The band reached a whole new level of fame in 1980 with the release of the #1 R&B and #16 Billboard 200 hit, "The Gap Band III". That album had soul ballads such as the #5 R&B song "Yearning for Your Love", and funk songs such as the R&B chart-topper "Burn Rubber on Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)" and "Humpin'". They repeated this formula on the #1 R&B album "Gap Band IV" in 1982 (the first album released on Simmons' newly launched Total Experience Records), which resulted in three hit singles: "Early in the Morning" (#1 R&B, #13 Dance, #24 Hot 100), "You Dropped a Bomb on Me" (#2 R&B, #31 Hot 100, #39 Dance), and "Outstanding" (#1 R&B, #24 Dance). It was during this time that former Brides of Funkenstein singer Dawn Silva joined them on tour.