• 18th Street gang
• 3LW
• 50 Cent
• 8Ball & MJG
• A&R;
• Aaliyah
• Aasim
• AC360
• Ad lib
• African American
• Alicia Keys
• Allmusic
• Anderson Cooper
• Andre Harrell
• Angela Bassett
• Anthony Mackie
• Antonique Smith
• Assault
• Audio (group)
• Bad Boy Latino
• Bad Boy Records
• Bad Boy South
• BBC News Online
• Beanie Sigel
• Bernard C. Parks
• Best Rap Album
• Best Rap Video
• Big Daddy Kane
• Big Poppa
• Big Syke
• Biggie & Tupac
• Billboard (magazine)
• Billboard 200
• Billboard Awards
• Billboard Hot 100
• Biographical film
• Bishop Lamont
• Black Rob
• Blender (magazine)
• Bloods
• Blue Funk
• Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
• Boyz n da Hood
• Brian Liddy
• Brian S. Bentley
• Brooklyn
• Busta Rhymes
• California
• Can't You See
• Carl Thomas (singer)
• Cassie Ventura
• Cathy Scott
• Charli Baltimore
• Cheri Dennis
• Chevrolet Impala SS
• Chucky Thompson
• Clinton Sparks
• Compound rhymes
• Crack cocaine
• Craig Mack
• Crime
• Crips
• D-Dot
• Da Band
• Danity Kane
• Day26
• Dead Wrong (song)
• Death Row Records
• Defamation
• Demo (music)
• Derek Luke
• Diddy - Dirty Money
• Donnie Klang
• Drive-by shooting
• Drug lord
• East Coast hip hop
• Effusion
• Eminem
• English studies
• Facial composite
• Faith Evans
• Falsetto
• Fat Joe
• FBI
• Flava in Ya Ear
• Frank Lyga
• Fredro Starr
• French Montana
• Fuzzbubble
• G. Dep
• Game (rapper)
• George Tillman, Jr.
• Germany
• GMC Suburban
• Gorilla Zoe
• Grammy Award
• Grammy Awards
• Guerilla Black
• Hardcore hip hop
• Heavy D & the Boyz
• High school
• Hip hop music
• Hit 'Em Up
• Hot 100
• How to Rap
• I'll Be Missing You
• Informant
• Ja Rule
• Jamaica
• Jamal Woolard
• Janelle Monáe
• Javier Ovando
• Jay-Z
• Joblo.com
• Jordan McCoy
• Junior M.A.F.I.A.
• Jury
• Kalenna Harper
• KTTV
• KYLD
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Latyrx
• Lawsuit
• Life After Death
• Lil Jon
• Lil Wayne
• Lil' Cease
• Lil' Kim
• Liz Davis (singer)
• LL Cool J
• Loon (rapper)
• Los Angeles
• Los Angeles Times
• Love song
• Mafioso rap
• Manhattan
• Mario Winans
• Mark Curry (rapper)
• Mary J. Blige
• Mase
• MC'ing
• MGK (rapper)
• Michael Jackson
• Mister Cee
• Mistrial
• Mo Money Mo Problems
• MTV
• MTV News
• Music genre
• Music video
• Naturi Naughton
• Nelly
• Nelson (singer)
• Neneh Cherry
• New Edition
• New York
• New York City
• Nick Broomfield
• Nino Durden
• No Way Out (album)
• North Carolina
• Notorious Thugs
• Onomatopoeia
• Onomatopoeic
• Onyx
• Party and Bullshit
• Player's Anthem
• Puff Daddy
• Qwest Records
• R&B;
• Rampart scandal
• Rapping
• Ready to Die
• Record label
• Record producer
• Red Café
• Reggae
• Rhyme scheme
• Rhythm and blues
• RIAA
• RIAA certification
• Rolling Stone
• Roman Catholic
• Russell Poole
• San Francisco
• Sean Combs
• Sean Kingston
• Shaquille O'Neal
• Shyne
• Snoop Dogg
• Spike Jonze
• Spin (magazine)
• Spit Your Game
• Stevie J
• Storytelling
• Suge Knight
• Suicidal Thoughts
• Summary judgment
• Super Cat
• Supergroup (music)
• Teaneck, New Jersey
• The LOX
• The New York Times
• The Notorious B.I.G.
• Toni Braxton
• Total (band)
• Total (group)
• Touré
• Tower Records
• Trinidad
• Tupac Shakur
• United States
• United States dollar
• Uptown Records
• Usher (entertainer)
• VH1
• Vibe (magazine)
• Vocables
• Wayback Machine
• West Coast hip hop
• What's the 411?
• Who Shot Ya?
• Who's the Man?
• Wikipedia Link rot
• Wikipedia Media help
• Wikipedia Persondata
• Without prejudice
• Wrongful death claim
• XXL (magazine)
• Young Jeezy
• Younglord
• Yung Joc
• 
  

• 
  Brooklyn
  Coordinates: 40°41′34″N 73°59′25″W / 40.69278°N 73.99028°W / 40.69278; -73.99028
  Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with approximately 2.5 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, after New York County (Manhattan). It is also the westernmost county on Long Island.
  Brooklyn was an independent city until it was annexed by New York City in 1898. It continues to maintain a distinct culture. Many Brooklyn neighborhoods are ethnic enclaves where particular ethnic groups and cultures predominate.
  Brooklyn's official motto is Eendraght Maeckt Maght. Written in the (early modern spelling of the) Dutch language, it is inspired by the motto of the United Dutch Provinces and translated "Unity makes strength". The motto is displayed on the borough seal and flag, which also feature a young robed woman bearing fasces, a traditional emblem of republicanism. Brooklyn's official colors are blue and gold.
  
  wn.com/Brooklyn
• 
  California
  California (pronounced ⁱ/kælɨˈfɔrnjə/) is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third most extensive (after Alaska and Texas). It is home to the nation's second- and sixth-largest census statistical areas (Los Angeles Metropolitan Area and San Francisco Bay Area), and eight of the nation's fifty most populated cities (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach and Oakland). The capital city is Sacramento.
  California's diverse geography ranges from the Pacific Coast in the west, to the Sierra Nevada mountains in the east – from the Redwood–Douglas-fir forests of the northwest, to the Mojave Desert areas in the southeast. The center of the state is dominated by Central Valley, a major agricultural area. California contains both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous United States (Mount Whitney and Death Valley), and has the third-longest coastline of all states (after Alaska and Florida). Earthquakes are a common occurrence due to the state's location along the Pacific Ring of Fire: about 37,000 are recorded annually.
  
  wn.com/California
• 
  FBI
  The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a governmental agency belonging to the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency (counterintelligence). Also, it is the government agency responsible for investigating crimes on Indian Reservations in the United States under the Major Crimes Act. The branch has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime.
  The agency was established in 1908 as the Bureau of Investigation (BOI). Its name was changed to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 1935.
  The agency headquarters is the J. Edgar Hoover Building, located in Washington, D.C.. The agency has fifty-six field offices located in major cities throughout the United States, and more than 400 resident agencies in lesser cities and areas across the nation. More than 50 international offices called "legal attachés" exist in U.S. embassies and consulates general worldwide.
  
  wn.com/FBI
• 
  Germany
  Germany (ⁱ/ˈdʒɜrməni/), officially the Federal Republic of Germany (German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland, pronounced [ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant] ( listen)), is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km² and has a largely temperate seasonal climate. With 81.8 million inhabitants, it is the most populous member state and the largest economy in the European Union. It is one of the major political powers of the European continent and a technological leader in many fields.
  A region named Germania, inhabited by several Germanic peoples, was documented before AD 100. During the Migration Period, the Germanic tribes expanded southward, and established successor kingdoms throughout much of Europe. Beginning in the 10th century, German territories formed a central part of the Holy Roman Empire. During the 16th century, northern German regions became the centre of the Protestant Reformation while southern and western parts remained dominated by Roman Catholic denominations, with the two factions clashing in the Thirty Years' War, marking the beginning of the Catholic–Protestant divide that has characterized German society ever since. Occupied during the Napoleonic Wars, the rise of Pan-Germanism inside the German Confederation resulted in the unification of most of the German states into the German Empire in 1871 which was Prussian dominated. After the German Revolution of 1918–1919 and the subsequent military surrender in World War I, the Empire was replaced by the Weimar Republic in 1918, and partitioned in the Treaty of Versailles. Amidst the Great Depression, the Third Reich was proclaimed in 1933. The latter period was marked by Fascism and World War II. After 1945, Germany was divided by allied occupation, and evolved into two states, East Germany and West Germany. In 1990 Germany was reunified.
  
  wn.com/Germany
• 
  Jamaica
  Coordinates: 18°10′57″N 77°19′18″W / 18.1823878°N 77.3217773°W / 18.1823878; -77.3217773
  Jamaica (ⁱ/dʒəˈmeɪkə/), officially the Commonwealth of Jamaica, is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, 234 kilometres (145 mi) in length, up to 80 kilometres (50 mi) in width, and 10,990 square kilometres (4,240 sq mi) in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about 145 kilometres (90 mi) south of Cuba, and 191 kilometres (119 mi) west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The indigenous Arawakan-speaking Taíno name for the island was Xaymaca, meaning the "Land of Wood and Water" or the "Land of Springs".
  Once a Spanish possession known as Santiago, it became an English colony in 1655 under the name "Jamaica". It achieved full independence from Britain on August 6, 1962. With 2.8 million people, it is the third most populous anglophone country in the Americas, after the United States and Canada. It remains a Commonwealth realm in concert with the Monarchy of Jamaica holding ultimate executive power, where Queen Elizabeth II is the current head of state and Queen of Jamaica.Kingston is the country's largest city and the capital.
  
  wn.com/Jamaica
• 
  Las Vegas, Nevada
  Las Vegas (/lɑːs ˈveɪɡəs/) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous for its consolidated casino–hotels and associated entertainment. A growing retirement and family city, Las Vegas is the 28th-most populous city in the United States, with a population at the 2010 census of 583,756. The 2010 population of the Las Vegas metropolitan area was 1,951,269.
  Established in 1905, Las Vegas was incorporated as a city in 1911. At the close of the 20th century, Las Vegas was the most populous American city founded in that century (a distinction held by Chicago in the 19th century). The city's tolerance for various forms of adult entertainment earned it the title of Sin City, and this image has made Las Vegas a popular setting for films and television programs. There are numerous outdoor lighting displays on Fremont Street, as well as elsewhere in the city.
  
  wn.com/Las_Vegas,_Nevada
• 
  Los Angeles
  Los Angeles (ⁱ/lɒs ˈændʒələs/ loss-AN-jə-ləs; Spanish: [los ˈaŋxeles], which is written Los Ángeles; British pronounciation /lɒs ˈændʒəliːz/ loss-AN-jə-leez) with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in the state of California, and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of 468.67 square miles (1,213.8 km²), and is located in Southern California. Often known by its initials L.A., the city is the focal point of the larger Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana metropolitan statistical area and Greater Los Angeles Area region, which contain 12,828,837 and nearly 18 million people respectively as of 2010, making it one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world and the second largest in the United States. Los Angeles is also the seat of Los Angeles County, the most populated and one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the United States, while the entire Los Angeles area itself has been recognized as the most diverse of the nation's largest cities. The city's inhabitants are referred to as "Angelenos".
  
  wn.com/Los_Angeles
• 
  Manhattan
  Manhattan (/mænˈhætən/) is the most densely populated and the oldest of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the U.S. state of New York. The borough and county consist of Manhattan Island and several small adjacent islands: Roosevelt Island, Randall's Island, Wards Island, Governors Island, Liberty Island, part of Ellis Island,Mill Rock, and U Thant Island; as well as Marble Hill, a very small area on the mainland bordering the Bronx. The original city of New York began at the southern end of Manhattan, expanded northward, and then between 1874 and 1898, annexed land from surrounding counties.
  The New York County is the most densely populated county in the United States, and one of the most densely populated areas in the world, with a 2010 population of 1,585,873 living in a land area of 22.96 square miles (59.5 km²), or 69,464 residents per square mile (26,924/km²), more dense than any individual American city. It is also one of the wealthiest counties in the United States, with a 2005 per capita income above $100,000. Manhattan is the third-largest of New York's five boroughs in population, and its smallest borough in land area.
  
  wn.com/Manhattan
• 
  New York
  New York (/njuː ˈjɔrk/; locally IPA: [nɪu ˈjɔək] or [nuː ˈjɔɹk] ( listen)) is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. New York is the 27th most extensive, the 3rd most populous, and the 7th most densely populated of the 50 United States. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east. The state has a maritime border with Rhode Island east of Long Island, as well as an international border with the Canadian provinces of Ontario to the west and north, and Quebec to the north. The state of New York is often referred to as New York State to distinguish it from New York City.
  New York City, with a population of over 8.1 million, is the most populous city in the United States. Alone, it makes up over 40 percent of the population of New York state. It is known for its status as a center for finance and culture and for its status as the largest gateway for immigration to the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, New York City is also a destination of choice for many foreign visitors. Both the state and city were named for the 17th century Duke of York, James Stuart, future James II and VII of England and Scotland.
  
  wn.com/New_York
• 
  North Carolina
  North Carolina (ⁱ/ˌnɔrθ kærəˈlaɪnə/) is a state in the Southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina is the 28th most extensive and the 10th most populous of the 50 United States.
  North Carolina is comprised of 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte. In the past five decades, North Carolina's economy has undergone a transition from heavy reliance upon tobacco and furniture making to a more diversified economy with engineering, biotechnology, and finance sectors.
  North Carolina has a wide range of elevations, from sea level on the coast to 6,684 feet (2,037 m) at Mount Mitchell, the highest point in the Eastern US. The climate of the coastal plains is strongly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. Most of the state falls in the humid subtropical climate zone. More than 300 miles (500 km) from the coast, the western, mountainous part of the state has a subtropical highland climate.
  
  wn.com/North_Carolina
• 
  San Francisco
  San Francisco (/ˌsæn frənˈsɪskoʊ/), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.6 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland. The only consolidated city-county in California, it encompasses a land area of about 46.9 square miles (121 km²) on the northern end of the San Francisco Peninsula, giving it a density of about 17,179 people per square mile (6,632 people per km²). It is the most densely settled large city (population greater than 200,000) in the state of California and the second-most densely populated large city in the United States after New York City. San Francisco is the fourth most populous city in California and the 13th most populous city in the United States, with a population of 805,235 as of the 2010 Census. The San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metropolitan area has a population of 4,335,391.
  In 1776, colonists from Spain established a fort at the Golden Gate and a mission named for Francis of Assisi a few miles away. The California Gold Rush of 1849 propelled the city into a period of rapid growth, increasing the population in one year from 1,000 to 25,000, and thus transforming it into the largest city on the West Coast at the time. After three-quarters of the city was destroyed by the 1906 earthquake and fire, San Francisco was quickly rebuilt, hosting the Panama-Pacific International Exposition nine years later. During World War II, San Francisco was the port of embarkation for service members shipping out to the Pacific Theater. After the war, the confluence of returning servicemen, massive immigration, liberalizing attitudes, and other factors led to the Summer of Love and the gay rights movement, cementing San Francisco as a center of liberal activism in the United States.
  
  wn.com/San_Francisco
• 
  Teaneck, New Jersey
  Teaneck ( /ˈtiːnɛk/) is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County.
  Teaneck was created on February 19, 1895 by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature. Teaneck was formed from portions of Englewood Township and Ridgefield Township, both of which are now defunct (despite existing municipalities with similar names), along with portions of Bogota and Leonia. Independence followed the result of a referendum held on January 14, 1895, in which voters favored incorporation by a 46–7 margin. To assuage the concerns of Englewood Township's leaders, the new municipality was formed as a township, rather than succumbing to the borough craze sweeping across Bergen County at the time. On May 3, 1921, and June 1, 1926, portions of what had been Teaneck were transferred to Overpeck Township.
  Teaneck lies at the junction of Interstate 95 and the eastern terminus of Interstate 80. It is bisected into north and south portions by Route 4 and east and west by the CSX Transportation River Subdivision. Commercial development is concentrated in four main shopping areas, on Cedar Lane, Teaneck Road, DeGraw Avenue, West Englewood Ave. and Queen Anne Road, more commonly known as "The Plaza".
  
  wn.com/Teaneck,_New_Jersey
• 
  United States
  The United States of America (commonly abbreviated to the United States, the U.S., the USA, America, and the States) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and Russia to the west, across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Pacific and Caribbean.
  At 3.79 million square miles (9.83 million km²) and with over 312 million people, the United States is the third or fourth largest country by total area, and the third largest by both land area and population. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries. The U.S. economy is the world's largest national economy, with an estimated 2011 GDP of $15.1 trillion (22% of nominal global GDP and over 19% of global GDP at purchasing-power parity). Per capita income is the world's sixth-highest.
  
  wn.com/United_States

• 112 (band)
  112 (pronounced "one-twelve") are an American R&B quartet from Atlanta, Georgia. Formerly artists on Diddy's Bad Boy Records, the group signed to the Def Soul roster in 2002. They had great success in the late 1990s and early 2000s with hits such as "Only You", "Anywhere" and the Grammy nominated single, "Peaches and Cream". The group most notably won a Grammy in 1997 for Best Rap Performance by A Duo Or Group, for featuring in the song "I'll Be Missing You" with Puff Daddy and Faith Evans.
  
  wn.com/112_(band)
• 
  50 Cent
  Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003) and The Massacre (2005). His album Get Rich or Die Tryin' has been certified eight times platinum by the RIAA.
  Born in the South Jamaica of Queens, New York City, Jackson began drug dealing at the age of twelve during the 1980s crack epidemic. After leaving drug dealing to pursue a rap career, he was shot at and struck by nine bullets during an incident in 2000. After releasing his album Guess Who's Back? in 2002, Jackson was discovered by rapper Eminem and signed to Interscope Records. With the help of Eminem and Dr. Dre, who produced his first major commercial successes, Jackson became one of the world's highest selling rappers. In 2003, he founded the record label G-Unit Records, which signed several successful rappers such as Young Buck, Lloyd Banks, and Tony Yayo.
  
  wn.com/50_Cent
• 8Ball & MJG
  8Ball & MJG is an American rap duo from Memphis, Tennessee. The two rappers Premro "8Ball" Smith (born 1972) and Marlon James "MJG" Goodman (born 1971) met at Ridgeway Middle School in 1980.
  8Ball & MJG first appeared on the rap scene with their 1992 underground album Listen To The Lyrics. In 1993, they released Comin' Out Hard on Suave House Records, the album was successful commercially as well as critically and established the group as a prominent act in the then emerging Southern Rap scene. Their subsequent albums in the 1990s including 1994's On the Outside Looking In and 1995's On Top of the World further established their status among the South's rappers. On Top of the World was particularly successful, peaking at #8 on the Billboard Hot 200 and being certified Gold. It includes the song "Space Age Pimpin'", 8Ball & MJG's first single to chart, reaching #58 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks chart and #22 on the Hot Rap Singles chart.
  Subsequently, 8Ball & MJG released solo albums: MJG's No More Glory in 1997 and 8Ball's Lost in 1998. They reunited in 1999 to release their fourth album as a group, In Our Lifetime, Vol. 1. One year later they released their fifth group album, Space Age 4 Eva.
  
  wn.com/8Ball_&_MJG
• A&R;
  Artists and repertoire (A&R) is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label; every activity involving artists to the point of album release is generally considered under the purview of, and responsibility of, A&R.
  The A&R division is responsible for discovering new recording artists and bringing them to the record company. They are expected to understand the current tastes of the market and to be able to find artists that will be commercially successful. For this reason, A&R people are often young and many are musicians, music journalists or record producers.
  An A&R executive is authorized to offer a record contract, often in the form of a "deal memo": a short informal document that establishes a business relationship between the recording artist and the record company. The actual contract negotiations will typically be carried out by rival entertainment lawyers hired by the musician's manager and the record company.
  
  wn.com/A&R;
• 
  Aaliyah
  Aaliyah Dana Haughton (January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001), who performed under the mononym Aaliyah ( /ɑːˈliːə/), was an American recording artist, actress and model. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Detroit, Michigan. At the age of 10, she appeared on the television show Star Search and performed in concert alongside Gladys Knight. At age 12, Aaliyah signed with Jive Records and her uncle Barry Hankerson's Blackground Records. Hankerson introduced her to R. Kelly, who became her mentor, as well as lead songwriter and producer of her debut album, Age Ain't Nothing but a Number. The album sold three million copies in the United States and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). After facing allegations of an illegal marriage with R. Kelly, Aaliyah ended her contract with Jive and signed with Atlantic Records.
  Aaliyah worked with record producers Timbaland and Missy Elliott for her second album, One in a Million; it sold 3.7 million copies in the United States and over eight million copies worldwide. In 2000, Aaliyah appeared in her first major film, Romeo Must Die. She contributed to the film's soundtrack, which spawned the single "Try Again". The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 solely on airplay, making Aaliyah the first artist in Billboard history to achieve this feat. "Try Again" earned Aaliyah a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocalist.
  
  wn.com/Aaliyah
• Aasim
  Aasim (born Leroy Watson in 1978 in Jamaica, Queens, New York) is an American rapper, who first began rapping at the age of 12, and signed his first record deal with Schott Free of Loud Records at 17. While signed to the label, Aasim learned songwriting from Big Pun and Dead Prez but never released any material. When his deal with Loud Records fell through, he moved to Grind Music, and worked the mixtape and local New York radio circuits. In 2004, Puff Daddy heard him on the radio and signed him to Bad Boy Records. His first album, Money Pit, came out in 2005, and featured appearances from Black Rob and Fat Joe. A second LP was to follow in 2007, but a release date has not yet been announced, and in the interim Aasim continues work as a writer for Bad Boy, and was featured on Diddy's 2006 album Press Play. He received positive press in Britain for his releases. Aasim was featured in Electronic Arts video game NBA Live 08, and just released a song called "Go Off," featuring Joell Ortiz and produced by Sean C. and LV of The Hitmen.
  
  wn.com/Aasim
• 
  African American
  African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans or Afro-Americans, and formerly as American Negroes) are citizens or residents of the United States that have ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa.
  African Americans make up the single largest racial minority in the United States. Most African Americans are of West and Central African descent and are descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States. However, some immigrants from African, Caribbean, Central American or South American nations, or their descendants, may be identified or self-identify with the term.
  African-American history starts in the 16th century with African slaves who quickly rose up against the Spanish explorer Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón and progresses to the present day, with Barack Obama as the 44th and current President of the United States. Between those landmarks there have been events and issues, both resolved and ongoing, including slavery, racism, Reconstruction, development of the African-American community, participation in the great military conflicts of the United States, racial segregation, and the Civil Rights Movement.
  
  wn.com/African_American
• 
  Alicia Keys
  Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Keys was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano. She attended Professional Performing Arts School and graduated at 16 as valedictorian. Keys released her debut album with J Records, having had previous record deals first with Columbia and then Arista Records.
  Keys' debut album, Songs in A Minor, was a commercial success, selling over 12 million copies worldwide. She became the best-selling new artist and best-selling R&B artist of 2001. The album earned Keys five Grammy Awards in 2002, including Best New Artist and Song of the Year for "Fallin'". Her second studio album, The Diary of Alicia Keys, was released in 2003 and was also another success worldwide, selling eight million copies. The album garnered her an additional four Grammy Awards in 2005. Later that year, she released her first live album, Unplugged, which debuted at number one in the United States. She became the first female to have an MTV Unplugged album to debut at number one and the highest since Nirvana in 1994.
  
  wn.com/Alicia_Keys
• Andre Harrell
  Andre Harrell (born September 26, 1960 in Harlem, New York) is founder of the now defunct record label, Uptown Records. Harrell also served as president/CEO of Motown Records. He was also the first half of the hip hop duo Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde.
  Harrell grew up in Bronx, New York. When he was a teenager, Harrell and Quadie Campbell, his high school friend, formed a rap/ hip-hop duo named Dr. Jekyll (Harrell) and Mr. Hyde (Brown). The group achieved success with three major hit songs "Genius Rap," "Fast Life," and "AM/PM." Despite this early success in the music industry, Harrell had other career intentions and he continued to pursue his study by attending in Lehman College in Bronx. There he majored in communications and business management, as he wanted to become a newscaster. After three years, he dropped out of college and went to work for a local radio station.
  In 1983, Harrell met Russell Simmons, the founder of Rush Communications. He came to work for Rush and within his two years became vice-president and general manager. After a few years working at Rush, Harrell left Rush Management and founded Uptown Records, where he was responsible for discovering and hiring Sean "Puffy" Combs. In 1988, Mary J. Blige recorded an impromptu cover of Anita Baker's "Caught Up In the Rapture" at a recording booth in a local mall. Her mother's boyfriend at the time later played the cassette for Jeff Redd, a recording artist and A&R runner for Uptown Records. Redd then sent it to Andre Harrell. Harrell met with Blige and, in 1989, she was signed to the label; becoming the company's youngest and first female artist.
  
  wn.com/Andre_Harrell
• 
  Angela Bassett
  Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an American actress and comedienne. She has become well known for her biographical film roles portraying real life women in African American culture, including Tina Turner in What's Love Got to Do with It, as well as Betty Shabazz in Malcolm X and Panther, Rosa Parks in The Rosa Parks Story, Katherine Jackson in The Jacksons: An American Dream,and Voletta Wallace in Notorious.
  
  
  Bassett was born Angela Evelyn Bassett in Harlem, New York on August 16, 1958, the daughter of Betty Jane and Daniel Benjamin Bassett. After her parents' separation, she relocated to St. Petersburg, Florida, where she and her sister D'nette were raised by their social worker/civil servant mother. As her interest in entertainment developed, Angela and her sister would often put on shows, reading poems or performing popular music for their family. At Boca Ciega High School, Bassett was a cheerleader and a member of the debate team, student government, drama club and choir.
  
  wn.com/Angela_Bassett
• 
  Anthony Mackie
  Anthony Mackie (born September 23, 1979) is an American actor. He has been featured in feature films, television series and Broadway and Off-Broadway plays, including Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Drowning Crow, McReele, A Soldier's Play, and Talk, by Carl Hancock Rux, for which he won an Obie Award in 2002.
  In 2002, he was featured in Eminem's debut film, 8 Mile, playing Papa Doc, a member of Leaders of the Free World. He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 2009 Independent Spirit Awards for his role in The Hurt Locker. This is Mackie's second ISA nomination, the first coming for his work in 2003 in Brother to Brother, where he was nominated for Best Actor. Also in 2009, Mackie portrayed rapper Tupac Shakur in the film Notorious. He appears in the 2011 Matt Damon film The Adjustment Bureau where he plays Harry Mitchell, a sympathetic member of a shadowy supernatural group that controls human destiny.
  Mackie was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, the son of Martha G. and Willie Mackie. He attended the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) and graduated from the high school drama program at the North Carolina School of the Arts (NCSA) in 1997. He later graduated from the Juilliard School's Drama Division as a member of Group 30 (1997–2001), which also included actors Tracie Thoms and Lee Pace.
  
  wn.com/Anthony_Mackie
• Antonique Smith
  Antonique Smith (born August 11, 1983) is an American Broadway, film actress and singer.
  Smith was born in East Orange, New Jersey. Smith is best known for her starring roles as Maureen (in 2002) and Mimi (in 2007) in Jonathan Larson's Broadway production of Rent. She was also the poster girl for Rent, displayed on taxi cabs in NYC and posters across the country. Smith left the role of Mimi in the musical Rent on Broadway to record her album and expand her film career.
  Her fans have expressed interest in her playing the role of Elphaba in Wicked, though she does not plan on auditioning, she says.
  Smith is actively pursuing a career in film and television. She had a small role in the Golden Globe-nominated film Across The Universe. Her television appearances include guest stints on Law & Order and 100 Centre Street. She was also the voice of Virgin Mobile USA.
  She played Faith Evans in the film Notorious, based on the life of Evans' then-husband, rapper The Notorious B.I.G.
  Smith currently has a solo album in the works. She has performed at New York City nightclubs XL and The Cutting Room, co-owned by Chris Noth (Law & Order, Sex & The City).
  
  wn.com/Antonique_Smith
• 
  Beanie Sigel
  Dwight Grant, (born March 6, 1974), also known as Beanie Sigel, is an American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is a former member/artist of Dame Dash Music Group and Roc-A-Fella Records where he had formed a close association with rappers Jay-Z, Freeway and other former and current artists on the Roc-A-Fella roster. His stage name comes from a street in South Philadelphia, the rapper's former stomping grounds where he worked alongside Senior Durham in the projects. He has sold more than two million albums worldwide. He decided to end his career in middle 2010 when he made his last song, "I Go Off" with 50 Cent who had signed Grant to his G-Unit Records label in 2009. In early 2011 Grant appeared in Travis Barker's album Give the Drummer Some, saying that it was the end of his career. In May 31, 2011 Grant apologized to his former boss Jay-Z. But in an interview with DJ Green Lantern, he said that he had never "apologized" to Jay-Z, and that he was still making music.
  In 2002, Sigel and much of the Roc roster starred in a Dame Dash-produced movie entitled State Property. Its release coincided with the creation and promotion of State Property, a group of artists signed to Roc-A-Fella that hailed from Philadelphia and organized by Sigel and Freeway. Its members included Peedi Crakk, the Young Gunz Chris,Neef, Oschino and Omilio Sparks. Their first collaboration was for the movie's soundtrack, an eponymous release that featured the original "Roc the Mic" by Sigel and Freeway. They followed up with 2003's The Chain Gang Vol. 2, featuring the single "Can't Stop, Won't Stop" by the Young Gunz; the record was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group.
  
  wn.com/Beanie_Sigel
• 
  Bernard C. Parks
  Bernard C. Parks (born December 7, 1943) is an American politician. He is a member of the Los Angeles City Council, representing the 8th District in South Los Angeles. He served as chief of the Los Angeles Police Department from August 1997 to May 2002. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
  Parks attended Los Angeles City College, received a bachelor's degree from Pepperdine University, and earned a master's degree in public administration from the University of Southern California.
  Appointed chief of police on August 12, 1997, Parks oversaw a significant drop in violent crime throughout the city, and especially in South Central^{[citation needed]}. However, during his tenure, the LAPD was rocked by a corruption and police brutality scandal involving the elite C.R.A.S.H. anti-gang unit of the Rampart Division in the overwhelmingly Latino Pico-Union and Westlake districts. The department was placed under a federal consent decree and there was concern that morale was low in the department^{[citation needed]}. The Police Commission, under Commission President Rick J. Caruso did not recommend Parks for reappointment as police chief. Parks was succeeded as chief by William Bratton.
  
  wn.com/Bernard_C._Parks
• 
  Big Daddy Kane
  Antonio Hardy (born September 10, 1968) better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is a Grammy Award-winning American rapper who started his career in 1986 as a member of the rap group the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MCs in Hip Hop. Regarding the name Big Daddy Kane, he said: "The Big Daddy part and the Kane part came from two different things. The Kane part came from my fascination with the martial arts flicks when I was young. The Big Daddy came from something that happened on a ski trip one time involving a young lady."
  In 1984, Kane became friends with Biz Markie, and he would co-write some of Biz's best-known lyrics. Both eventually became important members of the Queens-based Juice Crew, a collective headed by renowned producer Marley Marl. Kane signed with Marl's Cold Chillin' Records label in 1987 and debuted the following year with the 12" single "Raw," an underground hit. Kane is known for his ability to syncopate over faster hip hop beats, and despite his asthmatic condition he is acknowledged as one of the pioneering masters of fast-rap. His sense of style is renowned and set a number of late-1980s and early-1990s hip hop trends (high-top fades, velour suits, and four-finger rings). The backronym "King Asiatic Nobody's Equal" is often applied to his moniker.
  
  wn.com/Big_Daddy_Kane
• Big Syke
  Tyruss Himes, better known by his stage name Big Syke is an American rapper. His stage name is a revision of his childhood nickname, "Little Psycho".
  In 1990 Big Syke started a rap group called Evil Mind Gangstas. He met 2Pac in 1992, and joined 2Pac's group Thug Life. After Thug Life broke up, and after 2Pac was released from prison, Big Syke appeared on four tracks on 2Pac's All Eyez on Me album—"Picture Me Rollin'", "When We Ride", "All Eyez on Me" and "Check Out Time". He joined a second 2Pac group, Outlawz, adopting the name "Mussolini" as part of the group's "anti-western" theme.
  
  wn.com/Big_Syke
• Bishop Lamont
  Philip Martin (born October 31, 1978 in Inglewood, California), better known as Bishop Lamont is an American rapper from Carson, California. He was signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment record label but left in 2010.
  Martin started rapping at age thirteen. Dr. Dre met Martin while on set filming The Game's music video for "Dreams". After giving him praises on an L.A. radio station, Dr. Dre signed Martin in 2005. Martin was featured in The Source's Unsigned Hype section, but he was already signed to Aftermath by the time the issue hit stands.
  According to Martin, Dr. Dre said that along with Eminem, Martin is the only other rapper that made him uncomfortable. Dr. Dre said that this is due to his protégé's controversial and political lyrics.
  Martin is credited for his numerous soundtrack contributions. He has appeared in the soundtrack for the video game True Crime: Streets of LA. He can also be heard on three EA Sports video games. The tracks "The Best" and "We Got Next" are included in Madden 2007 and NBA Live 06, respectively. Also, the track "I'm a Soldier" was included in NFL Street 2. His song City Lights was in The Midnight Club: Los Angeles soundtrack. In addition, Martin has the title track "Welcome to Havoc", featured in Havoc, a film starring Anne Hathaway.
  
  wn.com/Bishop_Lamont
• Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
  Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is an American hip hop band from Cleveland, Ohio formed in 1991. It originally consisted of rappers Layzie Bone, Flesh-n-Bone, Bizzy Bone, Krayzie Bone, and Wish Bone. Rapper Eazy-E of the group N.W.A signed Bone Thugs-N-Harmony to Ruthless Records in late 1993, when Bone Thugs debuted with EP Creepin on ah Come Up. The EP included the hit single "Thuggish Ruggish Bone".
  In 1995, the group released its second album, E. 1999 Eternal, which included hits "1st of tha Month" and "Tha Crossroads." A tribute to the recently deceased Eazy-E, "Tha Crossroads," won a Grammy award in 1997. The Art of War, the group's third album, was also released in 1997. Bone Thugs is also the only group that has worked with deceased artists 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G., Eazy-E & Big Pun while they were still alive.
  In 2000 BTNHResurrection reached platinum in one month and Thug World Order (2002) received more moderate sales and promotion. After the album the group went on hiatus and released their sixth studio album Thug Stories independently before returning in 2007 with the major label release Strength & Loyalty, this time released by Swizz Beatz's label Full Surface Records. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony officially returned with their new album Uni-5: The World's Enemy, released in 2010 by their own record label, BTNH Worldwide, with distribution by Warner Bros.. Due to internal conflicts with the group, longtime members Krayzie Bone and Wish Bone officially left the group in April 2011. Despite speculation that the group was splitting up, Flesh-n-Bone announced that a new album with him, Layzie and Bizzy will be released soon. Krayzie and Wish are currently working with upcoming artists on their label The Life Ent.
  
  wn.com/Bone_Thugs-n-Harmony
• Boyz n da Hood
  Boyz N Da Hood is an American Southern gangsta rap group from Atlanta, Georgia. They are currently signed to Sean Combs's Bad Boy Records. A new album, Back N Da Hood, is planned for release. They have collaborated several times with fellow Atlanta, Georgia artist Yung Joc.
  
  wn.com/Boyz_n_da_Hood
• Brian Liddy
  Brian Liddy is a former officer of the Los Angeles Police Department. Liddy, together with Sgt. Edward Ortiz and former Officer Michael Buchanan, were the first to be charged with criminal wrongdoing in the Rampart Scandal. Liddy was both the highest-ranking and the most decorated LAPD officer to be directly implicated by Rafael Perez, based upon his testimony and allegations. His acquittal and subsequent lawsuit (Liddy et al. v. City of Los Angeles et al. - 2:2008cv03089) led to questions of Perez's credibility.
  In 1993, almost three years after joining the force in 1990, Liddy was awarded the department's Medal of Valor for actions taken during a shoot-out during the Rodney King riots in 1992, while stationed at the 77th Street Division. In 1995, Liddy transferred to the Rampart Division's CRASH unit at the same time as Rafael Perez, who would later implicate Sgt. Liddy and over 70 other officers in several instances of police misconduct.
  More than 100 criminal cases were overturned after former LAPD Officer Rafael Perez testified that he, his partner and other officers (including Liddy) stationed in the Rampart CRASH unit had routinely framed gang members for crimes they did not commit. Perez made his allegations in exchange for leniency after he was caught stealing cocaine from a police evidence locker. However, the credibility of Perez has been undermined by his testimony in several internal affairs investigations in which three officers, including Liddy, accused of crimes or misconduct were found not guilty or the charges were dropped.
  
  wn.com/Brian_Liddy
• Brian S. Bentley
  Brian S. Bentley is an author and a former Los Angeles Police Department officer. His first book, One Time: The Story of a South Central Los Angeles Police, graphically depicts his involvement in the cover-up of suspect beatings. "One Time" is an urban slang term for "the Police." In 1997, Bentley was the subject of an extensive Internal Affairs investigation that included over three hundred allegations of misconduct and seven months of surveillance, all stemming from his book. To this date, he still holds the record for the most allegations of misconduct in LAPD history.
  During eleven hours of interviewing, Internal Affairs sergeants advised Bentley that he would be fired and prosecuted if he admitted to witnessing corruption or misconduct by his coworkers. Bentley had no choice but to sign a statement and verbally deny all knowledge of police corruption in the LAPD.
  Coincidentally, Bentley was a coworker and friend of convicted bank robber and Rampart police officer David Mack. Former Officer Mack was sentenced to fourteen years in federal prison for robbing a Bank of America branch and he was a partner of former Officer Rafael Pérez of Rampart Division.
  
  wn.com/Brian_S._Bentley
• 
  Busta Rhymes
  Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., (born May 20, 1972), better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes. Early in his career, he was known for his wild style and fashion, and today is best known for his intricate rapping technique, which involves rapping at a fast rate with lots of internal rhyme and half rhyme, and to date has received eleven Grammy nominations for his musical work. About.com included him on its list of the 50 Greatest MCs of Our Time (1987–2007), while Steve Huey of Allmusic called him one of the best and most prolific rappers of the '90s.
  Busta was born in Red Hook, Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in Flatbush, Brooklyn, to Jamaican parents Geraldine Green and Trevor Smith, Sr. in 1972. Smith attended George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School, alongside Jay-Z, DMX and The Notorious B.I.G. He went to Uniondale High School on Long Island, graduating in 1990.
  
  wn.com/Busta_Rhymes
• Carl Thomas (singer)
  Carl Thomas (born June 15, 1972) is an American R&B singer.
  Thomas attended Aurora East High School. Thomas sang around Chicago and became a member of The Formula. He branched out however, and traveled to New York where he sang at clubs during open-mic nights. One such performance caught the eye of Sean "Puffy" Combs who signed Thomas to Bad Boy Entertainment in 1997.
  With the single "I Wish" released in late 1999, topping the R&B charts for six consecutive weeks, creating strong interest Emotional his debut album was released April 18, 2000. On the strength of this single, and the album's other singles, "Summer Rain" at #18 and the title track "Emotional" at #8 on the R&B charts: The album was certified platinum with over 1 million in sales. Later rapper Jay-Z's "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)" featuring Pharrell sampled Thomas' "I Wish" on his 2000 album The Dynasty: Roc La Familia.
  His second album, Let's Talk About It, was released March 23, 2004. Although two singles She Is and Let's Talk About It were released they charted poorly. Lack of promotion caused by the death of Thomas's step brother, Duranthony Evans who was killed in a drive by on Halloween night on Aurora's east side was a contributing factor. This devastated Thomas, causing him to take a sabbatical from his music and the promotion of the album. The album, was highly anticipated due to the length of time that had passed since Emotional but wasn't well received by fans. He is featured on Amerie's album Touch (2005).
  
  wn.com/Carl_Thomas_(singer)
• 
  Cassie Ventura
  Casandra Elizabeth Ventura (born August 26, 1986), known professionally as Cassie, is an American recording artist, model, dancer and actress. After being introduced to music producer Ryan Leslie, she was signed to his music-media company, NextSelection Lifestyle Group. Leslie wrote and produced Cassie's first single, "Me & U", which became a major hit in 2006. He convinced Sean "Diddy" Combs to partner his Bad Boy Records with Leslie's NextSelection imprint for the release of her debut album, Cassie, which was released in August 2006. Her second album will be released in 2012.
  Cassandra Ventura was born on August 26, 1986 in New London, Connecticut. Her father is of Filipino descent, and her mother is African American. She attended The Williams School, a preparatory school in New London. She trained as a singer and dancer, and took voice lessons. Cassie began modeling at the age of 14, and by the time she was 16, appeared in print ads for Seventeen and the catalog for popular teen line, Delia's,. When she graduated from high school in 2004, she decided to pursue her career in modeling and singing. After high school, Cassie moved to New York City, and continued modeling, as well as attending classes at the Broadway Dance Center. She is represented by Wilhelmina Models and One Model Management in New York City. Ryan Leslie spotted her at clubs and parties in late 2002 frequently. The two wrote a duet called "Kiss Me", and after recording the track, Leslie played the song for music executive Tommy Mottola.
  
  wn.com/Cassie_Ventura
• Charli Baltimore
  Tiffany Lane (born August 16, 1974), better known as Charli Baltimore, is an American rapper. Her stage name is taken from Geena Davis's character in the film The Long Kiss Goodnight.
  Lane was born to a German father and an African American mother. She was primarily raised by her elder half-sister, Yolanda. She graduated from Peirce College and became a certified paralegal. Baltimore has two daughters, India and Sianni. She gave birth to her eldest daughter when she was 14 years old.
  She met The Notorious B.I.G. in the summer of 1995, and they became involved in a romantic relationship. B.I.G. introduced her to Lance "Un" Rivera, who signed her and Cam'ron to his new label, Untertainment. She made her first appearance in the music industry in 1995 with Junior M.A.F.I.A.'s "Get Money" playing The Notorious B.I.G's then wife Faith Evans. Her first video was in 1998 with the hit "Money" featured on the Woo movie soundtrack.
  With collaborators such as Cam'ron and N.O.R.E., Baltimore recorded her debut album Cold as Ice which featured tracks like "Money", "Pimp Da 1 U Love", "N.B.C." and "Stand Up".
  
  wn.com/Charli_Baltimore
• Cheri Dennis
  Cheri Dennis (born August 7, 1979, Cleveland, Ohio) is an American singer.
  Cheri Dennis was born in 1979 and raised in a housing projects of Cleveland, Ohio. She later moved to Shaker Heights, Ohio and was initially a member of a group named Spoiled. When the group broke up, Dennis left Shaker Heights and moved to New York where she began her recording career.
  Dennis first appeared on the Mase tracks "No Matter What", "All I Ever Wanted" and "If You Want to Party" from his album Double Up (1999), after running into Diddy during a party in New York. After appearing briefly on Puff Daddy's Forever album ("Is This the End? (Pt. 2)") also in 1999, in 2001 she reappeared signed to Bad Boy Entertainment with her first solo track "So Complete" from the P. Diddy and The Bad Boy Family album "The Saga Continues...". Afterwards she was heard on several mixtapes, before finally releasing her first single, that Ryan Leslie produced track "I Love You", in fall 2005. The single has peaked at #38 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks so far, a video was filmed in March and premiered on 106 & Park on May 1, 2006. The second single is Portrait of Love. Her song "Ooh La La" was originally used as an opener for Making The Band 3, which suggested that the final band recorded the song. The girls often referred to the song in competitions. She is currently working with The Heavy Hitters (producers) on her second album due in 2011.
  
  wn.com/Cheri_Dennis
• Chucky Thompson
  Carl E. "Chucky" Thompson is a hip hop/R&B record producer. Thompson was a member of Bad Boy Entertainment's "Hitmen" team of in-house producers during the 1990s, and worked with Bad Boy mogul Sean Combs on material for artists such as The Notorious B.I.G. and Mase. He was responsible for album productions for such projects as Mary J. Blige's "My Life" and Faith Evans' debut "Faith". On his own, Thompson has also worked with artists such as Kelly Price ("Love Sets You Free", 2000) and Nas ("One Mic", 2002). He lent several productions to Disturbing tha Peace's latest artist, female vocalist Shareefa's debut and he also produced the bulk of Emily King's debut album East Side Story in 2007. Thompson is known in the industry as the "Classic" producer. He has earned the respect for being one of the leaders in the innovation of Hip Hop and R&B. Many of today's producers have taken his sound and expanded on his vision mainly from the profound and critically acclaimed Mary J Blige's "My Life" album. Thompson recently teamed up with native Washingtonian, Raheem DeVaughn and created the #1 R&B hit "Woman" (which was also nominated for 2007 Best R&B Male Performance).
  
  wn.com/Chucky_Thompson
• Clinton Sparks
  Clinton Sparks (born September 18, 1979) is a Boston-based radio, mixtape & Club DJ as well as a recording artist, writer, producer and TV personality.
  Clinton Sparks was born in Boston, Massachusetts where he currently lives as a DJ and music producer. He has a weekly radio show, SmashTime Radio, which can be heard on radio stations around the world on terrestrial radio from Australia, Brazil, Virgin Islands, Belgium, Canada, France to the US. Additionally, he has another uncensored Hip Hop radio show which airs weekly on Eminem's Sirius Satellite Radio channel Shade 45. His syndicated weekly radio show, SmashTime Radio, was ranked #1 on Boston's flagship station WJMN Jam'n 94.5 Boston, and on many other radio stations around the world from Australia, Belgium, Holland, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada and the U.S.
  
  wn.com/Clinton_Sparks
• Craig Mack
  Craig Mack (born May 10, 1971) is an American Grammy nominated rapper, who gained fame on Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Entertainment record label in the 1990s. Although his first single was released under the name MC EZ in 1988, he is best known for his 1994 hit single "Flava In Ya Ear", which was released under his real name. The remix of the single was the breakout appearance of The Notorious B.I.G., as well as one of the first solo appearances by Busta Rhymes. The success of The Notorious B.I.G.'s debut album Ready To Die overshadowed Mack's early success on the Bad Boy label.
  Although Puff Daddy mentioned in a 1994 interview on MTV's Yo! MTV Raps that he was working with Mack on his second album, which was to be released sometime in January the following year, this proved to not be the case. Present at that interview (which also included The Notorious B.I.G.), Mack himself appeared puzzled by the statement. As of September 1, 2008, he was no longer on Stereo Nasty Records.
  
  wn.com/Craig_Mack
• D-Dot
  Deric Michael Angelettie (born July 31, 1968), otherwise known as D-Dot, Papa Dot and The Madd Rapper, is a rapper, record producer, CEO and entrepreneur. He graduated from Samuel J. Tilden High School in 1986. He then attended Howard University from 1986-1989. He dropped out to pursue a music career. A three-time Grammy Nominee and NARAS Award winner, Angelettie made a significant mark as a hip-hop and R&B record producer and label owner. Angelettie started in 1990 as a rapper in the group "Two Kings In a Cipher". From 1996-1998, he was the "Captain" of Sean "Diddy" Combs' Bad Boy Entertainment's producing team: The Hitmen. As a producer, Angelettie sold millions of records and produced hits for superstars like Notorious B.I.G., Diddy, Ma$e, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, Eminem and many more. He produced hits such as The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Hypnotize" & Mase's "Feel So Good" as well as many other tracks for many multi-platinum and Grammy Award winning artists. He created the character The Madd Rapper and released an album, Tell 'Em Why U Madd, in 2000, which featured the up and coming rapper 50 Cent on the song "How To Rob". The Tell 'Em Why U Madd LP also introduced a new, young producer by the name of "Kanye West" who Angelettie also managed and mentored. Angelettie hosted the television show "Hip-Hop Hold 'Em" and is the "Music Consultant" for the "Notorious" movie on Fox/Searchlight Pictures-2009. Angelettie advises and consults major corporations and entertainment companies through his consulting and imaging company, "Connect The Dots Consulting, LLC.". Angelettie is married to advice columnist Lisa Angelettie MSW of GirlShrink.com and is the father of four daughters. The daughters are Alexis, Autumn, Ali and Ava.
  
  wn.com/D-Dot
• Danity Kane
  Danity Kane was an American female music group signed to Bad Boy Records, first established in 2005. Formed on the third installment of MTV's Making the Band reality television series, the quintet comprised members Aubrey O'Day, Wanita "D. Woods" Woodgett, Shannon Bex, Dawn Richard, and Aundrea Fimbres. On the October 2008 finale episode of Making the Band 4, O'Day and Woodgett were confirmed as no longer a part of the group. On January 27, 2009, Richard confirmed to MTV.com in an interview that Danity Kane was no longer a group. The final line-up of the group, featured in the 2009 season of Making the Band, consisted of Richard and Fimbres; all group members were ultimately released from their contracts with Bad Boy Records later within the year.
  Danity Kane's self-titled debut studio album was released in 2006 and achieved success in the United States, shipping a million copies domestically, while spawning two singles with top 10 hit "Show Stopper" and the ballad "Ride for You". Their second studio album, Welcome to the Dollhouse, was released on March 18, 2008, following the release of their second top 10 hit single "Damaged". The band became the first female group in Billboard history to debut their first two albums at the top of the charts.
  
  wn.com/Danity_Kane
• Day26
  Day26 is an American male R&B music group formed on August 26, 2007 by Sean "Diddy" Combs in a handpicked selection at the end of MTV's Making the Band 4. The group consists of Robert Curry, Brian Andrews, Willie Taylor, and Michael McCluney. The moniker is a tribute to the day when Andrews, McCluney, Curry, and Taylor went from unknowns to stars. The group released their first album, Day26, on March 25, 2008, one week after their then label mates and Making the Band 3 winners Danity Kane released Welcome to the Dollhouse. The album's first single, "Got Me Going", was released on the finale of Making the Band 4. The album went on to debut at number one on the billboard charts.
  Making the Band 4 returned to MTV for another season and followed Day26, Danity Kane and Donnie Klang on the Making The Band tour. Season 3, Part 2 of Making The Band 4 debuted on February 12, 2009. The season followed Day26 as they recorded their second album, Forever in a Day, which was released April 14, 2009.
  Day26 was founded on the Making the Band 4 Season 1 finale on August 26, 2007. Brian Andrews, Michael McCluney, Qwanell Mosley, Robert Curry, and Willie Taylor were chosen to be a part of Diddy's brand new all-male R&B music group, while fellow cast member Donnie Klang was chosen as a solo artist for Bad Boy Records. The name Day 26 was selected from the day that they were picked which was August 26, 2007.
  
  wn.com/Day26
• Derek Luke
  Derek Luke (born April 24, 1974) is an American actor. He won the Independent Spirit Award for his big-screen debut performance in the 2002 film Antwone Fisher, directed and produced by Denzel Washington.
  Luke was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of pianist Marjorie Dixon and Guyanese native Maurice Luke, a former actor. He graduated from Linden High School, Linden, NJ, Class of 1993.
  Luke played one of the four male leads in Spike Lee's 2008 war film Miracle at St. Anna, replacing Wesley Snipes, who had to leave the film due to his highly-publicized tax problems.
  Luke played a small part as a nurse in the 1999 episode "White Collar" of the sitcom The King of Queens, and appeared on on the NBC show Trauma. He played one of the group member of Mayhem in the Moesha episode "Mayhem at the Jam Esp' (March 19, 2001).
  He plays Alicia Keys' love interest in her music video for "Teenage Love Affair". He played singer Monica's love interest in the her music video for "So Gone". Luke played Sean 'Puffy' Combs in the 2009 film Notorious, and James 'Boobie' Miles in the 2004 film Friday Night Lights.
  
  wn.com/Derek_Luke
• Donnie Klang
  Donald Joseph Klang (born January 23, 1985), better known as Donnie Klang, is an American singer, songwriter, producer and model. He won Making the Band 4 and was awarded his own solo contract by Diddy. He released his debut album, Just a Rolling Stone in late 2008.
  Klang was born in Brooklyn, New York. He began modeling as a baby and doing television and film work from a young age, getting minor roles on NYPD Blue to The Nanny. He was in jazz band and band in middle school, later attending chorus in high school. He was part of pop groups in St. Dominic High School and Island Trees High School, namely Playa Deception and INT. The latter which released an independent record called Hip-Pop. He attended Hofstra University briefly on a scholarship studying music management and business and minoring in music. Klang decided to take a semester off of college to pursue a music career with his group.
  Klang had been in INT for nine years before it broke up because their parents wanted them to go back to school as the band was going nowhere. He auditioned for American Idol twice but never got past the first round. These events led to him being apprehensive of pursuing music further. Not long after returning to Hofstra and working at a warehouse, the chance came for Making the Band 4 and he again took time off from college in 2007. A friend had entered his MySpace account into an audition which he later attended at the encouragement of his family and friends. He was awarded his own solo contract by Diddy instead of a spot in the group. Klang released his debut album, Just a Rolling Stone, in late 2008 which peaked at number nineteen on the Billboard 200. He later opened for Janet Jackson in the fall.
  
  wn.com/Donnie_Klang
• 
  Eminem
  Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), better known by his stage name Eminem (often stylized as EMINƎM) and by his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group, D12, to mainstream recognition. As well as being a member of D12, Eminem is also one half of the hip hop duo Bad Meets Evil, with Royce da 5'9". Eminem is one of the best-selling artists in the world and is the best selling artist of the 2000s. He has been listed and ranked as one of the greatest artists of all time by many magazines including the Rolling Stone magazine which has ranked him 82nd on its list of The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. The same magazine has declared him The King of Hip Hop. Including his work with D12 and Bad Meets Evil, Eminem has achieved ten number-one albums on the Billboard 200. He has sold more than 42 million tracks and 41 million albums in the United States, and nearly 90 million albums worldwide.
  Eminem quickly gained popularity in 1999 with his major-label debut album, The Slim Shady LP. That first album, The Marshall Mathers LP and his third major album, The Eminem Show, all won Grammy Awards, making Eminem the first artist to win Best Rap Album for three consecutive LPs. The Marshall Mathers LP is also considered one of Eminem's best and most successful albums. Eminem then went on hiatus after touring in 2005. He released his first album since 2004's Encore, titled Relapse, on May 15, 2009. In 2010, Eminem released his seventh studio album Recovery, which was an international success. Recovery was also named the best selling album worldwide of 2010 joining The Eminem Show, which was the best seller of 2002. Eminem won Grammy Awards for both Relapse and Recovery, giving him a total of 13 Grammys in his career. Eminem has named Masta Ace, Big Daddy Kane, Newcleus, the Beastie Boys, Dr. Dre, Tupac Shakur, AZ, Nas, and Ice-T amongst others as his influences.
  
  wn.com/Eminem
• 
  Faith Evans
  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. During 2003, she ended her relationship with the company to contract with Capitol Records.
  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. 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. 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.
  
  wn.com/Faith_Evans
• 
  Fat Joe
  Joseph Antonio Cartagena (born August 19, 1970), better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper, CEO of Terror Squad Entertainment, and member of musical groups D.I.T.C. and Terror Squad.
  Fat Joe's first album was Represent, released in 1993, followed by Jealous One's Envy in 1995. From 1998 to 2006, he was signed to Atlantic Records, releasing four albums under the label, Don Cartagena in 1998, Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.) in 2001, Loyalty in 2002, and All or Nothing in 2005. Around the release of All or Nothing, Fat Joe became involved in a highly publicized feud with another New York City-based rapper 50 Cent, who attacked Fat Joe in his song "Piggy Bank". His most popular song in which he performed was his Remy Ma duet "Lean Back" with Terror Squad. The song was a number-one hit in the summer of 2004.
  Starting in 2006, when his album Me, Myself, & I was released, Fat Joe was signed to Imperial Records, which distributes through Terror Squad Entertainment. His follow up album wasThe Elephant in the Room, which was released in 2008; Jealous Ones Still Envy 2 (J.O.S.E. 2), the sequel to Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.), was released in October 2009. His tenth album The Darkside Vol. 1 was released on July 27, 2010.
  
  wn.com/Fat_Joe
• Frank Lyga
  Frank Lyga (born c. 1957) was an officer in the Hollywood Division of the Los Angeles Police Department known for shooting and killing Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums officer Kevin Gaines. The resulting LAPD investigation of Kevin Gaines helped lead to the Rampart Scandal.
  In 1986, Lyga joined the Los Angeles Police Department after serving with the Mohawk Valley sheriff’s force.
  Kevin Gaines was shot and killed on March 18, 1997, by Lyga, who was determined to be acting in self-defense. At the time of his death, Gaines was 31 and a seven-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department. Gaines had ties to Death Row Records, the Bloods, and dated Suge Knight's ex-wife.
  Lyga and other members of his team were staking out a suspected methamphetamine dealer, and Lyga was the point man, which required him to sit in an unmarked 1991 Buick Regal waiting for a drug deal to happen, so that he could follow the suspects back to their source and make the necessary arrests.
  After the operation had been called off, Lyga drove onto Ventura Boulevard. While he was stopped at a red light, a green sports utility vehicle had pulled up next to him driven by Kevin Gaines who threatened Lyga. In response Lyga told Gaines to pull over for a confrontation. Gaines did pull over, but Lyga instead drove off. Gaines pulled back into traffic, and a chase ensued, with the S.U.V. edging through heavy traffic until it neared Lyga's car. A concerned Lyga radioed his partners for help and readied himself to use his own gun and saw Gaines, had a gun and had threatened Lyga again. Lyga fired two shots at the Gaines the first missing but the second shot hit the driver on his right side just below his armpit, puncturing his heart before stopping in his lung. Gaines then pulled into a gas station and stopped. Lyga pulled into the gas station and identified himself as a police officer and asked a customer coming out of the station's mini-mart to call 911.
  
  wn.com/Frank_Lyga
• French Montana
  French Montana (born November 9, 1984) is an American rapper and singer of Moroccan and Somali descent. He is the founder and CEO of Cocaine City Records, and in 2012, signed a joint venture recording deal with Maybach Music Group and Bad Boy Records. He is known for his frequent collaborations with Max B, and more recently with Rick Ross and with his group Coke Boys.
  French Montana was born Karim Kharbouch in 1984 in Rabat, Morocco, where he lived for the first 13 years of his life. Growing up in Rabat, he was consumed by playing soccer and rapping, describing them as his two favorite childhood hobbies. In 1996, French emigrated with his parents and two younger brothers to the Bronx in New York City. His father left the family when French was 17, and so he began to provide for his mother and younger brothers.
  In 2002, along with his friend Camz he created a series of street-flavoured DVD documentaries called 'Cocaine City' after drawing inspiration from the 'Smack' DVD series. Under the name Young French he used the DVDs as a means of showcasing his talent as an underground artist. To gain a broader fan base, French incorporated interviews with major artists, as well as some up and comers. The first edition in the series included Pee Wee Kirkland and Remy Ma alongside French himself among others. What started out as simply a medium for developing an audience quickly grew into one of the top-selling "street DVDs". The series ran for 8 years between 2002 and 2010, with a total of 14 editions being released.
  
  wn.com/French_Montana
• G. Dep
  Trevell Gerald Coleman (born November 19, 1974), better known by his stage name G. Dep (which stands for "Ghetto Dependent"), is an American rapper from Harlem, New York City. He joined Bad Boy Records in 1998 and released his debut album Child of the Ghetto in 2001.
  Trevell Coleman was born on November 19, 1974. He was raised by his grandmother in a Harlem housing projects.
  After meeting with Sean Combs in 1998, G. Dep was signed to a $350,000, five-album deal with Bad Boy Records. In the next year, he appeared on two songs on Black Rob's 1999 debut album Life Story. G. Dep released his debut solo album Child of the Ghetto in 2001. Child of the Ghetto peaked at #106 on Billboard 200 and #23 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Single "Special Delivery" from the album peaked at #59 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and #3 on Hot Rap Singles.
  G. Dep was subsequently dropped from Bad Boy Records. G. Dep and Loon released independent album Bad Boy in 2007.
  Coleman stated in an interview that he has been convicted of robbery and served time in Rikers Island. Coleman's criminal record includes arrests for drug offenses, burglary and grand larceny more than 25 times since 2003.
  
  wn.com/G._Dep
• 
  Game (rapper)
  Jayceon Terrell Taylor (born November 29, 1979), known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, record producer and actor. He rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album The Documentary. The Recording Industry Association of America certified the album two times platinum in March 2005 and it has sold over five million copies worldwide. Born in Los Angeles, California, Game was discovered by Dr. Dre, who signed him to his Aftermath Entertainment label in 2003. Game was originally placed into G-Unit by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine. In early 2005, Game entered a feud with G-Unit. Due to his disputes with rapper 50 Cent, Game left Aftermath Entertainment and signed with Geffen Records.
  His debut was followed by another successful album, Doctor's Advocate in 2006. His next album LAX was released in 2008. With his fourth studio album The R.E.D. Album, Game made a return to Interscope Records. In 2006, he made his film debut in Waist Deep. Pitchfork Media placed the The Documentary at number 35 on their list of Top 50 Albums of 2005. Game was nominated with a total of two nominations, including Grammy Award for Best Rap Song and Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for the smash single "Hate It or Love It". The New York Times named Doctor's Advocate best hip-hop album of 2006.
  
  wn.com/Game_(rapper)
• George Tillman, Jr.
  {George Tillman, Jr. (born January 26, 1969) is an American film producer, writer, and director.
  Tillman is most notable for directing the films Soul Food (1997) and Men of Honor (2000). He is also the producer of the Soul Food: The Series on television and the three films in the Barbershop series: Barbershop, Barbershop 2: Back in Business, and Beauty Shop. He also directed the 2009 biopic Notorious about the New York-born rapper Notorious B.I.G..
  Tillman was nominated for the Black Film Award for Best Director for Soul Food (1997). Tillman was also nominated for the Black Reel Award for Best Director and Best Screenplay for Notorious (2009).
  Tillman was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His father, George Tillman, worked at the American Motors plant in Kenosha, Wisconsin and his mother worked as a secretary. Throughout his early childhood, Tillman would borrow his father’s 8mm camera and would start to shoot things with Milwaukee’s Public-access television cable TV channel. By age eight, Tillman got his hands on his very first television script, All My Children, and wrote his first soap opera as well as his first five-minute show. Tillman recalled, years later, to a interviewer in regards to receiving the All My Children’s script," I told them about a certain plot change that I wanted and I thought I could help the characters out…That was the beginning for me, the writing."
  
  wn.com/George_Tillman,_Jr.
• 
  Gorilla Zoe
  Alonzo Mathis (born January 26, 1983 in Atlanta, Georgia) better known by his stage name Gorilla Zoe ( /ˈzoʊ/) is an American rapper and member of rap group Boyz N Da Hood. His solo debut album Welcome to the Zoo came out in 2007.
  He replaced Young Jeezy as a member of Boyz n da Hood. He first saw success in collaborations with Hood Figga Gorilla Zoe Yung Joc "Coffee Shop" and "Bottle Poppin'," which charted under several Billboard charts. His first solo album, Welcome to the Zoo, was released October 2007, peaking at #18 on the Billboard 200, #8 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and #3 on Top Rap Albums. His second solo album, Don't Feed Da Animals, featuring the single "Lost, was released on March 17, 2009.Don't Feed Da Animals topped the Billboard Top Rap Albums chart. "What It Is", featuring Rick Ross, and Kollosus, and "Echo" followed.
  For the month of February 2010, Gorilla Zoe released a mixtape every day on the mixtape website DatPiff.com. Gorilla Zoe is currently working on a mixtape with Die-Verse City's member "Qu1k". He also released an EP named I Am Atlanta 3. It is currently available on ITunes.
  
  wn.com/Gorilla_Zoe
• Guerilla Black
  Charles Williamson (born 1977) is better known by his stage name Guerilla Black aka Sheereen is a rapper from Compton, California. He was born in Chicago, Illinois. He came to fame after releasing his debut album Guerilla City (2004) which featured the singles "Compton" Featuring Beanie Man and "You're The One" Featuring Mario Winans. Guerilla Black released a track titled "400 Shotz, the Funeral" taking aim at The Game, Jermaine Dupri and Daz Dillinger. His latest mixtape, "The Black Tapes" was released in 2009. It is notable for Williamson's change in rapping style, a change he acknowledges on several tracks. Features on the Mixtape included Hot Dollar, T-Pain and Akon.
  He has been both criticized and praised for having a similar voice and delivery to the late Notorious B.I.G. and even pays homage to Biggie on his "Real Niggaz Say Real Shit" mixtape, on the track "Letter to B.I.G." Williamson also bears a striking physical resemblance to Biggie.
  He is the brother of rapper Hot Dollar, and both rappers are part of the "Dolla Figga" rap collective.
  
  wn.com/Guerilla_Black
• Heavy D & the Boyz
  Dwight Arrington Myers (May 24, 1967 – November 8, 2011), better known as Heavy D, was a Jamaican-born American rapper, record producer, singer, actor, and former leader of Heavy D & the Boyz, a hip hop group which included G-Whiz (Glen Parrish), "Trouble" T. Roy (Troy Dixon), and Eddie F (born Edward Ferrell). The group maintained a sizable audience in the United States through most of the 1990s. The five albums the group released were produced by Teddy Riley, Marley Marl, his cousin Pete Rock and Eddie F.
  Myers was born on May 24, 1967 in Mandeville, Jamaica, the son of Eulahlee Lee, a nurse, and Clifford Vincent Myers, a machine technician. His family moved to Mount Vernon, New York, in the early 1970s, where he was raised.
  Heavy D & the Boyz were the first group signed to Uptown Records, with Heavy D as the frontman and only rapper, and Eddie F was his business partner in the group and one of his producers. The other two members, T-Roy and G-Wiz were the dancers. Their debut, Living Large, was released in 1987. The album was a commercial success; Big Tyme was a breakthrough that included four hits.
  
  wn.com/Heavy_D_&_the_Boyz
• 
  Ja Rule
  Jeffrey Atkins (born February 29, 1976), better known by his stage name Ja Rule or Mockaveli, is an American rapper, singer, and actor from Queens, New York City.
  Born in Hollis, Queens, he began his career in the group Cash Money Click and debuted in 1999 with Venni Vetti Vecci and its single "Holla Holla". From 2000 to 2004, Ja Rule had several hits that made the top 20 of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, including "Between Me and You" with Christina Milian, "I'm Real (Murder Remix)" with Jennifer Lopez, "Always on Time" with Ashanti, "Mesmerize" also with Ashanti, and "Wonderful" with R. Kelly and Ashanti. During the 2000s, Ja Rule was signed to The Inc. Records, which was formerly known as Murder Inc. and was led by Irv Gotti. Ja Rule has sold over 30 million records worldwide and was the fastest selling rapper in 2001^{[citation needed]}. He is also known for some well-publicized feuds with other rappers (in-particular 50 Cent and Eminem).
  Atkins was born in the Queens borough of New York City. He was raised as a Jehovah's Witness by his mother, health care worker Debra Atkins, and grandparents. At the age of five his sister died from breathing complications, leaving him as an only child. He attended Public School 134 in Hollis, a school he has described as having a predominantly black student body. He has said got into many fights at the school because of his small size, so his mother transferred him to Middle School 172 in Glen Oaks, which he has described as a "white school".
  
  wn.com/Ja_Rule
• 
  Janelle Monáe
  Janelle Monáe (born Janelle Monáe Robinson; December 1, 1985) is an American R&B/soul musician signed to Bad Boy Records and Atlantic Records.
  Monáe debuted with a conceptual EP, Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase). The EP failed to make much of a commercial impact, peaking at No. 115 on the Billboard charts in the United States.
  In 2010, Janelle Monáe released her debut studio album, The ArchAndroid (Suites II and III), a concept album sequel to her first EP; it was released by Bad Boy Records. This album received acclaim from critics and gained a Grammy Nomination for Best Contemporary R&B Album. The song "Tightrope" was also nominated for "Best Urban/Alternative Performance"; this album was also more successful commercially officially reaching the No. 17 spot on the Billboard Charts.
  In March 2012, "We Are Young", the song by the band Fun on which Monáe makes a guest appearance, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, her first appearance in the US Top 10.
  Monáe was born Janelle Monáe Robinson in Kansas City, Kansas, where she spent her early life; Monáe has stated that the fictional character of Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz has been one of her musical influences. She has told reporters that she has dreamed of being a singer and a performer since she was very young. Monáe moved from Kansas City, Kansas to New York to study drama at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.
  
  wn.com/Janelle_Monáe
• Javier Ovando
  Javier Francisco Ovando (born c. 1977), is a Honduran man who became a central figure in the LAPD Rampart Scandal when he was shot and framed by corrupt Rampart officers Rafael Pérez and Nino Durden. Ovando is an immigrant and a former member of the powerful 18th Street Gang. He is the recipient of the largest police misconduct settlement in Los Angeles history.
  Officers Durden and Pérez entered then 19-year old Ovando's apartment on 12 October 1996, and shot him, leaving him paralyzed. According to their testimony later, they planted a gun on him and reported that the unarmed Ovando had fired on them first. Ovando, paralyzed from the waist down, was sentenced to 23 years in prison based on the officers' testimony.
  On 16 September 1999, Ovando was released from prison after Perez recanted his earlier testimony. The District Attorney's office filed a writ of habeas corpus overturning Ovando's conviction. Ovando had spent two-and-a-half years incarcerated.
  On 21 November 2000, Ovando received a $15 million settlement, the largest police misconduct settlement in Los Angeles history.
  
  wn.com/Javier_Ovando
• Jordan McCoy
  Jordan Elizabeth McCoy (born September 17, 1991; Mount Vernon, Illinois) is an American singer, guitarist, and American Juniors finalist.
  After the show, she went to Los Angeles to start developing her music career and auditioned for TV and movie roles. While recording in Los Angeles, her label head (who did Dream with Diddy) mentioned he was in town and he wanted to hear her sing. McCoy stopped by the hotel and sang and danced for Combs. Diddy signed her to Bad Boy Records.
  She is a member of the upcoming revival of the girl group Dream.
  It has been reported by E! News that McCoy will appear on Diddy's upcoming album We Invented the Remix Vol. 2. Her song "Rockstar" was featured on an episode of The Hills, a commercial for American Idol, and an episode of Make It or Break It.
  McCoy has been posting videos of herself singing, while playing guitar, on her YouTube account JordanMcCoyTV every Tuesday. Some of these videos include her friends and former bandmates Imaj Thomas and Hunter Pecunia. Both Hunter and Imaj were once members of the Dream revival group, but have since left the band. McCoy's music can be sampled on her MySpace page.
  
  wn.com/Jordan_McCoy
• 
  Lil Jon
  Jonathan Smith (born January 27, 1971), better known by his stage name Lil Jon, is an American rapper, music producer, entrepreneur, and international DJ who was a member of the group Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz. Lil Jon formed the group in 1997, and the group released several albums between then and 2004. He then went solo and released a new album in 2010 called Crunk Rock.
  Lil' Jon was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. He graduated from Frederick Douglass High School.
  After working as a DJ for Atlanta night clubs, he started working for So So Def Recordings between 1993 and 2000. The group signed to the Atlanta-based Mirror Image Records and were distributed by Ichiban Records. In 1997, Lil' Jon & the East Side Boyz debuted with Get Crunk, Who U Wit: Da Album. It included singles "Who U Wit?" and "Shawty Freak a Lil' Sumthin'", the latter of which came out in 1998. Both singles charted on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at No. 70 and No. 62 respectively. In 2000 Jon took part in starting up his own label BME Recordings and signed a distribution agreement with Norcross, Georgia based Southern Music Distribution. There he released his break through album titled We Still Crunk. Among the tracks on that project was the hit single "I Like Dem Girlz", which reached No. 55 on the R&B chart and No. 3 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart.
  
  wn.com/Lil_Jon
• Lil' Cease
  James Lloyd (born August 10, 1977), better known by his stage name Lil' Cease, is an American rapper and member of hip hop group Junior M.A.F.I.A.. Cease released his first album, Conspiracy, with Junior M.A.F.I.A. in 1995, and gained mainstream attention with a memorable verse on "Player's Anthem", the album's highest charting single. Frequent name dropping from mentor The Notorious B.I.G. throughout Cease's career helped keep the young rapper in the spotlight. Cease also featured on the Def Jam-released soundtrack for the 1997 comedy film How to Be a Player alongside LeVert, Cam'ron and fellow Harlem rapper Mase.
  After making guest appearances on other artists' albums, Cease released his debut and only studio album The Wonderful World of Cease A Leo. It peaked at #26 on the Billboard 200 and #3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and features Bristal, Jay-Z and Lil' Kim. In 2005, Lil' Cease, Banger and MC Klepto reunited Junior M.A.F.I.A. and released the group's second album, Riot Musik. In January 2009, Lil' Cease released "Letter to B.I.G.", which sampled "Letter to B.I.G." by Jadakiss from the soundtrack to the film Notorious.
  
  wn.com/Lil'_Cease
• 
  Lil' Kim
  Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1975), better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and actress who was a member of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A..
  Jones was born and raised in Brooklyn, living much of her adolescent life on the streets after being expelled from home. As a teenager, Kim would rap for fun, being heavily influenced by other female MCs like MC Lyte and Lady of Rage. When word got to The Notorious B.I.G. that she could rhyme, he made Jones perform a freestyle for him on the spot. Impressed with her, he took her in and she began her music career in 1995 with the group Junior M.A.F.I.A., whose debut album Conspiracy generated three hit singles. In late 1996, her solo debut album Hard Core was released. Hard Core was certified double platinum and spawned three consecutive #1 rap hits that included: "No Time" "Not Tonight (Ladies Night remix)" and "Crush on You", a record for a female rapper. Her following albums, The Notorious K.I.M. (2000) and La Bella Mafia (2003), both were certified platinum by the RIAA, making Kim the only female rapper besides Missy Elliott to have at least 3 platinum albums so far. Kim solidified her star power in 2001, when "Lady Marmalade", a song Kim was featured on, went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. That made her the second female rapper to earn a #1 on that chart.
  
  wn.com/Lil'_Kim
• Liz Davis (singer)
  Elizabeth "Liz" Davis, is an American singer, currently signed to Bad Boy Records. She is the winner of the first season of P. Diddy's Starmaker. She was announced as the winner on October 25, 2009 during the season finale on MTV. She is currently under WEG Entertainment group. She was born and raised in Madison, Mississippi.
  
  
  
  wn.com/Liz_Davis_(singer)
• Mario Winans
  Mario Winans is an American R&B singer, songwriter, music producer, and multi-instrumentalist. Born Mario Brown, he is the son of gospel recording artist Vickie Winans (née Bowman) and her first husband, Bishop Ronald Brown. He is also the stepson of his mother's second husband, gospel singer, Pastor Marvin Winans whom she married in 1978. Marvin and Vickie Winans had a son, Marvin Winans Jr. (Mario's half brother.) Vickie and Marvin Winans divorced in 1995 and she has since remarried.
  Mario Winans began learning piano, keyboards, and drums while still in grade school in Detroit, Michigan and learned how to work in a recording studio at an early age. He began producing gospel music professionally after graduating high school, eventually working with gospel music artists Fred Hammond, The Clark Sisters and various members of the Winans gospel music family.
  In the mid-1990s, Mario was signed to a production deal with Dallas Austin's Rowdy Records thru producers Tim & Bob. He lived with the duo at their house studio until his breakthrough came as a Christian songwriter, musician and co-producer on R. Kelly's "I Can't Sleep Baby" and "You Remind Me Of Something" (plus three more songs) from the R. Kelly album in 1995. He also worked with Pebbles and 98 Degrees.
  
  wn.com/Mario_Winans
• 
  Mary J. Blige
  Mary J. Blige ( /ˈblaɪʒ/; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and occasional rapper and actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B.
  Blige started her musical career in 1992, releasing her debut album, What's the 411? on MCA Records and Uptown. With her tenth album, My Life II... The Journey Continues (Act 1) (2011), she had ten consecutive albums debut in the top 10 on the Billboard 200. Blige's work has defined the course of R&B/Hip-Hop music. My Life, in particular, is considered among the greatest albums ever recorded according to Rolling Stone (279/500),Time, and Vibe. For her part in combining hip hop and soul in the early 1990s and its subsequent commercial success, Blige received the World Music Awards "Legends Award". In 2007 the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers awarded her its "Voice of Music" Award. ASCAP official Jeanie Weems stated that "[Blige's] music has been the voice of inspiration to women worldwide in both struggle and triumph." That same year, Time included her in its "Time 100" list, a collection of the year's 100 most influential individuals around the world. In a documentary by BET television, Mary J. Blige said that when she hears music, she sees colors. In other words she has Synesthesia.
  
  wn.com/Mary_J._Blige
• Mase
  Mason Durell Betha (born August 27, 1977), better known by stage name Mase (often typeset as Ma$e) who was previously known as Murda Ma$e, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor and inspirational speaker. He was an artist on Sean "Diddy" Combs's hip hop label Bad Boy Records. He was introduced as Bad Boy Entertainment's next big artist during the summer of 1996 when he was featured on the remix to 112's debut single, "Only You", which peaked at number one on Billboard's Hot Dance Singles Sales chart as well as its Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. With his soon-to-be-trademarked^{[citation needed]} slow flow, Mase quickly developed a crossover fan base as he was featured on original tracks, as well as remixes, by popular R&B artists such as Brian McKnight, Mariah Carey, Keith Sweat, and Brandy, among others. Puff Daddy (Diddy) featured Mase on "Mo' Money, Mo' Problems" from The Notorious B.I.G.'s double-LP Life After Death, the album's biggest hit single. He then featured Mase on several songs on his own debut album, No Way Out: the lead single, "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down", which hit number one on the Rap, R&B, and Pop charts, as well as on "Been Around the World", which would also reach number one on Billboard's Hot Rap Tracks. By the time Mase released his own debut album, Harlem World, in late 1997, the rapper had become Bad Boy's premier artist, filling the void left by the death of Biggie Smalls. He is married to Twyla Betha and leads an international ministry.
  
  wn.com/Mase
• 
  Michael Jackson
  Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Often referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records. His contribution to music, dance, and fashion, along with a much-publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene along with his brothers as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1964, and began his solo career in 1971.
  In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music. The music videos for his songs, including those of "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller", were credited with transforming the medium into an art form and a promotional tool, and the popularity of these videos helped to bring the relatively new television channel MTV to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made him a staple on MTV in the 1990s. Through stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk, to which he gave the name. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced numerous hip hop, post-disco, contemporary R&B, pop and rock artists.
  
  wn.com/Michael_Jackson
• Mister Cee
  Calvin LeBrun better known as Mister Cee or DJ Mister Cee, is an American hip hop DJ, radio personality on New York's Hot 97 FM, and a respected record producer. LeBrun is best known as the DJ for hip hop artist Big Daddy Kane during the late 1980s and early 1990s. He also served as an associate executive producer for the Notorious B.I.G.'s debut album, Ready to Die (1994). He has also developed and endorsed a variant of the Tropical Fantasy soft drink, which he named "Island Punch Finisher".
  LeBrun was born in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York. He started working summer jobs at age 14, and graduated from high school at 18, where he met Big Daddy Kane. After graduation he worked for several messenger companies. He worked for Airborne Express up until he and Big Daddy Kane released the album Long Live the Kane (1988). In 2008, Mister Cee was featured as himself on the hip-hop radio station "102.7 The Beat" in Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto IV.
  On April 3, 2011, Jacky Jasper revealed that Mister Cee was involved in gay sex after being arrested for public lewdness. Police revealed that in March 2011, Cee was receiving oral sex from a 20 year old man in west Manhattan, an area known for gay activities.
  
  wn.com/Mister_Cee
• Nelson (singer)
  wn.com/Nelson_(singer)
• 
  Neneh Cherry
  Neneh Mariann Cherry (born Neneh Mariann Karlsson; 10 March 1964) is a Swedish singer-songwriter, rapper, and occasional DJ and broadcaster. Blending hip hop with other influences, Cherry experienced mainstream success with several of her recordings.
  Cherry was born in Stockholm to a Sierra Leonean father, drummer Amahdu Jah, and a Swedish mother, painter and textile artist Monica Karlsson, later known as Moki Cherry. Her stepfather Don Cherry, an American jazz musician, helped raise her since birth and she took his surname. Through her father, she is the half-sister of singer Titiyo and record producer Cherno Jah, and through her mother, she is the half-sister of musician Eagle-Eye Cherry. She has a stepsister, violinist Jan Cherry, and a stepbrother, jazz musician David Ornette Cherry.
  During the first years of her life, Cherry lived in a hippie commune just outside the small town of Hässleholm. The family later moved to Pudsey, England, and in the early 1970s, they lived in an apartment on East Ninth Street in New York. At the age of 14, Cherry dropped out of school and moved to London.
  
  wn.com/Neneh_Cherry
• 
  Nick Broomfield
  Nicholas "Nick" Broomfield (born 1948) is an English documentary film-maker. He is the son of Maurice Broomfield, a photographer.
  Broomfield works with a minimal crew, recording sound himself and using one or two camera operators. He is often seen in the finished film, usually holding the sound boom and wearing the Nagra tape recorder.
  From 1959 to 1965, Broomfield was educated at Sidcot School, a boarding independent school for boys (now co-educational), near the village of Winscombe in Somerset in south west England, followed by the University College Cardiff (renamed several times, eventually becoming 'Cardiff University' in 2004), where he studied Law, and the University of Essex, where he studied Political Science. Subsequently, he studied film at the National Film and Television School, in London. Broomfield's early style was conventional cinéma vérité: the juxtaposition of observed scenes, with little use of voice-over or text.
  Broomfield has been awarded the BAFTA Lifetime Achievement Award for Contribution to Documentary, and has also been given honorary doctorates from Essex and Surrey Institute of Art & Design, University College. In addition, he has received the Californian State Bar Award for his contribution to Legal Reform and is a founder member of the Morecambe Bay Victims Fund.
  
  wn.com/Nick_Broomfield
• 
  Nino Durden
  Gino Floyd "Nino" Durden (born May 5, 1963), was a police officer in the elite Los Angeles Police Department Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (CRASH) unit implicated in the LAPD Rampart scandal. Durden, along with Officer Rafael Pérez, was involved in the shooting and framing of gang member Javier Ovando. Both officers later made false statements against Ovando in court.
  Durden was arrested in July 2000. According to media reports, like the other officers directly involved, Durden was booked wearing his LAPD uniform.
  Durden was charged with attempted murder, assault with a semiautomatic firearm in the Ovando shooting, filing a false report and perjury – two counts stemming from the October 25, 1996, arrest of Miguel Hernandez, who was allegedly framed on a weapons offense, second-degree robbery for allegedly stealing jewelry and money from a suspected drug dealer on August 15, 1997, and filing a false report in connection with the February 2, 1997, arrest of Jose Lara, who also was allegedly framed on a weapons charge.
  
  wn.com/Nino_Durden
• 
  Puff Daddy
  Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He was originally known as Puff Daddy and then as P. Diddy (Puff and Puffy have been used as nicknames, but never as recording names). In August 2005, he changed his stage name to simply "Diddy", but continues to use the name P. Diddy in the UK as the result of a lawsuit. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He formed and recorded with the group Diddy – Dirty Money.
  Combs was born in Harlem and grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. He worked as a talent director at Uptown Records and then founded Bad Boy Records in 1993. His business interests—under the umbrella of Bad Boy Entertainment Worldwide—include Bad Boy Records, the clothing lines Sean John and "Sean by Sean Combs", a movie production company, and two restaurants. He has taken the roles of recording executive, performer, producer of MTV's Making the Band, writer, arranger, clothing designer, and Broadway actor. In 2011, Forbes estimated his net worth at $500 million, making him the richest figure in hip hop.
  
  wn.com/Puff_Daddy
• Red Café
  Jermaine Denny, better known as his stage name Red Café, is an American rapper. He was born to Afro-Guyanese parents and is signed to Akon's Konvict Muzik, Diddy's Bad Boy Records and Ciroc Entertainment and DJ Clue's Desert Storm label.
  Red Café is a Brooklyn, NY rapper of Afro-Guyanese descent. His nickname "Red" was his father's nickname; in songs he refers to himself simply as "R".^{[citation needed]} He was imprisoned for four years in 1992. After his release he joined the group Da Franchise, which was signed by Violator Records but was not successful and disbanded. He was signed by Arista in 2003, by Capitol (Hoo-Bangin' Records) in 2005, by Universal (Konvict Muzik) in 2006, and then Interscope (Konvict Musik) in 2007, but released no albums. His song All Night Long was included on the 2005 Coach Carter soundtrack. He has also ghostwritten for many popular rappers over the years. As an underground rapper, his work is not internationally recognized, though he has been rapping on the circuit since the late 1990s.
  
  wn.com/Red_Café
• Russell Poole
  Russell Poole is a former LAPD detective most noted for taking over the investigation of the slain rapper known as The Notorious B.I.G.. Poole is also known for investigating the March 18, 1997, killing of LAPD Officer Kevin Gaines by LAPD Officer Frank Lyga.
  The son of a 27-year L.A. County Sheriff, Poole would "follow in his father's footsteps" and join the LAPD in 1981. He rose quickly, becoming a detective trainee only three years after being sworn in. Before being chosen to work in the Robbery-Homicide division in 1996, he spent over 9 years as a homicide investigator at the South Bureau and Wilshire Division. He served as the primary investigator (taking a case all the way through the trial) on at least 135 homicide cases, and assisted on over 500 more. Noteworthy cases investigated personally by Poole before the Rampart scandal include and the murder of Ennis Cosby, the son of actor/activist/comedian Bill Cosby.[1] He also was one of the officers involved in the investigation that followed the 1997 North Hollywood shootout, just months before the murder of the Notorious B.I.G. Throughout his career up to his involvement in the Rampart scandal, Poole was a highly respected and decorated LAPD detective.
  
  wn.com/Russell_Poole
• 
  Sean Combs
  Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He was originally known as Puff Daddy and then as P. Diddy (Puff and Puffy have been used as nicknames, but never as recording names). In August 2005, he changed his stage name to simply "Diddy", but continues to use the name P. Diddy in the UK as the result of a lawsuit. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He formed and recorded with the group Diddy – Dirty Money.
  Combs was born in Harlem and grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. He worked as a talent director at Uptown Records and then founded Bad Boy Records in 1993. His business interests—under the umbrella of Bad Boy Entertainment Worldwide—include Bad Boy Records, the clothing lines Sean John and "Sean by Sean Combs", a movie production company, and two restaurants. He has taken the roles of recording executive, performer, producer of MTV's Making the Band, writer, arranger, clothing designer, and Broadway actor. In 2011, Forbes estimated his net worth at $500 million, making him the richest figure in hip hop.
  
  wn.com/Sean_Combs
• 
  Sean Kingston
  Sean Kingston (born Kisean Anderson; February 3, 1990) is a Jamaican-American singer. He pursued a music career and debuted in 2007 with the album Sean Kingston.
  Kingston was born on February 3, 1990, in Miami, Florida and moved to Kingston, Jamaica when he was six. He attended high school in Ocho Rios. His grandfather was the noted Jamaican reggae producer Lawrence Lindo, who worked under the stage name Jack Ruby. At age 11, Kingston spent 3 weeks in jail for breaking and entering, and Kingston lived in a car while his mother was incarcerated for identity theft.
  Sean Kingston was discovered through MySpace by Tommy Rotem at Beluga Heights, and signed to the label in a partnership deal with Sony. Beluga is a label notable for its focus on discovering and developing artists. In an interview with HitQuarters label head and producer J.R. Rotem described this process with regards to Kingston:
  "Sean Kingston was a rapper when we found him and it was a development process to get him more melodic. At Beluga we essentially refine the talent so that it's more of a marketable product."
  
  wn.com/Sean_Kingston
• 
  Shaquille O'Neal
  Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( /ʃəˈkiːl/ shə-KEEL; born March 6, 1972), nicknamed "Shaq" ( /ˈʃæk/ SHAK), is a retired American basketball player and current analyst on the television program Inside the NBA. Standing 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) tall and weighing 325 pounds (147 kg), he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA. Throughout his 19-year career, O'Neal used his size and strength to overpower opponents for points and rebounds.
  Following his career at Louisiana State University, O'Neal was drafted by the Orlando Magic with the first overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft. He quickly became one of the top centers in the league, winning Rookie of the Year in 1992–93 and later leading his team to the 1995 NBA Finals. After four years with the Magic, O'Neal signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Lakers. He won three consecutive championships in 2000, 2001, and 2002. Amid tension between O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat in 2004, and his fourth NBA championship followed in 2006. Midway through the 2007–2008 season he was traded to the Phoenix Suns. After a season-and-a-half with the Suns, O'Neal was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2009–10 season. O'Neal played for the Boston Celtics in the 2010–11 season before retiring.
  
  wn.com/Shaquille_O'Neal
• 
  Shyne
  Moshe Levi Ben-David (born Jamal Michael Barrow; November 8, 1978), better known by his stage name Shyne, is a Belizean rapper.
  Shyne was born in Belize City, Belize, the son of Dean Barrow, the current Prime Minister of Belize. Shyne's once estranged father was first to welcome him back to their home country upon his return in 2009. His mother is the sister of Michael Finnegan, one of Barrow's long-time political colleagues. Shyne remained behind with his uncle in Belize City when his mother moved to the US. It was not until the age of 13 when she was able to bring him with her to Brooklyn's Vanderveer Estates in East Flatbush (now known as 'Flatbush Gardens').
  In 1998 hip hop producer Clark Kent discovered Shyne, noticing something unique in his voice. He sounded to him very similar to the late Notorious B.I.G.. At the time, Clark Kent was working on B.I.G.'s posthumous "Born Again" album.
  Not long after, Shyne started making appearances on recordings made by Bad Boy Records artists. He notably featured on a remix of Total's "Sittin At Home" track and on Mase's second album Double Up, on the track entitled "From Scratch". In the same year he featured on Bad Boy Records' chief executive Sean Combs' Forever, as well as on a remix of P.E. 2000.
  
  wn.com/Shyne
• 
  Snoop Dogg
  Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. (born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (formerly known as Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school. Shortly after graduation, he was arrested for cocaine possession and spent six months in Wayside County Jail. His music career began in 1992 after his release when he was discovered by Dr. Dre. He collaborated on several tracks on Dre's solo debut, The Chronic and on the titular theme song to the film Deep Cover.
  Snoop's debut album Doggystyle, was released in 1993 under Death Row Records making a debut at No.1 on both the Billboard 200 and R&B charts. Selling almost a million copies in the first week of its release, Doggystyle quickly became certified 4× platinum in 1994 and spawned several hit singles, including "What's My Name" and "Gin & Juice". In 1994, Snoop released a soundtrack on Death Row Records for the short film Murder Was The Case, starring himself. In early 1996, Snoop Dogg was cleared of charges over his bodyguard's 1993 murder of Philip Woldemariam. His second album, late 1996's Tha Doggfather, also debuted at No.1 on both charts with "Snoop's Upside Ya Head" as the lead single. The album sold only half as well, being certified double platinum in 1997.
  
  wn.com/Snoop_Dogg
• 
  Spike Jonze
  Spike Jonze (born Adam Spiegel; October 22, 1969) is an American director, producer and actor, whose work includes music videos, commercials, film and television. He is best known for his collaborations with writer Charlie Kaufman, which include the 1999 film Being John Malkovich (that gave him an Academy Award for Best Director nomination) and the 2002 film Adaptation, and as the co-writer/director of the 2009 film Where the Wild Things Are.
  He is well known also for his music video collaborations with Weezer, Beastie Boys, and Björk. He was also a co-creator and executive producer of MTV's Jackass. He is currently the creative director of VBS.tv. He is also part owner of skateboard company Girl Skateboards with riders Rick Howard and Mike Carroll.
  He also co-founded Directors Label with filmmakers Chris Cunningham and Michel Gondry.
  Spiegel was born in Rockville, Maryland, and raised in Bethesda, Maryland and in Gulph Mills, Pennsylvania. His father, Arthur Spiegel III, was a distant relation of the Spiegel catalog family and founded APM Management Consultants. His mother, Sandy Granzow, is a writer, communications consultant in developing countries, and artist. His brother Sam (aka Squeak E. Clean) is a producer and DJ. Jonze attended SFAI in San Francisco, California.
  
  wn.com/Spike_Jonze
• Super Cat
  Super Cat (born William Maragh in Kingston, Jamaica, 25 June 1963) is a deejay most popular during the late 1980s and early 1990s dancehall movement. Super Cat was born in Jamaica and was nicknamed Wild Apache. His nickname, the "Wild Apache" was given to him by his mentor Early B. He is the elder brother of reggae star Junior Cat.
  Born to an African-Jamaican mother and a Jamaican father of Indian descent, Super Cat was raised in Kingston's tough Seivright Gardens neighborhood, then known as Cockburn Pen, home to ground-breaking deejays like Prince Jazzbo and U-Roy. By the time he was seven years old, he was hanging out at a local club called Bamboo Lawn, assisting the crew of the Soul Imperial sound system. He auditioned for Joe Gibbs as a singer but was unsuccessful.
  He began appearing as a deejay under the name Cat-A-Rock, but soon switched to the name Super Cat. He also appeared as 'Wild Apache'. His first single, the Winston Riley-produced "Mr. Walker", was released in 1981, giving him some success, and he went on to record for Jah Thomas ("Walkathon", on which he was billed as 'Super Cat the Indian'), but his career was interrupted by a spell in prison. After his release he began working with Early B on the Killamanjaro sound system in 1984, and his debut album, Si Boops Deh!, was released in the mid-1980s, and included the hit singles "Boops" (which was based on Steely & Clevie's updated "Feel Like Jumping" rhythm and sparked a craze for songs about sugar daddies), and "Cry Fi De Youth", establishing his style of dancehall with conscious lyrics.
  
  wn.com/Super_Cat
• The LOX
  The Lox are an American hip hop group composed of Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Styles P. They were originally signed to Sean Combs' Bad Boy Records before joining Ruff Ryders Entertainment, and are now a part of their own label, D-Block Records
  Jason "Jadakiss" Phillips, David Styles "Styles P", and Sean "Sheek Louch" Jacobs, began their musical careers in their hometown of Yonkers, New York. As high school students they formed a group called "The Bomb Squad" and began performing at local shows and producing their own demos. In 1994 they appeared on Main Source's "Set It Off" from the album "Fuck What You Think". While the local rap scene was being dominated by artists like Raw Rome, Lord Devon and a young DMX, the group began to gain attention for their lyrical style and ability to present tales of urban life. The group eventually changed their name to "The Warlocks" and continued developing a fan base by appearing on underground mix tapes. One of their admirers was the "Queen of Hip hop soul," fellow Yonkers native Mary J. Blige. Mary passed their demo tape on to Bad Boy CEO Sean "Puffy" Combs who signed them to a deal. At the behest of Combs, The Warlocks would later change their name to "The L.O.X" which stands for Living Off eXperience.
  
  wn.com/The_LOX
• 
  The Notorious B.I.G.
  Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls (after a character in the 1975 film Let's Do It Again).
  Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. When Wallace released his debut album Ready to Die in 1994, he became a central figure in the East Coast hip-hop scene and increased New York's visibility at a time when West Coast artists were more common in the mainstream. The following year, Wallace led his childhood friends to chart success through his protégé group, Junior M.A.F.I.A. While recording his second album, Wallace was heavily involved in the East Coast/West Coast hip-hop feud, dominating the scene at the time.
  On March 9, 1997, Wallace was killed by an unknown assailant in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles. His double-disc set Life After Death, released 15 days later, hit #1 on the U.S. album charts and was certified Diamond in 2000 (one of the few hip hop albums to receive this certification). Wallace was noted for his "loose, easy flow", dark semi-autobiographical lyrics and storytelling abilities. Since his death, a further two albums have been released. MTV ranked him at #3 on their list of The Greatest MCs of All Time. He has certified sales of 17 million units in the United States.
  
  wn.com/The_Notorious_B.I.G.
• 
  Toni Braxton
  Toni Michelle Braxton (born October 7, 1967) is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Braxton has won six Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, and five Billboard Music Awards and has sold over 60 million records worldwide. She has a contralto vocal type.^{[citation needed]}
  Braxton topped the Billboard 200 with her 1993 self-titled debut album and continued that streak with her second studio album Secrets, which spawned the number-one hits "You're Makin' Me High" and "Un-Break My Heart". Although she had successful albums and singles, Braxton shortly filed for bankruptcy, but then returned with her chart-topping third album, The Heat. In 2009, she returned to the spotlight with "Yesterday", a #12 R&B hit which serves as the first single off her new album Pulse, released on May 4, 2010, which debuted at #1 on Billboard R&B Album Chart. Braxton was involved in the 7th season of the reality show Dancing with the Stars. Her professional partner was Alec Mazo. She was voted off in week five of the competition. It was announced on October 6, 2010 that Braxton once again had filed for bankruptcy. A reality series entitled Braxton Family Values, starring Toni and her sisters, debuted April 12, 2011 on WE tv. WE tv ordered a 13-episode second season of the show after the third episode of the first season. On September 18, 2011, Braxton was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.
  
  wn.com/Toni_Braxton
• 
  Touré
  Touré (born Touré Neblett, March 20, 1971) is an American novelist, essayist, music journalist, cultural critic, and television personality based in New York City. He is the host of Fuse's Hiphop Shop and On the Record. He is also a contributor to MSNBC's The Dylan Ratigan Show and serves on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominating Committee.
  While a student at Emory University, Touré founded the black student newspaper, The Fire This Time. He dropped out of college in 1992 and became an intern at Rolling Stone magazine but was fired after a few months. Weeks later he was asked to write record reviews and then feature stories. His first feature was about Run-DMC. Since 1997, he has been a contributing editor at Rolling Stone, writing primarily about hip hop. In April 2011 he wrote the Rolling Stone cover story about Adele.^{[volume & issue needed]}
  Touré has written four books: The Portable Promised Land (2003), a collection of short stories, Soul City (2004), a magical realist novel about life in an African-American Utopia, and Never Drank the Kool-Aid (2006), a collection of his published writing between 1994 and 2005. In September 2011 Free Press published Who's Afraid of Post-Blackness?, a look at modern Black identity that includes a forward by Michael Eric Dyson and excerpts from over 100 interviews with notable people like Jesse Jackson.
  
  wn.com/Touré
• 
  Tupac Shakur
  Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), known by his stage names 2Pac, Pac, and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million records worldwide as of 2010, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world. Rolling Stone Magazine named him the 86th Greatest Artist of All Time. The themes of most of Tupac's songs are the violence and hardship in inner cities, racism, social problems, and conflicts with other rappers during the East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry. Shakur began his career as a roadie, backup dancer, and MC for the alternative hip hop group Digital Underground.
  Both of his parents and several other family members were members of the Black Panthers, and Tupac made reference to the organization in the song "Changes". Shakur was involved in a West-coast East-coast rivalry after a major feud with East-coast rappers, producers and record-label members of staff.
  On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot four times in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was taken to the University Medical Center, where he died six days later.
  
  wn.com/Tupac_Shakur
• 
  Usher (entertainer)
  Usher Terry Raymond IV (born October 14, 1978), who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit, "Nice & Slow". The album has been certified 6-times platinum by the RIAA. His follow-up album, 8701, produced the Billboard Hot 100 number one hits "U Remind Me" and "U Got It Bad". The album has been certified 4-times platinum by the RIAA.
  Usher's 2004 album Confessions sold over 10 million copies in the United States, and been certified diamond by the RIAA. Confessions has the highest first week sales for an R&B artist in history. It spawned four consecutive Billboard number-one hits—"Yeah!", "Burn", "Confessions Part II", and "My Boo". Usher's 2008 album Here I Stand sold over 5 million copies worldwide, and its lead single "Love In This Club" peaked at number-one on the Billboard Hot 100.
  On March 30, 2010, Usher released his sixth studio album Raymond v. Raymond, which became his third consecutive album to debut at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. It has been certified platinum by the RIAA, and spawned another Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit "OMG". The song became his ninth number one in the United States, making him the first 2010s artist to collect number one singles in three consecutive decades. He later released an extended play and deluxe edition of "Raymond v. Raymond", entitled Versus, which debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart. Its lead single "DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love" reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100.
  
  wn.com/Usher_(entertainer)
• 
  Young Jeezy
  Jay Wayne Jenkins (born October 12, 1977), better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is a member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America (USDA) and a former member of BMF (Black Mafia Family). He began his career in 2001 under an independent label and joined Boyz 'N Da Hood in 2005, the same year his solo major label debut Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101 was released. Its single "Soul Survivor", which featured Akon, became a top-ten hit in the US.
  The Inspiration followed in 2006, and The Recession followed in 2008; both albums yielded chart-topping singles. Jeezy has also appeared on numerous other rap and R&B singles such as "Say I" by Christina Milian, "I'm So Paid" by Akon, "Hard" by Rihanna, and "Love in This Club" by Usher, the latter being a number one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 2008.
  Jay Wayne Jenkins was born in Columbia, South Carolina and relocated to Atlanta, Georgia when he was a toddler. Because his parents were separated, custody of him transferred between family members frequently. In an interview with XXL magazine, he described his childhood as "empty". In 1994, he spent nine months in YCA (Youth Challenge Academy), a boot camp in Fort Stewart, Georgia, for narcotics possession.
  
  wn.com/Young_Jeezy
• Younglord
  Richard "Younglord" Frierson (born 1978) is an American Hip Hop and R&B record producer.
  A native of New York City, he was signed in November 1994, at the age of sixteen, to Puff Daddy's Hitmen Production Team [1] producing for the label's roster including Mase, The Lox, Faith Evans & 112. He has since produced for outside acts such as Virtue, DMX, Lloyd Banks, Veronica, New Edition and Consequence. Most recently his success was with the Diddy comeback single "Come To Me", which reached Number 9 on The U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Singles Sales.
  Richard Frierson - The Talent Scout Frierson was also partly responsible for the now infamous producer Ryan Leslie's meeting with P. Diddy after Leslie was given a 30-day contract as a music production intern for Frierson. When the two producers created the Beyoncé Knowles song "Keep Giving Your Love To Me" for The Bad Boys 2 Soundtrack, Ryan was asked to meet P. Diddy. [2]
  Frierson conceptualized an incubator system for artists, allowing creative space for growth for up and coming artists and producers. Finding such talent such as Terry "MaddScientist" Thomas and Atozzio, he helped guide and prepare them up until the point where they would be able to sign a publishing deal with EMI Music Publishing.
  
  wn.com/Younglord
• 
  Yung Joc
  Jasiel Robinson (born April 2, 1983), better known by his stage name Yung Joc, is an American rapper.
  Robinson's father, Stanley Tucker, owned a hair-care products company and helped him get an opportunity to write a jingle for Revlon; Robinson founded his own label to release his music. In 2001 he married his high school sweetheart Alexandria Robinson and together they have three children, Ja'Kori, Amir, and Chase Robinson. (Jasiel has an older son Amoni from a previous relationship)
  Yung Joc met Atlanta producer Nitti Beatz and the two recorded the hit "It's Goin Down" in the spring of 2006. After Teaming with Russell "Block" Spencer, founder of the Block Enterprises label. Spencer signed Joc to Sean Combs's Bad Boy Records for a multi-million dollar deal, and Bad Boy released Joc's debut New Joc City that year. The album debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 selling nearly 150,000 copies in the first week^{[citation needed]}. The second week it fell to #7. It has since been certified gold by the RIAA selling over 500,000 copies.
  
  wn.com/Yung_Joc

• The Illest (feat. Big L and 2pac)
• Us and the Guns (feat. Big Pun and Big L)
• Strung Out (feat. Jay-Z Nas and Kelis)
• Live Big (feat. Big L and Big Pun)
• Survivin (feat. 2pac Akon and 50 Cent)
• I Hold the Title (feat. Big Pun and Big L)
• Take Money (feat. Big Pun)
• Terradome (feat. Big Pun and Big L)
• In the Game (feat. Big L)
• Young G's (feat. Big Pun and Big L)
• Still Strugglin (feat. Reakwon)
• Don't Love These Hoes (feat. Big L)

• Notorious Thugs
• Hypnotize
• Notorious B.I.G.
• Juicy
• Party & Bullshit
• Warning
• One More Chance/Stay With Me (remix)
• Brooklyn Go Hard
• Letter to B.I.G.
• Kick in the Door
• What's Beef
• The World Is Filled...
• One More Chance/The Legacy (remix)
• The Notorious Theme
• Microphone Murderer (demo)
• Guaranteed Raw (demo)
• Love No Ho (original demo version)

• Juicy
• Big Poppa
• Hypnotize
• One More Chance/Stay With Me (remix)
• Get Money
• Warning
• Dead Wrong
• Who Shot Ya
• Ten Crack Commandments
• Notorious Thugs
• Notorious B.I.G.
• Nasty Girl
• Unbelievable
• Niggas Bleed
• Running Your Mouth
• Want That Old Thing Back
• Fucking You Tonight

• Intro
• Things Done Changed
• Gimme the Loot
• Machine Gun Funk
• Warning
• Ready to Die
• One More Chance
• Fuck Me (interlude)
• The What
• Juicy
• Everyday Struggle
• Me & My Bitch
• Big Poppa
• Respect
• Friend of Mine
• Unbelievable
• Suicidal Thoughts
• Who Shot Ya
• Just Playing (Dreams)

• B.I.G. Live in Jamaica (intro)
• It Has Been Said
• Spit Your Game
• Whatchu Want
• Get Your Grind On
• Living the Life
• Greatest Rapper (interlude)
• 1970 Somethin'
• Nasty Girl
• Living in Pain
• I'm With Whateva
• Beef
• My Dad (interlude)
• Hustler's Story
• Breakin' Old Habits
• Ultimate Rush
• Mi Casa
• Little Homie (interlude)
• Hold Your Head
• Just a Memory
• Wake Up Now
• Love Is Everlasting (outro)

• Young G's
• Runnin'
• Can I Get Wit Cha
• Real Niggas
• Be tha Real
• Another Ruff One
• Realm of Junior M.A.F.I.A.
• House of Pain
• G's Perspective
• Wake Up
• Get Money (remix)
• Me & Biggie

• The Wickedest (feat. Mister Cee)
• Live at the Garden (feat. 2Pac, Big Daddy Kane, Big Scoop, Shyhiem & Mister Cee)
• Dreams
• Juicy
• Warning
• Big Poppa
• Who Shot Ya?
• One More Chance (Stay With Me remix)
• Live in London (feat. Puff Daddy)
• Real Niggaz
• Will See (feat. The Lox)
• Hypnotize
• Mo Money, Mo Problems (feat. Puff Daddy & Mase)
• Sky's the Limit (feat. 112)
• Nasty Boy (remix)
• Dead Wrong (remix) (feat. Eminem & Busta Rhymes)
• House of Pain (feat. 2Pac & Joe Hooker)
• Party & Bullshit (remix) (feat. Faith Evans)

• Born Again (intro)
• Notorious B.I.G.
• Dead Wrong
• Hope You Niggas Sleep
• Dangerous MC's
• Biggie
• Niggas
• Big Booty Hoes
• Would You Die for Me
• Come On
• Rap Phenomenon
• Let Me Get Down
• Tonight
• If I Should Die Before I Wake
• Who Shot Ya
• Can I Get Witcha
• I Really Want to Show You
• Ms. Wallace (outro)

• Stop the Gunfight
• Can I Get Your Number
• Standtall
• 5th Ward
• Don't Drink and Drive
• History
• Be the Realist
• Brick House
• Monkey See Monkey Do
• Swing That Axx
• When I Come Down
• Stop the Gunfight (R&B; version)
• Recognize
• Stone Jam

• Be the Realist
• Ooh Wee
• Real Bad Boys
• West Coast
• Criminal
• They Tryin' to Kill Me
• Monday Morning
• Stop the Gun Fight
• California Hustler
• Slippin' Into Darkness
• Never Say Never
• Dedication

• Going Back to Cali
• Hypnotize
• Nasty Boy
• Me and My Bitch (live)
• Juicy
• Big Pappa
• Get Money
• One More Chance
• Can't You See
• Only You
• I Love the Dough
• Player's Anthem
• Notorious Thugs
• Da B Side
• Brooklyn's Finest
• Running
• Mo' Money Mo' Problems
• West Coast Mix, Part 1
• Bad Boy Mix, Part 2
• Outro: Dedictaed to Da Player Hater

• Life After Death (intro)
• Somebody's Gotta Die
• Hypnotize
• Kick in the Door
• Fucking You Tonight
• Last Day
• I Love the Dough
• What's Beef?
• B.I.G Interlude
• Mo Money Mo Problems
• Niggas Bleed
• I Got a Story to Tell
• The Story

Born: 1972-05-21

Died: 1997-03-09