Showing 1 - 25 of 70
Artist: Busta Rhymes
The most idiosyncratic personality in rap and possessor of its most recognizable delivery, a halting, ragga-inspired style with incredible complexity, inventiveness, and humor, Busta Rhymes formed Leaders of the New School in 1990 and released two albums with the group before breaking out with a 1996 solo hit single, "Woo-Hah!! Got You All in... [+] Read More
Artist: Pussycat Dolls
Founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995, the Pussycat Dolls began as a burlesque dance revue based in Los Angeles, spawned a second revue in Las Vegas, grew into an A-list phenomena with a revolving cast of guest celebrities, and eventually became a recording act with a number one dance hit. It wasn't long after launching its revue that the... [+] Read More
Artist: Rockwilder
After early production credits on late '90s albums by Redman (Muddy Waters, 1996), Erick Sermon (Insomnia, 1996), Busta Rhymes (When Disaster Strikes, 1997), EPMD (Back in Business, 1997), and Organized Konfusion (Equinox, 1997), Rockwilder went on to become one of the East Coast's most prized producers, laying down tracks for high-profile... [+] Read More
Artist: Janet Jackson
Few celebrity siblings can emerge from the shadows of their already famous relations to become superstars in their own right and with their own distinct personalities. That's exactly what Janet Jackson did in becoming one of the biggest female pop and R&B stars of the '80s and '90s. Since her breakthrough in 1986 with the album Control,... [+] Read More
Artist: Rampage
A childhood friend of Busta Rhymes while the two were growing up in Brooklyn, Rampage again hooked up with his old pal in the Flipmode Squad, the loose collective of rappers (also including Spliff Star, Lord Have Mercy, Rah Digga, and Serious) centered around Busta Rhymes for his first solo album, 1996's The Coming. When the album proved a hit,... [+] Read More
Artist: Miss Jones
Singer and rapper Miss Jones first earned attention during the mid-'90s, lending her skills to recordings from the likes of Biz Markie, Busta Rhymes, and DJ Red Alert. In 1994, she scored a pair of solo hits with the singles "Where I Wanna Be Boy" and "Don't Front"; however, Jones then left performing to assume an on-air job at station WQHT in... [+] Read More
Artist: 00126
Born in 1985, on a Caribbean Island called Saint Vincent & the Grenadines. He gained an interest in songwriting at the age of 15, as he was exposed to music by artists like-Busta Rhymes, Eminem, Dr Dre, Tupac, Nototious BIG, P.Diddy, Mariah Carey, Scott Stapp, Creed, Hootie & the Blowfish and many more. In 2002, he recorded his first album which... [+] Read More
Artist: Leaders of the New School
Uniondale, NY, rappers MC Charlie Brown, MC Dinco D, MC Busta Rhymes, and Cut Monitor Milo issued A Future Without a Past for Elektra in 1991 as Leaders of the New School. They combined Afrocentric message tracks with novelty throwaways, and got a little attention for "Teachers, Don't Teach Us Nonsense." They followed it with T.I.M.E. in 1993. ~... [+] Read More
Artist: Rah Digga
As the female member of hip-hop's Flipmode Squad (which also counts Busta Rhymes, Rampage, and Lord Have Mercy among its ranks), Rah Digga is one of rap's most prominent women MCs. Though her rapping is hard-hitting, Digga's background is surprisingly stable. Born in New Jersey, she attended a private school in Maryland and studied electrical... [+] Read More
Artist: The Murderers
Originally, the Murderers were slated to be an East Coast hardcore hip-hop supergroup consisting of Ja Rule, Jay-Z, and DMX. Although the trio received a fair amount of publicity concerning its imminent collaboration, very few actual recording sessions materialized. Ja Rule and producer Irv Gotti subsequently turned the Murderers into a showcase... [+] Read More
Artist: Flipmode Squad
Baby Sham, Lord Have Mercy, Rampage, Rah Digga, and Spliff Star first appeared alongside Busta Rhymes as Flipmode Squad in 1996 on his album The Coming. The Brooklyn crew released their debut, The Imperial Album, in 1998 and members kept busy guesting on albums by Busta and others -- as well as releasing the occasional solo album. Rampage's... [+] Read More
Artist: Black Rob
Bad Boy Records rapper Black Rob began his recording career appearing on albums like the Cru's Da Dirty 30 and collaborating with artists like L.O.X., Busta Rhymes, Lil' Kim, and Total before releasing his first album, Life Story, in early 2000. The debut featured the hit single "Whoa!" and appearances from L.O.X., Cheryl Riley, the Goodie Mob's... [+] Read More
Artist: Diamond D
Veteran hip-hop producer Diamond D has helped out with several of rap music's most acclaimed LPs, including A Tribe Called Quest's The Low End Theory and the Fugees' The Score. In 1992, he recorded his first solo album, the underground classic Stunts, Blunts & Hip-Hop (which was released as by Diamond & the Psychotic Neurotics). Although it... [+] Read More
Artist: DJ Green Lantern
DJ Green Lantern, aka the Evil Genius, rose to prominence practically overnight when he aligned himself with Eminem, who wanted to get his Shady Records label into the mixtape game. Green Lantern first hooked up with Em for Shady Invasion, which highlighted the Detroit rapper's then-ongoing battle with Benzino, among many other highlights,... [+] Read More
Artist: Chris "THX" Goodman
THX's relationship with music grew from a simple contemplation of the art, to the most meaningful passion in his life. He discovered his talent for producing while attending high school at the prestigious California Academy of Mathematics & Science, where it became evident that his knowledge of technology and his love for music would one day... [+] Read More
Artist: Lawrence Dermer
Producer/songwriter Lawrence Dermer is best-known for his work with Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine, but has been involved in numerous other chart-topping acts as well. Dermer's impressive list of credentials include either writing or producing hits for Jennifer Lopez, Cher, Mase, Busta Rhymes, and Jon Secada (as well as for the... [+] Read More
Artist: Large Professor
Widely known initially for his work as a producer and MC with the rap group Main Source, Large Professor soon after became a full-time producer working with such acts as Big Daddy Kane and A Tribe Called Quest. Professor originally became involved in rap when he won a tryout held by Main Source members K-Cut and Sir Scratch in 1989. Contributing... [+] Read More
Artist: LSG
LSG is Gerald Levert, Keith Sweat and Johnny Gill, a trio of urban R&B stars who have collected thirty number one R&B hits and album sales of more than thirty million between themselves. The superstar side project began when Sweat called Levert and told him about his idea of recording an album with old friend Johnny Gill. Enlisting a roster of... [+] Read More
Artist: Just Blaze
Just Blaze worked closely with Roc-a-Fella Records in the early 2000s, producing hits like Cam'ron's "Oh Boy," Jay-Z's "Girls, Girls, Girls," and Beanie Sigel and Freeway's "Rock the Mic." He worked closely with Roc-a-Fella's other in-house producer, Kayne West, on the label's many albums released during this same period. And like West, he... [+] Read More
Artist: Noreaga
One-half of the Queens hardcore rap duo Capone-N-Noreaga, Victor "Noreaga" Santiago met Kiam "Capone" Holley in 1992 while both were serving prison sentences. Signed to Penalty Records in 1996, the pair released a hard-hitting debut (The War Report) in June 1997, but after Holley was thrown back in jail on a parole violation, Santiago began... [+] Read More
Artist: Motion Man
A rapper since the '80s, Motion Man has dozens of highlight features, though few of them have appeared on his own records. While Kool Keith fans know him for his tracks on three of Keith's LPs (Black Elvis, Sex Style, First Come, First Served) and fans of The Wake up Show would recognize his rhymes in a flash, his best-known track of all, "The... [+] Read More
Artist: Pitch Black
As group member Zakee sees it, the five rappers in Pitch Black were already "360 degrees of hip-hop" before they joined together in 1994. Zakee, D.G., Devious, Fast, and G.O.D. had long been involved in the scene, writing rhymes, performing their own raps solo, DJing, and spraying graffiti around Brooklyn. After coming together they quickly... [+] Read More
Artist: Kym Sims
Kim Syms' career as a vocalist and dance club diva began shortly after high school, when she moved to California and began working as a background vocalist at Motown Records. Her powerful singing was also featured in a number of commercials, including jingles for McDonalds and Doublemint gum. Soon she was recording music of her own, scoring... [+] Read More
Artist: N.O.R.E.
One-half of the Queens hardcore rap duo Capone-N-Noreaga, Victor "Noreaga" Santiago met Kiam "Capone" Holley in 1992 while both were serving prison sentences. Signed to Penalty Records in 1996, the pair released a hard-hitting debut (The War Report) in June 1997, but after Holley was thrown back in jail on a parole violation, Santiago began... [+] Read More
Artist: Dragondy & Melinda
This reggae duo is based in Hampton Roads, VA, and mixes dancehall with R&B for a uniquely flava reggae sound accented by their sparkling male/female leads and harmonizing. The talented duo wrote and produced every cut on a CD, except "Strung Out," and both occasionally perform solo. Dragondy started playing congas and guitar at a very young age... [+] Read More
