Hip Hop Rapture en-us Mac Minister Mac Minister (born Andre Dow, 1971, San Francisco, California) is an American rapper, currently serving life for the murder of Kansas City rappers Anthony "Fat Tone" Watkins and Jermaine "Cowboy" Akins in Las Vegas, Nevada in May 2005. Mac Minister was profiled on an episode of America's Most Wanted, allegedly for retaliating for the murder of Bay Area hip-hop legend Mac Dre in Kansas City, Missouri. After a 10-month manhunt, Mac was apprehended by the FBI on the evening of March 2, 2006 while hiding out in a San Francisco apartment. He worked with many artists such as E-40, Too Short, Mac Dre, DJ Quik and Snoop Dogg and Moises Rosales. http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=443 Chamillionaire Dubbed "the Mixtape Messiah," Houston's Chamillionaire arrived late as a major-label artist during his city's 2005 takeover of mainstream rap -- the Top Ten Sound of Revenge, released during November that year, followed albums from Mike Jones, Slim Thug, and former Color Changin' Click partner Paul Wall -- but he had already built a loyal following outside the South and received significant print coverage. Through a prolific succession of mixtapes, Chamillionaire (born Hakeem Sediki) became known for his deep, versatile voice (he sings his own hooks very effectively) and lyrical ability. Originally part of Swishahouse, he switched to Paid in Full, where he and Paul Wall collaborated on 2002's Get Ya Mind Correct -- an album that sold 100,000 copies. Prior to inking his deal with Universal, he founded the Chamilitary label and began grooming the careers of brother Rasaq and 50/50 Twin http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=440 D Block D-Block was founded by Sheek Louch along with fellow rappers, Jadakiss and Styles P (L.O.X group members). D-Block's debut release was Sheek Louch's 'Walk Witt Me' which sold more than 64,000 in its first week and achieved record sales of 245,000, 'Walk Witt Me' was released 16 September 2003. J-Hood is one of the newest member's to join D-Block and he was follow by Team Arliss and T Waters. D-Block signed to Koch records in June of 2005. http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=438 Gangsta rap name generator http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=437 Gangsta-rap-name-generator http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=434 Haystak Initially known best for being a huge white-boy rapper from Tennessee, Haystak overcame his anomalous status with time as listeners learned to cherish his sincerity. Unlike many of his Southern peers, Haystak didn't embrace materialism and greed; he rapped about his life as so-called "white trash," exploring the social dimensions of being white and underprivileged in the South. Following the success of fellow white-boy rappers Eminem and Bubba Sparxxx, Haystak found it easier to earn respect in an industry that had long frowned upon white rappers, particularly those from the country. Born Jason Winfree in Nashville, TN, to teenage parents and raised by his grandparents, Haystak grew up among impoverished surroundings. He turned to crime as he came of age, ultimately getting busted for bringing Valium and cocaine to school at age 15. After serving a two-year sentence, Haystak turned to rap music as his salvation. Few gave the mammoth country boy a chance to succeed, however. In the late '90s he defied the odds by aligning himself with a local rap label, Street Flavor, and producers Kevin Grisham and Sonny Paradise. The partnership resulted in Mak Million, Haystak's 1998 debut album, followed two years later by Car Fulla White Boys. By this point Haystak had garnered a substantial regional following, and underground hardcore rap publication Murder Dog especially championed the blossoming rapper. The ensuing buzz attracted Koch Records, who signed Haystak and re-released Car Fulla White Boys in late summer 2000. Two years later, Koch released Haystak's third album, The Natural. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=431 The Game Compton's own the Game (aka Jayceon Taylor) issued his debut LP The Documentary in 2004 through Aftermath/G Unit/Universal. With everyone from Dr. Dre and 50 Cent to Nate Dogg, Kanye West, and Just Blaze contributing to the album, The Documentary made it clear from the outset that geographic squabbles weren't a part of the Game's agenda. Rapping hadn't been at first, either. Having gotten involved in the drug trade after a rough childhood, it took being shot during a home invasion to cause an epiphany in Game. Inspired by N.W.A, The Chronic, Doggystyle, and classic albums from 2Pac, Notorious B.I.G., and Jay-Z, Game began rapping in 2001 and never looked back. His barbed and bold freestyles caught the ear of Dre, who signed him to Aftermath in 2003 and took the exec producer helm for his debut. It was delayed a few times, but The Documentary finally dropped in January 2005, buttressed by much buzzed-about singles like "Higher" and "Fresh '83." ~ Johnny Loftus. Since finding fame with the group G-unit The Game has had beef with the leader 50 Cent The Game unleased his anger against 50 on 300 bars and running - All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=430 Affiliate To become an affiliate of HipHop rapture your web site must get atleast 1000 unique visitors per month. 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HipHop Rapture supports Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments mandates, WCAG 1.0 Priority 2 & 3 that are relevant to the successful use of this web site to persons with or without disabilities & to improve your time online at this site. <b>Our site fully complies with:</b> WCAG 1.0 WCAG 2.0 WCAG 3.0 Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments mandates <b>For the best experience we recommend as a minimum:</b> Internet Explorer 4.0+, Netscape 6.0+, and Opera 3.5+ 800x600 screen resolution http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=424 Rap album reviews http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=423 Advertise Looking to advertise your website or product? if so HipHop Rapture will have the right solution for you. We do various advertisements, text links, banners, buttons & pop up's these can either be a on just 1 page or site wide. For a competitive quote feel free contact us at hiphop@hiphop-rapture.com http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=422 Rap News http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=419 Link to us <center>Example: <a href="" title="Hiphop Rapture">HipHop Rapture</a> <textarea rows="3" name="S1" cols="47"><a href="" title="Hiphop Rapture">Hip-Hop Rapture</a></textarea> http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=418 Krayzie Bone A member of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, rapper Krayzie Bone was born Anthony Henderson in Cleveland, OH; also known as Leatherface, the Sawed-Off Gangsta, he joined Bone Thugs in 1993, debuting a year later with the EP Creepin on Ah Come Up. Subsequent LPs, including 1995's E 1999 Eternal and 1997's The Art of War, launched the group to rap superstardom, and as the decade drew to its close Krayzie Bone issued his solo debut, Thug Mentality 1999. Inner demons and life on the street were the main topics of 2001's Thug on da Line. The follow-up, Gemini: Good vs. Evil, was originally slated for a 2004 release but was delayed till early 2005 when Krayzie got to the oppurtunity to record some tracks for the album with his old crew members Wish Bone and Bizzy Bone. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=417 Kool G Rap Kool G Rap never rose to superstar status during his late-'80s reign as a leading member of Marley Marl's Juice Crew, but the Queens-bred hardcore rapper endured for over a decade, eventually enjoying a renaissance in the early 2000s. Throughout his tour of duty, G Rap maintained a reverent following, mainly among his original late-'80s/early-'90s fan base and the subsequent wave of gold-age revivalists. Cold Chillin' furthermore repackaged his key recordings with DJ Polo periodically over the years, so G Rap remained visible even as his productivity slowed considerably. While countless other golden-age rappers thus fell by the wayside, G Rap quietly ascended to legendary status, perhaps as recognized in the early 2000s as he had been during his late-'80s prime. The "Kool Genius of Rap" began life as Nathaniel Wilson in a rough section of Queens, where he first met Eric Barrier and Polo, two friends with a mutual interest in hip-hop. While Barrier went onto a short-lived yet successful career as the less-acknowledged half of Eric B and Rakim, Polo and G Rap collaborated and released the It's a Demo/I'm Fly 12" on Cold Chillin' in 1986. This legendary single was the first of several; "Streets of New York," "Poison," and "Road to the Riches" also being noteworthy singles. G Rap also graced Marl's "The Symphony," a performance that promised him legendary status in itself. By 1989 he was making LPs rather than 12" singles, signaling G Rap's rise from the underground to mainstream recognition. Yet while Juice Crew peers such as Big Daddy Kane and Biz Markie scored crossover singles, had big-selling LPs, and soon found themselves on MTV, G Rap struggled with his sudden position on the uncomfortable brink of crossing over. Sure, his LPs had their share of highlights such as "Road to the Riches" and "Erase Racism," in addition to the aforementioned singles, but his albums with Polo never achieved what many had hoped for in terms of popularity. By the mid-'90s, G Rap parted ways with his longtime partner and attempted a solo career with 4,5,6 (1995) on Cold Chillin', followed by Rated XXX (1996) and Roots of Evil (1998). None of these albums garnered too much attention, commercial or critical, and it seemed as though G Rap was bound to suffer old-school status like most of his '80s peers. As G Rap's name became less and less acknowledged among contemporary rap listeners in the late '90s, the stalwart MC simultaneously began channeling his efforts toward guest appearances. Collaborating with the likes of Fat Joe, Big Pun, M.O.P., Mobb Deep, Nas, RZA, Big L, and Talib Kweli -- along with a surprising appearance on U.N.K.L.E.'s high-profile Psyence Fiction album as well as the Lyricist Lounge 2 compilation -- G Rap gained substantial momentum. Once joining forces with Rawkus, the rapper's renaissance officially began as the label began promoting his comeback album months before its proposed 2001 release. The album, The Giancana Story, unfortunately wouldn't street until late 2002, as Rawkus became increasingly entangled in major-label affiliations. Though some of the anticipation simmered during the long delay, the album nonetheless impressed many and forcibly signaled another of G Rap's periodic returns. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=416 Young Gunz Young Gunz began as just two of the numerous rappers in Roc-a-Fella's State Property collective, yet all it took was one runaway hit, "Can't Stop, Won't Stop," to distance them from the pack and elevate them into the spotlight. The Philadelphia duo -- Young Chris (born Chris Ries) and Neef (born Hanif Muhammad) -- debuted with brief appearances on the first State Property album (2001) and, more importantly, got a high-profile shoutout in Jay-Z's "Takeover" earlier that year. However, it was their first track together, "Can't Stop, Won't Stop," that proved decisive to their success. The track first showed signs of life on the mixtape circuit, where DJ Enuff began repping it. Roc-a-Fella obviously felt "Can't Stop, Won't Stop" had a bright future, because the label granted it the coveted lead-off position on the second {State Property} album, The Chain Gang (2003). The song took off quickly, getting heavy rotation on urban radio and music television while shooting up the Billboard Hot 100 chart. A follow-up remix with Chingy gave the single yet more legs, and it became one of the year's more memorable rap singles, setting the stage for Young Gunz's debut album. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=415 Wyclef Jean Lead Fugees rapper and sometime guitarist Wyclef Jean was the first member of his group to embark on a solo career, and he proved even more ambitious and eclectic on his own. As the Fugees hung in limbo, Wyclef also became hip-hop's unofficial multicultural conscience; a seemingly omnipresent activist, he assembled or participated in numerous high-profile charity benefit shows for a variety of causes, including aid for his native Haiti. The utopian one-world sensibility that fueled Wyclef's political consciousness also informed his recordings, which fused hip-hop with as many different styles of music as he could get his hands on (though, given his Caribbean roots, reggae was a particular favorite). In addition to his niche as hip-hop's foremost global citizen, Clef was also a noted producer and remixer who worked with an impressive array of pop, R&B, and hip-hop talent, including Whitney Houston, Santana, and Destiny's Child, among many others. The son of a minister, Nelust Wyclef Jean was born in Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, on October 17, 1972. When he was nine, his family moved to the Marlborough projects in Brooklyn, NY; by his teenage years, Jean had moved to New Jersey, taken up the guitar, and begun studying jazz through his high school's music department. In 1987, he also joined a rap group with his cousin Prakazrel Michel (aka Pras) and Michel's high-school classmate Lauryn Hill. Initially calling themselves the Tranzlator Crew, they evolved into the Fugees, a name taken from slang for Haitian refugees. The trio signed with Ruffhouse Records in 1993 and released their debut album, Blunted on Reality, the following year; it attracted little notice, thanks to an inappropriate hardcore stance that the group wore like an ill-fitting suit. But the Fugees hit their stride on the follow-up, The Score, ignoring popular trends and crafting an eclectic, bohemian masterpiece that sounded like nothing else on the hip-hop landscape in 1996. Thanks to hit singles like "Fu-Gee-La" and "Killing Me Softly," The Score became a chart-topping phenomenon; in fact, with sales of over six million copies, it still ranks as one of the biggest-selling rap albums of all time. Wyclef Jean was the first Fugee to declare plans for a solo project, setting to work soon after the group completed its supporting tours. Released in the summer of 1997, The Carnival (full title: Wyclef Jean Presents the Carnival Featuring the Refugee All-Stars) was even more musically ambitious than The Score. Its roster of guests included not only the remainder of the Fugees, but also Jean's siblings (who performed together in the duo Melky Sedeck), Cuban legend Celia Cruz, New Orleans funk mainstays the Neville Brothers, and Bob Marley's female backing vocalists the I Threes. The breadth of his ambition was further in evidence on the album's two hit singles; "We Trying to Stay Alive" recast the Bee Gees' signature disco tune as a ghetto empowerment anthem, and the Grammy-nominated "Gone Till November" was recorded with part of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Those two songs helped push The Carnival into a Top 20, triple-platinum showing, and most reviews were naturally quite positive. In the wake of The Carnival, Wyclef stepped up his outside work for other artists; over the next few years, he collaborated as a producer, songwriter, and/or remixer with a typically diverse list of artists: Destiny's Child ("No No No"), Sublime, Simply Red, Whitney Houston (the title track of her My Love Is Your Love album), dancehall reggae star Bounty Killer, Cypress Hill, Michael Jackson, Eric Benet, Mya, Santana ("Maria Maria"), Tevin Campbell, the Black Eyed Peas, Kimberly Scott, Sinéad O'Connor, Mick Jagger, and Canibus. Clef also served as Canibus' manager for a short time in 1998; prior to their split, a report surfaced that Wyclef had pulled a gun on Blaze editor Jesse Washington over a negative Canibus review the magazine was slated to run (Wyclef vehemently denied the accusation, and no charges were filed). By the time Wyclef began work on his second solo album, rumors were flying about tension between individual Fugees, and despite their denials, the fact that no follow-up to The Score was in sight seemed to lend credence to all the speculation. Although Wyclef had previously announced he would put off his sophomore effort until after the next Fugees album, he was well into the project by early 2000, giving an early release the antipolice brutality track "Diallo" (with guest vocals from Senegalese superstar Youssou N'Dour) via the Internet. The full album, titled The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book, was released toward the end of the summer and entered the charts at number nine. Besides N'Dour, guests this time around included Mary J. Blige (on the Grammy-nominated duet "911"), Earth, Wind & Fire, Kenny Rogers, and even wrestling star the Rock ("It Doesn't Matter"); Clef also threw in a left-field cover of Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here." This time around, some critics suggested that Wyclef's sprawling ambitions were growing messy, but the record went platinum nonetheless. Shortly after its release, he also started up his own record label, Yclef. With no Fugees reunion in sight, Wyclef began preparing his third solo album, Masquerade, in 2001; he also appeared in the Jamaican gangster flick Shottas, and, sadly, suffered the death of his father in a home accident. Masquerade was released in the summer of 2002, and in addition to the usual worldbeat fusions, it found Wyclef reworking songs by Bob Dylan and Frankie Valli, and featured guest shots from Tom Jones and Israeli violinist Miri Ben-Ari. Masquerade entered the charts at number six, proving that Wyclef's freewheeling approach still held quite a bit of appeal. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=414 Killah Priest Killah Priest is a tangential associate of the Wu-Tang Clan. The Brooklyn native made his first recorded appearances on records by such Wu side projects and solo albums as the Gravediggaz, Ol' Dirty Bastard's Return to the 36 Chambers, and, most importantly, Genius/GZA's seminal Liquid Swords. His contributions became legendary and paved the way for the release of his acclaimed debut album, Heavy Mental, in the spring of 1998. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant and Brownsville, Killah Priest became infatuated with hip-hop as a child, listening to old-school and new school acts like Eric B. & Rakim alike. He also was influenced by local rappers, like Genius and Onyx's Suave, who would often play local parties. Killah Priest began working on his rhyming and eventually earned a considerable reputation in Brooklyn, but instead of pursuing his musical career further, he took a sabbatical in order to educate himself, primarily about religion and history. Killah Priest returned to rapping in 1995, appearing on several Wu projects. All of his cameos were noteworthy, but his role on Liquid Swords earned special attention. By the end of 1996, he formed his own side project, the Sunz of Man. In 1997, GZA suggested to Geffen that they sign Killah Priest, and the label took his advice. Killah worked on the album with True Master and 4th Disciple, two producers associated with the Clan. The resulting album, Heavy Mental, was dense with religious imagery and filled with evocative sounds. It received excellent reviews upon its March 1998 release and was a respectable commercial success, debuting at number 24 on the pop charts. Killah Priest issued his second album, View from Masada, in the spring of 2000, further bolstering his status as one of the most compelling solo artists in the Wu-Tang stable. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=413 Wish Bone Bone Thugs-N-Harmony member Wish Bone remained relatively quiet and inactive following the group's mid-'90s sudden rise to fame as his colleagues -- Krayzie Bone, Layzie Bone, Flesh-N-Bone, and Bizzy Bone -- all pursued either solo albums or worked with the Mo Thugs Family albums. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=412 Will Smith Beginning his career during the mid-'80s under the name the Fresh Prince, by the following decade rapper Will Smith was one of the biggest superstars of his time -- not only a pop music sensation, he also conquered television and eventually feature films, starring in a string of box-office megahits. Born September 25, 1968, in Philadelphia, he was 16 when he met aspiring DJ Jeff Townes; joining forces as DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, the duo immediately became local favorites, but their continued existence was threatened when Smith graduated high school and was offered a scholarship to MIT. Ultimately, he chose to pursue a career in music, and in 1987 he and Townes issued their debut record, Rock the House, scoring a hit with the single "Girls Ain't Nothing but Trouble." Propelled by the smash "Parents Just Don't Understand," DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince broke into the mainstream a year later with He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper, one of the first hip-hop LPs to achieve double-platinum status. Clean-cut, witty, and easygoing, the duo's bubblegum approach was a stark contrast to the dominant, harder-edged rap sound of the period; viewed as a non-threatening alternative to their peers, they received the parental seal of approval, and their appeal spread across racial lines as well. And in This Corner... followed in 1989, and soon Hollywood began taking notice of Smith's success; in 1990, he was tapped to star in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, a sitcom for NBC. An immediate hit, it made Smith a household name, and continued in production through 1996. Smith also continued his music career, and in 1991 DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince scored their biggest chart hit to date with the excellent "Summertime," from the album Homebase. The year following, he made his feature film debut in the drama Where the Day Takes You; in 1993, his supporting turn in Six Degrees of Separation was the subject of much critical acclaim. That same year, the final Jazzy Jeff/Fresh Prince record, the disappointing Code Red, was released. In 1995, Smith co-starred in the action film Bad Boys, a major box-office hit; it set the stage for his leading role in 1996's Independence Day, the summer's biggest smash. A year later, he starred in Men in Black, again the box-office champ of the summer season; recording for the first time under his given name, he also scored a smash with the movie's rap theme. Smith's debut solo LP, Big Willie Style, also appeared in 1997, notching the hits "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It," "Just the Two of Us," and "Miami." Shortly on the heels of his first box-office disappointment, 1999's Wild Wild West, he returned with the album Willennium. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=411 K-Ci and JoJo Cedric and Joel Hailey comprise the romantic R&B duo K-Ci & JoJo, who were one of two pairs of brothers that made up the chart-topping '90s group Jodeci. The Haileys grew up singing in church choirs in Charlotte, NC, and toured the South with their father's gospel group. When they met the DeGrate brothers, Dalvin and "DeVante Swing," they decided to switch to secular music and formed Jodeci. After signing with Uptown, the quartet released three platinum albums over 1991-1995, with DeVante Swing writing and producing the vast majority of the material. The first rumblings of independence came when K-Ci recorded a solo single, a cover of Bobby Womack's "If You Think You're Lonely Now," for the soundtrack of the 1994 film Jason's Lyric. In 1996, a year after Jodeci's third album, The Show, the After Party, the Hotel, K-Ci & JoJo officially teamed up to record "How Could You" for the soundtrack of the Damon Wayans/Adam Sandler comedy Bulletproof; they also supplied backing vocals on 2Pac's smash "How Do U Want It." The brothers made their side project into a full-fledged collaboration with the release of their debut album, Love Always, in 1997. The lead single, "You Bring Me Up," was a Top Ten R&B hit, and the follow-up, "Last Night's Letter," was also successful. But the single that really broke them big was the sweet ballad "All My Life," which went all the way to number one on both the pop and R&B charts in early 1998. Love Always went on to sell over four million copies, and Jodeci went on an unofficial, indefinite hiatus (though they never broke up). K-Ci & JoJo assembled a follow-up album, It's Real, which stuck closely to the sound of its predecessor. It was another Top Ten, platinum-selling hit, and produced another smash single in "Tell Me It's Real," which topped out at number two on both the pop and R&B charts. The Haileys celebrated ten years in the recording industry with 2000's X, their third straight platinum album, which spun off the near-Top Ten pop hit "Crazy." Shortly after the release of X, K-Ci & JoJo were invited to perform at the KIIS-FM Jingle Ball 2000 concert in Los Angeles. Despite the promoters' assurances that the show was safe for families, K-Ci allegedly fondled and exposed his erect penis during their performance, and was charged with indecent exposure and lewd conduct based on videotape evidence. He pleaded no contest and was fined and placed on probation. The duo's prolific recording pace subsequently slowed a bit, during which time they worked on material for a long-rumored Jodeci reunion album. They also released their fourth album, Emotional, in late 2002, but initial sales returns failed to duplicate the success of its predecessors. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=410 Kane and Abel Originally from New York, the hip-hop duo Kane & Abel moved to New Orleans as teenagers. When they arrived in New Orleans, they met Mia X, who eventually hooked the duo up with Master P, who helped Kane & Abel land a deal with No Limit Records. Their first album, 1996's 7 Sins, was produced by KLC and Mo B. Dick, who formerly worked with Down South Hustlers and Tru. Am I My Brother's Keeper followed in 1998. The next year, the duo broke from No Limit, starting their own label, Most Wanted, which was distributed through EastWest. Their first effort for the label was Rise to Power, which was released in the fall of 1999. Preceding the release, the twin brothers were arrested in May 1999 for conspiring to distribute cocaine with a convicted drug dealer named Richard Pena. This served as good publicity for their album, particularly as they argued that the bust was a conspiracy that was ultimately aimed at getting the two to testify against Master P. In the end, they ended up plea bargaining and released Most Wanted in late 2000. The album featured "Shake It Like a Dog," a popular club hit that eventual became such a success for the underground Southern duo that they re-released the album in summer 2001. The re-release of Most Wanted featured four new bonus tracks, including "Show Dat Work (Shake It Like a Dog, Pt. 2)" featuring Mystikal. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=409 Usher After being spotted by a La Face record executive at a talent show in his hometown of Atlanta, GA, it took no time for Usher Raymond's career to take off. The 14-year-old auditioned for La Face co-founder L.A. Reid, who signed the gospel choir boy to a recording contract. Raymond was introduced to the world simply as "Usher," and released his debut album of the same name in 1994, which featured co-executive producer Sean "Puffy" Combs. The first single, "Think of You," gained Usher notoriety and reached gold status. From that initial exposure, Usher was approached to do other projects. In 1995, he recorded a national holiday jingle for Coca-Cola. He also joined several top male R&B vocalists to form Black Men United for the single "You Will Know," featured on the Jason's Lyric soundtrack. He also teamed with teen singing sensation Monica for a duet remake of Latimore's "Let's Straighten It Out." After graduating from high school, Usher released his sophomore album, My Way, in 1997. In an attempt to display his maturity and songwriting abilities, Usher co-wrote six of the nine songs and enlisted the help of producers Jermaine Dupri, Babyface, and, again, Combs. The album's first single, "You Make Me Wanna," re-established Usher as one of R&B's hottest artists, and also made him a crossover sensation; it topped the R&B charts for 11 weeks, hit number two pop, and eventually went double platinum. Both of the follow-up singles, "Nice & Slow" and "My Way," also went platinum; the former stayed at number one on the R&B charts for eight weeks and became his first number one pop single. In the meantime, Usher launched an acting career, appearing in the 1998 horror spoof The Faculty and the 1999 urban high-school drama Light It Up. To tide fans over, he issued a concert recording titled simply Live in 1999. Usher returned with his third proper album, All About U, toward the end of 2000. His third album, 8701 (2001), moved him from a teen pop star to a sultry R&B singer. In early 2004, Arista released the single "Yeah!" Produced by Lil Jon and guesting Ludacris, the addictive, lightly crunk cut fast became a club and radio favorite. By the time the Usher full-length Confessions dropped later that March, "Yeah!" had hit the top of the Billboard charts. The album itself was Usher's most mature work to date and won the Grammy for best contemporary R&B album 2004 while "Yeah!" took home the best rap/sung collaboration award. ~ Lynda Lane, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=408 Joe An accomplished vocalist of smooth and sultry R&B productions with occasional hip-hop beats, Joe's extensive background in gospel music has allowed him to produce his albums as well as sing on them. A native of Georgia, Joe later moved to Opelika, AL; since he was the son of two preachers, he spent much time in church singing, playing guitar, and even directing the choir. Influenced early on by gospel stars like the Winans, Commissioned, and Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Joe grew to love soul legends Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye plus contemporary stars Bobby Brown and Keith Sweat. Joe graduated from high school and continued to sing and write music while working at occasional temporary jobs. Finally, he traveled to New Jersey hoping to make connections in the music industry. While working at a gospel record store and continuing his music education through a local church, he met producer Vincent Herbert and recorded a three-song demo tape. He signed to Polygram and in 1993 released his album debut, Everything. Joe also appeared on the soundtrack to Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood, and moved to Jive/RCA for his second album, 1997's All That I Am. The single "Don't Wanna Be a Player" hit the Top 40, thanks to its exposure on the soundtrack of Booty Call. While All That I Am went platinum, Joe remixed a duet by Tina Turner and Barry White, "Never in Your Dreams"; he also produced and wrote for debut albums by Ideal and Deja Groove. In 1999, Joe appeared on Mariah Carey's "Thank God I Found You" single (from Rainbow), and caught yet another break from a soundtrack appearance, this time with "I Wanna Know" from The Wood. Released as a single in the fall, "I Wanna Know" languished in the lower reaches of the charts until suddenly catching fire in early 2000; the single reached the R&B Top Five in March, setting the stage for Joe's next album, My Name Is Joe. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=407 Jermaine Dupri Beginning with breakout success in 1992 upon the discovery of teenage rappers Kris Kross, Jermaine Dupri became one of the most consistent and all-persuasive producers of the 1990s, producing practically the entire careers of many artists on his label, So So Def Recordings (including platinum entries like Xscape and Da Brat as well as Kris Kross). In addition, Dupri provided a steady hand to many of the most high-profile R&B albums of the decade, such as TLC's CrazySexyCool (ten times platinum) and Mariah Carey's Daydream (eight times platinum). His promising musical career began before he was even ten years old. His father, Atlanta manager Michael Mauldin, had coordinated a Diana Ross show in 1982; to the delight of concert-goers, Dupri managed to get on-stage and dance along with Ross. He began performing around the country, appearing with Herbie Hancock and Cameo before he opened the New York Fresh Festival, with Run-D.M.C., Whodini, and Grandmaster Flash. Dupri's production career began in 1987, when at the age of 14 he produced and secured a record contract for the trio Silk Tymes Leather. Two years later, he formed So So Def Productions in Atlanta; by 1991 Dupri had found his first platinum act. After seeing the pint-size rap duo Kris Kross performing in a local mall, he signed them and prepared their debut album. Totally Krossed Out spent two weeks at number one, and quickly sold four-million copies. The pair's lack of staying power was somewhat obvious, and Dupri kept working, producing tracks on TLC's first two albums, which sold over 15-million copies between the two of them. During 1993-1994, Dupri debuted two of his new So So Def acts, Xscape and Da Brat. Both debut albums hit platinum, thanks in large part to Dupri, and by the end of 1994, he had become one of the most respected R&B producers in the business. He worked with superstar Mariah Carey and old-school rap acts like Run-D.M.C. and Whodini. Dupri's next major success came in 1997, when he took over the production for a sophomore album by a suave teenage R&B singer named Usher. The album, My Way, became one of the biggest of the year, selling over two-million copies in its first three months of release. Taking a page from the book of fellow super producer Sean "Puffy" Combs (who debuted a solo project in mid-1997), Dupri returned to performing in early 1998 with a single, "The Party Continues." After collaborating with Snoop Doggy Dogg, fellow Atlanta residents Outkast, Slick Rick, Nas, and Master P, he released his debut solo album (as JD), Life in 1492, in July 1998. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=406 Trina Miami-based rapper Trina first gained notoriety in 1998 with her appearance on Trick Daddy's <a href="http://www.thug.com" target="_blank">www.thug.com</a> album. Her own debut album, Da Baddest Bitch, featured a cameo by Trick Daddy and was released in early 2000 on Atlantic Records. She spent the next two years honing her raw, raunchy style. She paired up with Missy Elliott for the recording of her second effort, 2002's Diamond Princess. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=405 Jazze Pha Atlanta-based Jazze Pha (born Phalon Alexander), the son of original Bar-Kays bassist James Alexander and chart-topping R&B singer Deniece Williams, began racking up session credits in the mid-'90s and became one of the hottest beat-makers around the turn of the following decade. Predominantly a producer of Southern rap, Pha's handiwork led to Top 20 hits for Field Mob ("Sick of Being Lonely") and Ciara ("1, 2 Step"), and he also worked on records by Too Short, Slick Rick, Ludacris, Lil' Wayne, OutKast, T.I., Ruben Studdard, and Nelly. Months before releasing his debut solo album in 2005, he signed a production deal with the Cash Money label, which had previously counted only Mannie Fresh as an in-house producer. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=404 Trillville The boisterous and brash Trillville began their bid for the title "Gods of Crunk" in 1997 while attending ninth grade in Atlanta's public school system. Dirty Mouth was leader of the school's snare drum line along with writing his own rhymes, Don P was rapping and working on producing beats with his keyboard, and Lil LA (aka Lil Atlanta) was an aspiring promoter, later to become a rapper himself. Lil LA guaranteed and delivered a packed house every time the group hit the stage as young Atlanta took to their new crunk sound. Over the years Lil LA joined with his own raps and the group named themselves Trillville, a combination of "truth" and "real." Lil Jon attended one of the group's sold-out shows and soon had them signed to the BME label. Their single "Neva Eva" started heading up the charts in late 2003, with the full-length King of Crunk & BME Recordings Present: Trillville following in early 2004. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=403 Jadakiss Jadakiss (born Jason Phillips) became a member of the Ruff Ryders in 1999. Five years earlier, he joined the Lox (who started their saga as a group called the Warlocks) and has remained a member of both groups since. The Lox gained national exposure in 1997 with their multi-platinum tribute to the Notorious B.I.G., "We'll Always Love Big Poppa." Jadakiss released his debut solo album, Kiss tha Game Goodbye, in August of 2001 on the Ruff Ryders/Interscope label. Three years later, second album Kiss of Death was released. ~ Kerry L. Smith, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=402 Tone Loc Tone-Loc (born Anthony Smith) soared from obscurity into pop stardom in 1989 when his hoarse voice and unmistakable delivery made the song "Wild Thing" (using a sample from Van Halen's "Jamie's Cryin'") a massive hit. The song was co-written by Marvin Young, better known as Young MC, as was the second single smash, "Funky Cold Medina." The album Loc-ed After Dark became the second rap release ever to top the pop charts. Tone-Loc expanded his horizons into acting in 1992 and 1993, appearing a few times on the Fox sitcom Roc. He was also in the films Posse and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, and in 1991 returned to recording with Cool Hand Loc. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=401 I 20 A featured spot on "Move Bitch," a Ludacris-led single from Disturbing tha Peace's 2002 album Golden Grain, proved to be a crucial moment for deep-voiced Southern rapper I-20. Based in Decatur, GA, the MC (real name: Bobby Sandimanie) was originally known as Infamous 2-0, but he eventually altered his stage name to echo the interstate route that runs through the Southeastern U.S. He met a prestardom Ludacris in 1997, which led to his membership in Disturbing tha Peace. Two years after the release of that group's album, he put out his debut solo album, Self Explanatory. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=400 Three 6 Mafia Without compromising their dark image as a malevolent rap group from the South, Three 6 Mafia quickly evolved from a humble underground rap collective to a commercially successful dynasty by retaining their raw qualities and releasing countless albums under a number of monikers. Representing Memphis, TN, the group's six core members -- Crunchy Black, Gangsta Boo, Lord Infamous, Koopsta Knicca, Juicy "J," and DJ Paul -- give the group its dark image, vividly rapping about drug use, violent aggression, pornographic sex, and anything else remotely evil. Furthermore, group leaders Juicy "J" and DJ Paul's cinematic production perfectly compliments the group's theatrical rapping, causing many to call them the South's Wu-Tang Clan, as both groups are led by in-house production, feature a closed roster of rappers, and also release innumerable affiliated solo and compilation albums. After releasing their first official album in 1995 and their first major-label album in 1997, Three 6 Mafia soon found themselves on the verge of superstardom; once When the Smoke Clears debuted at number six on Billboard's album charts in summer 2000, it became evident that Three 6 Mafia no longer were an underground group. Before Three 6 Mafia became a sprawling slew of loosely connected side projects, DJ Paul began his musical career as a popular Memphis DJ around 1990, creating mix tapes at home with his brother, Lord Infamous. In 1991, DJ Paul met up with another hot local DJ, Juicy "J," who was a fan of his mix tapes; the two began producing tapes with them rapping over beats and they eventually began integrating local MCs into their music. After Juicy "J" and DJ Paul honed their beats to the point where they had developed a trademark sound (later showcased on Underground, Vol. 1, a collection of their early recordings from 1991-1994), they began officially collaborating with local MCs; these resulted in their first underground release as Triple 6 Mafia, Smoked Out Loced Out. After an enthusiastic response within the South, the group changed their name to Three 6 Mafia and put out their first official album in 1995, Mystic Stylez. At this early point in their career, the early Three 6 Mafia camp prided themselves on being as raw as possible, rapping explicitly about sex, drugs, and violence. While these topics weren't exactly MTV material, they did garner a considerable cult following -- quite similar to what Esham was doing in Detroit at the time -- and the group used controversy to further fuel their growing popularity via the media by releasing an EP, Live by Yo Rep, which took lyrical shots at Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. After following up their debut and EP with a second album, Da End, Three 6 Mafia signed to Relativity Records. Having released their early albums on the group's independently run Prophet Entertainment label, their first major-label release, Chapter 2: World Domination, found the group polishing up their production and tweaking their image a bit. They also reprised "Tear the Club Up" from Mystic Stylez as "Tear the Club Up '97" and found themselves with a respectable anthem that made its way out of the South. At this point in the group's evolution, having signed to a major label and having scored an admirable hit single, group leaders Juicy "J" and DJ Paul began extending their brand by releasing group member solo albums (Gangsta Boo, Koopsta Knicca), non-group member solo albums (Project Pat, the Kaze), and also compilation-styled albums (Tear da Club Up Thugs, Hypnotize Camp Posse). Similar in approach to Master P's No Limit Records at the end of the '90s, a glut of Three 6 Mafia-affiliated albums soon flooded the market. Though even the most diehard fan couldn't possibly keep up with every release, these many albums did help bring increased awareness about what was going on in Memphis. This became evident in summer 2000 when the long-awaited "official" Three 6 Mafia follow-up to 1997's Chapter 2 album, When the Smoke Clears, finally hit the streets. Aided immensely by the surprising national success of the lead single, "Sippin' on Some Syrup," in a few non-Southern markets, the album debuted at number six on Billboard's album charts. Following the success of this album (which received no MTV and little national radio rotation), began work on the direct-to-video film Choices and on affiliated solo albums. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=399 Gonzoe A former member of Ice Cube proteges Kausion, rapper Gonzoe made his solo debut in 1998 with If I Live and Nothing Happens. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=398 Tha Alkaholiks Party rappers from the West Coast, tha Alkaholiks entered the hip-hop field by working with King Tee on his 1993 Tha Triflin' Album; after touring with KRS-One, Ice Cube, and Too Short, they found a major-label contract with Loud/RCA. The group came together in the early '90s, after DJ E-Swift (born Eric Brooks) and Tash (born Rico Smith) -- both raised in Cincinnati -- had worked together in Disturbers of the Peace (D.O.P.). The two settled permanently in Los Angeles and met J-Ro (born James Robinson), who had worked in Total Control with rapper Suavee D and King Tee (opening for the Real Roxanne and Dana Dane, among others), but was looking to move on. Named tha Alkaholiks, the trio worked with King Tee on his single "I Got It Bad Y'All," and signed to Loud/RCA for the 1993 single "Likwit/Only When I'm Drunk." Debut album 21 & Over followed later that year, while their second, Coast II Coast, saw the trio working with East Coast heavyweight Q-Tip even while they maintained a West Coast party vibe throughout. Tha Alkaholiks released their third album, Likwidation, in August 1997, and became tha Liks for 2001's X.O. Experience. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=397 Swollen Members The meeting of two West Coast rappers fuelled this talented Canadian band. In 1996, Mad Child was a solo artist performing in San Francisco when he returned to his hometown of Vancouver. There he met Prevail, who was gaining attention for his energetic live shows and abilities. The two joined forces and headed to San Diego to perform at the annual B-Boy Summit. The group was initiated into the Rock Steady Crew, one of only three bands to do so. Following this, the group released three independent singles before releasing Balance, their debut effort in 1999 on Battle Axe Records. A world tour and hundreds of performances followed. In 2001, the band released its second album, Bad Dreams. The same year they received a Juno Award for Best Rap Recording for Balance. In 2002, the band performed with Nelly Furtado and won a second Juno Award for Best Rap Recording. Their music has been featured on soundtracks, computer games, and other outlets. They've also worked with members of the Beat Junkies and Jurassic 5, among others. ~ Jason MacNeil, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=396 Suga Free This West Coast gangsta rapper's career got off to a slow start despite a promising debut album for Polygram produced by acclaimed producer/rapper DJ Quik -- 1997's Street Gospel -- that ultimately proved disappointing. In 2000, Suga Free returned to the spotlight with high-profile guest appearances on Xzibit's Restless and Snoop Dogg's Tha Last Meal. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=395 Flesh N Bone Undoubtedly the most troubled member of the volatile Cleveland rap group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Flesh-N-Bone struggled to release some spotty solo albums amid a series of legal problems. The brother of Layzie Bone -- the group's guiding force -- Flesh experienced instant celebrity status alongside his fellow Bone Thugs with the success of 1994's Creepin on Ah Come Up and 1995's E 1999 Eternal. The multi-platinum success of these albums and the resulting Grammy provided Flesh with the opportunity to record his debut solo album, T.H.U.G.S.: Trues Humbly United Gatherin' Souls, on the mammoth rap label Def Jam; unfortunately, the album didn't live up to expectations, selling poorly and receiving less than favorable reviews. Then in July 1997, around the time Bone Thugs-N-Harmony -- minus Flesh -- released their double album, Art of War, he was charged with assault and battery as well as with possession of an explosive after police raided his home, finding a stolen gun and explosives; Flesh also went into drug rehab in Los Angeles. A year later he served some time in jail for the previous year's probation violations. Though there was plenty of talk about Flesh-N-Bone's sophomore album (tentatively titled Book of Thugs) in mid-1998, the album didn't appear on shelves until October 2000 with a new title, 5th Dog Let Loose, and a new label, Koch. In September, weeks before the release of his album, Flesh was sentenced to ten years in jail for threatening a friend with an AK-47 in December 1999, his latest run-in with authorities. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=394 Fatal Rapper Fatal first surfaced as a member of the Outlaws, a collective organized by Tupac Shakur during his 1994 incarceration in an upstate New York prison cell. Also including rapper Khadafi, the Outlaws made their recorded debut on Shakur's All Eyez on Me album; however, after Shakur and Khadafi were both murdered in separate 1996 incidents, Fatal was forced to go it alone, signing with the Relativity label to release his solo debut In the Line of Fire. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=393 Sticky Fingaz Rapper Sticky Fingaz was the frontman of hardcore rap goup Onyx and is best known for his husky voice and brash rapping style that dragged the hip-hop sound into the mosh pit. The Brooklyn-born Kirk Jones spent much of his early life as a member of a notorious New York street gang. Jones began performing with his cousin Fredro Starr, and the pair was soon discovered by hip-hop legend Jam Master Jay. Soon after, they formed Onyx. In 1993, Onyx released their first album, Bacdafucup, which became a crossover hit thanks in large part to Sticky Fingaz' gritty style and raspy voice. The group produced two more records before Fingaz left the group to pursue solo projects. Jones also pursued a side career as a film actor. His first solo album, Black Trash: The Autobiography of Kirk Jones, which was released in 2000, is a conceptual album that is cinematic in scope that tells the story of Kirk Jones, a down-on-his-luck ex-con who finds himself wrapped up in the street life. The record stands as an impressive debut that blends Sticky Fingaz' two loves: film and hip-hop. Decade, released on D3 Entertainment, followed in 2003. It didn't fare nearly as well as the debut, but it did crack the Billboard 200. ~ Jon Azpiri, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=392 Faith Evans In spite of the fact that Faith Evans carved out a recording career in her own right, her name will forever remain linked in the minds of many to her late husband, the Notorious B.I.G. Evans was an active session singer and songwriter before signing her own solo deal and marrying Biggie, and while she never matched the level of his stardom, she continued to come into her own as a vocalist in the years after his untimely death. Evans was born on June 10, 1973, and grew up in Newark, NJ, where she began singing in church at the mere age of two. A high school honor student, she sang in her school's musical productions before winning a full scholarship to Fordham University. After just one year, though, she left college to put her jazz and classical training to use in the field of contemporary R&B. It didn't take her long to find work, and over the next few years, she sang backup and wrote songs for artists like Hi-Five, Mary J. Blige, Pebbles, Al B. Sure!, Usher, Tony Thompson, and Christopher Williams. Thanks to her work on Blige's 1994 sophomore effort, My Life, Evans met producer/impresario Sean "Puffy" Combs, who signed her to his Bad Boy label. In 1995, Evans released her debut album, Faith, which went platinum on the strength of the hit R&B singles "You Used to Love Me" and "Soon as I Get Home." The same year, she met fellow Bad Boy artist the Notorious B.I.G. (some accounts say at a photo shoot, others a phone conversation) and married him after a courtship of just nine days; shortly thereafter, she guested on a remix of his smash single "One More Chance." Over the next couple of years, Evans continued her behind-the-scenes work, performing and writing for records by the likes of Color Me Badd and LSG. She and Biggie also had a son, Christopher Wallace Jr., in late 1996; however, by that point, their marriage had already become strained. Biggie had publicly taken up with rapper Lil' Kim and rumors had been spreading about an Evans liaison with Biggie's rival 2Pac (alluded to on 2Pac's venomous "Hit Me Off"). The couple had unofficially separated when Biggie was shot and killed in March 1997. A grief-stricken Evans was prominently featured on the Puff Daddy tribute single "I'll Be Missing You," which with its cribbed Police hook zoomed to the top of the charts and became one of the year's biggest hits. Evans' sophomore effort, Keep the Faith, followed in 1998 and spun off several R&B hits over the next year, including "Love Like This," "All Night Long," and the Babyface-produced R&B number one "Never Gonna Let You Go." In the meantime, she worked with Aaron Hall, Tevin Campbell, and DMX, among others, and also made high-profile guest appearances on two 1999 hits, Whitney Houston's "Heartbreak Hotel" and Eric Benet's "Georgy Porgy." She began dating and eventually married record executive Todd Russaw, who took an active role in helping manage her career. In 2001, Evans released her third album, Faithfully, a more up-tempo record that received her strongest reviews to date; it also produced hit singles in "You Gets No Love" and "I Love You," and her duet with Carl Thomas on "Can't Believe" was nominated for a Grammy. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=391 SPM S.P.M., or South Park Mexican, AKA Carlos Coy, grew up in the Hispanic South Park neighborhood of Houston and, by his own admission, spent five years selling drugs in his teens and early twenties. In 1994, he turned to rapping, forming his own label, Dope House Records. He released his first album, Hustle Town in 1997, followed by the compilation Power Moves in 1998. Gathering many other rappers around him, he released his third album, The Third Wish to Rock the World in November 1999 and saw it sell over 100,000 copies within three months. With that success, he planned a series of further releases on Dope House and announced plans to make a semi-autobiographical film, to be called Hustle Town. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=390 Soopafly Soopafly began to garner a substantial name for himself as one of the West Coast's better G-funk producers of the late '90s and early 2000s by aligning himself with some of the coast's better rappers, such as Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, and Mack 10. Though he never played a major role in Death Row's major successes -- Dr. Dre's The Chronic, Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle, 2Pac's All Eyez on Me -- Soopafly did play a minor role in the label's unimportant late-'90s era; some of his efforts appear on leftover albums such as Daz Dillinger's Retaliation, Revenge & Get Back, Snoop Dogg's Dead Man Walkin', and Suge Knight Presents: Chronic 2000. By the end of 2000, Soopafly's clout had risen though, as he was suddenly producing tracks on Xzibit's Restless ("Fuckin' You Right," "Rimz & Tires") and Snoop Dogg's Tha Last Meal ("Loosen' Control"). ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=389 D Shot The brother of West Coast rapper E-40, D-Shot first surfaced alongside his sibling as a member of the Click; he made his solo debut in 1994 with Shot Calla, followed three years later by Six Figures. Money, Sex, & Thugs marked his first for the new millennium, released in summer 2001. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=388 Sleepy Brown Ask Grammy-winning singer/producer Sleepy Brown why he called his album For The Grown And Sexy and he breaks it down in his smooth style. "This album reflects where I think people are going. I'm tired of wearing jerseys and throwbacks. Those of us in hip-hop are getting a little older and people want to change. It's a whole grown-up, sexy movement going on, and I wanna be a part of that whole vibe about to come on." What is the sound of that vibe? Definitely Sexy. Funky. Frisky. Soulful. Seriously sensual. Passionate and pimp-a-delic. Soundtracks for late-night pleasure and daylight partying. The songs on For The Grown And Sexy will compel you to lick your lips, move your hips. and make a lil' love. Sleepy draws inspiration from soul's golden era, infuses it with rubbery funk grooves, and laces everything with a touch of hip-hop's strut. Featuring the smoky, seductive hit "I Can't Wait"(featuring Outkast) and contributions from Joi, Andre 3000, Big Gipp, Bubba Sparxxx, and Ludacris, For The Grown And Sexy is what R&B feels like, right now. If Sleepy's cushiony vocals sound familiar, they should. That's him providing the infectious hook on Outkast's smash "The Way You Move," off the group's 2003 Grammy-winning Album Of The Year, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. Brimming with Sleepy's laid-back, old-soul appeal, "The Way You Move" allowed millions to experience one of the Dirty South's best-kept secrets. Because while it's true For The Grown And Sexy marks Sleepy's major-label solo debut, he has been a mainstay of Atlanta's explosive music scene since the '90s, appearing on countless landmark albums; producing smashes like TLC's groundbreaking "Waterfalls," En Vogue's "Don't Let Go," Ludacris's "Saturday (Oooh! Oooh!)"; and providing vocal ammo on a diverse array of tracks, among them Killer Mike's "A.D.I.D.A.S.," Jay-Z's "Poppin Tags," and Outkast's "So Fresh, So Clean." As that list of credits proves, Sleepy Brown is an established player both in front of the mic and behind the mixing console. Sleepy made his bones as a founding member of the innovative production crew Organized Noize (TLC, Goodie Mob, Outkast) and the R&B/hip-hop collective Dungeon Family. In addition, he's a versatile artist whose output includes the critically acclaimed Society Of Soul (1995) and his 1998 independent effort The Vinyl Room. After he's held it down for the ATL and backed up some of that city's most forward-thinking performers, Sleepy's solo CD is not only highly anticipated, it's long overdue. "The good thing," Sleepy offers, speaking to his slow but steady climb into the spotlight, "is that any success that I've had has really come on my own terms. Just the fact that I stayed down for so long, I finally had the chance to turn the corner. My whole thing is thank God that I had the patience and was willing to go through all the bullsh-t and make it work for me...this success and this sort of attention that I'm getting now feels wonderful. It's great for people to finally recognize me and not just say, 'Oh, there's that guy from Outkast.'" The follow-up to his first hit single "I Can't Wait" is the irresistible "This Is How I Feel." Percolating and utterly danceable, the song is a slinky party jam guaranteed to make you shimmy. Another seductive slice of Sleepy is the scintillating "Give It Up," which resonates with Superfly wah-wah guitars and an unabashed loverman's perspective. Keeping it sexy but sweet is "Till Your Legs Start Shaking," which offers up a moist taste of Sleepy's steez. Inspired by an intimate moment between a man and a woman, the song is reminiscent of Marvin Gaye and has a romantic sheen that's hard to ignore. Bringing the uncut funk is the thumpin' "Mr. No Good," featuring Joi on vocals. Years in the making and hotter than the fourth of July, For The Grown And Sexy is more than a new album: It's Sleepy's cosmic vision brought to fruition. As for what his goals are for the album, he states, "I want people to play the album, sit back and let it take you..." http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=387 Shyheim The youngest member of the Wu-Tang Clan, Shyheim entered with his debut album at the ripe young age of 14. Lyrically he impressed rappers with a skill level that would make any hip-hop fan forget about his age altogether. A native of Staten Island, NY, Shyheim even spent time living with Wu-Tang member Ghostface Killah. Shyheim released The Lost Generation in 1996, while the acclaimed Manchild followed in 1999. ~ Brad Mills, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=386 Do or Die Chicago's Do or Die gained a hit with their first single, Po Pimp. Released on a tiny Chicago label, the track became a local hit and sparked the group's signing by Houston's Rap-A-Lot Records. Given a wide release in the summer of 1996, the single hit number 22, increasing the buzz for a full-length from the group. In September of that year, Picture This was released on Rap-A-Lot. Do or Die returned to action in the spring of 1998, releasing their second album, Headz or Tailz. Victory followed two years later. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=385 Shade Sheist From his flow to the beats that he rhymes over, everything about hardcore rapper Shade Sheist screams "West Coast" in no uncertain terms. Sheist has, on occasion, worked with some East Coast rappers -- including Ja Rule and Naughty by Nature member Kay Gee -- but even so, Sheist is very much a product of the Southern California rap scene. Heavily influenced by West Coast gangsta rappers such as Snoop Doggy Dogg, DJ Quik, Warren G, Dr. Dre, and the late N.W.A. agitator Eazy-E, Sheist was born and raised in the Los Angeles area. Anyone who forgets how long rap has been around need only think about how long Sheist has been alive; the Southern Californian was born in the early '80s, which means that he was only a baby when trailblazing old-school East Coast rappers like Kurtis Blow, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, the Sugarhill Gang (as in "Rappers Delight"), and the Treacherous Three were at the height of their popularity. It also means that he was only two or three years old when Ice-T -- the seminal father of West Coast gangsta rap -- started recording in 1983. Growing up in Inglewood, CA (home of the Inglewood Forum) and South Central L.A., Sheist was raised on rap. He was hip to what MCs from the East Coast and the Deep South were doing, but ultimately, it was the West Coast that had the greatest impact on his lyrics and his flow. Growing up in the 'hood in the '80s and '90s, Sheist was well aware of the gang violence and the infamous Crips/Bloods rivalry that plagued South Central L.A.; however, he has been quoted as saying that he was wise enough to avoid getting caught up in the gang scene. It was in 2000 that Sheist started to get some breaks as a rapper; that year, he was featured on "If You Were My Bitch," one of the tunes that Irv Gotti produced for the CD Irv Gotti Presents: The Murderers. The Murderers' project was where Sheist met East Coast hardcore rapper Ja Rule, who invited him to be a guest on his Def Jam album Rule 3:36 (which went triple platinum). It was also in 2000 that Sheist met the L.A.-based producer Damizza, who was serving as a senior director of artist relations for L.A.'s urban contemporary station Power 106 and had a production company/label called Baby Ree Entertainment. Damizza went on to feature Sheist on the 2000 single "Where I Wanna Be," which appears on the compilation Damizza Presents: Where I Wanna Be. In September 2002, Baby Ree/ MCA released Sheist's first full-length solo album, Informal Introduction; the disc's producers include Damizza as well as DJ Quik and Naughty by Nature's Kay Gee (who brings an East Coast background to what is usually a very West Coast-sounding album). ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=384 Sean Paul Dancehall DJ Sean Paul began scoring hit singles in Jamaica starting in 1996, and has since attracted American attention with his appearance on the soundtrack of Hype Williams' Belly (with Mr. Vegas and DMX) and his 1999 hit "Hot Gal Today." Born Sean Paul Henriques on January 8, 1973, the multi-ethnic Paul (his parents had Portuguese, Chinese, and Jamaican blood) grew up comfortably in St. Andrew, Jamaica, his mother a renowned painter. He was a skilled athlete, excelling in swimming and especially water polo, playing for the Jamaican national team in the latter. Although his education was enough to land a prosperous career, dancehall music remained Paul's first love, particularly crafting rhythm tracks. He became a DJ after he began writing his own songs, patterning his style largely after Super Cat and finding a mentor in Don Yute; he also found contacts in several members of the reggae-pop band Third World in 1993, which helped open up business connections. Sean Paul released his debut single, "Baby Girl," with producer Jeremy Harding in 1996; it proved a significant success, leading to further Jamaican hits like "Nah Get No Bly (One More Try)," "Deport Them," "Excite Me," "Infiltrate," and "Hackle Mi." In 1999, Sean Paul started to make inroads to American audiences; he was first commissioned to collaborate with fellow dancehall hitmaker Mr. Vegas on a production for rapper DMX; titled "Here Comes the Boom," the song was included in director Hype Williams' film Belly. Also that year, Paul scored a Top Ten hit on the Billboard rap charts with "Hot Gal Today," which quickly became his signature tune. Unfortunately, Paul had a very public falling out with Mr. Vegas over the packaging of the latter's remix of "Hot Gal Today"; still, it didn't slow Paul's career momentum, as he played the Summer Jam 2000 in New York City, the center of his American popularity. That fall, Paul released his first album on VP Records; the sprawling Stage One collected many of Paul's previous hit singles and compilation cuts, plus a few brand-new tracks. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=383 Digital Underground While hip-hop was consumed by the hardcore, noisy political rap of Public Enemy and the gangsta rap of N.W.A., Digital Underground sneaked out of Oakland with their bizarre, funky homage to Parliament-Funkadelic. Digital Underground built most of their music from P-Funk samples and developed a similarly weird sense of style and humor, highlighted by Shock-G's outrageous costumes and the whole band's parade of alter egos. Of all these alter egos, Shock-G's Humpty Hump -- a ridiculous comical figure with a Groucho Marx nose and glasses and a goofy, stuttering voice -- was the most famous, especially since he was immortalized on their breakthrough single, "The Humpty Dance." Over the course of their career, Digital Underground have featured a numerous members, but throughout it all, Shock-G has remained at their core, developing the band's sound and style, which they had from the outset, as their 1990 debut, Sex Packets, proved. Sex Packets was an instant hit, thanks the loopy single "The Humpty Dance," and while they never scaled such commercial heights ever again, their role in popularizing George Clinton's elastic funk made them one of the most important hip-hop groups of their era. Shock-G (born Gregory E. Jacobs, August 25, 1963) spent most of his childhood moving around the East Coast with his family, eventually settling in the Bay Area of California. He dropped out of high school in the late '70s and spent several years pursuing a life of crime before eventually finishing his degree and going to college to study music. Along with Chopmaster J, Shock-G formed Digital Underground in 1987, and the duo released a single, "Underwater Rimes," that year, which went to number one in the Netherlands. In 1989, the group signed with Tommy Boy, and that summer "Doowutchyalike" became an underground hit. By that time, Digital Underground had expanded significantly, featuring DJ Fuze, Money-B (born Ron Brooks), and Schmoovy-Schmoov (born Earl Cook). Sex Packets, the group's debut album, was released in the spring of 1990, and "The Humpty Dance," which was rapped by Shock-G's alter ego Humpty Hump, climbed all the way to number 11 on the pop charts, peaking at number seven on the R&B charts. With its P-Funk samples, jazzy interludes, and innovative amalgam of samples and live instrumentation, Sex Packets received positive reviews and went platinum by the end of the year. Digital Underground followed Sex Packets in early 1991 with This Is an EP Release, their first recording to feature rapper Tupac Shakur. The EP went gold and set the stage for their second album, Sons of the P, which was released that fall. On the strength of the gold single "Kiss You Back," Sons of the P also went gold, but it received criticism for its similarity to Sex Packets. By the time Digital Underground delivered their third album, The Body-Hat Syndrome in late 1993, hip-hop had become dominated by gangsta rap, particularly the drawling G-funk of Dr. Dre, which ironically was heavily indebted to Clinton. Consequently, their fan base diminished significantly, and The Body-Hat Syndrome disappeared shortly after its release. Nearly three years later, Digital Underground returned with Future Rhythm, which spent a mere three weeks on the charts. Who Got the Gravy? followed in 1998. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=382 The DOC After the release of his debut album, the career of Texas-born rapper the D.O.C. was shattered by a car crash that almost took his life. Although he could no longer rap like he used to, his former producer Dr. Dre featured the rapper on his groundbreaking album The Chronic, which built on the foundation laid by the D.O.C.'s No One Can Do It Better. He was also featured on Snoop Doggy Dogg's Doggystyle. The D.O.C. returned in early 1996 with Helter Skelter, his first album in nearly seven years. The album received mixed reviews and failed to earn a large audience, leaving the charts a few months after its release. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=381 Cormega Though an undeniably articulate and thoughtful rapper, Cormega's reputation in the hip-hop underground resulted more from his longtime adversarial relationship with Nas than from his own music. This seemingly endless verbal bout between the two kept Cormega's career afloat while he struggled to release an album in the late '90s. In fact, he didn't release an album until 2001, five years after debuting on Nas' "Affirmative Action." During those five years, Cormega rapped in the New York underground scene as a mixtape favorite. He took a thug/hustler approach, rapping about the violent and tragic side of street life; however, he did so in a tremendously lucid manner, commanding a liquid-smooth flow and clear articulation. As a result, while it took him years of struggle to release a debut album, when he finally released The Realness in 2001 he thoroughly impressed many, earning many end-of-the-year nods from critics. Nas and Cormega, who both represent Queensbridge, met at the dawn of the '90s and became companions. Cormega unfortunately went away to prison, though, as his companion's rap career began to take flight in a big way. Nas subsequently dedicated the song "One Love" from his debut album, Illmatic (1994), to Cormega, who left prison soon afterward. Together again, the two collaborated on Nas' second album, It Was Written (1996), with Foxy Brown and AZ on the song "Affirmative Action." The foursome called themselves the Firm and planned to record a group album. But Cormega ended up being replaced by yet another Queens rapper, Nature, reportedly because of Nas' manager at the time, Steve Stout. The Firm album flopped, but Cormega still resented being ousted from the group. As a result, he released the song "Fuck Nas and Nature" and spoke venomously of the two. Of course, these sort of battles are a longtime staple of East Coast hip-hop and often promote all involved. It perhaps wasn't a surprise, then, when Cormega found himself being offered a contract with Def Jam Records. A double-sided 12" resulted from the pairing -- "Angel Dust" b/w "Killaz Theme II" -- but that was unfortunately all. The album that Cormega had readied for Def Jam to release, The Testament, continually got pushed back, never surfacing. The reasons vary, depending on who you ask -- most likely because the Nas-Cormega heat cooled -- but whatever the reason, Cormega parted ways with Def Jam and took the independent route. He created his own label, Legal Hustle, and signed a distribution deal with Landspeed Records. Finally, in 2001, after much bootlegging, Cormega's debut album, The Realness, finally appeared on the market. Many were quick to declare it one of the year's best hip-hop releases, and it seemed that Cormega's legacy had proven accurate. He indeed proved to be an incredible rapper: articulate and passionate, uncompromising and uncommercial. Given all the fanfare surrounding Cormega's long-awaited splashing debut, it came as a bit of a surprise when Nas dissed him on the song "Destroy & Rebuild" from his comeback album, Stillmatic (2001). Just as he had done before with "Fuck Nas and Nature," Cormega readied a comeback track, "The Slick Response," which featured the beat from Mtume's "Juicy Fruit." Another Nas-related song, "Love in Love Out," would appear on Cormega's forthcoming second album, The True Meaning (2002). A few months prior to the release of The True Meaning, Body Shop Records released Hustler/Rapper, a collection of mixtape recordings that featured Cormega. Though a shoddy collection, Hustler/Rapper includes a few key tracks such as "Angel Dust" and "Realmatic," the latter yet another Nas dis. Upon its release in summer 2002, The True Meaning demanded much attention despite being an indie release, like The Realness had, and featured production from such luminaries as Large Professor and the Alchemist. Two years later Cormega returned, this time with Legal Hustle (2004), a largely collaborative effort laced with talent. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=380 Project Pat Of the many hardcore rappers to emerge from Memphis during the late '90s, Project Pat certainly stood above his peers. His affiliation with the Three 6 Mafia collective introduced him to many listeners, especially after he guested on the group's hit song "Sippin' on Some Syrup" in 2000. Yet Project Pat (born Patrick Houston, brother to Three 6 Mafia founder Juicy J) made his mark on much of America with a hit song of his own a year later, "Chickenhead." The song -- which features production by Juicy J and DJ Paul along with vocals by La Chat -- became a Dirty South anthem in 2001 and propelled Pat's third album, Mista Don't Play: Everythangs Workin, into the Top Five, an amazing feat for such a hardcore artist. Rap music had long been a part of Pat's life before he soared to national fame in the early 2000s. His brother, Juicy J, co-founded influential Memphis hardcore rap group Three 6 Mafia during the early '90s. Though never an official member of the group, Pat affiliated himself with the Mafia, appearing on such albums as Crazyndalazdayz (1998) and Indo G's Angel Dust (1998). A year later, Pat recorded a solo album of his own for Hypnotize Minds/Loud, Ghetty Green. Though the solo debut didn't propel Pat to superstar status, it did establish him within the growing Dirty South scene, and his follow-up album, Murderers & Robbers (2000), did much the same; though this second album was independently released rather than through Loud. Next came Pat's high-profile appearance on Three 6 Mafia's "Sippin' on Some Syrup," and when that song became a huge hit, the stage was set for one of his own. That hit would be "Chickenhead," a song also featuring La Chat, the successor to Gangsta Boo's position as the token female member of Three 6 Mafia. The song pitted the two against one another in typical Dirty South style: La Chat talking badly about Pat, him calling her a "chickenhead." Such indigenous slang had long been a staple of the Memphis scene, yet "Chickenhead" became an unprecedented success, extending its reach far beyond the South and taking its vernacular with it. Just as his career had reached exciting heights, Pat's longtime legal skirmishes began to catch up with him. During the interim period following the success of "Chickenhead," Pat struggled with legal problems stemming from a January 2001 parole violation, when police pulled him over for speeding and discovered two revolvers. On March 13th of that same year, a federal jury found him guilty of two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He had been on parole for aggravated robbery. Perhaps because of these legal matters, or for whatever reason, Loud continually pushed back the release date for Pat's fourth album, Layin' da Smack Down. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=379 Pitch Black As group member Zakee sees it, the five rappers in Pitch Black were already "360 degrees of hip-hop" before they joined together in 1994. Zakee, D.G., Devious, Fast, and G.O.D. had long been involved in the scene, writing rhymes, performing their own raps solo, DJing, and spraying graffiti around Brooklyn. After coming together they quickly released the independent single "Hold Me Down," and a five-track EP. Shopping their music up and down the East Coast, the band landed opening spots for Jay-Z, Lil' Kim, Trick Daddy, and Method Man. Each show was considered a learning experience, as was a recording session with Lord Finesse. In 2002 G.O.D. was featured on the track "the Mix Show" from Wyclef Jean's Masquerade album. A year later the group released its first mixtape, Pitch Black Season, hosted by loudmouth legend DJ Kayslay. The mix featured Busta Rhymes, Wyclef, and a number of demos from the group's debut, Pitch Black Law, which dropped officially in early 2004. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=378 C Murder C-Murder is the younger brother of Master P, the founder and president of No Limit Records. That explains his membership in the No Limit family, the label where nepotism rules, but he's actually one of the stronger rappers on the label. He may stick to the predictable gangsta musical blueprint, but as a rapper, he had an original style and interesting wordplay that separated him from the No Limit pack. C-Murder made his first recorded appearance as a member of Tru, a trio that also featured his brothers Master P and Silkk the Shocker. Their first album, True, was released in 1995 and was followed by Tru 2 Da Game in 1997. During that year, C-Murder appeared on a number of No Limit releases, including Master P's Ghetto D and the I'm Bout It soundtrack. In the spring of 1998, he released his solo debut, Life or Death; Bossalinie followed a year later. In 2000, he reached superstar status, first with his appearance in the 504 Boyz smash hit, "Wobble Wobble"; then with his third and most successful album yet, Trapped in Crime, propelled by the commercial success of its C-Murder/Snoop Dogg/Magic collaboration, "Down for My N's." This album also signaled the launch of Tru Records, C-Murder's new label, which promised to be accompanied by a clothing line and successive releases. His 2002 release, Tru Dawgs, was a test for the label but was preceded by tragedy when C-Murder was arrested for shooting someone in a nightclub. He went to jail right after the album was finished, and was there during the release of the CD. Master P has been a vocal supporter of C-Murder since the incident, claiming that he wasn't involved and it is a case of mistaken identity. Regardless of Master P's support, C-Murder was convicted and sentenced to life in prison on October 1, 2003. Allowed to record from behind bars, the rapper released Truest **** I Ever Said in early 2005. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=377 Chuck D As the founder of Public Enemy, Chuck D. is one of the most colossal figures in the history of hip-hop, not to mention its most respected intellectual. He redefined hip-hop as music with a message, and his strident radicalism ushered in an era when rap was closely scrutinized for its content; although rap's primary concerns have changed over the years, its status as America's most controversial art form has only gotten stronger since Public Enemy hit the scene. Chuck D. was born Carlton Douglas Ridenhour in Roosevelt, Long Island, on August 1, 1960. His parents were both political activists, and he was a highly intelligent student, turning down an architecture scholarship to study graphic design at Long Island's Adelphi University. While in school, he put his talents to use making promotional flyers for hip-hop events, and went on to co-host a hip-hop mix show on the campus radio station with two future Public Enemy cohorts, Bill Stephney and Hank Shocklee. Under the name Chuckie D, he rapped on Shocklee's demo recording, "Public Enemy No. 1," which caught the interest of Rick Rubin at Def Jam. In response, the now simply named Chuck D. assembled Public Enemy, a group designed to support the force of his rhetoric with noisy, nearly avant-garde soundscapes. Public Enemy debuted in 1987 with Yo! Bum Rush the Show, a dry run for one of the greatest three-album spans in hip-hop history. Released in 1988, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back was acclaimed by many critics as the greatest hip-hop album of all time, and was instrumental in breaking rap music to white, alternative rock audiences. Fear of a Black Planet (1990) and its follow-up, Apocalypse '91...The Enemy Strikes Black, consolidated Public Enemy's position as the most important rap group of its time. There were storms of controversy along the way, most notably Chuck D.'s endorsement of the polarizing Muslim minister Louis Farrakhan, and group member Professor Griff's highly publicized anti-Semitic slurs. But on the whole, Public Enemy's groundbreaking body of work established Chuck D. as one of the most intelligent, articulate spokesmen for the black community. He became an in-demand speaker on the college lecture circuit (much like his peer KRS-One), and was frequently invited to provide commentary on TV news programs. Muse Sick-N-Hour Mess Age (1994) found the group's status slipping, and the following year Chuck put PE on hiatus while planning its next move. In the meantime, he released his first solo album, The Autobiography of Mistachuck, in 1996, and published the book version of his autobiography the following year. He reconvened Public Enemy for the soundtrack to Spike Lee's 1998 film, He Got Game, and the following year left Def Jam over the label's refusal to allow him to distribute Public Enemy music via free Internet downloads. Signing with the web-based Atomic Pop label, Chuck became an outspoken advocate of MP3 technology, and made 1999's There's a Poison Goin' On... the first full-length album by a major artist to be made available over the Internet (it was later released on CD as well). He continued his lecturing into the new millennium and made regular appearances on the Fox News Channel as a commentator. Even if Public Enemy never recaptures the popularity or vitality of its glory years, Chuck D.'s legacy is secure enough to keep him a respected voice on the American cultural landscape. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=376 Outsidaz When former Ruffhouse Records leader Chris Schwartz launched his RuffNation Records in 1999, the first release he put out on RuffNation's Ruff Life label was by Outsidaz, a hardcore rap outfit from northern New Jersey. Outsidaz' first Ruff Life single, "The Rah Rah," was released in December 1999, followed by its six-song EP The Night Life in January 2000. But the origins of the group (whose members include Young Zee, Pace Won, Slang Ton, Yah Ya, Ax, D.U., Az-Izz, Leun One, NawShis, DJ Muhammed, and Denton) actually go back to the early '90s. At first, Young Zee and Pace were rival MCs; Pace had a group called PNS, while Zee headed the group Skitzo. When PNS and Skitzo had a lengthly microphone battle in Newark, NJ, in 1991, Zee and Pace felt that neither group won the competition -- it was a tie -- and decided to unite into one group as Outsidaz. Around 1995, Outsidaz came to the attention of the Fugees, who went on to employ them on their song "Cowboys." Eventually, the group signed with Ruffhouse/Columbia, but when Schwartz left Ruffhouse, they went with him and ended up on Ruff Life. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=375 Chino XL Hailing from East Orange, NJ, Chino released his debut album, Here to Save You All, in 1996 and has since had plenty of now famous appearances on DJ Sway and Tech's morning radio show called "The Wakeup Show." He's been called the king of metaphors and for good reason, everyone that likes their rhymes laden with punch lines should definitely check him out. ~ Brad Mills, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=374 Outlawz West Coast rappers Outlawz are known primarily for their affiliation with 2Pac. It was on 2Pac's Makaveli album that Outlawz first came to the greater rap community's notice, appearing on a few songs. In 1999 they were co-billed on the posthumous 2Pac album Still I Rise, granting them even more recognition and furthering their short-lived affiliation. It wasn't until late 2000, though, that they finally got the go-ahead to release their debut album, Ride Wit Us or Collide Wit Us. Featuring a cover that placed 2Pac's image in the foreground, along with numerous references to the deceased legend, this debut made the most of Outlawz' reputation for being 2Pac's supposed protégés. Unfortunately, the album didn't prove to be much of a success, and neither did the group's follow-up album a year later, Novakane, also released on the group's Outlaw Recordz label (distributed by Koch). While the group no doubt retained 2Pac's West Coast thug/gangsta style, they unfortunately were fairly average rappers in terms of skills and too often fell back on their 2Pac affiliation and far too often descended into generic thug motifs. And it didn't help that they weren't aligned with any of the West Coast's better producers. In fact, Outlawz weren't really aligned with anyone on the West Coast -- not Snoop Dogg and his Dogghouse clique, nor the Bay Area scene centered around E-40 and Spice 1. Ultimately, the group never lived up to the expectations they heaped upon themselves by forever comparing themselves to 2Pac. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=373 Nitty Growing up in the infamous Fort Apache section of the Bronx can make you a gangsta if the hip-hop lifestyle is your thing. With a strong family base and a house filled with respect and ethics, rapper Nitty decided he wasn't going to fall prey to the Bronx's dark side. Growing up, he always preferred rappers like Will Smith, Heavy D, and Young MC -- rappers who had positive messages and were as entertaining as they were skilled. Determined to find his place in the hip-hop world, Nitty joined the Du Brothers, a crew of aspiring rappers, singers, DJs, and dancers from the Lower East Side of Manhattan. It gave him confidence in his positive style of rapping and confidence that hip-hop needed more fun, less gangsta. A lot of rap fans must have agreed, since his 2004 single "Nasty Girl" was an instant smash hit on urban and rhythm radio. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=372 Butch Cassidy A promising West Coast vocalist/rapper that worked with Snoop Dogg and Xzibit on their late-2000 albums, foreshadowing a possible future as a West Coast utility man in the tradition of Nate Dogg and Kokane. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=371 Boogie Down Productions Boogie Down Productions was one of the most important and influential hip-hop groups of the latter half of the '80s. Led by the often brilliant and incendiary MC KRS-One, BDP were pioneers of both hardcore and political (or "conscious") rap -- and if that seems contradictory, it also illustrates the scope of KRS-One's talent for chronicling and even shaping his culture. Musically, BDP usually employed spare, minimal backdrops that accentuated KRS-One's booming delivery, and they were also among the very first hip-hop artists to incorporate elements of Jamaican ragga and dancehall into their style. Early on, BDP devoted itself to brash but realistic narratives of ghetto life, which made them a street-level sensation; however, after the murder of original DJ Scott La Rock, KRS-One -- who now essentially was BDP -- devoted himself to socially and politically conscious material that earned him the nickname "the Teacher." In the process, he helped pave the way for both gangsta rap and the positive, Afrocentric Native Tongues movement -- a legacy no other rapper can claim. KRS-One retired the Boogie Down Productions moniker in the early '90s to release records under his own name; to this day, he remains one of hip-hop's most outspoken and respected intellectuals. KRS-One's real name is Laurence Krisna Parker, or simply Kris Parker; some accounts hold that he was born with the "Krisna" moniker, while others suggest it was a nickname given to him during his youth for his interest in spirituality. Born in Brooklyn's Park Slope area in 1965, his Trinidad-born father was deported not long after his birth, and he later adopted his stepfather's last name of Parker. Early in his teens, he dropped out of high school and left home, migrating to the South Bronx; although he survived mostly on the streets and in homeless shelters, he continued his education by studying extensively in public libraries. During this period, he became interested in hip-hop culture, writing his own raps and tagging graffiti under the name KRS-One (originally an abbreviation for "Kris Number One" but later turned into the acronym "Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone"). At 19, he spent a brief time in jail for selling marijuana; after his release, he met social worker Scott Sterling at a Bronx shelter in 1985. Sterling was also a DJ who performed under the name Scott La Rock, and when the two became friends, they decided to form a rap group, which they called Boogie Down Productions. BDP's first independently released single was 1986's "Crack Attack," and they soon completed a full-length album for the small indie label B Boy Records (which was rumored to be a front for a pornography operation). The record, Criminal Minded, earned them a rabid cult following on the streets when it appeared in 1987, and today is considered an early classic of hardcore rap. KRS-One's detailed depictions of urban realities -- drugs, survival through violence, promiscuity, hip-hop turf wars -- were sometimes harsh and sometimes gleefully celebratory. He hadn't yet developed a unified message, but his was the voice of a rebellious, intelligent young street poet, and it connected mightily with his audience. Meanwhile, La Rock's bare-bones production sometimes interpolated pop and rock samples, and the ragga inflections of the classic "9mm Goes Bang" produced a groundbreaking early fusion of hip-hop and reggae. The record's strong street buzz attracted the attention of RCA affiliate Jive, which signed the duo to a record contract. Unfortunately, not long afterward, La Rock was shot dead trying to break up an argument at a party in the Bronx. Shattered by the loss of his best friend, KRS-One picked himself up and decided to continue Boogie Down Productions as a tribute to La Rock's memory. He recruited his younger brother Kenny Parker as a regular DJ, and also employed side members like D-Nice and Ms. Melodie (the latter, born Ramona Scott, was also his wife for a time). Convincing Jive to stick with his new crew, KRS-One completed By All Means Necessary in 1988, which marked the first time he took on the role of "the Teacher." Also considered a landmark, By All Means Necessary was one of the first rap albums devoted primarily to social commentary, and contained militant, deeply personal message tracks like "My Philosophy" and "Stop the Violence." The same year, during a BDP/Public Enemy concert, a young fan was killed in a fight; galvanized into action, KRS-One founded the Stop the Violence Movement and organized the all-star charity single "Self-Destruction," which raised half a million dollars for the National Urban League in 1989. Also in 1989, Boogie Down Productions returned with an even more politicized, intellectual album, Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip Hop. BDP's auxiliary personnel expanded to include several more members, like Scottie Morris and Ms. Melodie's sister Harmony, but the sound wasn't any more fleshed out; in fact, it was resolutely skeletal, the antithesis of what KRS-One perceived as a new, unhealthy pop-crossover mentality overtaking hip-hop. Taking on issues like black-on-black crime, police brutality, education, and spirituality, KRS-One found his audience growing and the mainstream paying attention to his message. The New York Times invited him to write editorials, and he found intense demand for his views on the college lecture circuit. However, many critics found that his intellectual credibility got the better of him on the next BDP album, 1990's Edutainment. Despite a minor hit single in "Love's Gonna Get'cha (Material Love)," Edutainment was roundly criticized as being full of preachy, didactic lecturing, which also came at the expense of compelling musical backing. KRS-One further alienated his audience via a 1992 altercation with hippie-fied pop-rappers P.M. Dawn. After the group jabbed at him as "a teacher of what?" during a magazine interview, KRS-One and part of BDP stormed P.M. Dawn's New York concert, physically throwing frontman Prince Be off the stage and launching into their own set. KRS-One later explained that he was opposed to hip-hop taking such a soft, crossover-oriented direction, although P.M. Dawn had never claimed street credibility, and it seemed an odd approach from the founder of the Stop the Violence Movement. Amid negative reaction from his own fans, he later apologized publicly. In the meantime, BDP kept recording. 1991 saw the release of Live Hardcore Worldwide, one of the first live hip-hop LPs. It was basically a way to get the material from Criminal Minded back in print, in a format where royalties could be collected (an ongoing dispute with B Boy Records was tying up the original recordings). The same year, he made a high-profile guest appearance on R.E.M.'s "Radio Song," and recorded the album Civilization vs. Technology with the education-oriented side project H.E.A.L. Bowing to requests from fans, BDP returned to the harder-hitting beats of its earlier material on 1992's Sex and Violence, which some critics hailed as a return to form, but failed to recapture his former audience. By this time, KRS-One was divorced from Ms. Melodie, and had pared down his supporting cast to Kenny Parker and Willie D. For his next project, KRS-One decided to simply put Boogie Down Productions to rest and record under his own name; his solo debut, Return of the Boom Bap, was released in 1993. Since then, he's released several more solo albums, and maintained an active presence in the media and on the lecture circuit. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=370 Murphy Lee The St. Lunatics crew had been a fixture in its native St. Louis since the early '90s, scoring regional hits and continuing to develop its unique Midwestern spin on the Dirty South dynamic. But while they had secured management and a major-label deal, nothing materialized until the multi-platinum success of Lunatics member Nelly's 2000 solo effort. The margins of Country Grammar had been filled with guest shots from the Lunatics, including Murphy Lee. His style was in keeping with Nelly's little-bit-country, little-bit-city flow, but he stood out with a more nasally sound, and raps that were somehow wordy and laid-back all at once. With their name established on the national scene, Murphy Lee, Nelly, and rest of the St. Lunatics dropped their official debut in June 2001. Free City was a hit, but not of the caliber of 2002's Nellyville. The latter album was another phenomenal success for Nelly, and featured Murphy Lee on a few tracks, including the strong Roc-a-Fella collaboration "Roc the Mic" and the fun hit single "Air Force Ones." Murphy's profile received another boost in June 2003, when he joined Nelly and P. Diddy for "Shake Ya Tailfeather," the inescapable single from the Bad Boys II soundtrack. That momentum carried through to autumn and the arrival of his debut solo album, naturally entitled Murphy's Law. The set featured "Tailfeather," as well as the Jermaine Dupri-produced first single, "What da Hook Gone Be." Murphy started 2004 strong, sharing in a Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group Grammy nod for "Tailfeather." ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=369 Bloods and Crips Given the infamous violent reputation of rival Los Angeles gangs the Bloods and the Crips, it seems impossible that the two could collaborate on a music project, but that's exactly what the Bloods & Crips did on Bangin on Wax in 1993, organized by Los Angeles area producer Ron "Ronnie Ron" Phillips and rapper Tweedy Bird Loc. The success of N.W.A. had frustrated many in the gang community, who saw the group capitalizing on the gang lifestyle. Actual gang members and local rappers auditioned in an open tryout, with the best talents from both gangs being chosen to record. Some of the names to make the cut were Red-Rum-781, Sin Loc, Blue Ragg, Red Rag, Bloody Mary, and Lil' Stretch. Bangin on Wax was recorded in only two weeks and became an underground hit, selling over 400,000 copies and producing the popular single Piru Love. A second Bloods & Crips album, The Saga Continues, came out in 1994, but was the last time the two gangs would collaborate. However, it was not the last of either the Bloods or Crips as artists. Ronnie Ron continues to issue albums from gang members on his Dangerous Records imprint under the names Nationwide Rip Ridaz (Crips) and Damu Ridaz (Bloods). Some of the MCs on Bangin on Wax went on to record as the Young Soldierz, and Domino, who went under the name Genuine Draft, had a hit pop-rap single in 1994 with Sweet Potatoe Pie. ~ Wade Kergan, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=368 Mo Thugs Family Mo Thugs Family is an all-star project featuring Bone Thugs-n-Harmony along with a variety of acts signed to the group's Mo Thugs Records. Besides Bone Thugs members Layzie Bone, Krayzie Bone, Wish Bone, and Flesh-n-Bone, the Mo Thugs Family includes II Tru, Poetic Hustla'z, MT5, and Felecia. The supergroup debuted in March 1997 with Mo Thugs Family Scriptures, which hit number two on the charts and easily made platinum. The second Mo Thugs LP, Chapter II: Family Reunion, was released one year later; Mo Thugs III: The Mothership followed in 2000. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=367 MJG As a member of the popular Eightball & MJG duo, the rapper born as Marlon Jermaine Goodwin is widely seen as one of the South's pioneers. His first solo album, No More Glory, appeared in 1997. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=366 Bizzy Bone Best known as a member of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, rapper Bizzy Bone made his solo debut in 1998 with Heaven'z Movie. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=365 Miri Ben-Ari How many artists can say they got props from both superstar rapper Jay-Z and Carnegie Hall favorite Isaac Stern? Hip-hop violinist Miri Ben-Ari can. When the Israeli-born virtuoso's family couldn't afford her violin lessons anymore, it was Stern who stepped in and recommended Ben-Ari for an America-Israel Cultural Foundation scholarship. She was later chosen to play in the prestigious Israeli Army String Quartet and fell in love with jazz, a love that brought her to the United States and the Mannes School of Music in New York City. Straight out of school she released her debut in 1999. Titled Sahara and released on the Half Note label, the album drew positive reviews, most pointing out how sure and diverse this new violinist sounded. Recorded live at the famous Blue Note Club, 2003's Temple of Beautiful furthered Ben-Ari's status as an up-and-coming jazz musician. But Ben-Ari's love of music knew no borders, and even the diverse world of jazz couldn't contain her for long. She became a studio musician, and while most studio musicians play their bits without too much of an impact, Ben-Ari's genuine love of R&B and hip-hop was soon to take her from the background to the foreground. Sessions for Britney Spears, Alicia Keys, Patti LaBelle, Joe, Wyclef Jean, and many more led her to Kanye West. West hired Ben-Ari to write, produce, arrange, and perform all of the strings on his smash debut album, The College Dropout. The team also worked on Twista's hit single "Overnight Celebrity" and its accompanying video, which gave Ben-Ari plenty of face time on BET and MTV. A feature spot on tour with Kanye West and appearances on BET's 106 & Park and Rap City had audiences talking about this new hip-hop star and set the stage for her more street-savvy third album, scheduled for release by Universal in 2005. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=364 Big Moe Houston bred a growing scene of homegrown rap artists throughout the mid- to late '90s, and Big Moe became one of the first to break out of Texas and go national. Unlike most of the Houston rappers, who tended to offer a hardcore style, Moe offered a much more accessible one. He both rapped and sang, and his producers crafted smooth, melodic tracks that bounced along at a leisurely pace. Plus, he precisely balanced the fine line between the underground and mainstream. Moe's songs were often street-themed, with intoxicants being a prime theme; yet they were simultaneously radio-friendly and hook-laden, with his breakthrough single, "Purple Stuff," being a perfect example. Like many of his Houston peers, Moe began his career freestyling on DJ Screw's mix tapes before graduating to Wreckshop Records. The label released the big man's debut album, City of Syrup (2000), the title nodding to Houston's reputation for drinking codeine-laced syrup, which Moe pours from a Styrofoam cup on the album's cover. City of Syrup album featured a noteworthy hit, "Mann!," that Moe intended to be the Dirty South's answer to Black Rob's East Coast hit "Whoa!" His intentions proved successful, and listeners rewarded him with a reputation-establishing hit. A year and half later, Moe returned with his second album, Purple World (2002), the album that would introduce him to the world. It offered a who's who ensemble of Houston vocalists, excellent production by Blue and Salih Williams, and two versions of Moe's breakthrough single, "Purple Stuff." Plus, Priority Records distributed the album, ensuring that it would be everywhere, from the street corners of Houston to the Wal-Marts of suburban America. Even MTV gave Moe's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory-themed video a few rotations. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=363 Big Hutch Gregory Hutchinson, who also goes by Cold 187um and Big Hutch, is among the many gangsta rappers who came out of South Central Los Angeles in the late '80s. Lyrically, the rapper/producer has never been known for his subtlety -- many of Hutch's lyrics are graphic, violent, and disturbing accounts of thug life in L.A.'s inner-city neighborhoods. The Southern Californian is best-known for his association with Above the Law, one of South Central L.A.'s most famous (or infamous) gangsta rap groups. Heavily influenced by N.W.A. and the seminal Ice-T, Hutch formed Above the Law with fellow L.A. residents Go Mack (Authur Goodman), KMG the Illustrator (Kevin Dulley), and Total K-oss (Anthony Stewart) in 1989. That year, the group caught the attention of late N.W.A. member Eazy-E (Eric Wright), who signed ATL to his Ruthless label. Different labels were distributing Ruthless at the time; for N.W.A. and Eazy, Ruthless went through Priority, although Ruthless went through Atlantic for the D.O.C. and J.J. Fad. And in the case of ATL, Ruthless was distributed by Epic. Produced with N.W.A.'s Dr. Dre, ATL's debut album, Livin' Like Hustlers, was released by Ruthless/Epic in early 1990. The strong influence of N.W.A. and Ice-T was evident throughout the album; rapping in the first person, Hutch and his colleagues held nothing back and told listeners just how violent and dangerous the ghetto streets of South Central L.A. could be. Hutch, Ice-T, N.W.A., Houston's Geto Boys, Philadelphia's Schoolly D, and other gangsta rappers who emerged in the '80s weren't the first people to rap about thug life and the social problems of the inner city. But because they rapped in the first person and took listeners inside the minds of thugs, felons, gang members, drug dealers, pimps, players, and hustlers, many listeners found gangsta rap to be more troubling than the third-person message raps that had been coming from New York since the early '80s. When Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, Run-D.M.C., the Fat Boys, and other New York MCs rapped about the problems of the inner city, they stuck to the third person and didn't portray the thugs they were rhyming about; Hutch and other gangsta rappers, however, actually gave listeners a thug's perspective. Hutch, like many other gangsta rappers, has been accused of glorifying and promoting black-on-black crime and he has often countered that he is merely drawing attention to the inner city's problems, not encouraging them. Livin' Like Hustlers was a hit, and in 1993, ATL's second album, Black Mafia Life, was released by Warner Bros. After providing a third album, Uncle Sam's Curse, for Ruthless in 1993, ATL signed with Tommy Boy in 1996 and recorded two albums for that New York label: 1996's Time Will Reveal and 1998's Legends. Then, in 1999, the group moved to Street Solid, the hip-hop/urban division of producer James Warsinske's L.A.-based Solid Entertainment (formerly AVC Entertainment). At Street Solid, Hutch had two careers, he was still a member of ATL but launched a solo career on the side. ATL's Forever Rich Thugs came out on Street Solid in 1999, and Warsinske's label released Hutch's first solo album, Executive Decisions, that same year. Along the way, Hutch has done his share of producing; the rappers he produced in the '90s or early 2000s range from Snoop Doggy Dogg, Eazy-E, MC Ren (formerly of N.W.A.), and South Gate to Kokane and E-40. Most of the rappers Hutch has produced are West Coast gangsta rappers, although he has also worked with the female group H.W.A. (whose X-rated, sexually explicit lyrics have more in common with Lil' Kim or Luther Campbell and 2 Live Crew than gangsta rap). ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=362 Big Gipp An integral member of Goodie Mob, Big Gipp contributed greatly to the pioneering Dirty South group's albums, later embarking on a solo career when the group went on hiatus. He made his solo debut in 2003 with Mutant Mindframe, a low-key yet colorful album released by Koch. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=361 Big Daddy Kane Emerging during hip-hop's massive creative expansion of the late '80s, Big Daddy Kane was the ultimate lover man of rap's first decade, yet there was more to him than the stylish wardrobe, gold jewelry, and sophisticated charisma. Kane possessed a prodigious rhyming technique honed from numerous B-boy battles; he could also be an Afrocentric consciousness-raiser versed in the philosophy of the Nation of Islam's Five Percent school, or a smooth urban soul crooner whose singing was no match for his talents as an MC. While he never scored much pop-crossover success, his best material ranks among the finest hip-hop of its era, and his sex-drenched persona was enormously influential on countless future would-be players. Big Daddy Kane was born Antonio Hardy in Brooklyn on September 10, 1968; the stage name "Kane" was an acronym for King Asiatic Nobody's Equal. In 1984, he met Biz Markie, and the two struck up a friendship. Kane would go on to co-write some of the Biz's best-known raps, and both eventually became important members of the Queens-based Juice Crew, a collective headed by renowned producer Marley Marl. Kane signed with Marl's Cold Chillin' label in 1987 and debuted the following year with the 12" single "Raw," which became an underground sensation. His first album, Long Live the Kane, followed not long after and was equally well-received, producing another underground classic in "Ain't No Half-Steppin'." Kane consolidated his success with 1989's It's a Big Daddy Thing, which spawned arguably his most effective love-man song in "Smooth Operator" (and also found him working with new jack producer Teddy Riley on "I Get the Job Done"). 1990's A Taste of Chocolate was a wide-ranging effort, highlighted by Kane's duets with Barry White and comedian Rudy Ray Moore, aka Dolemite. Kane's first major misstep came with the 1991 album Prince of Darkness, a mellower, more R&B-based collection that failed to play to the rapper's strong suits; however, he maintained his sex-symbol status by posing for Madonna's notorious 1992 photo book Sex, as well as Playgirl magazine. 1993's Looks Like a Job For... was something of an artistic comeback, but it failed to re-establish his status in the hip-hop community, which was in the midst of a Dr. Dre-inspired love affair with gangsta rap. Kane moved to the MCA label for 1994's Daddy's Home, and dabbled in an acting career with appearances in Mario Van Peebles' 1993 black Western Posse and 1994's Gunmen. However, he largely retired from the scene over the next few years. Kane resurfaced in 1998 on Blackheart Records, releasing what was ostensibly his farewell album, Veteranz Day. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=360 Bad Azz West Coast rapper Bad Azz is far from well-known, yet he has worked with some of the best-selling hip-hop artists of all time, including Snoop Dogg, Warren G., and Tupac Shakur. Bad Azz first got into the rap game in his hometown of Long Beach, playing at house parties and eventually joining the LBC Crew. After deciding to go solo, he had a brief stint on Snoop Doggy Dogg's label, Doggy Style Records. That relationship quickly fell apart and Bad Azz found himself without a label, doing guest appearances on various projects to keep busy. Eventually he landed at Priority Records and at the age of 23, he released his first solo album Word on Tha Street. Three years later, he followed up with 2001's Personal Business. ~ Jon Azpiri, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=359 Baby Bash Smooth rapper Baby Bash can't recall where he got the "Bash" moniker but his alternate name, Baby Beesh, comes from the fact he used to drive around in a Mitsubishi. Born in the Vallejo, CA, area in 1975 to a Latin mother and an Anglo father who both eventually became addicted to heroin, Baby Bash had some uncles who exposed him to all sorts of music and a grandmother who took over raising him. Part of the area's underground Latin rap scene, Baby Bash joined groups like Potna Deuce and Latino Velvet with fellow Latino rappers Kid Frost and Jay Tee. A trip to Houston, TX, to do a guest spot with the South Park Mexican crew was an eye-opener. Bash was impressed with Texas' support of local artists and even more impressed that he could sell his house in California and buy two in Texas. Meeting and eventually working with Frankie J. and the Kumbia Kings was a big moment for the rapper, but he was still eyeing basketball as a possible career and selling speed. He was too short for basketball, but things started to blow up on the music side when he hooked up with producer Happy Perez. He dropped his hopes of shooting hoops, quit dealing with drugs (minus his beloved weed), and released Savage Dreams under the Baby Beesh name on the Dope House label in 2001. Listening to everything from E-40 to Tom Petty to Steel Pulse, Baby Bash expanded his sound and released the funky smooth single "Suga Suga." It was huge in Texas, and Universal rushed to sign the artist. The hard work and diverse influences all came together on his major-label debut, Tha Smokin' Nephew, released in 2003. Two years later he returned with Super Saucy. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=358 Ashanti With hitmaker Irv Gotti at the helm, Ashanti blasted into the urban music scene in 2002, topping the charts with multiple singles at once. She quickly became a sensation, gracing the covers of magazines and dominating urban radio. Ashanti built her reputation with duets, where she would complement an already popular rapper -- Ja Rule ("Always on Time"), Fat Joe ("What's Luv?"), the Notorious B.I.G. ("Unfoolish") -- contrasting the tough-guy male perspective with her own. It didn't take the young vocalist long to make a name for herself though: her debut album topped the Billboard album chart just as her debut solo single, "Foolish," was topping the Hot 100 chart. Her presence was inescapable. Ashanti's overnight jump to superstardom followed that of Ja Rule, a similar urban music sensation helmed by Gotti. The New York producer took notice of Ashanti initially because of her beauty, dancing, and acting. She trained as a dancer at the Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center, learning a number of dance styles. She danced most notably in Disney's Polly, which starred Phylicia Rashad, and also appeared in a number of big-name music videos, in addition to other dance work. As an actress, she made a name for herself with roles in Spike Lee's Malcolm X and Who's da Man before that. The multi-talented vocalist was causing quite a stir, and Gotti did what he could to bring her into his Murder Inc. fold. After showcasing her swooning voice on Big Pun's "How We Roll" and the Fast and Furious soundtrack -- both in 2001 -- Gotti put Ashanti to work on her debut album, which he produced. Success came quickly. A duet with Ja Rule, "Always on Time," hit number one on Billboard's Hot 100 chart in early 2002 just as a duet with Fat Joe, "What's Luv?," was creeping toward the same number one position. These two airplay-heavy singles, of course, set the stage perfectly for Ashanti's self-titled debut release. The album's lead single, "Foolish," raced up the Hot 100 chart, entering the Top Ten in March alongside "Always on Time" and "What's Luv?," giving her three Top Ten songs in the same week, including the number one and two positions -- a quite spectacular feat. And then Ashanti's album debuted at number one on the album chart, selling an astounding 500,000-plus copies in its first week. With all this chart-topping, Ashanti set some sales records and her success continued. Gotti readied a remix of "Foolish," titled "Unfoolish," that featured the Notorious B.I.G. and again overtook urban radio, where no artist was more omnipresent throughout 2002 than Ashanti. She returned the following year with Chapter II, which likewise topped the Billboard album chart on the heels of its hot lead single, "Rock Wit U (Aww Baby)." The album's success was somewhat eclipsed, however, by all the negative drama surrounding the Murder Inc. camp at the time (i.e., the FBI investigation and the G-Unit feuding). ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=355 Anthony Hamilton A soul singer who has drawn comparisons to such classic R&B vocalists as Bill Withers and Bobby Womack, Anthony Hamilton struggled for the better part of the 1990s as two of his albums went unreleased. Getting his start at age ten singing in his church choir, the Charlotte, NC, native also performed as a teenager at various nightclubs and talent shows. Always with an eye to move on to bigger things, Hamilton made the move to New York City in 1993, eventually signing with Uptown Records, epicenter for the new jack swing sound and home to artists such as Jodeci and Mary J. Blige. By 1995, Uptown was set to push Hamilton's debut album, but the company went out of business, leaving the album unreleased. Hamilton next signed with MCA and recorded his critically acclaimed but largely overlooked 1996 album, XTC. Another transitional period followed and Hamilton ultimately found himself at the Soulife label. It was at Soulife, a relatively new venture run by some of the singer's old Charlotte friends, that Hamilton laid down tracks for another solo album and also wrote songs for such artists as Donell Jones and Sunshine Anderson. In 2000, he accepted an invitation to sing backup vocals on singer/organist D'Angelo's "Voodoo Tour" and traveled the world. Upon returning home, Hamilton discovered that Soulife had also gone belly up. With a second album unreleased, Hamilton spent the next two years selling songs and singing backup for artists including 2Pac and Eve. Then, in 2002 a lead spot singing on the Nappy Roots track "Po' Folks" garnered Hamilton some much-needed attention, as the song was nominated for the Best Rap/Song Collaboration at the 2003 Grammy Awards. A subsequent gig performing at a Grammy luncheon led to a meeting between Hamilton and producer Jermaine Dupri, who quickly signed the singer to his So So Def label. Technically his fourth album, Comin' from Where I'm From bowed for So So Def in 2003. ~ Matt Collar, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=354 Lord Finesse Making sure the parental advisory sticker will never become obsolete, Lord Finesse broke into the rap game as yet another hardcore rapper. After gaining a following in his native New York, Finesse cut Funky Technician, an excellent debut for Wild Pitch Records. He then signed a management deal with Ice-T's Rhyme Syndicate Management and recorded his 1991 major-label debut, Return of the Funky Man, for Giant. When his rapping career didn't explode, Finesse began producing and has since become a competent studio player, producing albums by Notorious B.I.G. and Noreaga. ~ Steve Kurutz, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=353 AMG Select recording artist AMG hasn't made much hip-hop impact. His tough-talking, prototype gangsta rap was featured on two discs for Select in 1991. Bitch Betta Have My Money charted, peaking at 63 on the pop album charts. Ballin' Out of Control followed in 1995, trailed two years later by Pimp's Anthem. Bitch Betta Have My Money 2001 appeared at the turn of the millennium. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=352 AllFrumTha i Signed to Mack 10's production company, Allfrumtha-I was formed by Squeek-Ru and Binky. The duo released their self-titled debut album in April 1998. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=351 69 Boyz 69 Boyz is one of the half-dozen bass-music production efforts headed by C.C. Lemonhead and Jay Ski (of Quad City DJ's and 95 South). The actual group, rappers Thill Van, Fast, Slow, and Rottweiler "Mike Mike," came together in Jacksonville, FL. After Lemonhead and Jay Ski hit triple-platinum with 1993's "Whoot (There It Is)" as 95 South, they formed their own CeeJai Productions company and wrote and produced the single "Tootsee Roll" for 69 Boyz. The track hit the Top Ten of the R&B charts, and went double-platinum. The album 199Quad followed later that year, and also hit platinum. Second album The Wait Is Over followed in 1998 and 2069 arrived two years later. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide http://www.hiphop-rapture.com/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=350 Swizz Beatz Swizz Beatz wa