Capone-N-Noreaga was an American hip hop duo that consisted of Capone and Noreaga.^[1]

History[link]

In 1996 the duo signed with Penalty Records; it also appeared in The Source magazine's Unsigned Hype column. In 1996, before the group’s debut album was completed, Capone was imprisoned for a parole violation,^[2] and Noreaga finished the debut album, The War Report, with the help of various other QB/NY hip-hop acts. The album was met with critical and commercial acclaim;^[3] it saw the group partake in the conflict between Death Row Records and Bad Boy Entertainment, making it a more widespread East Coast/West Coast rivalry, responding to Tha Dogg Pound's single " New York, New York" with its own "L.A L.A"

In 2000, the group released its sophomore effort, The Reunion, on Tommy Boy Records. Similarly star-studded, the album went platinum, but suffered from mixed reviews.^[4][5] Additionally, Capone was once again sent to prison before its release for violating a probation sentence on gun possession,^[6] which undermined promotion of the album. Soon after, in 2001, Capone-n-Noreaga jumped ship to prominent label Def Jam. As Tommy Boy retained the rights to the names Capone-n-Noreaga and Noreaga because the company claimed that the duo owed it more recordings, the group shortened its name to CNN, and Noreaga billed himself as N.O.R.E. (or NORE) for his solo work. The duo recorded a new album in 2003 called What up 2 Da Hood, with a lead single, "Yes, Sir," which was issued on mixtapes and promoted by a video. The single failed to make an impact, and the album was shelved. It was released later in 2004 as a mixtape (What Up 2 Da Hood Thugged Out).

In the same year, the duo found itself implicated in a non-fatal shooting between rival hip-hop groups, one of which included emcee Lil' Kim,^[7] after a chance encounter outside New York radio station Hot 97. Capone-n-Noreaga have denied any involvement in the shooting, for which the group was not charged.^[8] In early 2005, Def Jam released Capone from his contract while retaining NORE;^{[citation needed]} Capone released his debut album, Pain, Time, and Glory, in the same year.

In 2006, NORE brought up the possibility of a Capone-n-Noreaga reunion and a new album.^[9] CNN released Channel 10 on March 17, 2009, taking the name from a song off The War Report. Channel 10 is put together with the assistance of long time friend DJ EFN. The first single off their third studio album is titled "Rotate" which was produced by Ron Browz and features Ron Browz & Busta Rhymes. DJ Premier, Havoc, and The Alchemist--among others—provided production for the album.^[10] A sequel album of to "War Report" was released the following year to slight fanfare. At that point, the duo recalibrated and decided to return to focusing on solo efforts.

In June 2011, N.O.R.E stated on his Twitter page that the group had called it quits and that he would continue to focus on his solo career.^[11][12]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Singles[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• . /caponennore C-N-N's official Myspace Page
• . /caponefromcnn Capone's Official MySpace Page
• . /nore NORE's Official MySpace Page
• website to DJ EFN, A&R of Channel 10

Mobb Deep is an American Hip-Hop duo from Queensbridge, Queens, New York, U.S.,^[1] that consists of Havoc and Prodigy. The duo is "one of the most critically acclaimed hardcore East Coast Hip-Hop groups".^[2] The group is best known for its dark, hardcore delivery as exemplified by the single "Shook Ones Pt. II".^[3] Mobb Deep have become one of the most successful rap duos in Hip Hop having sold over three million records.^[2] The majority of their albums have been critically acclaimed, in particular The Infamous in which is considered to be classic among avid Hip-Hop listeners and general fans.^[4][5] They are partially credited for the resurgence of East Coast rap in the early to mid-'90s. Havoc and Prodigy were also judges for the 7th Annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers and breakthroughs.^[6]

Biography[link]

Origins[link]

Havoc and Prodigy supposedly started their career in music in 1986 and they both attended the High School of Art and Design in New York City. Havoc took the role of kurwa and as secondary musician/rapper while Prodigy assumed the position of primary musician/rapper. Originally dubbing themselves the Poetical Profits, the duo later changed its name to Mobb Deep in order to "reflect their reputation on the streets."^[7] It is rumored that before the groups initial career beginnings, Prodigy was at the age of fifteen when he was featured on the classic movie soundtrack Boyz In The Hood in a track call Too Young. In June 1991, when Havoc and Prodigy were at the age of seventeen they released their debut album as they self-titled, Juvenile Hell which was promoted by the single "Peer Pressure." The album sold poorly and eventually met with harsh reviews that dismissed the duo as just another hardcore group with little to distinguish it from the rest of the hip-hop world, despite production by DJ Premier and Large Professor. However, a few songs from Juvenile Hell had gain recognition such as; "Hit It from the Back," "Locked in Spofford" and "Me and My Crew." Moreover, in 1993 Havoc attended a show as a guest appearance on the critically acclaimed Black Moon album Enta Da Stage on a song titled "U Da Man." In 1994 the duo released a single titled "Shook Ones Part 1", which contained verses that later were incorporated into their most commercially successful song, "Shook Ones Part 2".

Rise to Success[link]

The group saw its first major success with their second album, The Infamous released in 1995. Mobb Deep catapulted to the top of the hardcore hip-hop scene through Havoc and Prodigy's straightforward narration of street life. In this album, Mobb Deep portrayed the struggles of living in New York City's Queensbridge Houses where they grew up. Following the release of The Infamous, Mobb Deep became some of the most prolific artists of the East Coast in regards to the hardcore Hip Hop sub-genre. The production of this album was very dark and sample-based thanks to Havoc, who produced the beats almost exclusively throughout Mobb Deep's career.^[8] Furthermore, the smash hit single "Shook Ones Pt. II" received critical acclaim and was well-received within the Hip Hop community.

Mobb Deep's third album, Hell on Earth was released in 1996 debuting at number six on the Billboard Album Chart; the album continued the duo's portrayal of harsh street life while further pushing them to the forefront of the hardcore Hip Hop scene along with contemporary East Coast Rappers like The Notorious B.I.G., Wu-Tang Clan collective, Jay-Z and fellow Queensbridge Associate Nas. Both Method Man and Raekwon of the Wu Tang Clan appear on 'Hell on Earth'.

In 1996, they appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation CD, America is Dying Slowly alongside Biz Markie, Wu-Tang Clan and Fat Joe among many other prominent Hip Hop artists. This compilation was solely meant to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic among African American men and this compilation was heralded as "a masterpiece" by The Source Magazine, a Hip Hop Publication. In 1998, the duo collaborated with a reggae dancehall rapper named, Bounty Killer on the track "Deadly Zone" for the soundtrack to Blade. In 1999, they released the highly anticipated Murda Muzik album in which despite extensive bootlegging, the majority of its songs were unintentionally leaked which resulted in delays in the official album release. When the album officially released it eventually debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and quickly received Platinum Certification and further promoted by the popular single "Quiet Storm." Shortly afterward, Prodigy released his long-awaited solo album H.N.I.C in which the artist collaborated with fellow artist on the likes of, (B.G. and N.O.R.E.) and lastly, producers (including The Alchemist, Rockwilder, and Just Blaze).

East Coast vs. West Coast National Feud[link]

Mobb Deep was part of the infamous East Coast vs West Coast Hip Hop rivalry that was fueled and increasingly promoted by the private media. The beef started when Snoop Dogg and the West Coast group, Tha Dogg Pound released "New York, New York" which Mobb Deep, along with Capone-N-Noreaga and Tragedy Khadafi responded with the song "L.A L.A" (This song can be found on Capone-N-Noreaga's debut album The War Report). This song was released during rapper 2Pac's final days of incarceration. Members of 2Pac's group, Outlawz, allegedly attended a Mobb Deep concert; they then visited with 2Pac over public rumoring that the duo had snubbed them at the concert. 2Pac dissed Mobb Deep on multiple tracks, including: "Hit 'Em Up" and "When We Ride on Our Enemies" in which 2Pac makes light of Prodigy's sickle-cell disease. Additional 2Pac diss tracks include: "Bomb First (My Second Reply)" and "Against All Odds", both of which were released on 2Pac's posthumous studio album, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory. Mobb Deep retaliated on their 1996 release of Hell on Earth, which contains a diss track entitled "Drop A Gem On 'Em."

2000 to 2010[link]

Mobb Deep released Infamy while in 2001 the song "Burn" (featuring Vita) was perceived as a response to Jay-Z's diss song "Takeover" on The Blueprint, as was "Crawlin'," in which Prodigy's two verses both mention Jay-Z. The album marked a major stylistic change in which the duo moved away from a raw, minimalist, stripped-down beat toward a commercial friendly in terms with such songs as "Hey Luv (Anything)." This transition fostered accusations of "selling out". The eventually led the group's fanbase upset and many long-time fans who did not wish to see them veer away from their original style eventually lost some interest in their music. Although these stylistic adjustments opened up by Mobb Deep to a wider audience, many critics and fans consider their style change as a detriment to Mobb Deep's street image and record sales (most evident when comparing the platinum-selling Murda Muzik to Infamy which struggled to attain gold-record status). In 2003, the group split with Loud Records and released Free Agents: The Murda Mix Tape, in which Havoc and Prodigy proclaimed themselves "free agents" and addressed the group's split with its old label and its search for a new label. Jive Records signed the duo later in the year through a deal with the group’s own imprint. Mobb Deep then released Amerikaz Nightmare in 2004 which was seen by the general hip-hop audience as an "weaker release"; this resulted in poor sales and the group’s subsequent departure from the label.^[9] Today, as a result of various mergers, all of Mobb Deep's studio albums from 1995 to 2004 are owned by Sony Music Entertainment.

G-Unit Records[link]

In June 2005, Prodigy and Havoc announced they had signed with 50 Cent's label G-Unit Records. The move was surprising among Hip Hop fans because 50 Cent had ridiculed the group in his song "Piggy Bank". 50 Cent had a connection to Mobb Deep as he grew up in Queens and Havoc had provided production on projects by G-Unit, Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo. The relationship strengthened as Prodigy and 50 Cent each received tattoos to pledge their loyalty to each other. Prodigy has the word "G-Unit" tattooed on the side of his right hand and 50 Cent has "Mobb Deep" tattooed on his wrist. As part of their contract with G-Unit, both Prodigy and Havoc were given new Porsches. Later, Mobb Deep signed different artists onto Infamous/G-Unit Records including Nyce, 40 Glocc and Gail Gotti. Mobb Deep released their eighth album, Blood Money in 2006. It features G-Unit members 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo and Young Buck as well as Mary J. Blige and Nate Dogg. In 2006, Mobb Deep became the first American hip-hop duo to perform in India, via VH1's Hip Hop Hustle. It performed in a nightclub called Enigma. In late 2009, Mobb Deep were released from their contract with 50 Cent's G-Unit label.

2011 to Present Day[link]

On April 4, 2011 a possible new Mobb Deep single leaked on the internet named "Dog Shit", this song features rapper Nas as its collaborator. This is the first official song by Mobb Deep since Prodigy made his return from jail and their first consensual collaboration with Nas in nearly ten years due to their feud (Except member Prodigy & Nas appearing on producer The Alchemist's album 1st Infantry, on song "Tick Tock"). It is produced by Havoc and Alchemist. In the longrun of their relationship, they are also recording an upcoming, self titled album (which will be their ninth studio album) with production from Havoc, The Alchemist, Sid Roams, DJ Premier, MTK, Cardiak and the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League as well as other guest artists such as; Rick Ross, Lil' Kim, Wiz Khalifa, Odd Future and Nas on their new album.^[10] On November 21, 2011, the duo released an EP called Black Cocaine which is an EP promoting their LP which is rumored to be released in the Year of 2012.^[11]

Discography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Mobb Deep on Myspace
• Interview with Prodigy - Prodigy Interview of 2006, Hip Hop Publication
• Prodigy Interview of 2007, Hip Hop Publication

Faith Evans
Evans performing in April 2005
Background information
Birth name	Faith Renee Evans
Born	(1973-06-10) June 10, 1973 (age 39) Lakeland, Florida
Origin	Newark, New Jersey, United States
Genres	R&B, soul, hip hop soul, hip hop
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, record producer, actress
Years active	1993–present
Labels	Bad Boy (1994–2004) Capitol (2004–2007) Prolific/E1 Music (2009–present)
Associated acts	Sean Combs, Keyshia Cole, Mary J. Blige, 112, Lil' Mo, The Notorious B.I.G.,
Website	FaithEvansOnline.com

Faith Renée Evans (born June 10, 1973) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born in Florida and raised in New Jersey, Evans relocated to Los Angeles during 1993 for a career in the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B. Sure and Christopher Williams, she became the first female artist to be contracted with Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs' Bad Boy Entertainment recording company during 1994, for which she released three platinum-certified studio albums between the years 1995 and 2001.^[1] During 2003, she ended her relationship with the company to contract with Capitol Records.^[2]

Other than her recording career, Evans is known as the widow of New York rapper Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G." Wallace, whom she married on August 4, 1994, a few weeks after meeting at a Bad Boy photoshoot.^[3] The turbulent marriage resulted in Evans' involvement in the East Coast-West Coast hip hop feud, dominating the rap music news at the time, and ended with Wallace's murder in a yet-unsolved drive-by shooting in Los Angeles on March 9, 1997.^[4] A 1997 tribute single featuring Puff Daddy and the band 112, named "I'll Be Missing You", became Evans' best-selling song to date and won her a Grammy Award during 1998.^[2]

Also an avocational actress and writer, Evans made her screen debut in the 2000 musical drama Turn It Up by Robert Adetuyi. Her autobiography Keep the Faith: A Memoir was released by Grand Central Publishing during 2008 and won a 2009 African American Literary Award for the Best Biography/Memoir category.

Biography[link]

Early life and career beginnings[link]

Lakeland, Florida where Evans was born.

Evans was born in Lakeland, Florida to an African-American mother, Helene Evans, a professional singer.^[2] Her father, Richard Swain, was a musician who left before Evans was born (Evans has said "I've heard people mumble something about him being Italian, but I don't know for sure").^[5] A half year later, 19-year-old Helene returned to Newark, New Jersey and left Faith with her cousin Johnnie Mae and husband Orvelt Kennedy, the foster parents of more than a hundred children they raised in the time that Faith lived with them.^[2][4] It was not until a couple of years later that Helene's career floundered and she tried to take Evans back home. Faith, however, was afraid to leave what she'd "been used to", and instead, Helene relocated next door.^[2]

Raised in a Christian home, Evans began singing at church at age two. At age four, she caught the attention of the congregation of the Emmanuel Baptist Church (in Newark) when she sang The 5th Dimension's song "Let the Sunshine In".^[6] While attending University High School in Newark, she sang with several jazz bands and, encouraged by Helene, entered outside pageants, festivals and contests, where her voice would be noticed and praised. After graduating from high school during 1991, Evans attended Fordham University in New York City to study marketing but left a year later to have daughter Chyna with music producer Kiyamma Griffin.^[1] A couple of months later^[when?], she relocated to Los Angeles, where she worked as a backup vocalist for singer Al B. Sure, when she was noticed by musician Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs. Impressed with her persona, Combs contracted her as the company's first female artist to his Bad Boy Entertainment during 1994.^[1]

[edit] 1994-01: Faith, Keep The Faith, Biggie, motherhood and marriage

Newly contracted to Bad Boy Records, Evans was consulted by executive producer Combs to contribute backing vocals and writing skills to Mary J. Blige's My Life (1994) and Usher's self-titled debut album (1994) prior to starting work on her debut record album Faith.^[7] Released on August 29, 1995 in North America, the album was a collaboration with Bad Boy's main producers "The Hitmen", including Chucky Thompson and Combs, but it resulted in recordings with Poke & Tone and Herb Middleton. Faith became a success based on the singles "You Used to Love Me" and "Soon as I Get Home". The album was certified Platinum with 1,500,000 copies sold, according to RIAA.^[8]

On August 4, 1994, Evans married rapper and label mate The Notorious B.I.G., after having met him at a Bad Boy photoshoot.^[3] The couple had one child together, Christopher Wallace, Jr. (born October 29, 1996), but the marriage was turbulent as Wallace reportedly had several affairs during their union, including relationships with fellow rappers Lil' Kim and Charli Baltimore.^[9] Additionally, it led to Evans' involvement in the East Coast-West Coast hip hop feud, dominating the rap music news at the time, which ended with Wallace's murder in a yet-to-be-solved drive-by shooting in Los Angeles, California in March 1997,^[4] and made Evans "Rap's most famous widow".^[3] During early 1997, after her separation from Wallace, but before his death, Evans was introduced to record company executive Todd Russaw. Faith began dating Russaw during her and Wallace's separation and eventually, after Wallace died, Evans became pregnant by Russaw. The couple had their first son Joshua on June 8, 1998.^[3] During the summer of 1998, Evans and Russaw were married, and on March 22, 2007, they had their second son Ryder Evan Russaw.^[3] After Biggie's murder during March 1997, Combs helped Evans produce her tribute song named "I'll Be Missing You", based on the melody of The Police's 1983 single "Every Breath You Take". The song, which featured Combs, Evans, and all-male group 112, became a worldwide number-one success and debuted at #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart during 1997, scoring that for eleven weeks. It eventually won Puffy and Evans the 1998 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.^[2] The next year, she received another two Grammy nominations for "Heartbreak Hotel", a collaboration with singers Whitney Houston and Kelly Price, that scored number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[10] Prior to Evans meeting and having a relationship with The Notorious B.I.G., she was involved in a relationship with Kiyamma Griffin. She and Griffin had a daughter named Chyna (born April 1, 1993).

Two years in the making, Evans' second solo effort, Keep the Faith, was released during October 1998. Almost entirely written and produced by her, Evans considered the album difficult to complete as she had initially felt discouraged about the progress at first.^[3] Upon its release, however, the album garnered generally positive reviews by music critics, with Allmusic noting it "without a doubt a highlight of 1990s soul-pop music".^[11] Also enjoying commercial success, it eventually went platinum and produced the top ten singles "Love Like This" and "All Night Long" (released March 30, 1999) prompting Evans to start an 18-city theater tour with Dru Hill and Total the following year.^[3]

[edit] 2001-07: Faithfully, legal issues, Capitol Records and The First Lady

Evans police mug shot

Evans' third album on the Bad Boy imprint, named Faithfully (2001), involved her working with a wider range of producers, including The Neptunes, Mario Winans, Buckwild, Vada Nobles, Cory Rooney, and others.^[12] Her first project with husband Todd Russaw as executive producer and creative partner, the album scored number 14 on the Billboard 200 album chart and number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, eventually being certified platinum, but yielded moderately successful singles, with the Jennifer Lopez-written "I Love You" becoming the only top twenty entry.^[13] Released amid Bad Boy Records' transition from distributor Arista Records to Universal, Evans felt Faithfully received minimum assistance by the company, and during 2004, she finally decided to end her business with Bad Boy as she was convinced Combs couldn't improve her career any more due to his other commitments.^[14] During January 2004, Evans and Russaw were arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and cocaine and an improper tag violation during a traffic stop in Hapeville, a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia.

After ending with Bad Boy Entertainment Evans contracted with Capitol Records company, becoming the first contemporary R&B artist to do so, and started work on her fourth studio album The First Lady, named after her nickname on her former label.^[14] As opposed to having an in-house team of producers who supplied most of the previous material, she and Russaw were able to gain more creative control of the album and consulted producers such as Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri, Mike Caren, Pharrell Williams, and Chucky Thompson to contribute to it.^[15] Upon its release in April 2005, The First Lady scored at number two on the Billboard 200 and #1 of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, becoming Evans' best-charting album to date. It was eventually certified gold by the RIAA.^[16] At the end of the year, Evans released A Faithful Christmas, a holiday album of traditional Christmas songs and original tracks. The effort would become her last release on Capitol Records as the company was bought during 2007.^[17]

[edit] 2008-present: Hiatus, arrest, second child, divorce and Something About Faith

Following a longer hiatus, Evans signed a deal with E1 Entertainment - the largest independent record label in the United States - in 2010. Her sixth studio album Something About Faith was released on October 5, 2010 in the United States and December 6, 2010 in the UK.^[18] In the US, the album debuted and peaked at number fifteen on the Billboard 200, number four on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number one on the Independent Albums chart, failing however to chart oustide the US - making it Evans' only album since her debut Faith to chart in the US only.^[19] Something About Faith has spawned the single and music video "Gone Already"; which spent over thirty-three weeks on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, where it peaked at number twenty-two.^[20] On February 14, 2011, a high definition music video for "Right Here" was released on Evans' official YouTube account, suggesting that it is the second single from the album, though this is yet to be confirmed.^[21]

In August 2010, she was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor drunken driving, after being stopped at a checkpoint in Marina del Rey, California. In 2011, Evans filed for divorce against Russaw.^[22][23] The couple agreed to spend 13 weeks in a drug-treatment program in exchange for halting any further prosecution of their drug-possession case.^[24]

On March 22, 2007, they had their second son Ryder Evan Russaw.^[3] In May 2011, Evans and Russaw announced they were getting a divorce, and stated they would like to keep it quiet for the children's sakes.^[25]

Other ventures[link]

Acting[link]

Having previously appeared in stage plays as a teenager, Evans began acting with a supporting role in director Robert Adetuyi's 2000 music drama Turn It Up, featuring Pras Michel from the The Fugees, Jason Statham and Ja Rule. Released to generally negative reviews from critics,^[26] who noted it "patently absurd in both the details and larger aspects",^[27] the indie film had a short play and became a financial disappointment, gaining US$1.24 million during its U.S. run only.^[28]

During 2003, Evans acted in the MTV-produced romantic comedy The Fighting Temptations in which she appeared in a brief but major role portraying a single mother and night club singer.^[29] Filmed in Columbus, Georgia and headed by Cuba Gooding, Jr. (her character is his mother) and Beyoncé Knowles, the film garnered mixed reviews by critcs,^[30] but scored top three of the U.S. box office, resulting in a domestic gross of US$30.2 million.^[31] In addition, Evans recorded a contemporary cover version of Donna Summer's 1978 success "Heaven Knows" for the film which her characters performs during one of the first in sequence in the film. The accompanying soundtrack scored the top twenty of the U.S. Billboard 200.^[32]

During 2004, Evans earned a brief guest stint on the UPN situation comedy Half & Half.^[33] Evans announced that she had been working on a synopsis for her own situation comedy that would be based largely on her life but with a more comedic aspect. It is unknown whether she has officially pitched the sitcom to any television networks at this time^[when?].^[34]

Writing[link]

Evans released her autobiographic book called Keep the Faith: A Memoir on August 29, 2008. It detailed the singer's life, but also discussed Evans' controversial relationship with her late husband, the Notorious B.I.G.:

"I want people to understand that although he was a large part of my life, my story doesn't actually begin or end with Big's death. My journey has been complicated on many levels. And since I am always linked to Big, there are a lot of misconceptions about who I really am. It's not easy putting your life out there for the masses. But I've decided I'll tell my own story. For Big. For my children. And for myself."^[35]

In its initial release, "Keep the Faith: A Memoir" landed in the Top 20 on New York's Best Seller's List two consecutive weeks in a row. During 2009, the book received The 2009 African American Literary Award for Best Biography/Memoir.^[36]

Discography[link]

Studio albums

• 1995: Faith
• 1998: Keep the Faith
• 2001: Faithfully
• 2005: The First Lady
• 2010: Something About Faith

Other albums

• 2005: A Faithful Christmas

Tours[link]

• The First Lady Tour (2005)

Filmography[link]

• 2000: Turn It Up
• 2003: The Fighting Temptations
• 2009: Notorious

Awards and nominations[link]

• African American Literary Award
  • 2009: African American Literary Award: Keep the Faith (A Memoir) (won)
• BET Awards
  • 2002: Best Female R&B Artist (nominated)
• Grammy Awards
  • 2011: Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: "Gone Already" (nominated)
  • 2003: Best Contemporary R&B Album: Faithfully (nominated)
  • 2001: Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: "Can't Believe" w/ Carl Thomas (nominated)
  • 2000: Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: "Heartbreak Hotel" w/ Whitney Houston & Kelly Price (nominated)
  • 1999: Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: "Love Like This" (nominated)
  • 1998: Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: "I'll Be Missing You" w/ Diddy (won)
• Lady of Soul Awards
  • 2000: Outstanding Music Video: "Love Is Blind" (by Eve ft. Faith Evans) (nominated)
  • 1996: Best Female R&B/Soul Album: Faith (won)
  • 1996: Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist: "You Used to Love Me" (nominated)
• MTV Video Music Awards
  • 2000: Best Rap Video: "Love Is Blind" (by Eve ft. Faith Evans) (nominated)
  • 1999: Best R&B Video: "Heartbreak Hotel" (nominated)
  • 1997: Best R&B Video: "I'll Be Missing You" (won)
  • 1997: Viewer's Choice: "I'll Be Missing You" (nominated)
• Soul Train Awards
  • 2006: Best Female R&B/Soul Album: The First Lady (nominated)
  • 1998: Outstanding Music Video: "I'll Be Missing You" (won)

References[link]

External links[link]

	Book: Faith Evans
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.

• Official site
• Faith Evans at the Internet Movie Database
• Faith Evans interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' November 2010
• The Observer interview, 2005
• Vibe interview, 2005

v t e Faith Evans Studio albums Faith (1995) Keep the Faith (1998) Faithfully (2001) The First Lady (2005) A Faithful Christmas (2005) Something About Faith (2010) Singles "You Used to Love Me" "Soon as I Get Home" "Ain't Nobody" "Kissing You" "Come Over" "Love Like This" "All Night Long" "Never Gonna Let You Go" "Lately I" "Can't Believe" "You Get's No Long" "I Love You" "Burnin' Up" "Alone In this World" "Again" "Mesmerized" "Tru Love "Gone Already" Tours The First Lady Tour (2005) Related topics Discography The Notorious B.I.G. Book:Faith Evans

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (April 2009)

Fredric Joseph “Rik” Cordero was born and raised in Queens, New York and is known for applying unusual, non-traditional shooting methods in his work. He was nominated for Video Director Of The Year at the 2009 BET Awards and was the recipient of the Best Film Award for his feature film, “Inside A Change” which made its world premiere at the 2009 HBO New York International Latino Film Festival. In 2010, Cordero was seen in Sprite’s print and television ads for their “Spark” campaign. The ads featured him as a Hollywood director discovering inspiration in very unlikely ways. He recently wrapped his latest feature “Starla”, a thriller executive produced by Chris Robinson and “The World Is Watching”, a documentary about the culture of New York City high school basketball produced by Nike and narrated by Spike Lee. Cordero was also a featured director for SHOOT Magazine’s 9th Annual New Director’s Showcase held at the DGA Theater on May 10, 2011. He is currently the executive producer of Channel Three/21, a YouTube partner channel with over 50 million views worldwide.

Awards and Nominations[link]

• Selected Director for 2011 SHOOT Magazine 9th Annual New Directors Showcase
• Best Film Award at 2009 HBO New York International Latino Film Festival for Inside A Change
• Video Director Of The Year Nominee at 2009 BET Awards
• Best Music Video Award at 2008 No Exit Music Video Festival for "Stop Hittin Me" – Big Lou
• Best Director Award at 2007 No Exit Music Video Festival for "I’ve Been Lost" – +/-
• Best Music Video Award at 2006 New York Asian American International Film Festival for "I’ve Been Lost" – +/-
• Best Music Video Award at 2005 New York Asian American International Film Festival for "Park, Park – The Mighty Sweet
• NYIT SOURCE (Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression) Award for “Ducksauce” Senior Thesis Animation (2002)

References[link]

• Rik Cordero’s new documentary hits home with a SLAMonline writer – slamonline.com – 06/06/11
• SHOOT Magazine 9th Annual New Directors Showcase Rik Cordero Profile – nds.shootonline.com – 05/13/11
• SHOOT Magazine Announces Selected Helmers Making The Final Cut For 2011 9th Annual New Directors Showcase – shootonline.com – 05/02/11
• Robot’s Rik Cordero Brings Marines Home – screenmag.com – 02/08/11
• Robot's Rik Cordero Reaches To Your Hometown For The United States Marine Corps – presskitchen.blog.wordpress.com – 02/03/11
• The United States Marine Corps Celebrates Hometowns In Honor Of Black History Month – prnewswire.com – 02/01/11
• Michigan Movie Clips – freep.com – 01/21/11
• THE WORLD IS WATCHING – thesavile.com – 12/08/10
• What’s On My iPod: Rik Cordero – smokingsection.uproxx.com – 11/24/10
• Tarrus Riley releases video for Superman – jamaicaobserver.com – 11/09/10
• Meet Pop's Three Million Dollar Man! – usmagazine.com – 10/06/10
• The Why In NYC – suitsiswatching.com – 08/19/10
• WATCH: New Video from the Roots with John Legend – spin.com – 07/28/10
• The Roots – “The Fire” (Feat. John Legend) Video – stereogum.com – 07/28/10
• Watch: Cannibalistic New Roots Video – pitchfork.com – 07/27/10
• Watch the Roots and John Legend’s Confusing New Video, ‘The Fire’ – nymag.com – 07/27/10
• The Roots, The Fire – filtermagazine.com – 07/27/10
• Watch The Roots' War Movie Pastiche Music Video for "The Fire" – thelmagazine.com – 07/26/10
• N.O.R.E. Explains Unreleased Nas Cameo On The War Report 2 – mtv.com – 05/18/10
• Wale Plays The Gentleman In 'Diary' Video – mtv.com – 05/03/10
• Wu-Tang Trio Say Video For 'Our Dreams' Looks 'Like A Movie' – mtv.com – 02/24/10
• Sprite The Spark Campaign – thecoca-colacompany.com – 02/11/10
• Drake Teams With Sprite for 'Spark' Campaign – billboard.com – 02/11/10
• Sprite Unleashes ‘The Spark’ – atlanta.bizjournals.com – 02/11/10
• "Obama Fried Chicken" Owner Demanded $3,000 for Video: Director – nbcnewyork.com – 11/23/09
• "Obama Fried Chicken" Sign Cut From Rap Video – nbcnewyork.com – 11/21/09
• Interview: Rik Cordero, video producer and director, Three/21 Media – prweekus.com – 09/16/09
• Inside Rik Cordero’s Change: Young Video Director Carves Place in Movies with Noted Film Project – humannaturemag.com – 09/09/09
• 12FTDWENDE X Rik Cordero (+ a lil’ youngdscott) – 12ftdwende.com – 08/25/09
• Rik Cordero: Music Video Director To Promising Film Maker – ballerstatus.com – 07/28/09
• Where Rik Cordero and Fiery Furnaces Collide – villagevoice.com – 07/08/09
• Who Killed the Video Star? – cbsnews.com – 06/29/09
• Inside A Change – hiphopdx.com – 06/21/09
• 5 Minutes with Rik Cordero – nicekicks.com – 06/08/09
• Interview: Rik Cordero (video director) – thickonline.com – 06/03/09
• 30 under 30: rik cordero – angryasianman.com – 05/27/09
• Beyonce, T.I. Nominated For BET Awards – billboard.com – 05/14/09
• Hip-Hop and Online Video: What the Hell’s Going On!?!? – portal-a.com – 03/06/09
• Q&A: Rik Cordero – limitemagazine.com – 02/12/09
• The Man Behind The Scenes – aandrdepartment.com – 01/14/09
• The Man Behind The Scenes – musicfeatures.blogspot.com – 01/14/09
• 10 People Who Have Me Excited About Hip Hop. #2 – hiphopdx.com – 12/24/08
• SpeechIsMyHammer x Rik Cordero (Pt. 2) – speechismyhammer.com – 12/24/08
• SpeechIsMyHammer x Rik Cordero (Pt. 1) – speechismyhammer.com – 12/22/08
• Rik Cordero: Inside The Learning Curve – rubyhornet.com – 12/15/08
• Guest Contribution: A Man with a Movie Camera – bakitwhy.com – 12/07/08
• The StreetCred.com Interview: Rik Cordero – streetcred.com – 12/03/08
• Is Rik Cordero the Timbaland of Music Videos? – highsnobiety.com – 11/25/08
• EXCLUSIVE: On The Set of “Arab Money” With Rik Cordero – giant.blackplanet.com – 11/13/08
• PROFILE: Rik Cordero, director @ Three/21 Media – videostatic.com – 11/07/08
• Electric Relaxation: Rik Cordero :: Reexamining the hip-hop video mold – urb.com – 10/06/08
• Six New Directors Who Are Making Music Video Cool Again – wired.com – 09/22/08
• Statik Selektah X Rik Cordero – urb.com – 08/28/08
• 10 Questions Vol. 1 (Rik Cordero) – thatsmajor.info – 07/15/08
• Nas, Battling DJs And Asia’s Biggest Pop Star Get Together For Earthquake Relief (on Rik Cordero) – mtv.com – 07/14/08
• Video: Nas: "Sly Fox" – pitchforkmedia.com – 07/11/08
• Wale & Rik Cordero Visualize ‘Artistic Integrity’ – complex.com – 06/25/08
• Rik Cordero Gets In Touch – shotsringout.com – 06/12/08
• Nas Reveals 'N*gger' Video, Album Cover – billboard.biz – 05/30/08
• Nas Debuts Controversial Video in New York City – rollingstone.com – 05/30/08
• Rik Cordero – massappealmag.com – 05/16/08
• Radar: Rik Cordero – sixshot.com – 05/13/08
• NEW RELEASE: The Roots "Rising Down" – videostatic.com – 05/08/08
• Interview Session: Rik Cordero – musicalessence.wordpress.com – 05/06/08
• Rik Cordero Antagonizes Feminist Film Theory With "Birthday Girl" Video – idolator.com – 04/16/08
• Interview with Rik Cordero – hoodhype.com – 04/08/08
• Guerilla Video: An Interview with Rik Cordero – fobbdeep.com – 03/12/08
• Snap Judgment: Snoop Dogg's 'Neva Have 2 Worry' video – ew.com – 03/07/08
• Rik Cordero: Shoot 'Em Up – hiphopdx.com – 02/08/08
• Rik Cordero Interview – bnqt.com – 12/17/07
• Fire Starter: Rik Cordero – mtv.com – 12/10/07
• Rik Cordero: The Future – giantmag.com – 12/06/07
• Hustler Watch: Rik Cordero – eighty81.com – 11/27/07
• Director Rik Cordero's Bold Music Video Trailer Generates Overwhelming Internet Response – biz.yahoo.com – 10/23/07

External links[link]

• IMDB
• Rik Cordero

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,^[1] who helped spawn other hip hop artists such as Nas, Cormega, Mobb Deep, Capone-N-Noreaga, and many others both through production and influence. His name is a reference to former Libyan head of state Muammar Gaddafi. 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[link]

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.^[2] 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^[1][2] 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.^[2] 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 "L.A L.A" a response to Tha Dogg Pound's "New York, New York" now working under the name Tragedy Khadafi.^[2] 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.^[2] Noreaga kept the animosity going with "Halfway Thugs Pt. II."^[2] 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.^[3] 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[link]

On December 27, 2007, Tragedy was convicted of selling narcotics and sentenced to a maximum of four years in prison.^[4] Although originally scheduled to be released on January 21, 2011,^[5] Tragedy was granted early parole, and released on June 23, 2010.^[6]

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Mixtapes[link]

• 2007: Black Market Vol.1
• 2008: Stray Shots
• 2009: Black Market Vol.2

Vocal appearances[link]

This section requires expansion.

• 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)"

References[link]