in a Million, went on to release her debut solo album, Supa Dupa Fly, in 1997. A critical and commercial success that featured production from both Elliott and Timbaland, this album helped to raise the profile of the collective. While affiliated with the Supafriendz collective, Playa released the 1998 album Cheers 2 U. Playa member Static Major also served as a songwriter for many other members of the collective, contributing writing to Ginuwine's "Pony" and many of Aaliyah's songs from this period. Nicole Wray and Tweet also released music during the Supafriendz' period of peak activity.
