Name	Mos Def
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Dante Terrell Smith
Born	December 11, 1973Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Origin	Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City
Genre	Alternative hip hop
Occupation	Rapper, actor, singer, activist
Years active	1994–present
Label	Rawkus, Priority, Geffen, Downtown, GOOD Music
Associated acts	Soulquarians, Black Star, Talib Kweli, Native Tongues Posse, Dave Chappelle, Kanye West, The Roots, Blakroc, Gorillaz, Common, Jay Electronica, Curren$y, Immortal Technique

Dante Terrell Smith (born December 11, 1973) is an American actor and MC known by the stage name Mos Def (). Mos Def started his hip hop career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. With Talib Kweli, he formed the duo Black Star, who released the album Black Star in 1998. He was a major force in the late 1990s underground hip hop explosion spearheaded by Rawkus Records. As a solo artist he has released the albums Black on Both Sides in 1999, The New Danger in 2004, True Magic in 2006, and The Ecstatic in 2009.

Initially recognized for his musical output, since the early 2000s, Mos Def's screen work has established him as one of only a handful of rappers who have garnered critical approval for their acting work. Mos Def has also been active in several social and political issues and was particularly vocal in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Music career

Mos Def began his music career in 1994 in the short-lived group Urban Thermo Dynamics with his younger brother D.c.Q and younger sister Ces. Despite their contract with Payday Records, the group only had two singles, and their debut album Manifest Destiny was not released until 2004, when it was distributed by Illson Media. In 1996, he emerged as a solo artist and worked with De La Soul and Da Bush Babees, before he released his own first single, "Universal Magnetic", which was a huge underground hit.

Mos Def signed with Rawkus Records and formed the group Black Star with Talib Kweli. They released an album, Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star, in 1998. Mostly produced by Hi-Tek, the album featured the hit singles, "Respiration" and "Definition", which would go on to be featured in VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip-Hop. Mos Def released his solo debut album Black on Both Sides in 1999, also through Rawkus. Around this time he also contributed to the Scritti Politti album Anomie & Bonhomie and Rawkus compilations Lyricist Lounge and Soundbombing.

After the collapse of Rawkus, he signed to Interscope/Geffen Records, which released his second solo album The New Danger in 2004. The New Danger contained a mix of several musical genres, including soul, blues, and rock and roll, performed with his rock band Black Jack Johnson, which contained members of the bands Bad Brains and Living Colour. The singles included "Sex, Love & Money" and the B-side "Ghetto Rock"; the latter went on to receive several Grammy Award nominations in 2004.

Mos Def has drawn some criticism from his fan base about "keeping it real" after he appeared in a commercial that endorsed the GMC Denali sport utility vehicle.

Mos Def's final solo album for Geffen Records, True Magic, was quietly released on December 29, 2006. True Magic features production from The Neptunes, Rich Harrison and Minnesota, among others. The album was released in a clear-case with no cover art. Neither Geffen nor Mos Def himself promoted the album at all, which is the main reason the album was received under the radar.

The song "Crime & Medicine" is essentially a cover of GZA's 1995 single "Liquid Swords", though it contains different verses. Also, the track "Undeniable" samples a version of the Barrett Strong/Norman Whitfield composition "Message from a Black Man". The song "Dollar Day" uses the same beat as Juvenile's "Nolia Clap".

MTV reported that this album isn't a full version, but a teaser/promotional debut. A new version of the album would be released spring 2007, with updated songs and cover art. However, on October 17, 2007, Okayplayer reported, through discussions with Mos Def's management, that these rumors were unsubstantiated. The CD was intended to be released without promotion or cover art, as per Mos Def's request. There would be no future re-release.

On November 7, 2007, Mos Def performed live in San Francisco at a venue called The Mezzanine. This performance was recorded for an upcoming "Live in Concert" DVD. During this performance Mos Def announced that he would be releasing a new album to be called The Ecstatic. He sang a number of new tracks; in later shows, Def previewed tracks produced by Madlib and was rumored to be going to Kanye West for new material. Producer and fellow Def Poet Al Be Back stated that he would be producing as well. The album was released on June 9, 2009; upon its release, only Madlib's production had made the cut, along with tracks by Preservation, The Neptunes, Mr. Flash, Madlib's brother Oh No, a song by J. Dilla, and Georgia Anne Muldrow.

Mos Def is also set to do a duo album with Jay Electronica titled Simpatico. It will contain nine songs.

Mos Def appears alongside Kanye West on the track "Two Words" from The College Dropout album, the track "Drunk And Hot Girls" and the bonus track "Good Night" off West's third major album, Graduation. In 2002, he released the 12" single Fine, which was featured in the Brown Sugar Motion Picture Soundtrack.

Mos Def also appears on the debut album from fellow New Yorkers Apollo Heights on a track titled, "Concern." In October, he signed a deal with Downtown Records and appeared on a remix to the song "D.A.N.C.E." by Justice. Mos Def appeared on Stephen Marley's album Mind Control on the song "Hey Baby." In 2009, Mos Def worked together with Somali rapper K'naan to produce the track "America" for K'naan's album Troubadour.

In April 2008 he appeared on the title track for a new album by The Roots entitled Rising Down. The new single, Life In Marvelous Times, was made officially available through iTunes on November 4, 2008, and is available for stream on the Roots' website Okayplayer.

April 2009 saw him traveling to South Africa for the first time where he performed accompanied by The Robert Glasper Experiment at the renowned Cape Town International Jazz Festival. He enticed his bemused African following with an encore introduced by his own rendition of John Coltrane's "Love Supreme" followed by a sneak preview of the track "M.D. (Doctor)", much to the delight of the fans.

Mos Def also designed two pairs of limited edition Converse shoes. The shoes were released to Foot Locker stores on August 1, 2009 in very limited amounts.

In late 2009, Mos Def created a brand of clothing line with UNDRCRWN called the "Mos Def Cut & Sew Collection." All clothing items will be sold in select stores located around the U.S. and almost exclusively on the UNDRCRWN website. 2009 also found Mos Def among the MCs collaborating with the Black Keys on the first Blakroc album, a project headed by the Black Keys and Damon Dash. Mos Def appeared with Jim Jones and the Black Keys on the Late Show with David Letterman to perform the Blakroc track "Ain't Nothing Like You (Hoochie Coo)".

In March 2010, Mos Def's song Quiet Dog Bite Hard was featured in Palm's "Life moves fast. Don't miss a thing." campaign.

Mos Def features on the first single, "Stylo", from the third Gorillaz album, Plastic Beach, alongside soul legend Bobby Womack. He also appears on the track titled "Sweepstakes".

Mos Def has been an active contributor to the recovery of the oil spill in the Gulf, performing concerts and raising money towards the repair of the damages. In June 2010, he recorded a cover of the classic New Orleans song originally by Smokey Johnson, "" with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Lenny Kravitz and Trombone Shorty.

Influences

Slick Rick Gang Starr and Monster's Ball, Mos re-invigorated his acting career with his performance as a talented rapper who is reluctant to sign to a major label in Brown Sugar. He was nominated for an and a Teen Choice Award.

In 2001, he took a supporting role to Beyoncé Knowles and Mehki Phifer in the MTV movie as Lt. Miller, a crooked cop.

In 2002, he played the role of Booth in Suzan-Lori Parks' Topdog/Underdog, a Tony-nominated and Pulitzer-winning Broadway play. He and co-star Jeffrey Wright won a Special Award from the Outer Critics Circle Award for their joint performance. He also received positive notices as the quirky Left Ear in the blockbuster hit, The Italian Job in 2003.

In television, Mos Def has appeared on Comedy Central's Chappelle's Show, and has hosted the award-winning HBO spoken word show, Def Poetry since its inception. The show's sixth season aired in 2007. He also appeared on the sitcom My Wife And Kids as the disabled friend of Michael Kyle (Damon Wayans).

Mos Def won Best Actor, Independent Movie at the 2005 Black Reel Awards for his portrayal of Detective Sgt. Lucas in The Woodsman. For his portrayal of Vivien Thomas in HBO's film Something the Lord Made, he was nominated for an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe, and won the . He also played a bandleader in HBO's Lackawanna Blues. He then landed the role of Ford Prefect in the 2005 movie adaptation of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

In 2006, Mos Def appeared in Dave Chappelle's Block Party alongside fellow Black Star companion Talib Kweli, while also contributing to the film's soundtrack. Also, Mos Def was featured as the black banjo player in the infamous "Pixie Sketch" from Chappelle's Show: The Lost Episodes. He was later edited out of it on the DVD. Additionally, Mos Def starred in the action film 16 Blocks alongside Bruce Willis and David Morse. He has a recurring guest role on Boondocks, starring as "Gangstalicious". He is also set to be in Toussaint, a film about Haitian revolutionary Toussaint Louverture, opposite Don Cheadle and Wesley Snipes. He made a cameo appearance — playing himself — in the movie .

In 2008, Mos Def starred in the Michel Gondry movie Be Kind Rewind, playing a video rental store employee whose best friend is played by co-star Jack Black. He also portrayed Chuck Berry in the film Cadillac Records, for which he was nominated for a Black Reel Award and an .

In 2009, he appeared in the House episode entitled "Locked In" as a patient suffering from locked-in syndrome. His performance was well-received, with E! saying that Mos Def "delivers an Emmy-worthy performance." He was also in the 2009 film Next Day Air.

He also made an appearance on the children's show Yo Gabba Gabba! as Super Mr. Superhero.

Most recently, he appears in A Free Man of Color, John Guare's play at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre.

Social and political views

By the early 1990s, a brand of socially conscious hip hop that had been pioneered and popularized by Public Enemy, KRS-One, and De La Soul, among others, had been eclipsed in popularity by gangsta rap. Mos Def, as well as Talib Kweli, The Roots, Common, and others, helped socially aware rap music experience something of a comeback in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Mos Def's collaboration with Talib Kweli, Black Star, was released during the aftermath of the deaths of 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G. and focused on violence and negativity in hip-hop, in collaboration with other acts that did the same. His music has also made reference to his Islamic faith, and his contention that black artists receive little credit for their role in the birth of rock and roll.

On Mos Def's 2004 album The New Danger, he took his penchant for experimentation to a new level. Most of the songs were more hip-hop flavored stylings of blues and rock, with fewer raps thrown in. This threw off fans who were expecting another full-blown rap album. The New Danger also featured the controversial song, "The Rape Over," a parody of Jay-Z's The Blueprint hit "Takeover". His label made him take the song off releases of the album, citing clearance issues with Jay-Z and The Doors, a band which the song samples. The song has garnered controversy over its veiled reference to Israeli-American record executive Lyor Cohen (the "tall Israeli" who then was head of The Island Def Jam Music Group).

Mos Def and Immortal Technique released a similarly controversial song, "Bin Laden" in 2004, which blamed the Reagan Doctrine and President George W. Bush for the September 11, 2001 attacks. A club remix song, featuring Eminem, was released the following year, in 2005.

In September 2005, Mos Def released the single "Katrina Clap," renamed "Dollar Day" for True Magic, (utilizing the instrumental for New Orleans rappers UTP's "Nolia Clap"). The song is a criticism of the Bush administration's response to Hurricane Katrina. On the night of the MTV Video Music Awards, Mos Def pulled up in front of Radio City Music Hall on a flatbed truck and began performing the "Katrina Clap" single in front of a crowd that quickly gathered around him. He was subsequently arrested despite having a public performance permit in his possession.

On September 7, 2007, Mos Def appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher where he spoke about racism against African Americans, citing the government response to Hurricane Katrina, the Jena Six and the murder conviction of Mumia Abu-Jamal. Mos Def also claimed that Al-Qaeda was not responsible for 9/11, and that Al-Qaeda is not responsible for as much terrorism as they are portrayed to be. He appeared on Real Time again on March 27, 2009, and spoke about the risk of nuclear weapons. Mos Def said that he did not listen to any of Osama Bin Laden's messages because he did not trust the translations.

Personal life

In 1996, Def married Maria Yepes. After having two daughters, Chandani and Jauhara Smith, he filed for divorce in 2005. The divorce became final in 2006. Two years later, Def's divorce lawyers Blank Rome sued Def for more than $60,000 in unpaid legal bills.

In October, 2006 Mos Def appeared on 4Real, a documentary television series. Appearing in the episode "City of God," he and the 4Real crew traveled to City of God, a slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to meet Brazilian MC MV Bill and discover the crime and social problems of the community.

He has recently taken up skateboarding and said he's looking to host a skateboarding event in the United Arab Emirates.

Nominations

Black Movie Awards

* 2006 Source Awards

Black Reel Awards

* 2008, Best Supporting Actor: Cadillac Records

* 2003, Best Actor- Independent: Civil Brand

* 2004, Best Supporting Actor: The Italian Job

* 2005, Best Actor TV Movie/Mini-Series: Something the Lord Made

* 2005, Best Indie Actor: The Woodsman (won)

Emmy Award

* 2004, Best Actor in a Television Movie or Mini-Series: Something the Lord Made

Golden Globes

* 2005, Best Actor in a Television Movie or Mini-Series: Something the Lord Made

Grammy Awards

* 2005, Best Urban/Alternative Performance: "Sex, Love & Money"

* 2006, Best Urban/Alternative Performance: "Ghetto Rock"

* 2007, Best Rap Solo Performance: "Undeniable"

* 2010, Best Rap Solo Performance: "Casa Bey"

* 2010, Best Rap Album: "The Ecstatic"

* 2011, Best Short Form Music Video: "Stylo" (with Bobby Womack and Gorillaz)

* 2009, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: Cadillac Records

* 2003, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: Brown Sugar

* 2005, Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie or Mini-Series: Something the Lord Made

Discography

1994: Manifest Destiny (with DCQ and Ces as Urban Thermo Dynamics)

1998: Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star (with Talib Kweli as Black Star)

1999: Black on Both Sides

2004: The New Danger

2006: True Magic

2009: The Ecstatic

Filmography

Also appeared on "Yo Gabba Gabba", under the screen name "Super Mr.Super Hero"

References

External links

Mos Def / Dante Smith discographies at Discogs.

Mos Def at Geffen Records.

Mos Def Fan Message Board

Category:9/11 conspiracy theorists Category:African American actors Category:African American rappers Category:American vegetarians Category:African American Muslims Category:Living people Category:Rappers from New York City Category:People from Brooklyn Category:Slam poets Category:1973 births Category:Converts to Islam Category:African American converts to Islam

Name	Talib Kweli
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Talib Kweli Greene
Alias	The Get By Man, Kweli Snitch, The Prince of Brooklyn
Born	October 03, 1974, South Jamaica, Queens, New York City, New York, U.S.
Origin	Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, U.S.
Genre	Alternative hip hop
Occupation	Rapper, Singer
Years active	1995–present
Label	Rawkus RecordsGeffenBlacksmith Records / Warner Bros. Records (2005-Present)
Associated acts	Black Star, Reflection Eternal, Madlib, Mos Def, Kanye West, The Roots, Pharrell
Url	TalibKweli.com

Talib Kweli Greene (born October 3, 1974 ), and his father an administrator at Adelphi University. His younger brother, Jamal Greene, is a professor of Constitutional Law at Columbia Law School, and former clerk to Justice John Paul Stevens on the Supreme Court. As a youth, he was drawn to Afrocentric rappers, such as De La Soul and other members of the Native Tongues Posse whom he had met in high school. Talib Kweli was a student at Cheshire Academy, a boarding school in Connecticut. He was also a student at Brooklyn Technical High School, before being academically dismissed. He later studied experimental theater at New York University (NYU).

Early career (1995-2001)

Kweli made his underground debut in 1995, with featured appearances on "Doom", an album by Cincinnati, Ohio group Mood (Main Flow, Donte, Jahson). In Cincinnati, Kweli also met DJ Hi-Tek and the two collaborated on a few well received underground recordings as Reflection Eternal. Shortly afterwards, upon returning to New York, he reconnected with Mos Def and formed Black Star. Kweli brought along Hi-Tek to produce their first and only album, 1998's Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star. The album, released amidst a late '90s renaissance of conscious, Afrocentric hip hop, was immediately hailed by critics and achieved modest mainstream success. When Kweli and Mos Def parted ways shortly thereafter, Kweli and Hi-Tek continued their Reflection Eternal partnership on the 2000 album Train of Thought, which was likewise met with critical acclaim, but modest sales.

Start of solo career (2002-2003)

Following Train of Thought, Kweli and Hi-Tek split as well, and Kweli used his first truly solo debut to attempt a move toward a more mainstream sound. 2002's Quality accomplished this goal to some extent, featuring production by a host of different producers, including DJ Quik and Kanye West. The album was met with wide spread critical acclaim and received some mainstream attention thanks to the West-produced single "Get By."

In 2001, Kweli with Black Star partner Mos Def contributed to the Red Hot + Indigo compilation album created by the Red Hot Organization in tribute to Duke Ellington, that raised money for various charities devoted to increasing AIDS awareness and fighting the disease. Black Star collaborated with fellow artists John Patton and Ron Carter to record "Money Jungle." In 2002, Kweli contributed to the critically acclaimed Red Hot + Riot, a compilation CD created by the Red Hot Organization in tribute to the music and work of Nigerian musician Fela Kuti. He collaborated with fellow hip-hop artists Dead Prez, Jorge Ben, and Bilal to remake the famous song by Fela Kuti, "Shuffering and Shmiling," for the CD.

Rise in cultural popularity

In 2004, Talib Kweli, along with Bob Moore's Amazing Mongrels, supported the Beastie Boys on their "Challah At Your Boy World Tour", and appeared in a few Dilated Peoples songs, including a live remix later featured on the video game NBA Street Vol. 2.

Along with Common and Questlove, he contributed to Zap Mama's Ancestry in Progress (2004) with "Yelling Away."

Kweli has used television appearances extensively to increase visibility, notably on MTV's Wild 'N Out, and several performances on Chappelle's Show with long-time collaborator Mos Def; these performances were a product of host Chappelle's friendship with Kweli. Chappelle in turn participated in a number of skits on Kweli's albums "Train of Thought" and "Quality"- impersonating several people including Nelson Mandela. Kweli also had a guest spot on Kanye West's widely successful debut album on the track "Get 'Em High". West has produced some of Kweli's songs, including his biggest commercial hit "Get By". West also includes a nod to Kweli on the song "Breathe in, Breathe Out" from his album "The College Dropout". The lyrics read: "Golly more of this bullshit ice rap/ I got to 'pologize to Mos and Kweli", an acknowledgement of Kweli's meaningful message spread while part of Blackstar. Kweli can be seen in a commercial for the NCAA's Big Ten Conference, rapping about the league's basketball teams. He also provided the voice of the protagonist in the graffiti-themed video game , released in 2006.

Talib and fellow rapper artist Mos Def purchased Nkiru, which is Brooklyn's oldest black-owned bookstore, and converted it into the Nkiru Center for Education and Culture.

Kweli's stature continued to grow, particularly fueled by a line from the track "Moment of Clarity" on Jay-Z's 2003 record, The Black Album: "If skills sold, truth be told/I'd probably be, lyrically, Talib Kweli." Kweli responded to this in his track "Ghetto Show" on his 2004 album The Beautiful Struggle by stating "If lyrics sold then truth be told/I'd probably be just as rich and famous as Jay Z."

Middle career (2004-2006)

In 2004, he released his second solo album and final Rawkus release, The Beautiful Struggle, which debuted at no.14 in the billboard top 100. The album featured much more commercial production, and although Kweli's lyrics retained their socio-political content, he affected a somewhat harder persona. The album failed to cross over into the mainstream and suffered a critical backlash.

In 2005, Kweli released a Mixtape-CD off of his newly formed Blacksmith Records. The project was called , a title which is considered likely a response to the criticism of The Beautiful Struggle.

On , Talib Kweli sampled Ben Kweller's "In Other Words" for his own song "Ms. Hill". In part 7 of Kweller's video podcast series "One Minute Pop Song," Kweller said he found Kweli's use of the song "a little fucked up" due to the fact that it was sampled without permission.

Recent career (2007-2010)

On December 31, 2006, Kweli released nine songs he recorded with acclaimed underground producer Madlib for free download in conjunction with the web site for Stones Throw Records, the label to which Madlib is signed. The album was entitled Liberation, of which Talib later was quoted by XXL magazine as stating releasing the album was liberating to him; "The idea that I could put out an album like that: record it in my house, put it out for free and get that type of response." In 2007, the album was made available for purchase.

For his newest release, Kweli formed his own record label, Blacksmith Records, and has recently signed acclaimed rapper Jean Grae and the group Strong Arm Steady. He also signed a new distribution deal with Warner Bros. Records for Blacksmith Records. His latest solo album is called Eardrum and was released on Aug 21, 2007. It debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200. The first single was Listen!!!.

Talib Kweli and DJ Hi-Tek released a second Reflection Eternal album titled Revolutions Per Minute on May 18, 2010.

Talib Kweli has recently stated that he will be releasing a studio album, called Gutter Rainbows in January of 2011. kweli has said himself that this CD is the early beginnings/demos for "Prisoner Of Conscious" an album he still plans on releasing in the future. Not much is known about the album aside from a list of confirmed producers and that it will feature the song "Cold Rain"

Ongoing and Future projects

Kweli confirmed in a recent interview with VIBE magazine that the title of his next album will be Prisoner of Consciousness, a title derived from Talib's constant labeling as a "conscious rapper" and based on Nigerian reggae artist Majek Fashek's album "Prisoner of Conscience."

Talib recorded an album entitled Party Robot with R&B; singer Res and musician Graph Nobel under the group alias Idle Warship. The album was released as a free download on the website for Kweli's label Blacksmith with 2 different cover art options in late 2009. There were videos shot for two of the songs from the album "Bedroom Lights" and "Black Snake Moan".

In February 2009 it was announced that Talib would be featured in the graphic novel-turned-animated series Blokhedz on Missiong.com, voicing the lead part of the character Blak.

Personal life

Talib Kweli married DJ Eque on May 9, 2009 in Bel Air, California.

Talib has a daughter Diani Eshe and a son Amani Fela.

Talib Kweli is a spokesperson and mentor for P'Tones Records a non-profit after school music program that's mission is "to create constructive opportunities for urban youth through no-cost music programs"

Discography

Solo

Quality (2002)

The Beautiful Struggle (2004)

(2005)

Eardrum (2007)

Gutter Rainbows (2011) With Mos Def as Black Star

Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star (1998)

With Hi-Tek as Reflection Eternal

Train of Thought (2000)

Revolutions Per Minute (2010)

With Madlib

Liberation (2007)

References

External links

Interview Talib Kweli by Michael 'The Dood' Edwards for UK Vibe October 2010

Official site

Official blog

Talib Kweli at YouTube

Category:1975 births Category:African American rappers Category:Living people Category:New York University alumni Category:People from Brooklyn Category:Rappers from New York City

Name	Slick Rick
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Richard Walters
Born	January 14, 1965London, United Kingdom
Origin	New York City, New York, United States
Genre	Hip hop
Occupation	Rapper, record producer
Years active	1982–present
Label	Def Jam, Columbia, CBS Records, PolyGram, Universal
Associated acts	Doug E. Fresh, Nas, Prince Paul

Richard Walters (born January 14, 1965), better known by his stage name Slick Rick (also known as MC Ricky D and Rick the Ruler) is a Grammy-nominated British American rapper. He began his career in late 1983, in the hip hop genre, where he recorded a series of acclaimed recordings such as, "Children's Story", "La Di Da Di" and "Hey Young World." Walters is best known for his British accent and his story telling innovations in this genre. His music has been frequently sampled and interpolated by other artists such as, TLC, Black Star, and Snoop Dogg; with many of these songs later becoming hit singles. Slick Rick rose to stardom in an era known to fans as Golden age hip hop.

Career

Originally from Mitcham in London, England, Walters moved with his British Jamaican family to The Bronx in 1975 where he met Dana Dane with whom he later formed a hip hop duo known as the Kangol Crew. Walters received his characteristic eye patch after being blinded in the right eye by broken glass as an infant. Once he gained a degree of wealth, Walters earned a reputation for wearing the eye patch over his right eye, and a significant amount of gold and diamond jewelry.

He first gained success in the rap industry by joining Doug E. Fresh's Get Fresh Crew, with the stage name MC Ricky D. He was featured on two singles, "The Show" and "La Di Da Di". "La Di Da Di" featured Walters' rapping over Doug E. Fresh's beatbox. These singles gained some mainstream attention. In 1988 Walters' solo debut The Great Adventures of Slick Rick came out on Def Jam Records. The album was very successful, reaching the #1 spot on Billboard's R&B;/Hip-Hop chart. It also featured three charting singles: "Children's Story", "Hey Young World", and "Teenage Love". These are now some of Walters' best known songs.

In 1990, Walters shot a bystander and his cousin whom he had hired as a bodyguard and who later admitted to having Walters shot outside a club. Walters was indicted on two counts of attempted murder and plead guilty to all charges, which included assault, use of a firearm, and criminal possession of a weapon. He spent five years in prison, two for the second degree attempted murder charges he received for the shooting, and three for his struggle with the Immigration and Naturalization Services over his residency in the US. He was bailed out by Russell Simmons, head of Def Jam records. After being bailed out Walters recorded his second album, The Ruler's Back. The album got mixed reviews and wasn't as commercially successful as his debut. In the documentary film, The Show, Russell Simmons interviews Walters while he was a prisoner on Rikers Island.

Walters third studio album Behind Bars was released while he was still incarcerated. It was met with lukewarm sales and reviews. After being released from prison in 1996, Walters remained with the Def Jam label and on May 25, 1999 released a fourth album entitled The Art of Storytelling. Generally considered the authentic follow up to his 1988 debut, The Art of Storytelling was an artistically successful comeback album that paired him with prolific MCs like Nas, OutKast, Raekwon, and Snoop Dogg among others. On October 6, 2008, Rick was honoured on the VH1 Hip Hop Honors show.

"La Di Da Di", "Mona Lisa" and "Children's Story" are among Walters most well known songs, with "La Di Da Di" being covered nearly word-for-word by Snoop Dogg on his 1993 album Doggystyle. Lines from "La Di Da Di" were borrowed by other multiple high profile artists. "Children's Story" was sampled by Montell Jordan for his 1995 hit, "This Is How We Do It", and rapper Everlast covered the song for his album Eat at Whitey's. Rapper Eminem also borrowed from the song extensively in his diss track "Can-I-Bitch". "Children's Story" was covered with similar lyrics by the MC duo Black Star on their 1998 album "Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star", as well as by Tricky on the album Nearly God. With a similar and very similar lyrics, rapper The Game also made a similar song which was named "Compton Story". "Compton Story" was on the Mixtape BWS Radio 5 made in 2008. The chorus of Notorious B.I.G.'s song "Hypnotize" is also derived from "La Di Da Di".

Rapping style

Slick Rick’s style is commended by music critics - music journalist Peter Shapiro says, “‘La Di Da Di' was important because of its narrative structure and Rick’s understanding of how crucial little sonic details—such as his use of a female voice and his yawning rap—were to hip hop style.”

He is largely known for his story raps, such as ‘Children’s Story’ and ‘La Di Da Di' – “he largely introduced the art of narrative into hip hop… none of the spinners of picaresque rhymes who followed did it with the same grace or humor.” - Allmusic states that he has the “reputation as hip hop's greatest storyteller.” In the book Check the Technique, Slick Rick says, “I was never the type to say freestyle raps, I usually tell a story, and to do that well I’ve always had to work things out beforehand.” Kool Moe Dee comments, “Slick Rick raised the lost art of hip hop storytelling to a level never seen again.” Devin the Dude notes that Slick Rick’s ‘Indian Girl’ is a good example of the type of humor that existed in hip hop’s golden era, and Peter Shapiro says that “he was funnier than Rudy Ray Moore or Red Foxx”

Slick Rick uses very clear enunciation and raps with the “Queen’s English”. O.C. states: “The Great Adventures of Slick Rick is one of the greatest albums ever… the stuff he was just saying on there, it was so clear… the [clear] syllable dude was Slick Rick for me”. He is also renowned for his unique “smooth, British-tinged flow” which contains distinct structures - in the book How to Rap, it is noted that on the song ‘I Own America’, he “puts a rest on almost every other 1 beat so that each set of two lines begins with a rest,”. Kool Moe Dee states that, “Rick accomplished being totally original at a time when most MCs were using very similar cadences.” He has what is described as “singsong cadences” - Andy Cat of Ugly Duckling mentions that Slick Rick uses a melodic delivery on the track ‘Hey Young World’. Slick Rick is also known to extensively use punch ins, especially in his story rhymes as different characters - Kool Moe Dee says Rick used “multi-voices to portray multiple characters.”

Personal life

After performing on a Caribbean cruise ship in June 2001, Walters was arrested by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) as he re-entered the United States through Florida. He was promptly told that he was being deported because he was a British citizen since he had been born in London and moved to the States as a youth. In 1996, a law was passed which called for foreigners convicted of violent felonies to be deported, a ruling which was more vigorously enforced amid heightened security concerns after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Rick was continuously refused bail, but after 17 months in prison he was released on November 7, 2003.

Rumours suggested that Walters 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 mature audience."

In October 2006, the Department of Homeland Security began a new attempt to deport Walters, moving the case from the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit based in New York to the more conservative Eleventh Circuit. The court is based in Atlanta, Georgia but the trial was expected to proceed in Florida, where immigration agents originally arrested Walters.

On May 23, 2008, New York Gov. David Paterson granted Slick Rick a full and unconditional pardon on the attempted murder charges. The governor was pleased with his behavior since the mishap. He has volunteered his time to mentor youths about violence.

Discography

Albums

The Great Adventures of Slick Rick

*Released: November 3, 1988

*Billboard 200 chart position: #31

*R&B;/Hip-Hop chart position: #1

Last RIAA Certification: Platinum

*Singles: "Teenage Love", "Children's Story" & "Hey Young World"

The Ruler's Back

*Released: July 2, 1991

*Billboard 200 chart position: #29

*R&B;/Hip-Hop chart position: #18

*Last RIAA Certification: None

*Singles: " A Woman in Love With Other Men", "It's A Boy" & "I Shouldn't Have Done It"

Behind Bars

*Released: November 22, 1994

*Billboard 200 chart position: #51

*R&B;/Hip-Hop chart position: #11

*Last RIAA Certification: None

*Singles: "Behind Bars" & "Sittin' In My Car"

The Art of Storytelling

*Released: May 25, 1999

*Billboard 200 chart position: #8

*R&B;/Hip-Hop chart position: #1

Last RIAA Certification: Gold

*Singles: "Street Talkin'"

Singles

Featured Singles

Appearances

1986: "The Show (Oh My God! Remix)" (from the Doug E Fresh album Oh My God!)

1989: "If I'm Not Your Lover (12" remix from the Al B. Sure! album In Effect Mode)

1991: "Get Bizzy" (from the Greyson & Jaysun album Livin Like a Troopa)

1994: "Let's All Get Down" (from the Nice & Smooth album Jewel of the Nile)

1994: "Move On..." (from the compilation The Show (Original Soundtrack))

1996: I Like (From the Montell Jordan album More)

1996: "Got To Give It Up" (from the Aaliyah album One in a Million)

1997: "Just Another Case" (from the CRU album Da Dirty 30)

1998: "Fresh" (from the Jermaine Dupri album Life In 1472)

1998: "Faces Of Def" (bonus track on Jayo Felony's Watcha Gonna Do?)

1998: "Unify" (from the Kid Capri album Soundtrack to the Streets)

1998: "Pimpin' Ain't Easy" (from WWF Aggression with Ice-T & Charles Wright)

1999: "If We Give You A Chance" (from the Warren G album I Want It All)

1999: "Your Moms House"

1999: "Night Riders" (from the Rahzel album Make The Music 2000)

1999: "So Fresh" (from the Will Smith album Willennium)

1999: "Don't Come My Way" (from the Whiteboys soundtrack with Common)

1999: "Da Art of Storytellin' (Pt. 1)" (from the OutKast album Aquemini)

2000: "Why Not" (from the Erick Sermon album Def Squad Presents Erick Onasis)

2001: "What We Do (For Love)" (from the De La Soul album )

2001: "Pie" (from WWF The Music, Vol. 5 with The Rock)

2001: "Girls, Girls, Girls" (from the Jay-Z album The Blueprint)

2001: "Guidance Counselor"(from the Little-T And One Track Mike album Fome Is Dape)

2001: "Hey Young World, Part 2" (from the Macy Gray album The Id)

2002: "Women Lose Weight" (from the Morcheeba album Charango)

2004: "The Return (Remix)" (from the Jay-Z/R. Kelly album Unfinished Business)

2005: Performs live for Vox Entertainment @ Club Strata NYC

2005: "The Sun" (from the Ghostface Killah album Put It on the Line)

2005: "Irresistible Delicious" (from the Missy Elliott album The Cookbook)

2006: "Vows" (from the Juggaknots album Use Your Confusion)

2007: "Hip Hop Police" (from the Chamillionaire album Ultimate Victory)

2008: "VH1 Hip Hop Honors" (Honoree)

2009: "Y.O.U." (from the Asher Roth album Asleep in the Bread Aisle - UK bonus track)

2009: "Auditorium" (from the Mos Def album The Ecstatic)

2009: "We Will Rob You" (from the Raekwon album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II)

2009: "Family Jewels" (from the Dynas album The Apartment)

2010: "Rock The Bells 2010" (from album The Great Adventures of Slick Rick)

Filmography

Backstage appearance on Jay-Z's Fade to Black DVD.

Cameo in Ludacris's music video for the single, "Number One Spot".

Cameo, wearing his excessive jewelry in the New York Shit music video (2:56) by Busta Rhymes featuring Swizz Beatz.

Himself in the game .

Drug kingpin in the 1999 movie Whiteboyz, co-starring fellow rappers Doug E. Fresh, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Fat Joe, Dead Prez and Mic Geronimo.

Cameo in the film Brown Sugar, which starred Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan.

Himself in the seminal Run DMC film, Tougher Than Leather, performing the song Treat Her Like a Prostitute.

Interviewee in 1995 documentary The Show

Opened Chris Rock's Apollo Theatre comedy Show Bigger & Blacker

References

External links

Category:1965 births Category:Living people Category:1990s rappers Category:2000s rappers Category:2010s rappers Category:African American rappers Category:American musicians of English descent Category:American people convicted of assault Category:American people convicted of attempted murder Category:American rappers of Jamaican descent Category:Black British musicians Category:British expatriates in the United States Category:British people convicted of assault Category:Columbia Records artists Category:Def Jam Recordings artists Category:English people of Jamaican descent Category:English rappers Category:People from South Wimbledon Category:People from the Bronx Category:People from Wimbledon Category:Rappers from New York City Category:Recipients of American gubernatorial pardons

Name	Ski Beatz
Background	non_performing_personnel
Alias	DJ Ski, MC Willski
Origin	Greensboro, North Carolina
Instrument	Percussion, synthesizer, keyboards, bass, turntables
Genre	Hip hop
Occupation	Rapper, Record producer
Years active	1989-present
Label	Now City RecordsBlu Roc
Associated acts	DJ Clark Kent, Jay-Z, Camp Lo, Curren$y Young Uno The Bizzie Boyz

David Willis, otherwise known as DJ Ski and Ski Beatz, is an African-American record producer mainly working in hip hop.

Biography

Discovered by DJ Clark Kent, Ski was originally known as "MC Will-Ski". In the 1990s, he was a member of the group Original Flavor, the first group managed by future recording industry executive Damon Dash. In the mid-90s, Ski was working on duo Camp Lo's debut album Uptown Saturday Night when Dash called him in to work on the debut album of his own artist, Jay-Z. Jay's album, Reasonable Doubt, was released in 1996, marking Ski's first major production placement. Ski produced four tracks off the album, including the singles "Dead Presidents" and "Feelin' It".

After the critical success of Reasonable Doubt, Ski formed Roc-A-Blok Productions in affiliation with Jay and Dame's label, Roc-A-Fella Records, working with Camp Lo and Sporty Thievz. The producer crafted most of Camp Lo's debut, which dropped in 1997, and produced the Fat Joe single "John Blaze"; Ski continued to work with Jay-Z, on his sophomore album In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 as well as non-solo albums and compilation projects, until 1998, when Jay released his third project Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life without beats from any of his former producers except for DJ Premier.

Though Roc-A-Blok Productions had since folded, Ski stayed somewhat active in music. Relocating to his home state of North Carolina for a break from New York City's fast-paced lifestyle, he continued producing for artists such as Nature, members of the New Jersey crew The Outsidaz, Lil' Kim, Foxy Brown, Ras Kass and Proof. The producer has continued to produce for Camp Lo, providing most of the production for their second album Let's Do it Again, as well as their third album, Black Hollywood.

Recently, Ski linked back up with Dame Dash, joining the entrepreneur's DD172 collective, subsequently nicknamed the 24-Hour Karate School. Since the foundation of the studio enclave, Ski has worked with Mos Def, Jay Electronica, Jean Grae and others; on April 30, 2010, he announced that he will be producing upcoming albums for Jean Grae, Joell Ortiz, Ras Kass and others, and will be producing all but three songs on the rapper Curren$y's 3rd album Pilot Talk ; these artists are also all featured on the producer's upcoming solo debut, entitled 24 Hour Karate School in honor of the collective.

Discography

Studio Albums

Droppin' it - Bizzie Boyz (Yo! Records, 1990)

This Is How it Is - Original Flavor (Atlantic Records, 1992)

Beyond Flavor - Original Flavor (Atlantic Records, 1994)

Uptown Saturday Night - Camp Lo (Profile Records, 1997)

Street Cinema - Sporty Thievz (Ruffhouse/Columbia Records, 1998)

Let's Do It Again - Camp Lo (Dymond Crook Records, 2002)

Black Hollywood - Camp Lo (Good Hands Records, 2007)

Another Heist - Camp Lo (Traffic, 2009)

Pilot Talk - Curren$y (DD172, 2010)

24 Hour Karate School (DD172, 2010)

24 Hour Karate School Japan (DD172, 2010)

Pilot Talk 2 - Curren$y (DD172, 2010)

Singles

John Blaze

Dead Presidents II

Luchini AKA This Is It

References

External links

Ski Hip Hop Pow Interview

Interview, HitQuarters Nov 08

Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:American hip hop record producers Category:American businesspeople Category:American music industry executives Category:Hip hop record producers Category:Living people Category:People from Greensboro, North Carolina Category:Musicians from North Carolina

Name	Pharoahe Monch
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Troy Donald Jamerson
Born	October 31, 1972
Origin	South Jamaica, Queens, New York, USA
Genre	Hip hop, Alternative Rap
Years active	1989–present
Label	Hollywood/Priority RecordsRawkus/SRC RecordsDuck Down/W.A.R. Media, LLC
Associated acts	Organized Konfusion, Hilltop Hoods, Busta Rhymes, Adam F, Shabaam Sahdeeq, The HRSMN, Talib Kweli, Common, Mos Def, Kanye West, Erykah Badu, Mr. Porter

Troy Donald Jamerson (born 31 October 1972,) better known by his stage name Pharoahe Monch, is an American hip hop artist. He is known for his complex lyrics, complex delivery, and internal and multisyllabic rhyme schemes.

Biography

Pharoahe Monch's name is derived from the monkey dolls, Monchhichis. After receiving a bad haircut, which left Monch looking like a "chimpanzee", girls in Monch's class at the High School of Art and Design began calling him "Monchhichi", which was later shortened to "Monch". Monch adopted the "Pharoahe" prefix after meeting future Organized Konfusion partner Prince Po.

Monch released three albums as part of the rap duo, Organized Konfusion with partner Prince Poetry: The self-titled Organized Konfusion, and The Equinox. The duo handled a large amount of production on these albums themselves. All albums received positive critical reviews, but moderate sales. As a result, the duo split up after recording their final album The Equinox in 1997. Prince Poetry has since denied the possibility of an Organized Konfusion reunion.

Pharoahe Monch then signed to Rawkus Records, an indie label. After making several guest appearances on albums like the best-selling Rawkus compilation Soundbombing 2, Monch's much-hyped debut, Internal Affairs was released in 1999. The first single of the album, "Simon Says", became a hit single, peaking at #97 on the Billboard Hot 100; he was later sued for the use of a sample from Akira Ifukube's Gojira Tai Mosura for the hook. He also had a 2001 hit with "F**k You" off of the Training Day soundtrack (the clean version was called "Got You"), though the single ultimately didn't sell well. In 2003, Pharoahe released his final single through Rawkus Records, "Agent Orange", a war inspired song which revisited the 1991 Organized Konfusion track "Releasing Hypnotical Gases".

Pharoahe's song "Simon Says" was featured in the 2000 cinematic release Charlie's Angels. Viewers will recognize the song and backbeat in the scene where Sam Rockwell is lighting a cigarette in the castle, while holding Drew Barrymore hostage. Two of Monch's songs, "Right Here" and "Simon Says" were featured in the movie Boiler Room.

Pharoahe is also affiliated with the rap group The HRSMN. Although not a member of the group (there are only four real members), he is constantly linked to someday join the group when/if they ever expand.

There were rumors his next album, Innervisions, was to be released under Denaun Porter's new Shady Records imprint Runyon Ave., but apparently the deal fell through; Monch has since announced a deal with Street Records Corporation, home of Wu-Tang Clan, David Banner and Terror Squad. In June 2007 Monch released his second solo album Desire to critical acclaim. Monch said about the album; "...it's very soulful, very gospel, a fresh, new sound for me." The album's lead single was the self-produced track "Push", with "Let's Go" as its B-Side. The song's music video and single were released in late September 2006. Pharoahe Monch released a second music video entitled "When the Gun Draws" at a Brooklyn music festival in February, 2007. The track was inspired by a song he did with Prince Po entitled "Stray Bullet" which was featured on the album. A final video was made for the title track "Desire" in late 2007. It was directed by New Zealand director Andy Morton and shot on the Rock the Bells tour with full band. The video features both MeLa Machinko and of course, a huge performance from Showtyme.

Monch also produced and ghost-wrote the track The Future and ghost-wrote the track Hold Up with Mobb Deep member Havoc on rap mogul Diddy's latest album Press Play. Critics contest that Monch's writing is evident in both the content and the delivery of Diddy's rhymes.

Pharoahe Monch rapped the Madden NFL 2002 theme for the game and six years later Desire was featured on the soundtrack of Madden NFL 08.

Pharoahe Monch will release his third solo album W.A.R. (We Are Renegades) in 2010. He revealed that the album will be a "throwback to 1993, '94 hip-hop" and will feature production by Black Milk, Mr. Porter, Lee Stone & M-Phazes. A ten year anniversary re-issue of Internal Affairs will also be released featuring a documentary about the making of the album.

On the 9th of July 2010, Pharoahe Monch allowed hip-hop website hiphopdx.com to leak a song from his forthcoming album W.A.R. (We Are Renegades). The song was called 'Shine' it featured vocals by MeLa Machinko - who has collaborated with Pharoahe numerus times before - and was also produced by Diamond D.

Rapping technique

Pharoahe Monch is acclaimed for his complex rapping technique Kool Moe Dee ranks him at 26 in his best MCs of all time list, from his book, There's a God on the Mic. Kool Moe Dee notes: "Pharoahe Monch is like an eloquent linguistics professor moonlighting as a rhyme serial killer terrorist, challenging the listeners' I.Q. while daring him or her to keep up." and he 'rewrites' lyrics, saying he will "go back as a screenwriter and rewrite scenes and leave more to the imagination."

For his biggest hit, 'Simon Says', he comments that he wrote the choruses before he wrote the verses, and fellow rapper and collaborator O.C. notes that Monch will write single lines down and then use them five years later. His vocal delivery is inspired by Jazz music and musicians such as John Coltrane.

Discography

Albums

Mixtapes

The Awakening was Pharoahe Monch's first and only official mixtape released prior to Desire.

Singles

1999: "Simon Says"

2000: "The Light"

2001: "F**k You"

2002: "The Life"

2003: "Agent Orange"

2007: "Push"

2007: "Let's Go"

2007: "Body Baby"

2010: "Shine"

Appearances

1998: "Live from the DJ Stretch Armstrong Show with your host Bobbito The Barber" (from Lyricist Lounge, Volume One)

1999: '"Mayor"' & "WWIII" (from Soundbombing 2)

1999: '"Lyrical Fluctuation (feat. Jigmastas, Mr. Complex, Talib Kweli & Shabaam Sahdeeq)" (from the DJ Spinna album The Beyond Real Experience)

1999: '"Dirty Decibels"' (from the High & Mighty album Home Field Advantage)

1999: '"Take Me Home"' (from the Polyrhythm Addicts album Rhyme Related)

1999: '"The Anthem" (featuring Eminem, RZA, Tech N9NE, Xzibit, Kool G Rap, Chino XL & KRS-One) (from the Sway & King Tech album This Or That)

1999: '"Turnablist Anthem"' (from the Rob Swift album The Ablist)

1999: "Innovations" (from the Saukrates album The Underground Tapes)

1999: "Livin' It Up" (from the Next Friday Soundtrack)

2000: '"Why Don't Cha"', "Big Fronter" & "Divine Intervention" (from the Mr. Complex album The Complex Catalog)

2000: '"Ill Collabo (feat. Prince Po)" (from the Cella Dwellas album The Last Shall Be First)

2000: '"Kenny Rogers - Pharoahe Monch Dub Plate (feat. Kenny Rogers)" (from the Wyclef Jean album )

2000: '"What Am I? (feat. L.I.F.E. Long)" (from the Antipop Consortium album Tragic Epilogue)

2000: '"Ghost Weed Skit 1" (from the De La Soul album )

2000: '"One Four Love Pt.1 (from Hip Hop for Respect)

2000: '"Horsemen" (from the Canibus album 2000 B.C. (Before Can-I-Bus))

2000: '"Connect (featuring Xzibit & Gipp)" (from the DJ Hurricane album Don't Sleep)

2000: '"Oh No (feat. Mos Def & Nate Dogg)" (from Lyricist Lounge 2)

2001: "F**k You" (Training Day (soundtrack))

2001: "I Pledge Allegiance" (from the Nate Dogg album Music and Me)

2001: "Last Dayz" (from the Adam F album Kaos: The Anti-Acoustic Warfare )

2002: "Madden 2002 Theme" (from the video game Madden NFL 2002)

2002: "Guerilla Monsoon Rap (feat. Black Thought)" (from the Talib Kweli album Quality)

2002: "The Life (featuring Styles P)" & "Round & Round (Remix)", (from Soundbombing 3)

2002: "The X (Y'all Know The Name) (featuring Xzibit, Inspectah Deck & Skillz)" (from the X-Ecutioners album Built From Scratch)

2002: "H! Vltg3 (featuring Evidence and DJ Babu)" (from the Linkin Park album Reanimation)

2002: "Frontline (featuring Prince Po, Mike Zoot & F.T.)" (from the El Da Sensei album Relax Relate Release)

2002: "Murda 1 Case (featuring KK)" (from the DJ Quik album Under Tha Influence)

2002: "See What I See" (from the Ras Kass album Goldyn Chyld)

2002: "Talking to You (feat. Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Rah Digga & A-Butta)" (Rawkus Single)

2003: "Oblivion" (from the Aimee Allen album I'd Start A Revolution (If I Could Get Up In the Morning))

2003: "What is the Law" (OZ Soundtrack)

2004: "Just Do It" (from the Pete Rock album Soul Survivor II)

2005: "It Ain't The Money" (from the Macy Gray album The Very Best of Macy Gray)

2005; "Evaridae" (from the O.C. album Starchild)

2005: "New World Symphony" (from the Miri Ben-Ari album The Hip-Hop Violinist)

2006: "Fish Filet" (from the Sa-Ra double-single The Second Time Around)

2006: "Book Of Judges" ( Soundtrack)

2006; "Loose Ends (feat. Justin Timberlake & will.i.am)" (from the Sérgio Mendes album Timeless)

2006: "Love" (from the J Dilla album The Shining)

2007: "Rehab (Remix)" (feat. Jay-Z) (from Amy Winehouse album Back to Black)

2007: "Reachin'" (from the Polyrhythm Addicts album Break Glass)

2008: "Apocalypse RMX" (from the Immortal Technique album The 3rd World)

2009: "Classic Example" (from Hilltop Hoods album State of the Art)

2009: "Salute" (from Slaughterhouse's self-titled album Slaughterhouse)

2009: "One Shot" (from the Krs-One & Buckshot album Survival Skills)

2009: "Dollaz & Sense" (with RZA) (from The Black Keys' album Blakroc)

2009: "Back and Then" (from the Prince Po EP X-Files)

2010: "Let U Live" (from the Consequence mixtape Movies On Demand)

References

External links

Official website

Category:Living people Category:African American rappers Category:American hip hop record producers Category:Rappers from New York City Category:1972 births

Name	Nate Dogg
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Nathaniel Dwayne Hale
Born	August 19, 1969 (age 41)
Origin	Long Beach, California, United States
Genre	West Coast hip hop, R&B;, g-funk
Occupation	Singer, Rapper
Years active	1992–present
Label	Death RowElektraDoggystyleAtlantic
Associated acts	213, Snoop Dogg, Warren G, 2Pac, DJ Quik, Dr. Dre, Game, Eminem, Tha Dogg Pound,

Nathaniel Dwayne Hale (born August 19, 1969), better known by his stage name Nate Dogg, is an American musician.

Life and career

Nate Dogg was born in Long Beach, California. He is the close friend and partner in the music game with rappers Snoop Dogg, Warren G, RBX, Daz Dillinger and is the cousin of Butch Cassidy and Lil' ½ Dead. He began singing as a child in the New Hope Baptist Church in Long Beach and Life Line Baptist Church in Clarksdale, Mississippi where his father (Daniel Lee Hale) was pastor. At the age of 16 he dropped out of high school in Long Beach, California and left home to join the United States Marine Corps, serving for three years. In 1991 Nate Dogg and Snoop Dogg, and their friend Warren G, formed a rap trio called 213. 213 recorded their first demo in the back of the famed V.I.P record store in Long Beach, the demo was later heard by Dr. Dre at a house party and he was instantly hooked on the soulful voice of Nate.

Nate Dogg made his debut on The Chronic. Singing in what later become his trademark style, he was well-received by fans and critics alike, and would go on to sign with Death Row Records in 1993. Nate Dogg was also featured on Mista Grimm's "Indosmoke" with Warren G. Then in 1994 he produced his first hit single "Regulate" with Warren G. Nate Dogg was also featured in many Tupac releases, including his collaboration record Thug Life: Volume I. Then in 1998 after a tumultuous time at Death Row Records he released another album. The double album was titled G-Funk Classics Vol. 1 & 2 and was followed up in late 2001 with Music & Me on Elektra Records. Music & Me peaked at number three on the Billboard hip-hop charts in 2001.

In 2002, Nate Dogg appeared on a celebrity episode of the Weakest Link making it to the last three players before being eliminated by Xzibit and Young MC.

Nate Dogg was arrested in Arizona in April 2002 and was charged with firearms and drug offenses. He pleaded guilty in May and was sentenced to probation, community service, and ordered to attend drug counseling sessions.

Nate has found his greatest success not in solo projects, but in collaborations with other hip-hop artists. As of 2004, Nate Dogg has featured in and contributed to over 40 chart singles.

After a number of delays and an original release date of April 2004, his self-titled album Nate Dogg is set to be released on Affiliated Entertainment Group on June 3, 2008. Nate Dogg has already begun work on a new project.

On December 19, 2007, he suffered a stroke, according to a coordinator for his recently formed gospel choir, Innate Praise. Reports had circulated that Nate Dogg had been admitted to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center in Pomona, California after suffering a heart attack. Erica Beckwith, however, confirmed to MTV News that Nate Dogg was released on December 26 after being treated for a stroke and is currently in a medical-rehab facility to assist him in his recovery. On January 18, 2008, it was officially reported that the stroke had rendered the left side of his body paralyzed. Doctors believe there will be a full recovery, and his voice was not affected. In September 2008, Nate suffered a second stroke and today is still recovering in a long term care facility. Warren G later confirmed that Nate did in fact suffer two strokes and is currently undergoing physical therapy to get back to how he was. It is currently unknown if he will be able to continue his singing career.

Discography

G-Funk Classics, Vol. 1 & 2 (1998)

The Prodigal Son (2000)

Music and Me (2001)

Essentials (2002)

Nate Dogg (2003)

Filmography

The Transporter song "I Got Love" (2002)

Doggy Fizzle Televizzle as singer of the theme song for the sketch "The Braided Bunch" (2002–2003)

Head of State as himself (also singer/composer of theme song) (2003)

song "Keep it Comin"

''The Boondocks (2008)

Awards/nominations

Nate Dogg has been nominated for four Grammy Awards, but has yet to win one.

Category	Genre	Song	Year	Result
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration(with Eminem)	Rap	"Shake That"	2007	Nominated
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration(with Ludacris)	Rap	"Area Codes"	2002	Nominated
Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group(uncredited with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg)	Rap	"The Next Episode"	2001	Nominated
Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group(with Warren G)	Rap	"Regulate"	1995	Nominated

References

External links

Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:African American actors Category:African American rappers Category:American film actors Category:Atlantic Records artists Category:Baptists from the United States Category:Death Row Records artists Category:Hip hop singers Category:People convicted of drug offenses Category:People from Long Beach, California Category:Rappers from Los Angeles, California Category:Stroke survivors Category:United States Marines Category:Crips

Name	Black Thought
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Tariq Trotter
Origin	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Born	October 03, 1973
Genre	Hip hop
Years active	1987–present
Label	DGC/Geffen/MCA RecordsDef Jam Recordings
Associated acts	The Roots
Url	www.myspace.com/blackthought

Tariq Trotter (born on October 3, 1973), better known as Black Thought, is an American hip-hop artist who is the lead MC of the Philadelphia-based hip hop group The Roots and occasional actor. Thought, who co-founded The Roots with drummer Questlove (Ahmir Thompson), is widely lauded for his complex and politically aware lyrical content, and his sharply honed live performances.

Early life

Black Thought was born Tariq Trotter and attended the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts and Millersville University. In 1987, Trotter became friends with drummer Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson and formed a drummer/MC duo performing on the streets of Philadelphia and at talent shows. Trotter would subsequently spend some time as one of two MCs in the group The Square Roots: the other one was Malik B., who Tariq met in college. In high-school, Black Thought converted to the Islamic sect of The Nation of Gods and Earths

The Roots

The Square Roots renamed themselves the Roots and released its debut album Organix in 1993, to prepare for a concert in Germany. The Roots signed to DGC and followed up with Do You Want More?!!!??! in 1995. Recorded without any sampling, the album was more popular among alternative music fans than those of hip hop. Around the release of the album, the Roots performed at the Lollapalooza alternative music festival and Montreux Jazz Festival. Illadelph Halflife, the band's 1996 album, became its first album to chart within the top 40 spots on the Billboard 200 because of the successful single "What They Do".

In 2000, the Roots won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "You Got Me", with guest performances by Erykah Badu and Eve. The Roots' album Things Fall Apart was nominated for the Best Rap Album award. For Jay-Z's acoustic concert for the television program MTV Unplugged, The Roots provided instrumentals. Succeeding albums were Phrenology (2002), The Tipping Point (2004), Game Theory (2006), Rising Down (2008), and How I Got Over (2010).

Other work

Films in which Black Thought starred in include Bamboozled (2000), Perfume, Love Rome, and Brooklyn Babylon (both 2001).

Thought has also made guest performances on several other records including "Pimpas Paradise" by Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, Team by Dilated Peoples, One Day It'll All Make Sense by Common, Reanimation by Linkin Park, Pick a Bigger Weapon by The Coup, The Rising Tied by Fort Minor, and A Ma Zone by Zap Mama.

Black Thought recorded a solo album to be titled Masterpiece Theatre and released in summer 2001, In a June 2008 interview with Brian Kayser of the website HipHopGame, Black Thought spoke of yet another solo project, which will come out on the label Razor and Tie. He stated that there would be the possibility of Questlove working on production. In 2008, Peta2.com nominated Black Thought as among the "World's Sexiest Vegetarians".

Discography

Appearances

1995: "Meiso", Meiso, DJ Krush

1997: "Get This Low", The Psycho-Social, Jedi Mind Tricks

1997: "Stolen Moments, Pt. 2", One Day It'll All Make Sense, Common

1998: "It's About That Time", Soul Survivor, Pete Rock

1998: "Live From the Sretch Armstrong Show", Lyricist Lounge Volume One, Various Artists

1998: "Super Lyrical", Capital Punishment, Big Pun

1998: "Tabou (Roots Remix)", Princesses Nubians, Les Nubians

1999: "Burnin' and Lootin'", Chant Down Babylon (Post-Humous Remix), Bob Marley

1999: "Respiration (Flying High Remix)", Respiration 12", Black Star

2000: "Cold Blooded", Like Water for Chocolate, Common

2000: "Hurricane", The Hurricane Soundtrack, Black Thought, Common, Dice Raw, Flo Brown, Jazzyfatnastees and Mos Def

2000: "Network", Plain Rap, The Pharcyde

2001: "Hard Hitters", Expansion Team, Dilated Peoples

2001: "Zen Approach", Zen, DJ Krush

2002: "Clap!", Next, Soulive

2002: "Guerilla Monsoon Rap", Quality, Talib Kweli

2002: "X-Ecutioner Style", Reanimation, Linkin Park

2004: "Live From The PJs", Revolutions, The X-Ecutioners

2005: "Appreciate", Love and Life, LaToya London

2005: "Flutlicht", Sinnflut, Curse

2005: "Pimpa's Paradise", Welcome to Jamrock, Damian Marley

2005: "Right Now", The Rising Tied, Fort Minor

2006: "Love Movin'", The Shining, J Dilla

2006: "My Favorite Mutiny", Pick A Bigger Weapon, The Coup

2006: "Yes, Yes Y'all",Timeless, Sérgio Mendes

2007: "Clean Up", Deep Hearted, Strong Arm Steady

2008: "Cause I'm Black", Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman), Styles P

2009: "Hot Shyt", "Back to the Feature", Wale

2009: "Live Forever", Velvet Ballads, Cradle Orchestra

2009: "Philly Boy", Rádio do Canibal, BK-One

2009: "Reality TV", Jay Stay Paid, J Dilla

2009: "Slow Down", Chiddy Bang

2010: "Philadelphia Born and Raised", Meek Mill

2010: "The Masters of Our Fates", Raekwon

2010: "In tha Park", Apollo Kids, Ghostface Killah

2010: "Philly Sh*t Remix, Young Chris, Meek Mill & Eve

Filmography

Bamboozled (2000)

Brooklyn Babylon (2001)

Perfume (2001)

Brown Sugar (2002)

Love Rome (2004)

Explicit IIIs (2008)

In NorthWood (2009)

Night Catches Us (2010)

References

External links

TheRoots.com - Official website of The Roots

Black Thought discography

Category:Living people Category:African American actors Category:African American rappers Category:American vegetarians Category:Def Jam Recordings artists Category:Geffen Records artists Category:Millersville University of Pennsylvania alumni Category:Members of the Nation of Gods and Earths Category:Rappers from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Category:The Roots members Category:1971 births