This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2007)

4th & B'way Records (spelled out completely as Fourth and Broadway Records in the UK) was a US-based subsidiary of Island Records that specialized in street-oriented music such as hip-hop. Established in 1984, it was the flagship label of the Island Trading Company, the independent-distribution parent company of Island's other record labels that operated in the US. However, 4th & B'way was not distributed through major-label channels—the flagship Island label was distributed by Atlantic Records at that time—until the label and distribution company were acquired by PolyGram Records in 1989, when Island Trading became a unit of PolyGram Group Distribution and was renamed Independent Label Sales (ILS). It was also one of several US-based Island labels that were named after nearby New York City streets when Island's US headquarters were located at 14 East 4th Street in Manhattan, the same building that held the legendary Greenwich Village branch of Tower Records, and also nearby at 400 Lafayette Street. When Island moved its headquarters to the Worldwide Plaza Building at 825 8th Avenue in 1995, where PolyGram's US headquarters were also located, the empty 4th Street offices became the headquarters of V2 Records.

In the UK, Fourth and Broadway was established in 1992, and it had a different roster than its American version, although it did release titles from its American cousin and vice versa. 4th & B'way was shut down in 1998, shortly after Chris Blackwell left Island Records, and before the merger of the PolyGram and MCA label families that became Universal Music Group. 4th & B'way's remaining hip hop artists would be transferred to Def Jam Recordings.^{[citation needed]}

"Pump up the Volume" by MARRS was distributed by 4th & B'way in the US. Other notable artists included Eric B and Rakim and Noel.

See also[link]

• Category:4th & B'way Records albums
• List of former Island Records artists
• List of record labels

This article about a United States record label is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Young MC
Young MC at the 1990 Grammy Awards.
Background information
Birth name	Marvin Young
Also known as	Mr. MC, The Young MC Man
Born	(1967-05-10) May 10, 1967 (age 45)
Origin	South Wimbledon, London, England Queens, New York, USA
Genres	Hip Hop, Pop Rap
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, Producer, Actor
Years active	1986–present
Labels	Delicious Vinyl, Capital Records, Overall Records, Young Man Moving Records
Associated acts	Def Jef, Tone-Loc, MC Hammer

Marvin Young (born May 10, 1967), better known by his stage name Young MC, is an English-born American singer, rapper and actor. He is best known for his 1989 hit "Bust a Move". His debut album Stone Cold Rhymin' found international acclaim however subsequent albums have not reached the same level of success. Young has also appeared in film in acting roles and cameo appearances, and has appeared in several television programs. His family left England and moved to Queens, New York when he was eight years old.

Biography[link]

Young attended Hunter College High School in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. He went on to earn a degree in economics from the University of Southern California (USC).^[1] At USC he met Michael Ross and Matt Dike from the record company Delicious Vinyl.^[1] Young rapped over the phone for Ross and Dike, who ended up delivering a record contract to his USC dorm room. In 1989, Young collaborated with Tone Lōc on the songs "Wild Thing" and "Funky Cold Medina".^[1] Young gained fame with the release of his single "Bust a Move", which reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance. The single helped Young's debut album, Stone Cold Rhymin', to reach No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and attain platinum status in the US. The follow-up single, "Principal's Office", reached No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100^[2] and was nominated for Best Rap Video at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards.

Following Young's success, he left Delicious Vinyl, citing restrictions on his work and unwanted changes to his album. The label sued him for breach of contract and the two parties eventually settled out of court.^[1] Young signed with Capitol Records and released his second album, Brainstorm, in 1991. It reached No. 66 on the Billboard 200. Despite the absence of any strong single, the album achieved gold status in the US.^[3] However his third album, What's the Flavor?, released in 1993, was a commercial failure, with both the album and its singles failing to chart. It was his second and final album on Capital Records. In 1997 Young released his fourth album, Return of the 1 Hit Wonder, on the independent label Overall Records. The album produced two singles, "Madame Buttafly" and "On & Poppin" which charted at No. 25 and No. 23 respectively on the Hot Rap Songs chart.^[2]

In 2000, Young released his fifth album, Ain't Goin' Out Like That, on his own record label Young Man Moving Records. The album was Young's first to chart since Brainstorm, peaking at No. 85 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.^[4] In 2002, he released his sixth album, Engage the Enzyme.

In 2002, Young appeared as a contestant on Weakest Link – Rap Stars Edition. He was joined by Run of Run-D.M.C., DJ Quik, Jermaine Dupri, Da Brat, B-Real of Cypress Hill, Xzibit, and Nate Dogg. Young went on to win the celebrity contest, outlasting Xzibit in the finals. All of the proceeds from his winning performance were donated to the Humane Society.

In December 2004 Young traveled to Vancouver to commence shooting for the film The Zero Sum. As an actor Young played Mr. Henderson, a publishing company executive. Film director Raphael Assaf and screenwriter Armen Evrensel asked Young to help create the film, for which he is a co-executive producer. Young also teamed up with Baltimore rapper KNOXX to create "Brotherly Love", the films theme song.

In September 2005, Young was cast in the VH1 reality show Celebrity Fit Club 3. Joining Young was Kelly LeBrock, Bruce Vilanch, Tempestt Bledsoe, Countess Vaughn, Chastity Bono, Jeff Conaway, Gunnar Nelson, and Rapper Bizarre of D12. Young won the competition, losing more weight than anybody else.

Young also made an appearance in a special episode of The Best Damn Sports Show Period which featured "The Top 50 Sports Moments of the 80's". Young crafted lyrics and performed a sports-themed rap song alongside KRS-One and Kool Moe Dee.

After 20 years of living in Los Angeles, Young relocated to Scottsdale, AZ in 2006. He spent 2007 creating his seventh album, Adrenaline Flow, which was released in 2008. Immediately following Adrenaline Flow, Young released an online-only album, B-Sides, Demos and Remixes, compiled from unreleased, remixed and re-recorded tracks.

In 2009, Young released his eighth album, Relentless. Later that year, Young also landed a cameo role in the breakout Jason Reitman film Up in the Air starring George Clooney. Young played himself, performing at a software convention which was crashed by Clooney’s character and his two female co-stars, Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga.

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Singles[link]

References[link]

1. ^ ^{a b c d} "Young MC biography". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/young-mc-p140446/biography. Retrieved December 27, 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} "Young MC Billboard Singles". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/young-mc-p140446/charts-awards/billboard-singles. Retrieved December 27, 2011. 
3. ^ "RIAA – Gold and Platinum". RIAA. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH. Retrieved January 2, 2011.  Search for "Brainstorm"
4. ^ ^{a b} "Young MC Billboard Albums". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/young-mc-p140446/charts-awards. Retrieved December 27, 2011. 

External links[link]

• Young MC profile at NNDB
• Marvin Young at the Internet Movie Database
• Young MC interview on Jammer Direct

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

Biography[link]

Origins[link]

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

Rise to Success[link]

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

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

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

East Coast vs. West Coast National Feud[link]

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

2000 to 2010[link]

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

G-Unit Records[link]

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

2011 to Present Day[link]

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

Discography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

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

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2011)

Maxwell Dixon (born March 4, 1966^[1]) is an emcee best known as a member of the group Brand Nubian.^[2]

Biography[link]

He made his debut with the group Masters of Ceremony. Its album Dynamite (1988) was hailed by critics, but probably due to lack of sales, the group soon disbanded, and Puba emerged as the lead emcee of Brand Nubian. After their innovative and versatile debut album One for All (1990)—covering areas from reggae-influenced hip hop music to new jack swing—Puba left the group after disputes with its other members and embarked on a solo career. He became a member of the group again around 1997, recording a few tracks for various soundtracks leading up to the full-length album Foundation in '98. In 1999, Puba and group mate Sadat X performed on the track "Once Again" on Handsome Boy Modeling School's concept album So... How's Your Girl? Following the group's 2004 effort Fire in the Hole, a rejuvenated Puba appeared on tracks with Beanie Sigel ("Bread and Butter," also featuring groupmate Sadat X), Missy Elliott ("My Struggles," featuring his onetime collaborator Mary J. Blige), and Ugly Duckling ("Something's Going Down Tonight").

In 2009, Grand Puba released his fourth solo album, Retroactive, featuring production from hip-hop veterans like Q-Tip, Large Professor, Kid Capri as well as his fellow Brand Nubian's. Puba also appeared on the heavy posse-cut "Fresh" together with Cormega, KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane, DJ Red Alert and Parrish Smith of EPMD.

On the song "Old School" by Tupac Shakur Grand Puba was sampled and used in the hook. The sample originates from Grand Puba's verse on the song "Dedication" by Brand Nubian.

Discography[link]

• 1992: Reel to Reel
• 1995: 2000
• 2001: Understand This
• 2009: Retroactive (Babygrande Records)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Grand Puba on Myspace
• Information about Grand Puba

Anthony Terrell Smith (born March 3, 1966), better known by his stage name Tone Lōc, is an American rapper and actor.

Early life and career[link]

He was born in Los Angeles, California, and is best known for his deep, gravelly voice and his million-selling hit singles, "Wild Thing" and "Funky Cold Medina".^[1] Tone Lōc is also a voice actor, having voiced characters in several cartoon series. He also voiced Fud Wrapper, the host of the animatronic show Food Rocks, which played at Epcot from 1994 to 2004. In this latter role, he sang the song "Always Read the Wrapper", a parody of his own song "Funky Cold Medina". His song "Ace Is In The House" features in the films Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994) and Ace Ventura Jr: Pet Detective (2009).

He provided vocals for FeFe Dobson for a track called "Rock It 'Til You Drop It" on her first album, 2003's Fefe Dobson.

Personal life[link]

Tone Loc has two sons, Bijan Smith and Anthony James Smith. Anthony was named for his father, and his middle name comes from his grandfather James Smith.

Legal issues[link]

In December 2010, Loc was arrested for DUI. He was released on bail claiming a medical condition caused a seizure.^[2]

On June 18, 2011, Tone Loc was arrested for felony domestic violence and possession of a Colt AR-15 Sporter rifle (prohibited by California law)^[3] after an altercation with the mother of his child.^[4] He was released less than three hours later after posting $50,000 bail.^[5][6] On October 3, 2011, he entered a plea of no contest to both charges, and was sentenced to one day in county jail, three years of probation, 52 weeks of anger management counseling and 30 days of community service.^[7]

Health problems[link]

On May 29, 2009, Loc was rushed to a Florida hospital after collapsing during a concert. The rapper had ripped open his elbow when hitting the ground but was released the same day.^[8]

On October 15, 2011, Loc was hospitalized for exhaustion after collapsing on stage during a concert in Atlanta. He was taken to a local hospital where he was given an IV and rehydrated.^[9]

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Singles[link]

Featured singles[link]

Awards and Nominations[link]

Filmography[link]

Film[link]

Television[link]

See also[link]

• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

References[link]

External links[link]

• Tone Lōc at the Internet Movie Database
• Tone Lōc profile at NNDB