G-Unit

G Unit (short for Guerilla Unit) is an American hip hop group originating from South Jamaica, Queens, New York, formed by longtime friends and East Coast rappers 50 Cent, Tony Yayo and Lloyd Banks. The group released their debut album Beg for Mercy, in 2003 went on to sell over 2,000,000 copies in the US and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album, which followed the success of 50 Cent's major-label debut Get Rich or Die Tryin', served as a platform for Banks, Buck and Yayo to release their respective solo debut albums, The Hunger for More (2004), Straight Outta Cashville (2004), Thoughts of a Predicate Felon (2005) and The Documentary (2005). In 2008, the group released their second album T·O·S (Terminate on Sight).

During Tony Yayo's imprisonment, the group recruited Tennessee-based rapper Young Buck, who was featured throughout the Beg for Mercy album. In late 2004, California-based rapper The Game was also added to the group, a proposition made by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, to promote the Aftermath/Interscope newcomer. However, due to The Game's "disloyalty" in the eyes of 50 Cent, he was soon removed from the group. In April 2008, 50 Cent revealed Young Buck was no longer a part of the group due to his "excessive spending" and "inconsistent behavior". In early 2014, after Yayo and 50 Cent separately stated G Unit was no more, the original members of the group reconciled and reunited at Summer Jam 2014, along with Young Buck after his six-year departure from the group. G Unit Records rapper Kidd Kidd, was also added to the group upon its reformation.

I'm Talking

I'm Talking was a 1980s Australian funk-pop rock band, which featured vocalists Kate Ceberano and Zan Abeyratne. They formed in 1983 in Melbourne and provided top ten hit singles "Trust Me", "Do You Wanna Be?" and "Holy Word" and a top fifteen album, Bear Witness, before disbanding in 1987.

History

After the break-up of Melbourne-based experimental funk band Essendon Airport in 1983, members Robert Goodge on guitar, Ian Cox on saxophone and Barbara Hogarth on bass guitar set about forming a band to create inventive, commercial, funk-pop music. I'm Talking's original line-up were Kate Ceberano on vocals (ex-Expozay, Hoagy Cats), Stephen Charlesworth on keyboards, Cox, Goodge, Hogarth and Cameron Newman on drums. They introduced sophisticated dance beat music to the pub rock scene, performing for a year before recording their debut release. The EP Someday was released in May 1984 on the independent Randelli label. They also contributed to the soundtrack of the short film More Sex Stories, they attracted the attention of manager Ken West and then signed to Regular Records.Zan Abeyratne (ex-Grand Wazoo, Bang) joined as a second lead vocalist.

Kidd Kidd

Curtis Stewart (born November 26, 1983), better known by his stage name Kidd Kidd (formerly known as Nutt Da Kidd), is an American rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana. He was one of the first members of Lil Wayne's label imprint, Young Money Entertainment, as a part of Southern hip hop group Sqad Up. In 2004, disputes between members of the group would cause them to eventually disband. In 2011, Kidd Kidd signed a record deal with 50 Cent's label imprint G-Unit Records and subsequently in 2014, he joined the newly reformed East Coast hip hop group, G-Unit. In 2015, he was chosen as part of XXL Magazine's annual Freshman Class.

Career

Kidd Kidd was discovered by American hip hop recording artist Lil Wayne, while rapping on a street corner in New Orleans. Kidd Kidd went on to sign a recording contract with Wayne's record label imprint, Young Money Entertainment. He joined the label as a member of Southern hip hop group Squad Up, alongside fellow New Orleans-based rappers, Gudda Gudda and T-Streets. The group would ultimately disband and leave Young Money in 2004, due to disputes between members. Kidd Kidd would later rejoin the label and make an appearance on Lil Wayne's 2008 hit single "Mrs. Officer", however after not appearing in the video, Kidd Kidd severed ties with Wayne once again.

Young Buck

David Darnell Brown (born March 15, 1981), also known as Young Buck, is an American rapper, actor, entrepreneur, and producer. Buck is a former member of the hip hop group UTP Playas. As a music executive, he is president of his own record label, Ca$hville Records, and is currently a member of the hip hop group G-Unit. After being dismissed from the group back in 2008, Buck reunited with his former group members on June 1, 2014 at Hot 97's Summer Jam event.

Early life

Around the age of twelve, Brown began rapping because he was inspired by a Miami friend named Clay Cole. Jealous of his friend's talent, he wanted to beat him no matter what he had to give up. At the same time Clay Cole moved to Tallahassee in Florida, Brown began recording in a real studio. Shortly thereafter, he was given an opportunity to perform for Brian "Baby" Williams, co-founder of Cash Money Records. After several years on and off of Cash Money Records, Brown and fellow rapper Juvenile decided to leave the label for good in 2000 and go to UTP Records, where Brown stayed until 2003. One of his early appearances was on the song "Memphis," where he was featured along with Three 6 Mafia, Project Pat, and other southern rappers. His deal with UTP later led to a meeting with New York rapper 50 Cent, who later signed him to G-Unit Records, under Interscope Records.

Lloyd Banks

Christopher Charles Lloyd (born April 30, 1982), better known by his stage name Lloyd Banks, is an American hip hop recording artist and member of East Coast hip hop group G-Unit, alongside childhood friends and fellow American rappers, 50 Cent and Tony Yayo. Raised in South Jamaica, Queens, he dropped out of high school in 1998. G-Unit released two albums, Beg for Mercy in 2003 and T.O.S. (Terminate on Sight) in 2008. Banks released his first solo album The Hunger for More in 2004 with the top ten hit single "On Fire". He followed with Rotten Apple in 2006 and left Interscope Records 2009. In 2010 G-Unit signed with EMI to distribute Banks third studio album The Hunger for More 2, which was released on November 22, 2010.

Early life

Banks was born in New Carrollton, Maryland and raised in Queens, New York City; he is of mixed Puerto Rican and African American descent. His father spent most of Lloyd's childhood in prison, leaving his mother to raise him and his two siblings. Lloyd attended August Martin High School but dropped out at age 16. For his stage name, he took his great, great-grandfather's name Banks, which was passed on by his uncles who also shared it.