Asafoetida (Ferula assafoetida), alternative spelling asafetida,( /æsəˈfɛtɨdə/) (also known as devil's dung, stinking gum, asant, food of the gods, giant fennel, Jowani badian, hing and ting) is the dried latex (gum oleoresin) exuded from the living underground rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, which is a perennial herb (1 to 1.5 m high). The species is native to the mountains of Afghanistan, and is mainly cultivated in nearby India. Asafoetida has a pungent, unpleasant smell when raw, but in cooked dishes, it delivers a smooth flavor, reminiscent of leeks.

This spice is used as a digestive aid, in food as a condiment, and in pickles. It typically works as a flavor enhancer and, used along with turmeric, is a standard component of Indian cuisine, particularly in lentil curries, such as dal, as well as in numerous vegetable dishes . It is especially widely used in Gujarati cuisine, which is mainly vegetarian, and is often used to harmonize sweet, sour, salty and spicy components in food.

Josephine Foster is an American modern folk and psychedelic rock singer-songwriter and musician from Colorado. As an adolescent she worked as a funeral and wedding singer, and aspired to become an opera singer. Several years later she abandoned the idea and began to record demos of her songs, resulting in the early recordings There Are Eyes Above (2000), an album of ukulele accompanied songs strongly influenced by Tin Pan Alley, and a short album of children's songs, Little Life (2001).

For several years she worked as a singing teacher in Chicago, recording and performing with a variety of musical acts on the side including Born Heller, a duo with free jazz-bassist Jason Ajemian, and The Children's Hour a pop band formed with songwriter Andrew Bar. In 2004, joined by her occasional backing band The Supposed (Brian Goodman on guitar and Rusty Peterson on drums), she released an album of psychedelic rock called All the Leaves Are Gone on Locust Music which has drawn comparison to Patti Smith and Jefferson Airplane.[1]

Daniel Dumile (pronounced /ˈduːmɨleɪ/ DOO-mə-lay; born January 9, 1971) is a hip hop artist who has taken on several stage names in his career, most notably MF Doom, often stylized as MF DOOM, where the "MF" stands for metal face, but metal fingers when using his producing name. He has appeared in several collaborative projects such as Danger Doom (with Danger Mouse) and Madvillain (with Madlib).

Dumile was born on January 9, 1971, in London, England, the son of a Trinidadian mother and Zimbabwean father. He then moved with his family to New York and was raised in the city of Long Beach, New York on Long Island.

As Zev Love X, he formed the group KMD in 1988 with his younger brother DJ Subroc and another MC called Rodan. When Rodan left the group, Zev found another MC to replace Rodan named Onyx the Birthstone Kid.A&R rep Dante Ross learned of KMD through the hip hop group 3rd Bass, and signed the group to Elektra Records.

Dumile and KMD's recorded debut came on 3rd Bass's song "The Gas Face" from The Cactus Album, followed in 1991 with KMD's album Mr. Hood, which became a minor hit through its singles "Peachfuzz", "Who Me?" and heavy video play on cable TV's Yo! MTV Raps and Rap City.

Percy Carey (born 11 June 1970), also known by the stage names MF Grimm and originally Build and Destroy, is an American underground rapper, music producer and Eisner Award-nominated comic book writer from New York City.

Percy Carey grew up in the Upper West Side section of Manhattan. His neighbor, Morgan Freeman, helped arrange for him to be cast as a child actor on Sesame Street, which he did for four years.

"One episode, I lost my tooth, and me and Big Bird had to go through Sesame Street and try to find it," Carey remembers.

Early in his career, he formed a DJ/rapper group called The Gravediggaz, not to be confused with the group of the same name formed by Frukwan, RZA, Prince Paul and Too Poetic. He also collaborated with hip-hop legends like Kool G Rap and KMD.

In 1993, Grimm placed at the World Supremacy Battle, already known as an experienced battle rapper. That year, he released his first 12" single, So Whatcha Want Nigga? and performed at the Jack The Rapper convention on Execution Night, sharing the stage with Lady of Rage, Tupac, and Dogg Pound, in Atlanta.