Name	Esham
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Rashaam Attica Smith
Alias
Born	Long Island, New York, U.S.
Origin	Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Genre	Hip hop
Occupation	Rapper, record producer
Years active	1989–present
Label	Reel Life, Psychopathic
Associated acts	Natas, Psychopathic Rydas, Soopa Villainz, The Dayton Family, Kool Keith, Insane Clown Posse
Url	www.AcidRap.com

Rashaam Attica Smith, better known by his stage name Esham (East Side Hoes And Money), is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan known for his hallucinogenic style of hip hop which he refers to as "acid rap", which fuses rock-based beats and lyrics involving subjects such as death, drug use, evil, paranoia and sex. Releasing his debut album, Boomin' Words from Hell while still in high school, Smith is considered to be one of the originators of horrorcore, rap rock and rap metal. Counting Boomin' Words from Hell, he has released twelve studio albums, six extended plays and three compilation albums. Smith co-founded the independent record label Reel Life Productions, and formed the group Natas with local rappers Mastamind and TNT. Smith has been cited as an influence on rappers such as Eminem, Kid Rock and Insane Clown Posse.

History

Early career

Born Rashaam Attica Smith in Long Island, New York, Esham grew up splitting time between the Seven Mile neighborhood of East Detroit, where he lived with his mother, attending Osborn High School, and lived with his grandmother in New York during summers. Of the album, Smith stated, "It was the crack era, [...] and that's where all that really came from. It was all an expression about ['70s-'80s drug cartel] Young Boys Incorporated, Mayor Coleman Young, the city we lived in and just the turmoil that our city was going through at the time. We referred to the streets of Detroit as 'Hell' on that record. So that's where my ideas came from." In November, Natas released their debut album, Life After Death.

Overcore Records (1999–2001)

In 1999, Reel Life Productions became Overcore Records, and Esham signed a deal with TVT Records to distribute the label's output. In August 2001, Esham and D12 were kicked off the Warped Tour after members of the group allegedly physically attacked Smith over the lyrics of his song "Chemical Imbalance," which contained a reference to the daughter of D12 member Eminem, who was not present during the tour.

Psychopathic Records (2002–2005)

In 2002, Esham signed to Psychopathic Records, releasing the compilation Acid Rain. It was announced that Esham would be moving away from the horror themes of his previous efforts. On November 18, 2003, Esham released his ninth studio album, Repentance. It peaked at #9 on the Top Heatseekers chart, #10 on the Top Independent Albums chart, and #71 on the Top R&B;/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Jason Birchmeier wrote that "Repentance is a small step forward for Esham. He seems very confident here, comfortable with himself as an artist [...] when he pulls everything together [...] he makes some of the best music of his long, fruitful, yet largely unacknowledged career." After the release of A-1 Yola, Esham left Psychopathic in 2005. Since leaving Psychopathic, Esham continued to release albums on his own label, and produced a podcast, which appeared semi-regularly on his official website.

Continued releases (2008 onward)

On August 26, 2008, Smith released his eleventh studio album, Sacrificial Lambz. It peaked at #50 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart and at #42 on the Top R&B;/Hip-Hop Albums chart. In October, Smith started a petition to run for mayor of Detroit. Following the release of the album, rumors surfaced that it was a diss towards Insane Clown Posse, which Smith later dispelled. Smith's lyrics have focused on themes such as death, drug use, evil, paranoia and sex, and have included references to Satan. According to Smith:

"People were literally scared of my records. There have been so many rumors about me and my records. People got the first album, and they would just make up stories. They'd get into an accident and be like, 'I got into an accident because I was playing that tape.' It wasn't like we helped ourselves when we described what was in people's heads. It wasn't to shock people, though, but to get people involved in what we were doing. We had to get peoples' attention. [...] We said a lot of things that people wanted to say but didn't say. We talked about a lot of political and social [issues] that people didn't want to talk about." Rappers influenced by Esham include Insane Clown Posse, Eminem and Kid Rock. According to author Cheryl Lynette Keyes, Esham's "metal sound with a hip-hop feel" formed the musical basis for acts such as Korn, Limp Bizkit, Everlast, and Kottonmouth Kings. Smith has stated that "A lot of people go into my extensive back catalog and redo my ideas, and think they're coming up with something new. I'm flattered by a lot of it. I used to get upset, but the older I get, I realize that we were on a higher plane than a lot of people."

Discography

Boomin' Words from Hell (1989)

Judgement Day (1992)

KKKill the Fetus (1993)

Closed Casket (1994)

Dead Flowerz (1996)

(1997)

Mail Dominance (1999)

Tongues (2001)

Repentance (2003)

A-1 Yola (2005)

Sacrificial Lambz (2008)

I Ain't Cha Homey (2009)

(2009)

Suspended Animation (2010)

References

External links

Official website

Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:1990s rappers Category:2000s rappers Category:2010s rappers Category:African American rappers Category:African American record producers Category:American hip hop record producers Category:Horrorcore artists Category:Rappers from Detroit, Michigan Category:Underground rappers

Name	Tech N9ne
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Aaron Dontez Yates
Born	November 08, 1971
Origin	Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Genre	Hip hop
Occupation	Rapper
Years active	1985–present
Associated acts	The Regime, K.A.B.O.S.H., 57th Street Rogue Dog , Nnutthowze, 816 Boyz, Krizz Kaliko, Kutt Calhoun, Yukmouth
Label	Strange Music
Url	TheRealTechN9ne.com

Aaron Dontez Yates (born November 8, 1971), better known by his stage name Tech N9ne (pronounced "Tech Nine"), is an American rapper from Kansas City, Missouri. In 1999, Yates and Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music. Throughout his career, Yates has sold over one million albums and has had his music featured in film, television, and video games. In 2009, he won the Left Field Woodie award at the mtvU Woodie Awards.

Early life

Tech N9ne was born Aaron Dontez Yates on November 8, 1971 in Kansas City, Missouri. He never met his father, and his mother suffered from epilepsy and lupus when he was a child, which deeply affected him and inspired him to "search for God". Yates later applied a deeper meaning to the name, claiming that it stands for the complete technique of rhyme, with 'tech' meaning technique and 'nine' representing the number of completion.

Career

Early in his career, Yates was a member of a group called Black Mafia. He saw glimpses of success in the group 57th Street Rogue Dog with their single "Let's Get Fucked Up." As a member of the group Nnutthowze, Aaron Yates signed with Perspective Records in 1993. However, the group disbanded soon after being released from the label. Yates signed with Qwest Records briefly before moving to JCOR Records. The following year, he was featured on the soundtrack for the film Gang Related. Yates appeared on the song "The Anthem" by Sway & King Tech in 1999, which also featured artists RZA, Eminem, Xzibit, Pharoahe Monch, Jayo Felony, Chino XL, KRS-One, and Kool G. Rap. Later that year, he and Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music.

In 2001, Yates released the studio album Anghellic on JCOR Records. The following year, he released Misery Loves Kompany. Yates announced that the album was the first in a series of "Tech N9ne Collabos" albums that feature a wide range of guest appearances. That September, he exceeded one million album sales.

Yates later performed at the Rock The Bells 2009 Festival and the tenth annual Gathering of the Juggalos. That October, he released K.O.D., short for King of Darkness. The album featured a dark overtone, as Yates was dealing with the illness of his mother. An EP of cut songs from the album was released in 2010 as The Lost Scripts of K.O.D. Later that year, Yates released his third Collabos album, The Gates Mixed Plate. Yates hopes to feature both T-Pain and Lil Wayne on his song "Fuck Food" on the new album. Yates was originally set to score the entire film Alpha Dog, but the studio decided to replace some of his music with more commercially known songs. In 2009, his song "Let's Go" was used in an online promotional short film for AXE body spray. Yates also appears as an actor in the films Vengeance and .

Video games

Several of Yates' songs are featured in the video games Madden NFL 2006, ,EA Sports MMA, and 25 To Life, the latter of which Yates is also an unlockable character. In 2009, Yates and label mate Krizz Kaliko appeared in a promotional video for the Fight Night Round 4 video game.

Television

Yates' music has appeared on the television shows Dark Angel, I'm From Rolling Stone, My Super Sweet 16, The Hills, Spike Guys' Choice Awards, and Warren The Ape. In 2008, his song "Earthquake" was featured on an episode of MTV's America's Best Dance Crew in which the crew had to visually convey the title of the song in their performance. On the August 15, 2009 Strikeforce event, , MMA fighter Gilbert Melendez entered the arena to Tech N9ne's 2006 song "The Beast" for his bout with Mitsuhiro Ishida. His song "Riot Maker" was used as the official theme song for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's 2010 Hardcore Justice pay-per-view.

Discography

Studio albums

1999: The Calm Before the Storm

2000: The Worst

2001: Anghellic

2002: Celcius

2002: Absolute Power

2006: Everready (The Religion)

2007: Misery Loves Kompany

2008: Killer

2009: Sickology 101

2009: K.O.D.

2010: The Gates Mixed Plate

2011: All 6s And 7s

;with K.A.B.O.S.H. 2011: Amafrican Psycho

EPs

2010: The Lost Scripts of K.O.D.

2010: Seepage

Mixtapes

2010: Bad Season with DJ Whoo Kid

Selected filmography

2003: Beef

2003: Das Bus

2004: T9X: The Tech N9ne Experience

2004: United Ghettos of America Vol. 2

2005: Hip Hop Nation Vol. 1

2005: Letter to the President

2006: Alpha Dog 2008: The Psychumentary

2009: The Life of Lucky Cucumber

2009: Strictly Strange

2010: K.O.D. Tour (Live in Kansas City)

2010: Vengeance

2011:

:Selected filmography notes :1. Tech N9ne does not physically appear, but he did have a helping hand in scoring the movie, this includes the placement of several of his songs in the films score as well as the appearance of a song from fellow label mates Skatterman & Snug Brim.

Awards and nominations

mtvU Woodie Awards

References

External links

Official website

Category:1971 births Category:African American rappers Category:Horrorcore artists Category:Living people Category:Rappers from Missouri Category:People from the Kansas City metropolitan area Category:Underground rappers

Name	Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
Background	group_or_band
Alias	B.O.N.E. Enterprise
Origin	Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Genre	Midwest hip hop, gangsta rap, melodic hip hop, hip hop soul
Years active	1991–present
Label	Ruthless, BTNH Worldwide,Full Surface, Geffen
Associated acts	Eazy-E, Bone Brothers, Mo Thugs Family, II Tru, Twista, Poetic Hustla'z, DJ U-Neek, 2Pac, Biggie
Current members	Krayzie BoneLayzie BoneWish BoneFlesh-n-BoneBizzy Bone
Url	www.bonethugsnharmony.com

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony is a hip hop music group, formed in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S., in 1991. It consists of rappers Krayzie Bone, Wish Bone, Flesh-n-Bone, Layzie Bone, and Bizzy Bone. Rapper Eazy-E of the group N.W.A signed Bone Thugs-n-Harmony to Ruthless Records in 1994, when Bone Thugs debuted with EP Creepin on ah Come Up. That EP included the hit single "Thuggish Ruggish Bone."

In 1995, the group released its second album, E. 1999 Eternal, which included hits "1st of tha Month" and "Tha Crossroads." A tribute to the recently deceased Eazy-E, "Tha Crossroads," won a Grammy award in 1997. The Art of War, the group's third album, was also released in 1997.

Bone Thugs released two more albums that did not generate as much hype: BTNHResurrection (2000) and Thug World Order (2002). The group went on hiatus and returned in 2007 with Strength & Loyalty, this time released by Swizz Beatz's label Full Surface Records. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony officially returned with their new album , released in 2010 by their own record label, BTNH Worldwide, with distribution by Warner Bros.

Early years

Formed in 1991, the group consisted of only four members: Krayzie Bone, Layzie Bone, Bizzy Bone and Wish Bone, and the group was originally called B.O.N.E Enterprise. Their first album, Faces of Death, was recorded in 1993. With new member and Layzie's brother, Flesh-n-Bone who was a member of the Crips, added the same year, the group renamed itself Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. In November 1993, the group auditioned backstage for rapper Eazy-E, who was performing in Cleveland with his father. After a second audition, Eazy-E signed the group to his label Ruthless Records.

Ruthless Records

Creepin on ah Come Up

Released in June 1994, the EP Creepin on ah Come Up, was Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's debut with Ruthless. Peaking at #12 on the Billboard 200 album chart and #2 on the Top R&B;/Hip-Hop Albums chart, it included the hit singles "Thuggish Ruggish Bone" and "Foe tha Love of $", the second of which featured a verse by Eazy-E. "Thuggish Ruggish Bone" peaked at #22 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #2 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart, and "Foe tha Love of $" peaked at #41 on the Hot 100 and #4 on the Rap Tracks.

E. 1999 Eternal

In 1995, the group's second album E. 1999 Eternal was released. It included the singles "1st of tha Month", which peaked at #14 on the Hot 100 and #4 on the Hot Rap Tracks, and "Tha Crossroads", which reached #1 on the Hot 100 and Hot Rap Tracks charts. The album name originated from Eazy-E's album, Eternal E, naming it after Eazy-E's album was just another way of showing respect and tribute to the rapper that helped make them big. In the same year, Flesh-n-Bone would become the first member of the group to release a debut album entitled T.H.U.G.S.

The Art of War

In 1997, the group released the double-disc set The Art of War. The single "Look into My Eyes" appeared on the soundtrack of the film Batman & Robin. It peaked at #4 on the Hot 100 and #2 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart. Pleading guilty, Flesh-n-Bone was sentenced to 11 years in prison. Bizzy Bone abstained from promoting BTNHResurrection because he felt that Ruthless Records owed him money. He dropped a million-dollar lawsuit he filed against Sony Music and Loud Records in exchange for a termination of his Sony contract. Three members of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony released solo albums in 2001: Bizzy Bone with The Gift, Layzie Bone with Thug by Nature, and Krayzie Bone with Thug on da Line.

Thug World Order

In 2002, the group released Thug World Order. The album debuted at #12 on the Billboard 200,

After Ruthless

Thug Stories

Thug Stories, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's sixth album, was recorded on Koch Records and released on September 19, 2006. It marked the first time Bone Thugs-n-Harmony recorded as a trio. Thug Stories sold 38,000 in its first week and peaked at #25 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on the Independent Album Chart.

Strength & Loyalty

Originally to be called The Bone Thugs Story, Strength & Loyalty was released on May 8, 2007. Being their first major album after an absence of nearly five years, the album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on iTunes and the Billboard Urban Music charts. The album contains guest appearances by Mariah Carey, The Game, will.i.am, Akon, Twista, Bow Wow, Yolanda Adams, and Felecia.

Producers on the album included Swizz Beatz, Akon, Pretty Boy & Bradd Young, DJ Toomp, Jermaine Dupri, will.i.am, and others. The executive producer of the album was Swizz Beatz. The first single was "I Tried", which was their first top 10 hit in 10 years, having peaked at number 6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The second single was "Lil Love", which failed to reach the success of their first single. The album has been certified Gold by the RIAA.

T.H.U.G.S.

T.H.U.G.S. is an album featuring previously unreleased, largely remixed Bone Thugs-n-Harmony songs that didn't make the final cut of BTNHResurrection and Thug World Order albums. It was released on November 13, 2007 by their former record label, Ruthless Records. The sole single off the album was "Young Thugs", which was accompanied by a newly-filmed music video featuring Krayzie, Layzie, Bizzy and Wish.

I Tried (The Bone Thugs Movie)

Bone has also released a movie titled I Tried(directed by Rich Newey), which was originally named "What If..." The topic of the movie is how different the lives of Krayzie, Layzie and Wish would have been if they had never met Eazy-E. The movie was released in stores on September 25 of 2007. It has since become a platinum selling DVD.

Reunion

In November 2007, Layzie Bone confirmed that he had completed the Bone Brothers III album with Bizzy Bone, spurring speculation of a full Bone reunion. In a video interview, Krayzie Bone stated that they all wanted to reunite but that record label issues may prevent an official reunion. Bizzy Bone had attended a Bone Thugs performance during the time and he and the three then-standing members had a "good conversation".

After nearly a decade of incarceration, Flesh-n-Bone was released from prison on July 13, 2008. In an interview, Bizzy confirmed his return to the group, after them all getting together by the time of Flesh's release.

Uni5: The World's Enemy

video. A third single, "Meet Me in the Sky", was released on March 22. Uni-5: The World's Enemy was released on May 4, 2010.

E.1999 Eternal Tour and New Record Deal

In the fall of 2010, the group went on their E.1999 Eternal Tour, a 36-city tour performing songs from their 1995 album E 1999 Eternal with a live band (without Bizzy). Bone will spend the rest of 2010 recording a new CD for a soon-to-be-disclosed new label deal, writing a book, and developing a film project based on their unique story.

Style and technique

Bone's style and technique can be described as melodic, rapid-fire and aggressive. Their flow is often interwoven at a high-speed, melodic pace or slow, harmonic pace. They also tend to ride the beat that they're rapping over. Sometimes there are very few choruses separating their verses from one another. In the beginning, circa Faces of Death, Bone used a pseudo-Jamaican patois delivery with their trademark style, though they rarely do this now. Bone's subject matter has both spiritual and occult undertones (e.g., "Hell Sent", "Intro", "Mr. Ouija", "Mr. Ouija 2" and "Da Introduction"). At first, their subject matter was almost always exclusively about violence and smoking marijuana. Today, however, their subject matter includes other topics such as urban socio-political issues, their old friend and mentor Eazy-E and religion. Besides minor changes to subject matter and sound, their lyrical style, elocution, and overall methodology remain intact.

Discography

1991: Faces of Death

1994: Creepin on ah Come Up

1995: E. 1999 Eternal

1997: The Art of War

2000: BTNHResurrection

2002: Thug World Order

2006: Thug Stories

2007: Strength & Loyalty

2010:

Awards

References

14. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5NFX1CG6z4 (Studio Session of Bizzy Bone unreleased album with Papillon Bandana Destination Ailleurs with Layzie Bone on this project) 15. http://www.amazon.com/Destination-ailleurs-Explicit/dp/B003V9AOHG/ref=sr_1_29?ie=UTF8&qid;=1294076131&sr;=8-29

External links

Official website

Official Myspace page

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's ArtistDirect page

Exclusive Interview in Complex magazine

I Tried Movie

Category:Musical groups from Cleveland, Ohio Category:American hip hop groups Category:Hip hop singers Category:Culture of Cleveland, Ohio Category:Musical groups from Ohio Category:Grammy Award winners Category:E1 Music artists Category:1990s music groups Category:Ruthless Records artists Category:Interscope Records artists Category:People from Cleveland, Ohio