Name	Cormega
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Cory Mckay
Born
Origin	Queens, New York City, New York
Genre	Hip hop
Years active	1990–present
Label	Def Jam RecordsLandspeed RecordsLegal Hustle RecordsKoch Records
Website	http://www.legalhustle.net }}

Cory Mckay (born 1972) , better known as Cormega, is an American emcee best known for his vivid and poignant narratives about inner-city life.

Early life

Born in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Cormega grew up in the Queensbridge Housing Projects in Long Island City, Queens, forming childhood friendships with future rappers such as Nas, Mobb Deep, Nature and Capone-N-Noreaga. When he was 4, he witnessed his mother's murder. After that, he moved in with his father and stepmother who had recently returned from Dallas, Texas and moved back to New York City.

1980s

He was featured on Hot Day's "Going Straight Up" from his album "It's My Turn". He was also featured on Blaq Poet & DJ Hot Day's track "Set It Off" from their album "Without Warning" in 1991.

1990s

Cormega was sentenced to 5–15 years in prison for armed robbery in 1991. Despite his incarceration, Cormega gained some attention following a shout-out from Nas on his song "One Love", from the critically acclaimed ''Illmatic'' album.

Cormega was released from prison on appeal after serving almost 4 years in New York's Mid-State Correctional Facility. Following his release in 1995, Cormega became determined to pursue rapping. Nas let him guest on a song entitled "Affirmative Action" for his second album ''It Was Written''. The song also featured AZ and Foxy Brown, and became The Firm's first appearance. Based on his performance, he was signed to Def Jam and recorded an album called ''The Testament''. Based on the buzz from "Affirmative Action," Nas, his manager Steve Stoute and producers Dr. Dre and Trackmasters joined to produce The Firm. Cormega was replaced with another artist, Nature, because either he would not sign a contract with Stoute or Stoute felt Nature was a better rapper. This led to an alleged altercation between Cormega and Nature. Cormega's dispute with Stoute also ended his friendship with Nas. Following the end of his membership in The Firm, Alex Trojano contributed in producing his album ''The Testament''. Meanwhile, following a falling-out over creative differences with his manager Chris Lighty and Def-Jam imprint Violator Records, his debut album ''The Testament'' was indefinitely shelved. During the recording for ''The Testament'' Cormega responded to Nas' "One Love" in the form of a letter also entitled "One Love".

2000s

In 2000, he was released from his contract and he started his own record company, Legal Hustle Records. Cormega vented his disappointment with Nas and The Firm in a mixtape song titled "Never Personal (Fuck Nas N Nature)". In 2001, he released his new debut album, ''The Realness'', which was acclaimed by critics. Many of the songs share a theme of betrayal. Nas responded to Cormega on his song "Destroy and Rebuild" from his album ''Stillmatic''. Cormega retaliated with more mixtape tracks, "A Slick Response" and "Realmatic". His follow-up album ''The True Meaning'' won the Source Magazine's prestigious Underground Album of the Year Award. In 2004, he followed up with ''Legal Hustle'' (a compilation album showcasing his label's artists) and other talented hip-hop lyricists such as Ghostface Killah, Large Professor, AZ, Kurupt, Jayo Felony, and several others. This album is considered by some as more of a project than an actual solo album; nonetheless it was well received. In 2005, he was able to release ''The Testament'' on his own label, which saw good reviews and sales and featured the original banned version of "Dead Man Walking" as a hidden track.

In early September 2005, Cormega posted a statement on his website that he and Nas had spoken and ended their feud. Cormega explained that their conversation had come about due to the death of Cormega's grandmother. Both rappers have stated the possibility of a collaboration. On December 22, 2006 at the Nokia Theatre Times Square, Cormega appeared on stage at a Nas concert and went on to perform with Nas (and Foxy Brown as well), further evidence that their feud is over.

The feud was settled in Cormega's home in early December 2005, when Cormega and Nas realized that it was destructive for each of them. It is not known who was responsible for their meeting but both artists are now working alone. In the mid 2000s Cormega helped produce a few albums and was featured on several songs with The Jacka and the Mob Figaz.

An album collaboration with Lakey The Kid entitled ''My Brother's Keeper'' was released independently on August 22, 2006. On November 20, 2007, Cormega finally released his DVD in-the-making ''Who Am I?''. The DVD took over four years of filming of Cormega in all aspects of his life and what others thought of Cormega, unedited. The DVD was released as a soundtrack plus DVD. Cormega intended to release an album which was to be entitled ''Urban Legend'' before T.I.'s album of the same name was released (Cormega mentions this on the ''Who Am I'' DVD, dated circa 2003); the new title is ''Born and Raised''. The album was released October 20, 2009. The first single is called "Journey."

Following his latest project's release, the MC has already announced his next album, tentatively due out summer of 2011. Cormega has already begun work, having recorded collaborations with one of the Wu-Tang Clan and a Queensbridge MC. As for further features, he has stated his desire to work with a variety of artists including Scarface, Lauryn Hill, Slick Rick, as well as past collaborators M.O.P., Mobb Deep and tha Dogg Pound.

Following an interview with Mista Montana on the highly respected, Conspiracy Worldwide Radio, Cormega recently made great efforts to increase peoples awareness of the 2010 flooding tragedy in Pakistan, adding images and video clips to his official site.

Discography

Albums

Album information
''The Realness''	*Released: July 25, 2001	*Billboard 200 chart position: #111	*R&B;/Hip-Hop chart position: #24	*Top Independent chart position: #4	*Singles: "You Don't Want It," "Get Out My Way"
''The True Meaning''	*Released: June 11, 2002	*Billboard 200 chart position: #95	*R&B;/Hip-Hop chart position: #25	*Top Independent chart position: #5	*Singles: "Built for This," "The Come-Up"
''Legal Hustle''	*Released: May 25, 2004	*Billboard 200 chart position: #174	*R&B;/Hip-Hop chart position: #22	*Top Independent chart position: #8	*Singles: "Let It Go," "Dangerous"
	*Released: February 22, 2005	*Billboard 200 chart position: -	*R&B;/Hip-Hop chart position: #76	*Top Independent chart position: #46	*Singles: "One Love"
''Who Am I?'' (Soundtrack & DVD)	*Released: November 20, 2007	*Billboard 200 chart position: -	*R&B;/Hip-Hop chart position: #76	*Singles:
	*Released: October 20, 2009	*Billboard Chart Position: -	*R&B;/Hip-Hop charts position: -	*Singles: "Dirty Game"

Singles

{|class="wikitable" ! rowspan="2"|Year ! rowspan="2"|Song ! colspan="3"|Chart positions !rowspan="2"|Album |- !width="40"|U.S. !width="40"|U.S. R&B; !width="40"|U.S. Rap |- |align="center" rowspan=1|2000 | "You Don't Want It" |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|41 |rowspan=2|''The Realness'' |- |align="center" rowspan=1|2001 | "Get Out My Way" |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |- |align="center" rowspan=2|2002 | "Built for This" |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |rowspan=2|''The True Meaning'' |- | "The Come Up" (featuring Large Professor) |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |- |align="center" rowspan=2|2004 | "Let It Go" (featuring M.O.P.) |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |rowspan=2|''Legal Hustle'' |- | "Dangerous" (featuring Unda P. and Vybz Kartel) |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |- |align="center" rowspan=1|2005 | "One Love" |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |rowspan=1|''The Testament'' |- |align="center" rowspan=1|2007 | "The Saga (The Remix)" (produced by Stanley O) |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |rowspan=1|''Single Release'' |- |align="center" rowspan=1|2009 | "Dirty Game" |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |align="center"|— |rowspan=1|''Born and Raised'' |- |}

References

External links

TSS Presents Smoking Sessions with Cormega, Part I

TSS Presents Smoking Sessions with Cormega, Part II

HHLO.net "The Journey: An Interview with Cormega

Category:1970 births Category:Living people Category:African American rappers Category:Rappers from New York City Category:People from Queens Category:E1 Music artists Category:Members of the Nation of Gods and Earths

cs:Cormega de:Cormega fr:Cormega it:Cormega pl:Cormega sv:Cormega

Name	DJ Premier
Background	non_performing_personnel
Birth name	Christopher Edward Martin
Origin	Brooklyn, New York, United States
Born	March 21, 1966Houston, Texas, United States
Instrument	Drum machineKeyboardSamplerTurntable
Genre	Hip hop
Occupation	Record producer, DJ
Years active	1984present
Label	Wild Pitch/EMI (1987–1990)Chrysalis/EMI (1991–1998)Virgin/EMI (1998–2003)Year Round (2003–)
Website	}}

Christopher Edward Martin (born March 21, 1966, in Houston, Texas), better known by his stage name DJ Premier (also known as Preem, Premo, or Primo for short), is an American record producer and DJ, and was the instrumental half of the hip hop duo Gang Starr, together with MC Guru. Born in Houston and raised in Grand Prairie, he has lived in Brooklyn, New York, for much of his professional career. ''Rolling Stone'' identified Premier as arguably Hip-Hop's greatest producer of all time.

''The Source'' named DJ Premier one of the five greatest producers in hip-hop history, while the editors of About.com ranked him #1 on their Top 50 Hip-Hop Producers list. He also made the "Elite 8" in the search for The Greatest Hip-Hop Producer of All Time by ''Vibe''.

Productions

Premier is known for producing the majority of Gang Starr's songs as well as many of the Gang Starr Foundation's songs. His work also includes production for heavyweight rappers such as Apathy, Bun B, Canibus, KRS-One, Kanye West, Nas, Jay-Z, Mos Def, 50 Cent, Big L, Lord Finesse, M.O.P., Rakim, The Notorious B.I.G., D.I.T.C., The LOX, Royce Da 5'9", Fat Joe, Snoop Dogg, rock band Limp Bizkit and pop/R&B; singer Christina Aguilera among a plethora of others.

Premier collaborated with MC Jeru the Damaja on the album ''The Sun Rises in the East'', released in 1994, as well as the 1996 follow-up, ''Wrath of the Math''. Also from the Gang Starr Foundation, Premier produced and supervised Group Home's ''Livin' Proof''; although overlooked at the time of its 1995 release, the album has since come to find similar acclaim. Among others in that are closely tied to the Gang Starr Foundation who have worked with DJ Premier include Afu Ra, Krumbsnatcha, Big Shug, Smiley the Ghetto Child, and NYGz. He recently produced the majority of Blaq Poet's ''The Blaqprint'' in 2009 and will produce the entirety of NYG'z debut album.

Style and influences

DJ Premier's style of production epitomizes the New York sound of his earlier peers. He is known for sampling jazz, funk, and soul artists, as well as sampling an artist's past work when creating a new track for that same artist. For example, on Jay-Z's "So Ghetto", from the 1999 album, ''Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter'', Premier samples an older Jay-Z song, 1997's "Who You Wit II". In addition, his encyclopedic memory of hip-hop lyrics allows him to distinctively speak with his hands by scratching in lyrics from several different songs to construct new phrases. Premier's beats are known for his oft-imitated combinations of short vocal samples, often from multiple artists, to create a chorus. Premier has also experimented with atonal samples that are not confined to soul, jazz, and funk. For example, he sampled chopped up seminal electro-acoustic music from the 1960s on the track “Mental Stamina” by Jeru the Damaja.

In an interview with ''XXL Magazine'', DJ Premier was asked how his sound evolved, to which he replied, "Marley Marl is my number one inspiration. Jam Master Jay, Mixmaster Ice and UTFO. Grandmaster D and Whodini. DJ Cheese, Grandmaster Flash, Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa. Jazzy Jay, even Cut Creator. Seeing them do what they do. It’s black music, it’s black culture, it comes from the ghetto. How can you not relate to ghetto people when that’s the rawest form of blackness? Even though it’s not a good place in regards to the economy and how bad people have it in the neighborhood, the realism’s there, and that’s what we were born out of. So I very much pay respect by doing the same type of music in return." DJ Premier attended Prairie View A & M University and may have been influenced by the musical atmosphere at the university.

Relationships with artists

The early line-up of the Gang Starr Foundation in the mid-’90s included Jeru The Damaja, Group Home, Big Shug, and Gang Starr. DJ Premier was fully responsible for the production of Jeru the Damaja's first two albums, ''The Sun Rises in the East'' and ''Wrath of the Math''. Jeru released three albums since then, with Premier having nothing to do with any of them.

As far as Group Home was concerned, Premier commented, "They don't respect what fed them," in a 2003 interview, going on to say that the only reason he produced a track on their second album was because Guru said he would rhyme on it.

Besides the Gang Starr Foundation, Premier is closely affiliated with M.O.P., which he names as one of his all-time favorite groups. The relationship started with the remix of “Rugged, Neva Smoove” in 1994, a single from the group's first album, which also included the exclusive B-side “Downtown Swinga.” From then, Premier produced about one-third of the songs on each subsequent album and overseeing and mixing the projects. On M.O.P.'s 2009 ''Foundation'' album, however, DJ Premier provided only one track, which was called "What I Wanna B."

Recent and future projects

DJ Premier has his own record company named Year Round Records. Among its artists are New York group NYGz, New Jersey rapper Nick Javas, and Houston rapper Khaleel. ''Tha Blaqprint'' by Blaq Poet, which has thirteen Premier productions, was released by Year Round Records through Fat Beats Records. On December 7, Premier's label Year Round Records released a digital compilation album titled ''Get Used to Us''. At the moment Year Round plans to release an debut album fully produced by DJ Premier with the NYGz tenatively called ''Hustla's Union: Local NYG'' along with an Nick Javas debut album named ''Destination Unknown''. Khaleel, another label-mate of Year Round Records, is planned to release an debut album titled ''Already!''.

DJ Premier hosts a weekly 2 hour show ''Live From HeadQCourterz'' on SIRIUS Satellite Radio's Hip-Hop Nation on Fridays.

In a recent interview, DJ Premier said that he has the desire to work with Drake and J. Cole. He said that he will produce a beat for Immortal Technique's upcoming album, titled ''The Middle Passage''. He contributed a song on Game's last album (The R.E.D. Album) called "Born in the Trap." and a song on Bushido's last album Jenseits von Gut und Böse.

Discography

References

External links

Category:1966 births Category:Living people Category:African hip hop DJs Category:People from Brooklyn Category:Musicians from Texas Category:Musicians from New York Category:Hip hop record producers Category:American record producers Category:American hip hop record producers Category:Southern hip hop musicians Category:African American musicians Category:East Coast hip hop musicians Category:Members of the Nation of Gods and Earths Category:African American record producers

da:DJ Premier de:DJ Premier es:DJ Premier fr:DJ Premier ko:디제이 프리미어 it:DJ Premier he:די ג'יי פרמייר sw:DJ Premier nl:DJ Premier ja:DJプレミア pl:DJ Premier pt:DJ Premier fi:DJ Premier sv:DJ Premier tr:DJ Premier

Name	Tragedy Khadafi
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Percy Chapman IV
Alias	Intelligent HoodlumPercy/TragedyTragedyPercy Chapman
Born	August 13, 1971
Origin	Queensbridge, Queens, New York, USA
Genre	Hip hop
Years active	1985–present
Label	Tuff Break/A&M;/PolyGramGee Street/V2/BMG Records25 To Life EntertainmentDolo Records (distributor, 1997)Solid Records
Associated acts	Juice CrewMarley MarlKilla ShaCapone-N-NoreagaHavocLittlesImam ThugCormegaBlack Market MilitiaMobb Deep }}

Percy Chapman IV, (born August 13, 1971, in Queens, New York, USA) known by his stage name Tragedy Khadafi, and formerly known as Intelligent Hoodlum, is an American rapper and producer who hails from the Queensbridge housing projects in Queens, New York, which has spawned other hip hop artists such as Nas, Cormega, Mobb Deep, Capone-N-Noreaga, and many others. His name is a reference to Libyan head of state Muammar al-Qaddafi. He was one half of the group the Iron Sheiks, along with Imam T.H.U.G., which produced the underground classic "True Confessions."

Biography

He began his career as half of the duo Super Kids, along with DJ Hot Day (then known as PHD), who also had worked with rappers like Blaq Poet, releasing the single "Go, Queensbridge" in 1985. It was this output that caught the attention of Marley Marl, who produced the duo's next two singles, and Chapman was also made a junior member of the Juice Crew alongside artists such as Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, and MC Shan. After a conviction for robbery followed by time in a correctional facility, Chapman became a Five Percenter and began working under the alias Intelligent Hoodlum. His self-titled debut, ''Intelligent Hoodlum'', released in 1990 and produced by Marley Marl, was full of political commentary, Five-Percenter rhetoric, and controversial messages in tracks such as "Arrest the President" and "Black and Proud." He returned in 1993, releasing his second album, ''Tragedy: Saga of a Hoodlum'', which would be his last album under that moniker.

Chapman continued to record throughout the remainder of the 1990s, working with Capone, Noreaga and Mobb Deep, recording "LA, LA," a response to Tha Dogg Pound's "NY, NY," now working under the name Tragedy Khadafi. He also worked on Capone-N-Noreaga's debut album, ''The War Report'', on which he actually appears more on the album than Capone. When the latter returned to prison, Noreaga severed ties with Tragedy. In 1998, Tragedy formed the group the ''Iron Sheiks'' along with his lifelong friend, Michael Butler a.k.a. Imam T.H.U.G. who was also from the Queensbridge Housing Projects. On an EP, Tragedy dissed Noreaga and accused him of stealing his style. Noreaga kept the animosity going with "Halfway Thugs Pt. II." Khadafi's third album, ''Against All Odds'', was scheduled for release in 1999, but conflict with his label stalled the release, finally being released in 2001, which was also the first appearance of emcee HeadRush Napoleon, who continued to work with Tragedy on future recordings. This was followed by ''Still Reportin'...'' in 2003. In 2005, he released ''Thug Matrix'' independently and also released an album as a member of the group Black Market Militia. Khadafi's latest releases, ''Blood Ballads'' and ''Thug Matrix 2'', were both released in 2006.

He also starred in a documentary known as ''Tragedy: The Story of Queensbridge'' about his life and his struggles, growing up, his being a junior member of the Juice Crew, the numerous times he was incarcerated, and the toll a hard life has on a poor African American child growing up without a father and with a mother addicted to heroin. Immersed in well-suited beats and melodies that accent the tone of the situations described, he was trying to articulate the lesson he learned through experience as a disadvantaged child. Political perceptions are also expressed as he implied that he is a skeptic about 9/11 and the veracity of the federal statements regarding the issue.

Prison sentence

On December 27, 2007, Tragedy was convicted of selling narcotics and sentenced to a maximum of four years in prison. Although originally scheduled to be released on January 21, 2011, Tragedy was granted early parole, and released on June 23, 2010.

Discography

Studio albums

! Album Information
''Intelligent Hoodlum''	*Released: 1990	A&M; Records>A&M;/PolyGram Records
''Tragedy: Saga of a Hoodlum''	*Released: June 22, 1993	A&M; Records>A&M;/PolyGram Records
	*Released: June 5, 2001	Gee Street Records>Gee Street/V2 Records
''[[Still Reportin'...''	*Released: October 21, 2003	*Label: Solid Records
''Q.U. Soldier''	*Released: July 5, 2005	*25 To Life Entertainment
''Thug Matrix''	*Released: October 4, 2005	*Label: FastLife Music
''Blood Ballads''	*Released: April 17, 2006	*Label: Nocturne Records
''Thug Matrix 2''	*Released: May 15, 2006	*Label: 25 To Life Records
	*Released: June 19, 2007	*Label: Traffic Entertainment/25toLife
''Thug Matrix 3''	*Released: TBA	*Label: 25 To Life Entertainment/Universal Records

Vocal appearances

1988: "The Rebel" (from the Marley Marl album ''In Control, Volume 1)

1988: "Live Motivator" (from the Marley Marl album ''In Control, Volume 1)

1991: "America Eats The Young" (from the Marley Marl album ''In Control, Volume 2: For Your Steering Pleasure)

1991: "Keep Control" (from the Marley Marl album ''In Control, Volume 2: For Your Steering Pleasure)

1995: "Juice Crew All-Stars" (from the Juice Crew album ''Cold Chillin's The Juice Crew Story Greatest Hits)

1996: "The Turnaround" (Thug Remix) (from the Real Live single ''The Turnaround'')

1996: "Real" (from the DJ Krush album ''MiLight'')

1997: "Stick You" (from the Capone-N-Noreaga album ''The War Report)

1997: "Parole Violators" (from the Capone-N-Noreaga album ''The War Report)

1997: "Neva Die Alone" (from the Capone-N-Noreaga album ''The War Report)

1997: "T.O.N.Y. (Top of New York)" (from the Capone-N-Noreaga album ''The War Report)

1997: "Channel 10" (from the Capone-N-Noreaga album ''The War Report)

1997: "Stay Tuned (Thug Paradise)" (from the Capone-N-Noreaga album ''The War Report)

1997: "L.A., L.A. (Kuwait Mix)" (from the Capone-N-Noreaga album ''The War Report)

1997: "Black Gangstas" (from the Capone-N-Noreaga album ''The War Report)

1997: "Usual Suspects" (from the Mic Geronimo album ''Vendetta'')

1998: "Raw Footage" (from the Sporty Thievz album ''Street Cinema'')

1998: "Strange Fruit" (from the Pete Rock album ''Soul Survivor'')

2000: "Gengis Khan" (from the Jedi Mind Tricks album ''Violent By Design)

2000: "Da Bridge 2001" (from the compilation album QB Finest)

2001: "They Forced My Hand" (from the Cormega album ''The Realness'')

2001: "Too High Too Low" (from the Screwball album ''Loyalty'')

2001: "Armageddon (Crime Side of Life)" (from the Self aka Eddie Whispers album ''What About My Life'')

2003: "True Confessions" (from the Imam Thug album ''Die Hard'')

2003: "QB2G" (from the Imam Thug album ''Die Hard'')

2003: "Kublai Khan" (from the Jedi Mind Tricks album ''Visions of Gandhi)

2003: "Fallen Soldiers" (from the 24k album ''Quotable'')

2005: "Ape Something" (from the Littles mixtape ''Reloaded'')

2006: "Gorilla Rap" (from the compilation album ''Natural Selection'')

2007: "Renaissance" (from the Hell Razah album ''Renaissance Child)

2007: "One Hand Wash The Other" (from the Killa Sha album ''God Walk on Water)

2007: "911" (from the Big Left album ''World War Three'')

2008: "Rebeloution" (from the Almighty mixtape ''The Original S.I.N.'')

2008: "Whale Head" (from the Da Evangillest mixtape ''Quit Ya Day Job)

2008: "The Damage" (from the Ras Ceylon album ''Scientific Non-Fiction)

2009: "Define Yourself" (from the Cormega album ''Born and Raised)

2009: "On The Streets" (from the Betrayl album ''The Life N Death Of My Hood'')

2010: "State Ya Name" (from the UGP album "The Sacrifice")

2011: "Camaraderie (Real To Real)" (from the Divine street single "Camaraderie (Real To Real)" to be released early 2011)

References

Category:1971 births Category:Living people Category:African American rappers Category:Rappers from New York City Category:People from Queens Category:Members of the Nation of Gods and Earths Category:American hip hop record producers Category:A&M; Records artists Category:V2 Records artists

es:Tragedy Khadafi fr:Tragedy Khadafi pl:Tragedy Khadafi

Roc Marciano is an American rapper, songwriter and producer from Hempstead, Long Island(New York). Originally a member of Busta Rhymes' crew, Flipmode Squad becoming the sixth member after the departure of Lord Have Mercy, Roc left in 2001 to form the UN , a hardcore underground hip hop group consisting of three other MCs. Notably, Roc appeared in the 2005 Wu-Tang Clan compilation album, Wu-Tang Meets the Indie Culture, and in Pete Rock's 2008 album, NY's Finest, drawing acclaim for such performances. Since 2008, Roc Marciano has been working on his solo career, and to widespread internet acclaim, released his entirely self-produced debut LP, Marcberg in the Spring of 2010. The album was applauded for its throwback 90s east coast style, coming as a breath of fresh air amongst the various other hip hop albums released that year. His stream of consciousness narrative and boom-bap, rugged beats have also been the subject to many compliments from critics and bloggers alike. In 2011, Roc Marciano collaborated with Gangrene, the duo of rapper/producers Oh No and The Alchemist, to release the collaborative EP Greneberg. Roc Marciano is currently signed to Decon Records.

Discography

Studio albums

2010: ''Marcberg''

EP's

2011: ''The Prophecy'' (Re-Issue) (recorded 1997)

2011: ''Greneberg'' (The Alchemist + Oh No as Gangrene)

References

Category:Living people Category:American rappers Category:Rappers from Long Island

name	Large Professor
background	solo_singer
birth name	William Paul Mitchell
alias	Large Pro, Large P., Extra P Large P
birth date	March 21, 1972
origin	Queens, New York City, United States
instrument	Turntable, sampler
genre	Hip Hop
occupation	MC, producer, DJ, musician
years active	1988–present
label	Wild Pitch//EMI RecordsGeffen/MCA RecordsMatador Records
associated acts	Pete RockNasMain SourceEric B. & RakimAkinyeleA Tribe Called Quest }}

Large Professor (born William Paul Mitchell on March 21, 1972, in the Harlem section of New York, New York. USA), also known as Large Pro and Xtra P, is a New York City-based hip hop record producer and emcee. He is also best known as a founding member of the influential underground hip hop group Main Source, and as a frequent collaborator with Nas. About.com ranked Large Professor #5 on its Top 50 Hip-Hop Producers list.

Biography

Early life and career

Mitchell moved in his early childhood to Flushing, Queens, where he was raised. His production career started early in his adolescence. As a young teenager, he would make pause tapes, in which he would pause a beat and blend it in with other sequences. Eventually, he managed to own a Casio SK-1 sampling keyboard that allowed him to make his beats in the comfort of his own home. He became a protégé of the late Paul C, a record producer and musician with whom he credits for teaching him virtually everything he knows about record production as well as the associated technology used for making hip-hop music. Paul C was doing production work with Eric B. & Rakim and Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud, and then, at age 17, Large was given the opportunity to program beats for Eric B. & Rakim's album ''Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em'' (1990) while still attending high school. While working with them, he discovered Nas, who got a management deal with Serchlite Publishing (headed by MC Serch from former group 3rd Bass) and produced three tracks on Nas's debut album, ''Illmatic'' (1994), after he was signed by Columbia Records. His work with Eric B. & Rakim eventually led him to work on Kool G Rap & DJ Polo's ''Wanted: Dead or Alive'' (1990), producing (officially credited as a co-producer) the album's lead single and iconic hip-hop classic, “Streets of New York.”

Career with Main Source

In 1989, he joined the group Main Source, which also included K-Cut and Sir Scratch from Toronto. Main Source recorded one album with Large called ''Breaking Atoms'', which was released in 1991. It included hits such as "Just Hangin' Out", "Looking at the Front Door," and featured Nas' first public appearance on a track called "Live at the Barbeque", along with Akinyele and Joe Fatal. In 1992, their success allowed them to record "Fakin' the Funk", a track on the ''White Men Can't Jump'' motion-picture soundtrack. Because of business differences, Large and Main Source quietly parted ways and Large went on to sign with Geffen/MCA Records. During and after his tenure with Main Source, he worked with Pete Rock & CL Smooth, and he produced a number of tracks for Nas, Busta Rhymes, Masta Ace, The X-Ecutioners, Tragedy Khadafi, Big Daddy Kane, Mobb Deep, and others during the 1990s.

Solo career

In 1996, he released two singles for Geffen/MCA Records, "Ijuswannachill" and "The Mad Scientist", for which videos were produced for both tracks. He was to have his highly anticipated solo album ''The LP'' released around the same time, but it was never released because of label politics. Geffen and Large Professor eventually parted ways, and he signed with Matador Records, which generally specialized in marketing and promoting contemporary rock and alternative tracks as well as electronic music. Although his album for Matador, ''1st Class'' did not receive mainstream acceptance, it gained favorable reviews by fans and critics. The album included guest appearances by Nas, Busta Rhymes, and Q-Tip. The album also included the moderate street hit "Radioactive."

Large's publishing company is named Paul Sea Productions as an homage to his late mentor.

For many years, people thought that Large Professor directly taught DJ Premier how to use the Emu SP-1200 sampling drum machine, which Large used to help program many of his beats during the 1990s. However, according to Large Professor, he just showed DJ Premier to enhance what he already had. This is an excerpt from the November/December issue of Scratch Magazine:

Large Professor DJs at clubs, parties, and events worldwide and still engages in music production. He released an instrumental LP in 2006 called ''Beatz Vol. 1''. Its sequel, ''Beats Vol. 2'', was released in 2007.

His latest album, ''Main Source'', was released in 2008 and features production by him and others including Marco Polo and verses from Big Noyd, Styles P, Jeru the Damaja, AZ and Lil Dap.

Discography

Albums

2002: ''1st Class''

2006: ''Beatz Volume 1'' (instrumentals)

2007: ''Beatz Volume 2'' (instrumentals)

2008: ''Main Source''

2009: ''The LP''

Production

1990: "Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em" (Various songs on album by Eric B. & Rakim)

1990: "Wanted: Dead or Alive" (Various songs on album by Kool G Rap & DJ Polo)

1991: "Breaking Atoms" (Main Source)

1992: "Peer Pressure" with DJ Premier for Mobb Deep

1992: "Halftime" (from the Nas song from the soundtrack Zebrahead)

1993: ''Vagina Diner'' (Album by Akinyele)

1993: "Hey Girl" (from the Apache album ''Apache Ain't Shit'')

1993: "Keep It Rollin" (from the A Tribe Called Quest album ''Midnight Marauders'')

1993: "Niggaz Never Learn" (from the Big Daddy Kane album ''Looks Like a Job For…'')

1994: "Stress (Remix)" (from the Organized Konfusion 12" ''Stress'')

1994: "One Time 4 Your Mind", "It Ain't Hard To Tell" (from the Nas album ''Illmatic'')

1995: "Resurrection '95" Extra P Remix (from the Common 12" ''Resurrection'')

1995: "Resurrection '95" Large Professor Remix (from the Common 12" ''Resurrection'')

1996: "Extra Abstract Skillz" (from the Mad Skillz album ''From Where???'')

1999: "I Sparkle" (Slick Rick from the Wild Wild West Soundtrack)

2000: "The Heist" (from the Busta Rhymes album ''Anarchy'')

2001: "You're Da Man", "Rewind" (from the Nas album ''Stillmatic'')

2002: "The Come Up" (from the Cormega album The True Meaning)

2002: "We Are the Future," "It's Us," and "Drug Music" (from the Non Phixion album ''The Future Is Now'')

2003: "Exotic's Raw" album, (Neek the Exotic)

2004: "What They Want" (from The UN album ''UN Or U Out'')

2006: "World Wide" (from the Boot Camp Clik album ''The Last Stand'')

2006: "Right 2 Know" (From the Prince Po album ''Prettyblack'')

2006: "I Be Thuggin'" b/w "Mack of the Year" (Grand Daddy IU Single)

2007: "I'm Up Now" (from the Mic Geronimo album ''Alive'')

2008: "L.E.O (Love Equals Omnipotence) - Spiritual Intelligence / All tracks produced by Large Professor.

2008: "Conquer Mentally" Large Professor Remix (Presto album ''State of the Art'')

2008: "The Hardest" (AZ album ''Undeniable'')

2008: "Stages" (Reks album ''Grey Hairs'')

2009: "No Problems" (Earatik Statik album ''Good, Bad & Ugly'')

2009: "New Classic" (U-God album ''Dopium'')

2009: "Same Old Drama" (Grand Puba album ''Retroactive'')

2009: "Journey" (Cormega album '' Born & Raised'')

2010: "Ohh" (Joell Ortiz album '' Free Agent")

2011: "Still On The Hustle" (Neek The Exotic Large Professor'')

Vocal appearances

1990: "Money In The Bank" (Kool G Rap & DJ Polo album ''Wanted: Dead or Alive'')

1993: "Keep It Rollin'" (A Tribe Called Quest album ''Midnight Marauders'')

1994: "Stress (Remix)" (Organized Konfusion "Stress" 12")

1995: "Extra Abtract Skillz" (Mad Skillz album ''From Where???'')

2000: "The Last Shall Be First" (Cella Dwellas album ''The True Meaning'')

2002: "XL" (The X-Ecutioners album ''Built from Scratch'')

2002: "Hip Hop On Wax" (Rob Swift album ''Sound Event'')

2002: "The Come Up" (Cormega album ''The True Meaning'')

2004: "Sugar Ray and Hearns" (Cormega album ''Legal Hustle'')

2004: "Out Da Box" (Tony Touch album ''The Piece Maker 2'')

2006: "United" (MF Grimm album ''American Hunger'')

2007: "The Radar" (Marco Polo album ''Port Authority'')

2007: "The Purist" (Polyrhythm Addicts album ''Break Glass'')

2008: "Conquer Mentally" (Presto album ''State of the Art'')

2009: "Fans" (Masta Ace & Edo G album ''Arts & Entertainment'')

2009: "New Classic" (U-God album ''Dopium'')

2009: "Sweet 16s" (feat. Neek The Exotic, Mikey D, Sadat X, Large Professor and Father D) (Satchel Page album ''Young Patriarch'')

2009: "Like This" ([DJ JS-1 feat Large Professor[)"No Sellout: Ground Original 2"(album)

References

External links

Large Professor's MySpace page

Biography Sketch at Matador Records website

Large Professor's at Beatbuggy

Category:1972 births Category:Living people Category:American hip hop record producers Category:African American rappers Category:American DJs Category:People from Queens Category:Members of the Nation of Gods and Earths Category:Rappers from New York City Category:Musicians from New York Category:Geffen Records artists

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