This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2012)

A mummified rat.

Decomposition (or rotting) is the process by which organic substances are broken down into simpler forms of matter. The process is essential for recycling the finite matter that occupies physical space in the biome. Bodies of living organisms begin to decompose shortly after death. Although no two organisms decompose in the same way, they all undergo the same sequential stages of decomposition. The science which studies decomposition is generally referred to as taphonomy from the Greek word taphos, meaning tomb.

One can differentiate abiotic from biotic decomposition (biodegradation). The former means "degradation of a substance by chemical or physical processes, eg hydrolysis).^[1] The latter one means "the metabolic breakdown of materials into simpler components by living organisms",^[2] typically by microorganisms.

Human decomposition[link]

Stages[link]

Five general stages are used to describe the process of decomposition: Fresh, Bloat, Active and Advanced Decay, and Dry/Remains.^[3] The general stages of decomposition are coupled with two stages of chemical decomposition: autolysis and putrefaction.^[4] These two stages contribute to the chemical process of decomposition, which breaks down the main components of the body

Fresh[link]

The fresh stage begins immediately after the heart stops beating.^[5] Since blood is no longer being pumped through the body it drains to the dependent portions of the body, under gravity, creating an overall bluish-purple discolouration termed livor mortis or, more commonly, lividity. Shortly after death, within three to six hours, the muscular tissues become rigid and incapable of relaxing which is known as rigor mortis. From the moment of death, the body begins losing heat to the surrounding environment, resulting in an overall cooling called algor mortis.^[6]

Once the heart stops, chemical changes occur within the body and result in changes in pH, causing cells to lose their structural integrity. The loss of cell structure brings about the release of cellular enzymes capable of initiating the breakdown of surrounding cells and tissues. This process is known as autolysis. Visible changes caused by decomposition are limited during the fresh stage, although autolysis may cause blisters to appear at the surface of the skin.^[7]

Oxygen present in the body is quickly depleted by the aerobic organisms found within. This creates an ideal environment for the proliferation of anaerobic organisms. Anaerobic organisms, originating in the gastrointestinal tract and respiratory system, begin to transform carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, to yield organic acids (propionic acid, lactic acid) and gases (methane, hydrogen sulphide, ammonia). The process of microbial proliferation within a body is referred to as putrefaction and leads to the second stage of decomposition, known as bloat.^[5]

Blowflies and flesh flies are the first carrion insects to arrive, and seek a suitable oviposition site.^[3]

[edit] Bloat

The bloat stage provides the first clear visual sign that microbial proliferation is underway. In this stage, anaerobic metabolism takes place, leading to the accumulation of gases, such as hydrogen sulphide, carbon dioxide, and methane. The accumulation of gases within the bodily cavity causes the distention of the abdomen and gives a cadaver its overall bloated appearance.^[8] The gases produced also cause natural liquids and liquefying tissues to become frothy.^[6] As the pressure of the gases within the body increases, fluids are forced to escape from natural orifices, such as the nose, mouth, and anus, and enter the surrounding environment. The buildup of pressure combined with the loss of integrity of the skin may also cause the body to rupture.^[8]

Intestinal anaerobic bacteria transform haemoglobin into sulfhemoglobin and other colored pigments. The associated gases which accumulate within the body at this time aid in the transport of sulfhemoglobin throughout the body via the circulatory and lymphatic systems, giving the body an overall marbled appearance.^[9]

If insects have access, maggots hatch and begin to feed on the body’s tissues.^[3] Maggot activity, typically confined to natural orifices and masses under the skin, causes the skin to slip and hair to detach from the skin.^[6] Maggot feeding, and the accumulation of gases within the body, eventually leads to post-mortem skin ruptures which will then further allow purging of gases and fluids into the surrounding environment.^[5] Ruptures in the skin allow oxygen to re-enter the body and provide more surface area for the development of fly larvae and the activity of aerobic microorganisms.^[8] The purging of gases and fluids results in the strong distinctive odours associated with decay.^[3]

Active Decay[link]

Active decay is characterized by the period of greatest mass loss. This loss occurs as a result of both the voracious feeding of maggots and the purging of decomposition fluids into the surrounding environment.^[8] The purged fluids accumulate around the body and create a cadaver decomposition island (CDI).^[5] Liquefaction of tissues and disintegration become apparent during this time and strong odours persist.^[3] The end of active decay is signaled by the migration of maggots away from the body to pupate.^[5]

Advanced Decay[link]

Decomposition is largely inhibited during advanced decay due to the loss of readily available cadaveric material.^[8] Insect activity is also reduced during this stage.^[6] When the carcass is located on soil, the area surrounding it will show evidence of vegetation death.^[8] The CDI surrounding the carcass will display an increase in soil carbon and nutrients, such as phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium;^[5] changes in pH; and a significant increase in soil nitrogen.^[10]

Dry/Remains[link]

During the dry/remains stage, the resurgence of plant growth around the CDI may occur and is a sign that the nutrients present in the surrounding soil have not yet returned to their normal levels.^[8] All that remains of the cadaver at this stage is dry skin, cartilage, and bones,^[3] which will become dry and bleached if exposed to the elements.^[6] If all soft tissue is removed from the cadaver, it is referred to as completely skeletonized, but if only portions of the bones are exposed, it is referred to as partially skeletonised.^[11]

Pig carcass in the different stages of decomposition: Fresh > Bloat > Active decay > Advanced decay > Dry remains

Plant decomposition[link]

A decaying peach over a period of six days. Each frame is approximately 12 hours apart, as the fruit shrivels and becomes covered with mold.

Decomposition of plant matter occurs in many stages. It begins with leaching by water; the most easily lost and soluble carbon compounds are liberated in this process. Another early process is physical breakup or fragmentation of the plant material into smaller bits which have greater surface area for microbial colonization and attack. In smaller dead plants, this process is largely carried out by the soil invertebrate fauna, whereas in the larger plants, primarily parasitic life-forms such as insects and fungi play a major breakdown role and are not assisted by numerous detritivore species. Following this, the plant detritus (consisting of cellulose, hemicellulose, microbial products, and lignin) undergoes chemical alteration by microbes. Different types of compounds decompose at different rates. This is dependent on their chemical structure. For instance, lignin is a component of wood, which is relatively resistant to decomposition and can in fact only be decomposed by certain fungi, such as the black-rot fungi. Said fungi are thought to be seeking the nitrogen content of lignin rather than its carbon content^{[citation needed]}. Lignin is one such remaining product of decomposing plants with a very complex chemical structure causing the rate of microbial breakdown to slow. Warmth determines the speed of plant decay, with the rate of decay increasing as heat increases, i.e. a plant in a warm environment will decay over a shorter period of time. In most grassland ecosystems, natural damage from fire, insects that feed on decaying matter, termites, grazing mammals, and the physical movement of animals through the grass are the primary agents of breakdown and nutrient cycling, while bacteria and fungi play the main roles in further decomposition.

The chemical aspects of plant decomposition always involve the release of carbon dioxide.

Animal decomposition[link]

Ants eating a dead snake

Decomposition begins at the moment of death, caused by two factors: autolysis, the breaking down of tissues by the body's own internal chemicals and enzymes, and putrefaction, the breakdown of tissues by bacteria. These processes release gases that are the chief source of the unmistakably putrid odor of decaying animal tissue.

Most decomposers are bacteria or fungi, though scavengers also play an important role in decomposition if the body is accessible to insects and other animals. The most important insects that are involved in the process include the flesh-flies (Sarcophagidae) and blow-flies (Calliphoridae), such as the green-bottle fly seen in the summer. The most important non-insect animals that are typically involved in the process include larger scavengers, such as: coyotes, dogs, wolves, foxes, rats, crows and vultures. Some of these scavengers also remove and scatter bones, which they ingest at a later time.

Food decomposition[link]

This section requires expansion with: information from the main article.

The decomposition of food, called spoilage in this context, is an important field of study within food science. The spoilage of meat occurs, if the meat is untreated, in a matter of hours or days and results in the meat becoming unappetizing, poisonous or infectious. Spoilage is caused by the practically unavoidable infection and subsequent decomposition of meat by bacteria and fungi, which are borne by the animal itself, by the people handling the meat, and by their implements. Meat can be kept edible for a much longer time – though not indefinitely – if proper hygiene is observed during production and processing, and if appropriate food safety, food preservation and food storage procedures are applied.

Importance to forensics[link]

Various sciences study the decomposition of bodies under the general rubric of forensics because the usual motive for such studies is to determine the time and cause of death for legal purposes:

• Forensic taphonomy specifically studies the processes of decomposition in order to apply the biological and chemical principles to forensic cases in order to determine post-mortem interval (PMI), post-burial interval as well as to locate clandestine graves.
• Forensic pathology studies the clues to the cause of death found in the corpse as a medical phenomenon.
• Forensic entomology studies the insects and other vermin found in corpses; the sequence in which they appear, the kinds of insects, and where they are found in their life cycle are clues that can shed light on the time of death, the length of a corpse's exposure, and whether the corpse was moved.^[12][13]
• Forensic anthropology is the branch of physical anthropology that studies skeletons and human remains, usually to seek clues as to the identity, race, and sex of their former owner.^[14][15]

The University of Tennessee Anthropological Research Facility (better known as the Body Farm) in Knoxville, Tennessee has a number of bodies laid out in various situations in a fenced-in plot near the medical center. Scientists at the Body Farm study how the human body decays in various circumstances to gain a better understanding into decomposition.

Factors affecting decomposition[link]

Exposure to the elements[link]

A dead body that has been exposed to the open elements, such as water and air, will decompose more quickly and attract much more insect activity than a body that is buried or confined in special protective gear or artifacts. This is due, in part, to the limited number of insects that can penetrate a coffin and the lower temperatures under soil.

The rate and manner of decomposition in an animal body is strongly affected by a number of factors. In roughly descending degrees of importance, they are:

• Temperature;
• The availability of oxygen;
• Prior embalming;
• Cause of death;
• Burial, depth of burial, and soil type;
• Access by scavengers;
• Trauma, including wounds and crushing blows;
• Humidity, or wetness;
• Rainfall;
• Body size and weight;
• Clothing;
• The surface on which the body rests;
• Foods/objects inside the specimen's digestive tract (bacon compared to lettuce).

The speed at which decomposition occurs varies greatly. Factors such as temperature, humidity, and the season of death all determine how fast a fresh body will skeletonize or mummify. A basic guide for the effect of environment on decomposition is given as Casper's Law (or Ratio): if all other factors are equal, then, when there is free access of air a body decomposes twice as fast than if immersed in water and eight times faster than if buried in earth. Ultimately, the rate of bacterial decomposition acting on the tissue will be depend upon the temperature of the surroundings. Colder temperatures decrease the rate of decomposition while warmer temperatures increase it.

The most important variable is a body's accessibility to insects, particularly flies. On the surface in tropical areas, invertebrates alone can easily reduce a fully fleshed corpse to clean bones in under two weeks. The skeleton itself is not permanent; acids in soils can reduce it to unrecognizable components. This is one reason given for the lack of human remains found in the wreckage of the Titanic, even in parts of the ship considered inaccessible to scavengers. Freshly skeletonized bone is often called "green" bone and has a characteristic greasy feel. Under certain conditions (normally cool, damp soil), bodies may undergo saponification and develop a waxy substance called adipocere, caused by the action of soil chemicals on the body's proteins and fats. The formation of adipocere slows decomposition by inhibiting the bacteria that cause putrefaction.

In extremely dry or cold conditions, the normal process of decomposition is halted – by either lack of moisture or temperature controls on bacterial and enzymatic action – causing the body to be preserved as a mummy. Frozen mummies commonly restart the decomposition process when thawed (see Ötzi the Iceman), whilst heat-desiccated mummies remain so unless exposed to moisture.

The bodies of newborns who never ingested food are an important exception to the normal process of decomposition. They lack the internal microbial flora that produce much of decomposition and quite commonly mummify if kept in even moderately dry conditions.

Artificial preservation[link]

Embalming is the practice of delaying decomposition of human and animal remains. Embalming slows decomposition somewhat, but does not forestall it indefinitely. Embalmers typically pay great attention to parts of the body seen by mourners, such as the face and hands. The chemicals used in embalming repel most insects, and slow down bacterial putrefaction by either killing existing bacteria in or on the body themselves or by "fixing" cellular proteins, which means that they cannot act as a nutrient source for subsequent bacterial infections. In sufficiently dry environments, an embalmed body may end up mummified and it is not uncommon for bodies to remain preserved to a viewable extent after decades. Notable viewable embalmed bodies include those of:

• Eva Perón of Argentina, whose body was injected with paraffin was kept perfectly preserved for many years, and still is as far as is known (her body is no longer on public display).
• Lenin, whose body was kept submerged in a special tank of fluid for decades and is on public display in Lenin's Mausoleum.
• Other communist leaders such as Mao Zedong, Kim Il-sung, Ho Chi Minh and most recently Kim Jong-il have also had their cadavers preserved in the fashion of Lenin's preservation and are now displayed in their respective mausoleums.
• Pope John XXIII, whose preserved body can be viewed in St. Peter's Basilica.
• Padre Pio, whose body was injected with formalin prior to burial in a dry vault^{[citation needed]} from which he was later removed and placed on public display at the San Giovanni Rotondo.

Environmental preservation[link]

A body buried in a sufficiently dry environment may be well preserved for decades. This was observed in the case for murdered civil rights activist Medgar Evers, who was found to be almost perfectly preserved over 30 years after his death, permitting an accurate autopsy when the case of his murder was re-opened in the 1990s.^[16]

Bodies submerged in a peat bog may become naturally "embalmed", arresting decomposition and resulting in a preserved specimen known as a bog body. The time for an embalmed body to be reduced to a skeleton varies greatly. Even when a body is decomposed, embalming treatment can still be achieved (the arterial system decays more slowly) but would not restore a natural appearance without extensive reconstruction and cosmetic work, and is largely used to control the foul odors due to decomposition.

An animal can be preserved almost perfectly, for millions of years in a resin such as amber.

There are some examples where bodies have been inexplicably preserved (with no human intervention) for decades or centuries and appear almost the same as when they died. In some religious groups, this is known as incorruptibility. It is not known whether or for how long a body can stay free of decay without artificial preservation.^[17]

See also[link]

• Cadaverine
• Decompiculture
• Microbiology of decomposition
• Putrescine
• Staling

References[link]

External links[link]

Look up decomposition, spoilage, or perishable in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Media related to Decomposition at Wikimedia Commons
• 1Lecture.com, Food Decomposition (a Flash animation)

v t e Modelling ecosystems – trophic components General Abiotic component Abiotic stress Behaviour Biogeochemical cycle Biomass Biotic component Biotic stress Carrying capacity Competition Ecosystem Ecosystem ecology Ecosystem model Keystone species List of feeding behaviours Metabolic theory of ecology Productivity Producers Autotrophs Chemosynthesis Chemotrophs Foundation species Mixotrophs Myco-heterotrophy Mycotroph Organotrophs Photoheterotrophs Photosynthesis Photosynthetic efficiency Phototrophs Primary nutritional groups Primary production Consumers Apex predator Bacterivore Carnivores Chemoorganotroph Foraging Generalist and specialist species Intraguild predation Herbivores Heterotroph Heterotrophic nutrition Insectivore Mesopredator release hypothesis Omnivores Optimal foraging theory Predation Prey switching Decomposers Chemoorganoheterotrophy Decomposition Detritivores Detritus Microorganisms Archaea Bacteriophage Environmental microbiology Lithoautotroph Lithotrophy Microbial cooperation Microbial ecology Microbial food web Microbial intelligence Microbial loop Microbial mat Microbial metabolism Phage ecology Food webs Biomagnification Ecological efficiency Ecological pyramid Energy flow Food chain Trophic level Example webs Cold seeps Hydrothermal vents Intertidal Kelp forests Lakes North Pacific Subtropical Gyre Rivers San Francisco Estuary Soil Tidal pool Processes Ascendency Bioaccumulation Cascade effect Climax community Competitive exclusion principle Consumer-resource systems Copiotrophs Dominance Ecological network Ecological succession Energy quality Energy Systems Language f-ratio Feed conversion ratio Feeding frenzy Mesotrophic soil Nutrient cycle Oligotroph Paradox of the plankton Trophic cascade Trophic mutualism Trophic state index Defense/counter Animal coloration Antipredator adaptations Camouflage Herbivore adaptations to plant defense Mimicry Plant defense against herbivory Predator avoidance in schooling fish

v t e Modelling ecosystems – other components Population ecology Abundance Allee effect Depensation Ecological yield Effective population size Intraspecific competition Logistic function Malthusian growth model Maximum sustainable yield Overpopulation in wild animals Overexploitation Population cycle Population dynamics Population modeling Population size Predator–prey equations Recruitment Resilience Small population size Stability Species Biodiversity Density-dependent inhibition Ecological effects of biodiversity Ecological extinction Endemic species Flagship species Gradient analysis Indicator species Introduced species Invasive species Latitudinal gradients in species diversity Minimum viable population Neutral theory Occupancy-abundance relationship Population viability analysis Priority effect Rapoport's rule Relative abundance distribution Relative species abundance Species diversity Species homogeneity Species richness Species distribution Species-area curve Umbrella species Species interaction Antibiosis Biological interaction Commensalism Community ecology Ecological facilitation Interspecific competition Mutualism Storage effect Spatial ecology Biogeography Cross-boundary subsidy Ecocline Ecotone Ecotype Disturbance Edge effect Foster's rule Habitat fragmentation Ideal free distribution Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis Island biogeography Landscape ecology Landscape epidemiology Landscape limnology Metapopulation Patch dynamics r/K selection theory Source–sink dynamics Niche Ecological niche Ecological trap Ecosystem engineer Environmental niche modelling Guild Habitat Limiting similarity Niche apportionment models Niche construction Niche differentiation Other networks Assembly rules Bateman's principle Bioluminescence Ecological collapse Ecological debt Ecological deficit Ecological energetics Ecological indicator Ecological threshold Ecosystem diversity Emergence Extinction debt Kleiber's law Liebig's law of the minimum Marginal value theorem Thorson's rule Xerosere Other Allometry Alternative stable state Balance of nature Biological data visualization Constructal theory Ecocline Ecological economics Ecological footprint Ecological forecasting Ecological humanities Ecological stoichiometry Ecopath Ecosystem based fisheries Endolith Evolutionary ecology Functional ecology Industrial ecology Macroecology Microecosystem Natural environment Systems ecology Theoretical ecology List of ecology topics

Nahshid Sulaiman (born Ralond Scruggs) better known by his stage name One Be Lo is an alternative hip hop artist from Pontiac, Michigan.^[1] He is well respected for being one half of the rap duo Binary Star,^[2] and has released a number of well-received solo albums.^[3][4][5][6] He is also a member of the World Champion B-boy crew, Massive Monkees.

Biography[link]

Early Life[link]

Lo was adopted in Pontiac, Mich., where his mother worked as a beautician and his stepfather worked at a plant. As a result, he developed appreciation for women, fashion, working with a variety of different people, discipline, and forgiveness. He busied himself with over a dozen different activities and attended church several times a week with his family. Life changed once his parents divorced when he was 14-years-old. With lower supervision and more exposure to new things, he ran the streets with older kids until he went to prison days after his 18th birthday. While in prison, OneBeLo read extensively and converted to Islam after seeing it wasn't what he was told it was as a Christian child. He also formed the rap group Binary Star with his partner-in-crime Senim Silla. Despite domestic violence, murder and other drama out of his control happening back home, Lo handled his sentence without losing himself.

Music Career[link]

Binary Star[link]

Upon Lo’s release, in 1998 he formed the hip-hop group Binary Star with Senim Silla, and they hit the ground running. On their self-released debut Water World, they teamed up with future staples like Elzhi, J.U.I.C.E. and Athletic Mic League to exercise creative concepts and deliver substantial messages. Lo formed a production team with Decompoze, who he had recorded with in high school. Binary Star quickly sold out of their initial 1,000 copies as the album was praised as an “instant classic.” Though Lo had intended to rhyme anonymously as a solo act to revert attention to the music, he was often addressed as OneManArmy because of a line he used in a song. Lo added extra Senim Silla verses and new songs to a Waterworld re-release entitled Masters of the Universe in 2000, and continued to focus on touring with Subterraneous and recording several albums’ worth of new music.

He and Senim Silla would later go their separate ways, Lo cited "creative differences" as the main reason for their split.^[4][5].

Despite earlier claims, Binary Star's official Myspace page states that, "Recently reuniting after a 10-year hiatus, Binary Star is back in the studio working on its long awaited follow-up to the classic debut album Masters of the Universe (M.O.T.U.). Tentatively titled Light Years Apart, the duo's EP serves as a mere prequel to a full-length LP."

Solo Career[link]

In January 2000, Lo compiled his Subterraneous Records crew—which consisted of Malaki The Most High, Decompoze, Kodac, Magestik Legend, DJ Phrikshun and iLLite—in January 2000. This enabled him to release his own albums more easily, while also promoting a number of Michigan’s most promising producers and emcees. A year later, Subterraneous Records released WaterWorld Too, a compilation featuring a number of artists from the label's roster. In the meantime, he continued to work on his solo material with producer Decompoze. In late 2002, One Be Lo decided to press limited copies of Project F.E.T.U.S. (For Everybody That Under Stands), a collection of songs that were not initially intended for release.^[5] This release was a planned prequel to One Be Lo’s debut album.

[edit] 2005: S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M. and S.T.I.L.L.B.O.R.N.

After the success of Project F.E.T.U.S, the disc sold thousands of copies, he would later complete his next project titled S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M. (Sounds Of Nahshid Originate Good Rhymes And Music). He approached Fat Beats Records to press a single to help promote the album, and they gave him a different offer.

"They asked me to send them the song I was thinking about using for the single, and I was like, 'If they're doing the 12-inch, I'll let them pick the song.' So I just sent them the whole album," Lo remembers. "They hit me back like, 'We don't want to do a 12-inch. We want to do the whole album."

Lo signed with Fat Beats for distribution in 2003, and the label asked him to change his name from OneManArmy to avoid legal troubles with a similarly named punk band. He changed his name to OneBeLo since he had used that with F.E.T.U.S. He would later go to Saudi Arabia on Mecca, an Islamic tradition to find one's self. Meanwhile, Fat Beats pushed back S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M. until 2005. S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M. featured a number of fellow Michigan rappers such as Abdus Salaam and singer Ka Di.^[5] The album was critically acclaimed and sold about 12,000 copies within Lo's first few weeks on tour. Many praised One Be Lo for his conscious and intelligent lyrics.

After closely examining the F.E.T.U.S. with his album S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M., OneBeLo decided to breathe new life into his released and unreleased cameos for a different project. S.T.I.L.L.B.O.R.N. (Subterraneous/Trackezoids Invest Lost Lyrics Bringing Old Rhymes New) is a 27-track compilation of Lo's older released and unreleased guest appearances, paired with original new Decompoze beats and mixed all together by DJ Scene. OneBeLo listeners had choices in 2005. They could enjoy the cohesive focus of S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M., or the scattered brilliance of S.T.I.L.L.B.O.R.N.

With two projects in tow, Lo landed tours and major festivals, rocking 160 shows per year between 2005 and 2007.

[edit] 2007: The R.E.B.I.R.T.H.

Continuing his journey to chase the greater good, Lo moved his family to Egypt to expose them to a non-American perspective. Once he saw personnel changes at Fat Beats when he arrived back years later, he worked his way out of his deal and self-released The R.E.B.I.R.T.H. (Real Emcees Bring Intelligent Rhymes To Hip-Hop). The R.E.B.I.R.T.H. symbolizes several turning points in OneBeLo's life. He recorded the album after moving back to the United States after living in Egypt with his family for several years, the disc was also recorded after the early passing of his daughter.

Eager to collaborate with producers and use a different sound, Lo collaborated with beatmakers like Lab Techs, Jake One, Memo (of the Molemen), and others. The album performed well, but Lo again wanted to change his approach. Rather than use his previous method of recording as many songs as possible and compiling what he thought were the best songs, he decided to sit down and focus on one piece of work. That piece was entitled B.A.B.Y. (Being A Black Youth).

[edit] 2008: B.A.B.Y.

B.A.B.Y. (Being a Black Youth) is the latest brainchild of One Be Lo.

"Most of it is personal, stories of different situations I dealt with growing up. But these are experiences that many of us share to some degree. So I based most of it from my own life, but the album is not only about me, it's about the experience of youth, and of people in general. Since I can't speak for all youth, I reached out to a few artist from different parts of the country that I knew could bring different perspectives, and they filled in the blanks. Topics range from Family, to love, from economics to music, basically just everyday life for a youth. We all know how complex things can be growing up, not only in America, but all over the world. Baby is an acronym that ultimately stands for Being A Black Youth. I grew up as a black youth, but it's not about just being "black". There are many experiences that we all share as youth and when you here the album you might find yourself saying, "I'm not black, but I can relate to that too." So you can make your own Acronym (Being a Blonde Youth-lol). There are many youth out there not just black you, who who feel "Blue". They have felt "betrayed", "belittled"... they have been "beaten" and "battered". Many us go through our own struggles sometimes starting the day we are born. Now don't get me wrong, this album is not all about struggle. This is also about Being a "Brave" youth, or being "brilliant". We have/had our share of bad times, and good ones too. So regardless of the situation, the overall message is- "If it don't kill you, it makes you stronger. Black, blue, blonde, brown or whatever, we all are "Blessed". Whether you are 9 months old, or 90 years old...at one point your were a youth, and this album is for you. So stay tuned for the birthdate..."

Much of the album, which features the likes of Freeway, Phonte (of Little Brother), Devin The Dude, Guilty Simpson, Royce da 5'9", Zion I, Akir, and others, was lost when thieves broke in and stole studio equipment..^[7]Additionally, the label he had signed with, MYX, dissolved before the record could drop.

[edit] 2011: L.A.B.O.R.

Lo stashed his latest sessions and began to work on his album, L.A.B.O.R. (Language Arts Based On Reality) from scratch. The new project takes metaphorical inspiration from animals and occupations, jumpstarts a new Waterworld movement with the LABORhood, and lays the foundation to a crop of other conceptual records. The Bulk of production comes from D Will of Kansas City, but reputable producers like 14KT, Nick Speed and Vitamin D are just a few of the contributors. L.A.B.O.R. also showcases the musicianship of One Be Lo’s fellow Pontiac natives David "DMT" Vied (guitar), Derek "The Tyrant" Caraway (keyboard) and Detroit’s Emily Rogers (bass).

"With this project, I'm staying busy and developing my ideas. I'm going through the pains of L.A.B.O.R. before delivering this B.A.B.Y.," Lo says. "Don’t let anyone stop you from creating your art."

[edit] 2012-present: K.I.C.K. P.U.S.H.

K.I.C.K. P.U.S.H. (Keep It Cool Kid, People Usually Show Hate) was birthed in the wee hours of the night, while most people were resting and preparing for the next workday. After spending long days recording and mixing the L.A.B.O.R. album, it felt like going to Widetrax studio afterwards was more like taking a break from the actual job. The L.A.B.O.R. project is very conceptual. There are many layers in that project, and I expect people to take a while to get all of it. This K.I.C.K. P.U.S.H. is a fun record. Recording it was fun because there was no pressure to do it, but we still maintain the same work ethic. At one point, Pontiac was known for manufacturing cars, that moved people all over the world. Now that the auto industry is a ghost in our town, we carry on the tradition of manufacturing music that will move people all over the globe, whether you have a car or not.

"K.I.C.K. (Keep It Cool Kid) P.U.S.H. (People Usually Show Hate) represents the raw energy that inspired me to make music over 20 years ago. We were always self motivated because most people around us didn’t understand what we were doing, or had the crab in the bucket mentality. In some instances we had to KICK down doors and PUSH our way in. For everybody that understands, S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M. (Sounds of Nahshid Originate Good Rhymes And Music). Something to interest Lo listeners beyond original recorded networkings. Real emcee’s bring intelligent rhymes to Hip-Hop. Language arts based on Reality. Keep it cool kid. People usually show hate. That’s the motto."

All of Lo's solo albums have been leading up to his magnum opus, entitled L.I.F.E. (Lo Is For Everybody).

Rap style[link]

One Be Lo has crafted himself into what he describes as "the MC's MC". He is often praised for his clear delivery, precise rapping style and conscious lyrics, especially from fans of alternative hip hop. This was noted by Allmusic in their review of S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M., saying:^[8]

"One Be Lo is a deep thinker; the details and complex wordplay within his rhymes often take several plays to fully comprehend and appreciate. Similar in effect to X-Clan's Brother J, his words can be righteous, but they're always delivered with casual assurance, like he's talking to an acquaintance at a bus stop. He observes with the wisdom of a father who's been through prison, raises a lot of issues, has almost as many solutions, and never sounds overbearing or preachy.

Discography[link]

Binary Star[link]

• Waterworld - 1999
• Masters of the Universe - 2000

Solo[link]

• WaterWorld Too - 2001
  • "Subterraneous"

• Project: F.E.T.U.S. - 2002
  • For Everybody That UnderStands
  • "OneBeLo" (later "OneBeLo aka OneManArmy")

• S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M. - 2005
  • Sounds Of Nahshid Originate Good Rhymes And Music
  • "One.Be.Lo also known as OneManArmy of Binary Star"

• S.T.I.L.L.B.O.R.N. - 2005
  • Something To Interest Lo Listeners Beyond Original Recorded Networkings; or
  • Subterraneous/Trackezoids Invest Lost Lyrics Bringing Old Rhymes New
  • "One Be Lo & DJ Scene"

• Project F.E.T.U.S. (2CD Re-Issue) - 2007
  • For Everybody That UnderStands
  • "OneManArmy"

• The R.E.B.I.R.T.H. - 2007
  • Real Emcees Bring Intelligent Rhymes To Hip-Hop
  • "One Be Lo aka One Man Army"

• L.A.B.O.R. - 2011
  • Language Arts Based On Reality
  • "One Be Lo Soundtrack"

• K​.​I​.​C​.​K. P​.​U​.​S​.​H. - 2012
  • Keep It Cool Kid People Usually Show Hate
  • "One Be Lo Starring as Rahlo"

• B.A.B.Y. - 2012^[9]
  • Being A Black Youth

Official Mixtapes[link]

• S.T.I.L.L.B.O.R.N. - 2005
• Laborhood Part 1 - 2011
• Laborhood Part 2 - 2011
• Laborhood Part 3 - 2012

See also[link]

• Alternative hip hop

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official web site
• Unofficial web site
• Myspace page
• ItsHipHop.tv video interview
• AllMusic.com page