Nicknamed Snoop by his mother because of his appearance, Calvin Broadus (born October 20, 1972) was raised in Long Beach, CA. He found escape from a life of crime through music. Snoop began recording homemade tapes with his friend Warren G, who happened to be the stepbrother of N.W.A.'s Dr. Dre. Warren G gave a tape to Dre, who was considerably impressed with Snoop's style and began collaborating with the rapper. As the embodiment of '90s gangsta rap, Snoop Dogg blurred the lines between realit... (more)y and fiction. Introduced to the world through Dr. Dre's The Chronic, Snoop quickly became the most famous star in rap, partially because of his drawled, laconic rhyming and partially because the violence that his lyrics implied seemed real, especially after he was arrested on charges of being a murder accomplice. The arrest certainly strengthened his myth, and it helped his debut album, 1993's Doggystyle, become the first debut album to enter the charts at number one. After many delays, Doggystyle was finally released on Death Row in November of 1993, and it became the first debut album to enter the charts at number one. the Top Ten singles "What's My Name?" and "Gin & Juice" kept Doggystyle at the top of the charts during early 1994, as did the considerable controversy over Snoop's arrest and his lyricsby the turn of the century, Snoop had become such a cultural phenomenon that his albums almost became secondary to the personality behind them. An autobiography appeared in 2001, followed by a stream of movie roles in several high-profile pictures. Late in 2002, Snoop released his first album for Capitol, 613125?Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$. He then switched to Geffen for 2004's R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece. The hit album was followed a year later by Welcome to tha Chuuch: Da Album, a collection of tracks from the Welcome to the Chuuch mixtape series. In 2009, he issued Malice N Wonderland, the maiden release of a new alliance with the reactivated Priority label, which also signed him on as its creative chairman. He promoted the album a couple months prior to its street date when he hosted the live wrestling television broadcast WWE Raw. A year later the CD/DVD set More Malice rounded up some odds and ends from the album and packaged them with a DVD featuring the Malice N Wonderland short film. -By Stephen Thomas Erlewine, allmusic.com

A Tribe Called Quest is one of Hip Hop’s most legendary, beloved and revered groups of all time, and for good reason. Easily recognized for their unique approach to rap music by employing jazzy soundscapes to Afro centric rhymes, sans the jaded and often nihilistic aggressive posturing. A Tribe Called Quest is largely responsible for the popularity of Jazzy Hip-Hop that seemed to dominate the East Coast sound of the early 1990’s. ATCQ was formed in 1985 by Queens, New York natives, Q-Tip an... (more)d Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad of Brooklyn, who met Q-Tip in high school and although missing on most albums but always present in heart and friendship, Jarobi. QUEST, the original name of the group was later given the prefix A Tribe Called by their high school buddies, The Jungle Brothers. Tribe along with the Jungle Brothers and De La Soul formed a unit called The Native Tongues. With a building buzz around The Native Tongues and Tribe’s energetic live performances, ATCQ landed a major recording contract with Jive Records in 1989. Sonically, ATCQ were a decisive and welcomed tangent of jazz, bass-heavy rhythmic vibes and eclectic sampling when compared to the mundane recycling of soul loops, breaks and vocals of their contemporaries. Lyrically, emcees Q-Tip and Phife addressed social issues relevant to young blacks such as use of the ‘n word’ and its relevance, date rape and other interpersonal relationships, industry politics, consumerism, and none the lesser how to have a good time while still promoting positivity. In 1990, the group released People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, but it would be their sophomore effort, considered one of the greatest follow-ups in Hip Hop history, The Low End Theory, that would solidify them as legends in the present and for the ages. Released in late 1991, it was the freedom expressed in the creation and feel of this record along with its successor Midnight Marauders that would establish a blueprint for many future artists and producers such as Common, The Roots, Jill Scott, Kanye West, and The Neptunes who would emulate and embrace Tribes style for years to come. To this day, the power of their music is still evident in their dynamic stage performance. A Tribe Called Quest’s anomalous posture has changed the face and sound of Hip Hop music, which paved the way for future groups, artists and producers to be themselves while still being creative.

Emerging in 1993, the Staten Island, NY-based Wu-Tang Clan proved to be the most revolutionary rap group of the mid-'90s - and only partially because of their music. Turning the standard concept of a hip-hop crew inside out, the Wu-Tang Clan were assembled as a loose congregation of nine MCs, almost as a support group. Instead of releasing one album after another, the Clan was designed to overtake the record industry in as profitable a fashion as possible - the idea was to establish the Wu-Tang ... (more)as a force with their debut album and then spin off into as many side projects as possible. In the process, the members would all become individual stars. Surprisingly, the plan worked. All of the various Wu-Tang solo projects elaborated on the theme the group laid out on their 1993 debut, the spare, menacing Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Taking their group name from an powerful, mythical kung fu sword wielded by an invincible congregation of warriors, the crew is a loose collective of nine MCs. All nine members work under a number of pseudonyms, but they are best known as RZA , GZA/Genius, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man , Raekwon the Chef , Ghostface Killah , U-God, Inspectah Deck, and Masta Killa. The vision of the Wu-Tang Clan is undoubtedly due to the musical skills of RZA. Under his direction, the group - through its own efforts and the solo projects, all of which he produced or co-produced - created a hazy, surreal, and menacing soundscape out of hardcore beats, eerie piano riffs, and minimal samples. Over these surrealistic backing tracks, the MCs rapped hard, updating the old-school attack with vicious violence, martial arts imagery, and a welcome warped humor. By 1995, the sound was one of the most instantly recognizable in hip-hop. The first Wu-Tang Clan single, the hard-hitting Protect Ya Neck, appeared on their own independent label and became an underground hit. Soon, the record labels were offering them lucrative contracts. The group held out until they landed a deal that would allow each member to record solo albums for whatever label they chose - in essence, each rapper was a free agent. Loud/RCA agreed to the deal, and the band's debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), appeared in November of 1993. Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful. C.R.E.A.M., released in early 1994, was the single that put them over the top and won them a devoted following.

While Eric B dazzled listeners with his turntable techniques, Rakim pointed the way toward the easy-rollin' style of the '90s with his laidback raps, though forceful in content. Each of the duo's first three albums achieved gold status, and they even managed the Top Five R&B hit "Friends" in 1989. While working as a mobile DJ for New York's WBLS during 1985, Eric Barrier met William Griffin, a top MC who had grown up on Long Island. The two began recording together and emerged with "Eric B Is P... (more)resident." The single appeared in 1986 on Harlem's Zakia label, and became a street sensation. Signed to 4th & Broadway the following year, Eric B & Rakim released their debut album, Paid in Full. The LP's success led to a contract with Uni/MCA in 1988, and their second album, Follow the Leader, was released that year. Two more albums followed, Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em (1990) and Don't Sweat the Technique (1992), after which the duo broke up. By the mid-'90s, Eric B. had emerged as a solo act on his own 95th Street label. After coming out with one of the most impressive and successful debut albums in Hip-Hop history, Paid In Full, there had to be serious pressure on Eric B. and Rakim to beat the dreaded sophomore jinx with the release of their second LP. Not only did the duo beat the odds with Follow the Leader, they also expanded their range with dope original music and beats and also with precise lyrics delivered by Rakim that had many MCs and fans on his nut-sack. The atmospheric title track (with its menacing keyboard accompaniment) gave Rakim the room to spit imaginative lyrics that showcased his original approach to rocking the mic while taking the listener on a musical journey - an instant classic track. The rest of the LP is consistent with this level of achievement, if not as stunning, which means it still was way above most of the competition. The bottom line is that this team has secured a permanent place in rap history, and way after all the wannabe gangstas and marijuana bandwagon-jumpers have been forgotten, albums like this will still have heads bobbin.

KRS ONE began his recording career as one half of the hip hop group Boogie Down Productions or BDP alongside DJ Scott La Rock. They met during a stay KRS-One had at the Bronx Franklin Avenue Armory Shelter. La Rock (real name Scott Sterling) worked as a social worker there. The duo would begin to create music.They then decided to call themselves "Boogie Down Productions", "Success is the Word", a 12-inch single produced by David Kenneth Eng and Kenny Beck was released on indie Fresh/Sleeping Bag... (more) Records (under the group name "12:41") but did not enjoy commercial success. Boogie Down Productions released their debut album Criminal Minded in 1987. The album, whose cover pictured BDP draped in ammunition and brandishing guns, is often credited with setting the template for the burgeoning genres of hardcore and gangsta rap. Scott La Rock was killed in a shooting later that year, after attempting to mediate a dispute between teenager and BDP member Derrick "D-Nice" Jones and local hoodlums.During this time KRS-One also gained acclaim as one of the first MCs to incorporate Jamaican style into hip hop. Using the Zungazung melody, originally made famous by Yellowman in Jamaican dance halls earlier in the decade.[4] While KRS-One used Zunguzung styles in a more powerful and controversial manner, especially in his song titled "Remix for P is Free", he can still be credited as one of the more influential figures to bridge the gap between Jamaican music and American hip-hop.Following the fatal shooting of Scott La Rock in 1987, KRS was determined to continue Boogie Down Productions through the tragedy, releasing the album By All Means Necessary in 1988. He was joined by beatboxer D-Nice, rapper Ramona "Ms. Melodie" Parker (whose marriage to Kris would last from 1988 to 1992), and Kris's younger brother DJ Kenny Parker, among others. However Boogie Down Productions would remain Kris's show, and their content would become increasingly political through their subsequent releases Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip Hop, Edutainment, Live Hardcore Worldwide and Sex and Violence.

Hip-hop queen and international soul sensation Lauryn Hill is an ‘artist’ of the truest type, inspiring millions as a singer, songwriter, rapper, producer, musician and film actress. Born in South Orange, New Jersey, Hill early established herself as one of music’s most brilliant vocalists while performing in The Fugees, with songs such as “Killing Me Softly with His Song” solidifying the singer’s worldwide acclaim. Her incredible career as a solo artist began in 1998 with the releas... (more)e of her six-time platinum The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, a neo soul masterpiece which by the end of the year topped virtually every “best of” list in the industry and took home a staggering five Grammy Awards - Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Song ("Doo Wop (That Thing)") and Best R&B Album - establishing Lauryn Hill as the first woman to ever win five of the awards in a single year.

Richard Walters (born January 14, 1965), better known by stage names Slick Rick, MC Ricky D and The Ruler, is a rapper. Originally from South Wimbledon, London, England, he moved with his family to The Bronx in 1975 where he met B-Weezy who taught him how to rap. He has always credited "B" from St. Louis for his success with his career. Rick's characteristic eyepatch was acquired after being blinded in the right eye by broken glass as an infant. He is best known for a series of rap recordings du... (more)ring the 1980s, including "Children's Story" and "La Di Da Di". Charlie Rock of Harlem World crew was instrumental in bringing Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh together when Doug requested an introduction after he had seen him win local MC battle contests. It was at an MC contest at the 369 Armory on 142nd street in Harlem, that Rick & Doug were formally introduced by Rock. Slick Rick released the song "La Di Da Di" back in the early 1980s which features Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew. His first album The Great Adventures of Slick Rick was released in 1988 while he was living in New York City. "Children's Story", which appears on The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, is one of the most famous songs in rap and has been covered by Black Star, Black Rob, Everlast, Messy Marv, Tricky's side project Nearly God, UK rapper Ramson Badbones, Björk, Nonpoint, Snoop Doggy Dogg and Japanese rapper Zeebra. "La Di Da Di", "Mona Lisa" and "Children's Story" are among his best known songs, with "La Di Da Di" being covered nearly word-for-word by Snoop Dogg on his 1993 album Doggystyle, and lines from "La Di Da Di" being borrowed by multiple high profile artists. "Children's Story" was also sampled by Montell Jordan for his 1995 hit, "This Is How We Do It", and was also covered by Black Star on their debut album. On May 25, 1999 released a fourth album, entitled The Art of Storytelling, generally considered the authentic follow up to his 1988 debut. An artistically successful comeback that paired him with MC's like Nas, OutKast, Raekwon, and Snoop Dogg, among others. Rumors suggested that Rick planned to release a new album, "The Adventure Continues," in 2007. However, in a recent XXL Magazine interview, he denied the claim. Rick is supposedly "waiting for a market to open up for a [more] mature audience". He is featured on Chamillionaire's debut single for Ultimate Victory called "Hip hop Police", and he makes a reference to his signature eye patch in his verse on the song.

No more than three producers (Dr. Dre, RZA, and Prince Paul) can test DJ Premier's status as the most important trackmaster of the '90s. Aggressive and raw, a DJ Premier track was an instantly recognizable soundclash of battling loops and heavy scratching -- all of them perfectly timed -- that evoked the sound of Brooklyn better than anyone. Besides helming tracks for his main concern, Gang Starr, since their 1989 debut, DJ Premier's productions appeared on many of the East Coast's most importan... (more)t records: Nas' Illmatic, the Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready to Die, Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt, Jeru the Damaja's The Sun Rises in the East, and Mos Def's Black on Both Sides. DJ Premier, born Chris Martin, spent time in Brooklyn and Houston while growing up, and studied computer science at Prairie View A&M outside Houston. Known as Waxmaster C, he'd already learned to play a variety of instruments and also managed a record store. After moving back to Brooklyn, around 1987-1988 he came into contact with Guru, a Boston native. Guru had already formed a group named Gang Starr two years earlier (and recorded with the 45 King), but his former partner, Mike Dee, had returned to Boston. DJ Premier and Guru signed to Wild Pitch and released a debut single ("Manifest") and album (No More Mr. Nice Guy). Gang Starr's interest in melding hip-hop with jazz informed the record, and they were invited to add to the soundtrack for Spike Lee's 1990 film Mo' Better Blues. Their subsequent work was much more mature and unified, with a pair of instant East Coast classics (1991's Step in the Arena and 1992's Daily Operation) arriving in short order. DJ Premier had been working with other vocalists for years, and his productions for the 1990 landmark Funky Technician by Lord Finesse and DJ Mike Smooth cemented his status as one of the best producers around. He soon began recording exclusively at D&D Studios, a spot soon to become a shrine for hip-hop fans (thanks in large part to his own work). The year 1994 was a huge one for DJ Premier, probably the best year for any rap producer ever; in addition to dropping another Gang Starr classic, Hard to Earn, his productions appeared on five-star, all-time classics by Nas (Illmatic), the Notorious B.I.G. (Ready to Die), and Jeru the Damaja (The Sun Rises in the East), as well as Big Daddy Kane and Branford Marsalis' Buckshot LeFonque project.

Tom Morello and Boots Riley have joined forces to form Street Sweeper Social Club. The group's self-titled debut album was released June 16th through Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group. The 11-song set was produced by Tom Morello and features Boots Riley on vocals, Morello on guitar and bass, and Stanton Moore (Galactic) on drums. Tom Morello is a founding member and guitarist of the rock bands Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave. The two bands are responsible for multiple Gramm... (more)y Awards and a combined 30 million albums sold worldwide. Morello has also received critical acclaim as a solo artist known as The Nightwatchman. Widely celebrated for his unique voice as a master electric guitarist, he is recognized by Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the "100 Greatest Guitar Players of All-Time (26)." He is also one of only two guitarists featured as a playable animated character in the overwhelmingly popular Activision video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Tom Morello graduated from Harvard University with honors as a Political Science major and has been a widely recognized political activist throughout his career. With System of a Down's Serj Tankian, Morello formed Axis of Justice, an organization whose purpose is to bring together musicians, music fans, and grassroots political organizations to fight for social justice. Boots Riley is best known as the leader of The Coup, the seminal Hip-Hop group from Oakland, CA. As a producer and lyricist, Riley has crafted critically acclaimed albums for The Coup that have graced the year-end Top 10 lists of Rolling Stone, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and more. They have also received "Album of the Year" honors from The Washington Post, Time Out New York, while Billboard Magazine declared the group "the best hip-hop act of the past decade." Born in Chicago and raised in East Oakland's Funktown neighborhood, Boots became a teenage community organizer. From his history of student organizing in Oakland's public schools, serving on the central committee for the Progressive Labor Party, being the President of Youth InCar (Youth International Committee Against Racism), organizing to build California's Anti-Racist Farm Workers' Union, to developing "guerrilla hip hop concerts" (mobile concerts on flatbed trucks), Boots Riley has been an integral part of the progressive struggle for radical change through culture.

A longtime friend of Definitive Jux leader El-P, rapper Murs first appeared as a solo artist in 2003, after nearly a decade of working with various groups in the underground. Based in Los Angeles, his first single was released in 1993, and came from a self-released album by his first group, 3 Melancholy Gypsies. The track barely made a dent, but it did catch the attention of indie hip-hop fans in the area. Through time, the group members became friends with Mystik Journeymen, who asked 3MG (thei... (more)r shortened name) to join them when they started the Living Legends collective in 1996. Between both 3MG and the Living Legends, Murs rapped on several influential indie rap albums, appearing on more than 20 records, EPs, and singles within a seven-year period. When El-P started to pull together his Def Jux label, Murs contacted the producer and told him he would release his solo record for the company once he had the opportunity. After a few years of slowly putting together tracks, Murs finally delivered The End of the Beginning in the spring of 2003. Featuring flashier production than his group projects, the album was more in tune with a mainstream hip-hop record, though projects with Anticon rapper Slug unveiled a more experimental side to his artistry. The rapper returned to solo work with Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition, a collaboration with producer 9th Wonder, in 2004. Murs teamed up again with 9th Wonder to release Murray's Revenge in 2006. Two years later, he jumped to the majors for a contract with Warner Bros., which yielded Murs for President, with appropriately major-label features for will.i.am and Snoop Dogg. Another two years later, Murs reunited with 9th Wonder to make Fornever. Growing up in Winston-Salem, NC, the boy who would become producer 9th Wonder, Pat Douthit, performed in the school band and also played the keyboard at home. In 1998 he met classmates and future bandmates Phonte and Big Pooh, and with them soon formed Little Brother. Their first album, The Listening, was released in 2003, and 9th Wonder began to receive further attention after he remixed Nas' 2002 album, God's Son, naming it God's Stepson, as well as the track "Threat," which he produced on Jay-Z's seminal The Black Album. Work with Murs, Buckshot, Jean Grae, Destiny's Child, and Mary J. Blige followed, as well as another Little Brother record, 2005's Minstrel Show, the same year his proper solo debut, Dream Merchant, Vol. 1, came out.

Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by the stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He released his debut album, Show and Prove, in 2006, and signed to Warner Bros. Records in 2007. Left his 7 figure deal and became Independent in 2009. Khalifa was born on September 8, 1987 in Minot, North Dakota to a mother and a father serving in the military. The family moved to Pittsburgh when Khalifa was the age of two. His parents’ militar... (more)y service caused the family to move on a regular basis. Over the last decade, Khalifa lived in the U.S., Germany, England, and Japan. Khalifa has been influenced by artists such as Jay-Z, Cam’ron, and the Notorious B.I.G. His stage name is derived from khalifa, an Arabic word meaning “successor”, and wisdom, which was shortened to Wiz when Khalifa was fifteen.

Hailing from Virginia, Clipse -- brothers Pusha T and Malice -- were one of the first artists to associate with the Neptunes. The Neptunes' Pharrell Williams first met the brothers in the early '90s, was very impressed by their talents, and decided to help them get a gig. After he hooked them up with the Elektra label, an early single flopped and the group seemed done, even though an album's worth of material had been recorded. Williams was not discouraged and continued to hype the group until A... (more)rista finally intervened in 2001. Williams and partner Chad Hugo stepped behind the boards and produced Lord Willin', Clipse's 2002 full-length debut, released through Star Trak/Arista. On the strength of "Grindin'," the album hit the Top Ten of the R&B/Hip-Hop and Billboard 200 charts and eventually went gold. The Sony-BMG merger threw the follow-up into limbo and sparked a long bout of legal snags between Clipse and their new parent label, Jive. While the delay was going on, Clipse issued a series of mixtapes and set up their Re-Up label. The label disputes were eventually cleared up, and Hell Hath No Fury -- a lean, mean album, featuring the Neptunes and the MC'ing duo at the top of their game -- was finally released on November 28, 2006. Almost unanimously hailed by critics, it also reached number 14 on the Billboard 200. Clipse later signed with Columbia for Til the Casket Drops, released in December 2009. The album's list of collaborators included the Neptunes, DJ Khalil, Kanye West, and Keri Hilson. by Bradley Torreano & Andy Kellman, allmusic.com

Born Felipe Coronel in a military hospital in Lima, Peru, in 1978, Immortal Technique moved to Harlem with his parents when he was two years old. At age nine he started rapping, though he didn't start to take it more seriously until he was in high school. Despite the fact he was in and out of trouble throughout his teenage years, Tech was accepted at Penn State University, but before he could get through much of college, he was arrested and eventually ended up spending a year in prison. It was t... (more)here that he began to study the lives and teachings of black and Latino revolutionaries like Che Guevara and Malcolm X, as well as to devote himself to writing songs. Out in 1999, on parole, he moved back to New York, where he spent his days working various jobs and his nights battling other rappers, a forum that allowed him the opportunity to show off his aggressive, vituperative style. Concerned that he was being pigeonholed as a one-trick pony, Tech set about writing complete tracks, finding beats to accompany them, and eventually releasing his debut, Revolutionary, Vol. 1, in 2001 (an album that was later re-released by his own company, Viper Records, in 2004 and Babygrande in 2005). The record, plus his indefatigable work ethic, earned him local recognition and a spot as The Source's "unsigned hype" in November 2002, and the following year he issued his second album, Revolutionary, Vol. 2. Although he promised his third release would see the light of day in 2005, it wasn't until the summer of 2007 that -- besides a few singles and mixtapes -- fans got any new material from Immortal Technique, coming in the form of the full-length The Middle Passage. by Marissa Brown, allmusic.com

The underground hip-hop duo Jedi Mind Tricks started out in the streets of Philadelphia in early 1996. Friends since high school, producer Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind and MCs Vinnie Paz (aka Ikon the Verbal Hologram) released the Amber Probe EP in 1996 and, one year later, gained a cult following with the full-length Psycho-Social, Chemical, Biological & Electro Magnetic Manipulation (which was reissued in 2003 courtesy of the Babygrande label). Released in 2000, the sophomore effort Violent by ... (more)Design marked the group's last album before signing to Babygrande, as well as the first to feature Jus Allah (aka Megatron). Jus Allah's tenure in the group proved to be short-lived, however, as he left soon after the album's release. Under the labelship of Babygrande, Jedi Mind Tricks issued 2003's Visions of Gandhi -- which included the song "Animal Rap," featuring Paz's idol Kool G Rap -- and 2004's Legacy of Blood, not to mention a compilation of early 12" records titled Outerspace). The duo also began featuring an army of rappers on their albums, with regular guests including 7L, Esoteric, Apathy, Tragedy Khadafi, and Louis Logic. In 2006, Vinnie Paz's hip-hop supergroup made its full-length debut with Army of the Pharaohs: The Torture Papers, while the release of Jedi Mind Tricks' Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell proved that the MC's primary group was still functioning. Jus Allah then made his return to the JMT lineup, which issued A History of Violence in 2008. -By Rob Theakson, allmusic.com

Rapper Brother Ali spent much of his life living in various cities in the Upper Midwest, starting in Madison, WI, then moving to Michigan as a young child, where he was first introduced to breakdancing and graffiti and rapping, and finally settling in northern Minneapolis with his family when he was 15. Eventually, his demo tape Rites of Passage made it into the hands of the still young Rhymesayers crew, who signed the MC and brought him along with them to the 2000 Scribble Jam, at which Ali was... (more) a finalist. In 2003 his debut, Shadows on the Sun, produced by Atmosphere's Ant and including a song ("Forest Whitiker") that spoke of his albinism, came out, followed by the Champion EP in 2004. The next few years were tough for Ali, a devout Muslim, as he was dealing with a divorce and struggling for custody of his son. However, all of this just provided fodder for his music, and in the spring of 2007, after a few months of delays, Brother Ali's sophomore record, The Undisputed Truth, hit shelves.

Originally hailing from New York City, Muggs moved to L.A. at seventeen. He briefly DJ'd the group 7A3, putting out one album before disbanding. After linking up with B-Real and Sen Dog to form the group Cypress Hill, he went on to produce seven studio albums with the group, from 1991 to 2004. Of the seven, four reached platinum status, and three gold. Meanwhile, he scored hits on the side with Ice Cube's "Check Yo Self" and House of Pain's "Jump Around." During Cypress Hill's early years, DJ Mu... (more)ggs met The Alchemist and his Dilated Peoples brethren on tour, deciding to take the young producer under his wing, providing a jump-start for his career. In 1997, he released what could be termed a solo album: Soul Assassins I, reaching #86 on the Billboard 200 and earning critical praise. Produced by DJ Muggs, it featured a variety of rappers including Dr. Dre, B-Real, Mobb Deep, RZA, GZA, Goodie Mob, KRS One and Wyclef Jean. In 2000 he returned to the Soul Assassins with Soul Assassins II, which reached only #178 on the charts but garnered similarly positive reviews. He also put out the record Dust, an atmosphere-heavy trip-hop affair with Greg Dulli, Amy Trujillo and Everlast on vocals. After the 2004 album Til Death Do Us Part, which didn't reach gold but landed #23 on the Billboard 200, Cypress Hill went on a hiatus from recording, enabling its members to focus more on their side projects.

Sean Anderson, p.k.a. Big Sean, is the newest artist signed to G.O.O.D. Music/Island Def Jam at the young age of 20. Sean was born in Santa Monica, CA and relocated to the west side of Detroit, MI when he was 2 months old. He was raised by his mother and grandparents who worked steadfastly to instill in him the principles of hard work and determination. Sean attended the Detroit Waldorf School, a school of art, from Kindergarten to 8th Grade where he was introduced to a spectrum of art and cultu... (more)re. He later attended Cass Technical High School where he furthered his music career, met life long friends, and gained the support of fans and peers as he independently sold copies of his music. Sean gained a strong relationship with 102.7FM, a local radio station in Detroit where he displayed his rhyming skills weekly. There, he met Kanye West after a radio interview in 2005 and got a chance to display his talent by freestyling for Mr. West, giving him a copy of his music and sending numerous tracks for him to critique. After months of submitting songs and numerous meetings, Sean finally got the call from Kanye West himself saying that he wanted to sign him. Big Sean officially signed to G.O.O.D. Music in 2007 and then signed to Island Def Jam in 2008. Sean has two mixtapes under his belt starting with “Finally Famous–The Mixtape” [Nov. 2007] and “U Know Big Sean–Finally Famous Vol. 2” [Nov. 2008]. His hit single “Getcha Some” vastly took over the airwaves and created major buzz for the artist and quickly solidified him as a breakout star. The single first debuted on Kanye West’s “Cant Tell Me Nothin’ Mixtape” giving him the exposure needed to showcase and introduce his talent to the world. Big Sean is scheduled to release his debut album entitled “Finally Famous” in Spring 2009. The album features Hip Hop stars such as ten-time Grammy Award winning artist Kanye West, Pharell, The Dream, and many more. Big Sean has been spotted beside Kanye West all over the world including Los Angeles, New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Hawaii, etc. To stay connected to Big Sean check out his official MySpace at WWW.MYSPACE.COM/UKNOWBIGSEAN for exclusive updates that you wont see anywhere else. Also look out for Big Sean’s official website WWW.UKNOWBIGSEAN.COM coming soon.

The growth and emergence of an Hip-Hop artist is a process that comes in many variables. No story is alike but the love for music is a trait that they all share because if not for that love – they would have never accepted the fate to be a rapper. In the case of Alabama native Yelawolf – his upbringing into music is as complex as any story can be and it’s that complexity that has garnered him an unapologetic following of fans that know the chant’s to Catfish Billy.

Supernatural has been on the scene for more than 15 years, earning worldwide props for his high profile battles and freestyle showmanship.Ê Constantly blowing audiences away with his on-stage magnetism, he was featured on the Word of Mouth tour alongside Dilated Peoples, Jurassic 5, & the Beat Junkies, and also toured with Linkin Park on the Projekt Revolution Tour.Ê Filling a longtime demand from hip-hop fans, he now steps forward with his official studio album! Respected as one of the mo... (more)st gifted emcees in the game, Supernatural has etched a special place in hip-hip history for his undeniable freestyle skills.Ê And on his forthcoming release S.P.I.T (Spritual Poetry Ignites Thought), he tackles a number of topics with an electrifying delivery and deft wordplay; from battle narratives, social commentaries, to industry issues, Supernatural shines from start to finish. The project boasts a barrage of vocal spots from Raekwon, B-Real, Chali 2na, more, and banging production from BeanOne, DJ Khalil, Evidence, Jake One, DJ Muggs, Vitamin D to name a few. It has been a long time coming for Supernatural, and S.P.I.T proves it has been well worth the wait!!