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Eminem, born Marshall Bruce Mathers III, 17 October 1973, Kansas City, Missouri, USA. This white rapper burst onto the US charts in 1999 with a controversial take on the horrorcore genre. Mathers endured an itinerant childhood, living with his mother in various states before eventually ending up in Detroit at the age of 12. He took up rapping in high school before dropping out in ninth grade, joining ad hoc groups Basement Productions, the New Jacks, and D12. The newly named Eminem released a raw debut album in 1997 through independent label FBT. Infinite was poorly received, however, with Eminem earning unfavourable comparisons to leading rappers such as Nas and AZ. His determination to succeed was given a boost by a prominent feature in Source's Unsigned Hype column, and he gained revenge on his former critics when he won the Wake Up Show's Freestyle Performer Of The Year award, and finished runner-up in Los Angeles' annual Rap Olympics. The following year's The Slim Shady EP, named after his sinister alter-ego, featured some vitriolic attacks on his detractors. The stand-out track, "Just Don't Give A fuck", became a highly popular underground hit, and led to guest appearances on MC Shabaam Sahddeq's "Five Star Generals" single and Kid Rock's Devil Without A Cause set. As a result, Eminem was signed to Aftermath Records by label boss Dr. Dre, who adopted the young rapper as his protege and acted as co-producer on Eminem's full-length debut. Dre's beats featured prominently on The Slim Shady LP, a provocative feast of violent, twisted lyrics, with a moral outlook partially redeemed by Eminem's claim to be only "voicing" the thoughts of the Slim Shady character. Parody or no parody, lyrics to tracks such as "97 Bonnie & Clyde" (which contained lines about killing the mother of his child) and frequent verbal outbursts about his mother were held by many, outside even the usual Christian moral majority, to be deeply irresponsible. The album was buoyed by the commercial success of the singles "My Name Is" and "Guilty Conscience" (the former helped by a striking, MTV-friendly video), and climbed to number 2 on the US album chart in March 1999.
Eminem subsequently made high profile appearances on Rawkus Records' Soundbombing Volume 2 compilation and Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott's Da Real World. He was also in the news when his mother filed a lawsuit claiming that comments made by the rapper during interviews and on The Slim Shady LP had caused, amongst other things, emotional distress, damage to her reputation and loss of self-esteem. None of which harmed the sales of Eminem's follow-up album, The Marshall Mathers LP, which debuted at number 1 on the US album chart in May 2000 and established him as the most successful rapper since the mid-90s heyday of 2Pac and Snoop Doggy Dogg. By the end of the year, however, his troubled personal life and a serious assault charge had removed the gloss from his phenomenal commercial success. Despite criticism from gay rights groups, the rapper swept up three Grammy Awards the following February. He also reunited with his D12 colleagues to record the transatlantic chart-topping Devil's Night.
lthough he's only been in the public eye since 1999, Marshall Mathers (aka Eminem) has crammed at least a decade's worth of career highs and lows into those few short, high-profile years. The Detroit-based Dr. Dre prot�g� has invoked the wrath of women and homosexuals with his offensive lyrics; become enemies with Moby, Everlast, Fred Durst, and Christina Aguilera; provided tabloids with plenty of gossip fodder regarding his personal life...and in the process become just about the biggest rock star on the planet. This is because Eminem isn't just about controversy and shock value: This often misunderstood major talent has actually given white rappers genuine credibility in this post-Vanilla Ice age with his string of dynamic hits (both solo and with his side group, D12), his plethora of Grammy nominations, his critically acclaimed film 8 Mile, and his three multiplatinum studio albums, which--once one gets past the hype and hullabaloo that surround them--are some of the most creative, original, and exciting releases of the rap genre (or any musical genre) in the past decade.
Mathers was born into a poor, working-class family on October 17, 1972 in St. Joseph, Missouri, though he spent much of his youth in Detroit, the city he would eventually put on the rap map. Originally taking on the stage name M&M (later changed to its current spelling), at age 14 he became a battle rapper, competing against other Detroit MCs in local clubs. After a short stint with a rap act called New Jacks, in 1995 he made his recording debut with a group called Soul Intent, which introduced him to a rapper named Proof, who appeared on that single's B-side. Eminem and Proof soon started a new group called D12 with four other MCs (Bizarre, Kon Artis, Swift, and Kuniva), while Eminem simultaneously launched his solo career with two independent releases, 1996's Infinite and 1997's The Slim Shady EP, which featured his trademark dark, disturbing, angry lyrics. Eminem drew from his troubled personal life when penning such bleak words: He had just had a daughter with his on/off girlfriend, Kim, with whom he had a very tumultuous relationship; he was estranged from his mother, with whom he also frequently butted heads; he was abusing alcohol and drugs with alarming frequency; and he had attempted suicide on at least one occasion. Though these harrowing experiences provided inspiration for some brilliant if nasty and offensive lyrics, Mathers was at such a low point in his life that it seemed there was nowhere to go but up.
Enter Interscope Records honcho Jimmy Iovine, who--impressed by Eminem's fresh and bold style--approached the struggling rapper after seeing him take second place in the freestyle category at 1997's Rap Olympics. Iovine later played Eminem's demo tape for super-producer and former Death Row Records chief/NWA member Dr. Dre, who immediately liked what he heard, contacted Eminem, and started a fruitful creative partnership with Eminem that exists to this day. (Legend has it that the two recorded Eminem's first big hit single, "My Name Is," within an hour after first meeting each other.) Interscope quickly signed Mathers, and Dre produced his major-label debut album, The Slim Shady LP, which was released in February 1999 to both massive acclaim and derision, eventually going triple-platinum.
Eminem's follow-up, 2000's Marshall Mathers LP, was an even bigger phenomenon, selling almost 2 million copies in its first week of release alone, thus becoming the fastest-selling hip-hop album of all time. However, the album stirred up even more of an uproar than its predecessor, making Mathers the target of much public hatred. Among other conflicts and controversies, the album created a feud with pop princess Christina Aguilera (the single "The Real Slim Shady" alleged that she had performed oral sex on both Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst and MTV's Carson Daly); led his mother to file a defamation lawsuit against him (a judge later dismissed the case); and generated accusations of homophobia and sexism mostly centering around the songs "Kill You" and "Kim" (the latter a rant about the mother of his child, whom he had recently married but would soon divorce, and later reconcile with yet again). But Eminem thrived on the controversy, becoming an even bigger superstar and racking up a surprising number of Grammy nominations in 2001, much to the chagrin of his many outspoken detractors. And he kept people guessing about how much of the Slim Shady "character" was really the real deal, when he performed a duet version of his single "Stan" with the openly gay Elton John at the Grammys ceremony, even warmly hugging Elton onstage. Mathers won three Grammys that night--Best Rap Solo Performance (for "The Real Slim Shady"), Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group (for his work on the Dr. Dre duet "Forgot About Dre"), and Best Rap Album (for The Marshall Mathers LP)--adding to the two statuettes he'd won the previous year for "My Name Is" (Best Rap Solo Performance) and The Slim Shady LP (Best Rap Album).
There seemed no stopping Eminem--not even convictions on weapons and assault charges (stemming from separate incidents involving his estranged wife with another man and rival Detroit rap act Insane Clown Posse). Eminem was sentenced to community service and kept on recording, releasing Devil's Night with old group D12 in 2001 and then The Eminem Show, one of the most critically heralded albums of 2002 and his most personal work yet. He also revealed more of his real-life persona in 8 Mile, a Rocky-style feelgood flick lensed by L.A. Confidential/Wonder Boys director Curtis Hanson that presented a sort of cleaned-up version of Eminem's rags-to-riches life story. Eminem put on such an impressive performance in the film that there was actually speculation that he would receive a Best Actor nomination at the Oscars in 2003.
While Eminem may have seemed like a novelty act at first--with his shocking, four-letter lyrics, cartoonish bad-boy image, and, of course, pale skin color (a real anomaly in hip-hop)--he has since established himself as one of the most important artists of his time and a true force to be reckoned with, continuing to cross both color boundaries and genre boundaries with his edgy, rock-tinged raps. With his turbulent personal life, powder-keg temper, and tendency to tangle with the law, it is still uncertain how long his career will last before he burns out, but it's already obvious that his music had made history and will long outlast any controversy that dogs him.
In a few short months, Eminem has gone from being one of the most heralded emcees in independent hip-hop to one of the most provocative, controversial rappers in contemporary pop music. The overnight success of his debut album, The Slim Shady LP, literally rocked the rap world, making him one of the biggest music success stories of 1999. But Eminem is more than the latest rap artist to blow up. He's spent the last several years paying his dues, and his lyrics, which cover topics such as poverty and single parenthood, reflect a rough upbringing. His unlikely acceptance by the pop mainstream has made some wonder how his popularity will affect the future of hip-hop music.
Before he had the world singing along to "My Name Is �," he was Marshall Mathers, a poor kid growing up in Warren, Mich. "It's like the real, stereotypical, trailer park, white trash," Eminem told Rap Pages earlier this year. As a child, he and his mother moved constantly, staying at relatives' homes in places as disparate as Warren and Kansas City, Mo. As a result, Marshall found it difficult to make friends, and he retreated into his comic books and television. "I didn't really start opening up until eighth grade, going into ninth," he said.
When Mathers was 12, his mother finally settled down on the east side of Detroit. There, he attended Lincoln Junior High School and Osbourne High School, hanging out with friends and listening to artists like LL Cool J and the 2 Live Crew. He battled against other rappers at his high school, and quickly gained a reputation as a nimble rhymer. But his penchant for skipping school led him to fail the ninth grade. After dropping out of high school, he held down several odd jobs, while continuing to work on his craft. "I tried to go back to school five years ago," he said, "but I couldn't do it. I just wanted to rap and be a star one day."
Mathers rapped in several groups such as Basement Productions, the New Jacks, and Sole Intent, before deciding to go solo. In 1997, he released an album, Infinite, through a local company called FBT Productions; it was met with derision from the local hip-hop community. "I was getting a lot of feedback saying I sounded like Nas or Jay-Z," he admitted. Despite the criticism, Eminem continued to promote himself through shows and appearances at radio stations and freestyle competitions across the nation. His perseverance garnered him a notice in the Source's influential "Unsigned Hype" column. Later that year, he won the 1997 Wake Up Show Freestyle Performer of the Year from L.A. DJs Sway and Tech, and earned second place in Rap Sheet magazine's "Rap Olympics," an annual freestyle rap competition.
In 1998, Eminem put out The Slim Shady EP, which contained the original version of "Just Don't Give A �" "Slim Shady is the evil side of me, the sarcastic, foul-mouthed side of me," he said during an interview with the Source. The EP made him an underground star, and Eminem was invited to appear on underground MC Shabaam Sahdeeq's "Five Star Generals" single, Kid Rock's Devil Without a Cause, and other rap releases. At the end of the year, Eminem put out a popular 12-inch, "Nuttin' to Do/ Scary Movies," with fellow Detroit rapper Royce the 5'9".
Meanwhile, a copy of The Slim Shady EP made its way into the hands of Dr. Dre, the legendary creator of The Chronic and N.W.A., and current president of Aftermath Entertainment. Dr. Dre quickly signed Eminem to his label, and the two began preparing The Slim Shady EP for a full-fledged release, adding songs like "My Name Is �" and "Guity Conscience." Early in 1999, Eminem made the world take notice with his charismatic video for "My Name Is �" parodying everyone from Marilyn Manson to the President of the United States. Shortly afterward, The Slim Shady LP debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Album Chart. Its sensationalistic depiction of rampant drug use, rape, sex, and violence horrified some; equally disturbing was Eminem's various four-letter-word insults directed at his mother and songs like "'97 Bonnie and Clyde," where Eminem fantasized about killing the mother of his child.
In defense, Eminem claimed that he was just speaking his mind. "I do feel like I'm coming from a standpoint where people don't realize there are a lot of poor white people," he explained in the Source. "Rap music kept my mind off all the bulls--t I had to go through." His cynical take on life struck a chord with millions of rap fans, and drove The Slim Shady LP to double-platinum-plus sales. He began to tour, including a solo jaunt with the Beatnuts and Mixmaster Mike.
While most in the hip-hop community greeted Eminem with open arms, others took a more cautious approach, wondering why rock stations across the country who never played rap music added "My Name Is �" to their playlists. Was it because Eminem was the first "legitimate" white rapper to gain widespread popularity? "I'm white in a music started by black people. I'm not ignorant to the culture and I'm not trying to take anything away from the culture," he said in his defense. "But no one has a choice where they grew up or what color they are. If you're a rich kid or a ghetto kid you have no control over your circumstance. The only control you have is to get out of your situation or stay in it."
Throughout the year, Eminem has continued to record for other artists, making appearances on Sway and Tech's This or That compilation, DJ Spinna's Heavy Beats Vol. 1, Missy Elliott's Da Real World, the Soundbombing 2 compilation, and Dr. Dre's highly anticipated sequel to The Chronic, Chronic 2001: No Seeds. And in June and July of 1999, the rapper took to the road with the Warped tour, filling in for Cypress Hill, who decided to forgo the tour in favor of recording its next album.
After wrapping up his touring commitments, Eminem plans to take a short break before returning to the studio to record the follow up to The Slim Shady LP. In the meantime, he can bask in the glow of his many awards. Not only is he up for Best New Artist in the Source's Hip-Hop Music Awards, he also garnered four MTV Video Music Awards � "My Name Is �" nabbed nods for Best Male Video, Best New Artist, and Best Director, and "Guilty Conscience" earned him a Breakthrough Video nomination.
The average rapper wouldn't be able to grace the pages of Rap Pages, VIBE, Rolling Stone, Spin, The Source, URB and Stress and go on a national tour months before their major-label debut album is released. Then again, Eminem isn't an average rapper. He's phenomenal.
The impending release of the The Slim Shady LP, his first set on Aftermath/Interscope Records, already has underground hip-hop heads fiending for Eminem. Chock full of dazzling lyrical escapades that delve into the mind of a violently warped and vulgar yet extremely talented wordsmith, the 14-cut collection contains some of the most memorable and demented lyrics ever recorded.
For Eminem, his potentially controversial and undoubtedly offensive songs will strike a chord with a multitude of hip-hop loyalists who believe they have little to lose and everything to gain.
"I'm not alone in feeling the way I feel," he says. "I believe that a lot of people can relate to my shit--whether white, black, it doesn't matter. Everybody has been through some shit, whether it's drastic or not so drastic. Everybody gets to the point of 'I don't give a fuck.'"
Those words are more than just a slogan for the Detroit resident. "I Just Don't Give A Fuck" and "Brain Damage" are the two songs comprising Eminem's initial single from The Slim Shady LP. Each tune is sure to paralyze meek listeners with their relentless lyrical assault. Produced primarily by long-time collaborators FBT Productions, the Slim Shady LP also features beatwork from Aftermath CEO Dr. Dre. The N.W.A. alum handled beats for "My Name Is" (the second single), "Guilty Conscience" and "Role Model."
Dr. Dre was so impressed after hearing Eminem freestyling on a Los Angeles radio station that he put out a manhunt for the Michigan rhymer. Shortly thereafter, Dre signed Eminem to his Aftermath imprint and the two began working together. Thoroughly impressed with Eminem's previously released independent Slim Shady EP, Dre said they would include many of the EP's tracks on the album.
"It was an honor to hear the words out of Dre's mouth that he liked my shit," Eminem says. "Growing up, I was one of the biggest fans of N.W.A, from putting on the sunglasses and looking in the mirror and lipsinking to wanting to be Dr. Dre, to be Ice Cube. This is the biggest hip-hop producer ever."
But like many other rappers, Eminem's rise to stardom was far from easy. After being born in Kansas City and traveling back and forth between KC and the Detroit metropolitan area, Eminem and his mother moved into the Eastside of Detroit when he was 12. Switching schools every two to three months made it difficult to make friends, graduate and to stay out of trouble.
Rap, however, became Eminem's solace. Battling schoolmates in the lunchroom brought joy to what was otherwise a painful existence. Although he would later drop out of school and land several minimum-wage-paying, full-time jobs, his musical focus remained constant.
Eminem released his debut album, Infinite, in 1996. Desperate to be embraced by the Motor City's hip-hop scene, Eminem rapped in such a manner that he was accused of sounding like Nas and AZ.
"Infinite was me trying to figure out how I wanted my rap style to be, how I wanted to sound on the mic and present myself," he recalls. "It was a growing stage. I felt like Infinite was like a demo that just got pressed up."
After being thoroughly disappointed and hurt by the response Infinite received, Eminem began working on what would later become the Slim Shady EP -- a project he made for himself. Featuring several scathing lines about local music industry personalities as well as devious rants about life in general, the set quickly caught the ear of hip-hop's difficult-to-please underground.
"I had nothing to lose, but something to gain," Eminem says of that point in his life. "If I made an album for me and it was to my satisfaction, then I succeeded. If I didn't, then my producers were going to give up on the whole rap thing we were doing. I made some shit that I wanted to hear. The Slim Shady EP, I lashed out on everybody who talked shit about me."
By presenting himself as himself, Eminem and his career took off. Soon after giving the Rap Coalition's Wendy Day a copy of the Infinite album at a chance meeting, she helped the aspiring lyrical gymnast secure a spot at the Coalition�s 1997 Rap Olympics in Los Angeles, where he won second place in the freestyle competition. During the trip, Eminem and his manager, Paul Rosenberg, gave a few people from Interscope Records his demo and he made his major radio debut on the world famous Wake Up Show with Sway and Tech. Realizing that this was the opportunity of his lifetime, Eminem delivered a furious medley of lyrics that wowed his hosts and radio audience alike.
"I felt like it's my time to shine," Eminem says of that performance. "I have to rip this. At that time, I felt that it was a life or death situation."
Eminem would soon record the underground classic "5 Star Generals." This record helped establish him in Japan, New York and Los Angeles. It also helped him earn a spot on the inaugural Lyricist Lounge tour, which took him to stages from Philadelphia to Los Angeles.
Set to take the hip-hop world by storm with his unique lyrical approach and punishing production, Eminem and his The Slim Shady LP are sure to have listeners captivated.
"I do say things that I think will shock people," he says. "But I don't do things to shock people. I'm not trying to be the next Tupac, but I don't know how long I'm going to be on this planet. So while I'm here, I might as well make the most of it."
Who would have guessed that a white boy from Michigan would be the one to move today's jaded hip-hop world? Without any warning, Eminem burst onto the rap scene spouting more vulgarity than ever with his first 14-cut collection, The Slim Shady LP, distributed by Aftermath/Interscope Records. "I Just Don't Give a F--k," the signature piece on his demented album, and "Brain Damage," which literally did just that to listeners, are the two most notable songs exhibiting for his dirty mouth. So good, in fact, that legendary rap artist/producer Dr. Dre scouted the angry chirpster after hearing him freestyle on the radio to collaborate on Dre's own label, Aftermath. The impressed Dre did not hesitate to include many of Slim's independently released EP tracks as Eminem jumped at the offer to work with "the biggest hip-hop producer ever."
As randomly offensive as his lyrics may seem, Eminem has mastered his talent into a form of reclaiming his pride. He spent his childhood roaming from his birthplace, Kansas City, to Detroit with his mother, never being able to find a stable hometown and school. Hence he pursued a life and identity in the hip-hop culture by releasing a debut album, Infinite, in 1996. Ironically, the response to his debut stifled his self-expression as he was labelled as a Nas and AZ sound-alike. Ripe for revenge, Eminem bombarded his critics with The Slim Shady EP, which not only gave the rapper a chance at originality but also at stirring controversy with his remorseless tunes of fury.
Yet it would do him no justice to dismiss him as a spiteful cursing machine. His fascinating freestyle ability is easy to underestimate or even recognize with the scorching flames blowing out of his mouth. At the start of his rap career, Eminem personally sent a copy of his overlooked debut album to Wendy Day from the Rap Coalition. Her nod of approval got him into the Coalition's 1997 Rap Olympics in Los Angeles, where he was honoured with second place in the freestyle competition. With the help of his manager, Paul Rosenberg, Interscope Records got a hold of his demo. Finally Eminem decided that it was his "time to shine" on his radio debut on the world-famous Wake Up Show with Sway and Tech by spewing a most ferocious lyrical mix that literally slapped the faces of the hosts and listeners wide awake. His underground classic "5 Star General" stretched out to Japan, New York, and Los Angeles, which also won him a spot on the inaugural Lyricist Lounge tour.
Before long, Eminem was a superstar and one of music's most controversial figures. His shocking lyrics (both solo and with side posse D12), his duet with Elton John, his public trials with his on/off wife and estranged mother...all of these things and more kept him in the public eye so often, he made Tommy Lee look like a social recluse. But Eminem's music kept his profile high too, as his Slim Shady and Marshall Mathers LPs sold by the millions; the latter was even nominated for several Grammys, including album of the year.
In the age of bored and hungry hip-hopsters, Eminem, with his fiery eyes and blazing lyrics, has broken into the rap and hip-hop dome by melting the image of the sold-out Vanilla Ice. You may hate his anger, but it's his only ammunition, and as long he is who he is, Eminem is going to take nothing back.
Ps: to be continued...
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Shawn Carter was born on December 4, 1969. He was brought up on the mean streets in the Marcy Projects of Brooklyn, New York. During a difficult childhood he was part time rapper and full time hustler. Carter’s father abandoned the family before he became a teenager. The fledgling rapper was known as "Jazzy" which he modified into Jay-Z. Other names that he went by later in his career were the Jiggaman, HOV and Hova. After his father’s departure Jay-Z took solace in his rap on the streets, he used the money from his hustling to fund his rap career.
One of Jay-Z’s closest friends was Christopher Wallace, who was later known as the Notorious B.I.G. Jay-Z had the magical ability to create an entire track without writing it down even once. While he tests out a few sample tunes the lyrics just flow from the top of his head. Jay-Z had heard a lot of stories how record companies exploited young rappers with talent. The fruits of their hard work were enjoyed by the company. The rapper needed the company to give him his first break because he did not have the funds to manage the studio costs.
Jay-Z wanted to avoid this situation. In an unprecedented move he formed his own company along with fellow street pals Damon Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke. He wanted to cut out the middleman who would drain the profits; Roc-a-Fella Records was created. Jay-Z struck a deal with Priority Records for the distribution of his album. It is testimony of his systematic method of functioning that he managed all this before he released his first album.
Jay-Z was all set to release his first album called "Reasonable Doubt." The album was a hit with the critics and had a gold single but it did not have much of an impression with the masses. There was a risk that Jay-Z’s high risk and high reward strategy would not pay off. It was Jay-Z’s third album, Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life that catapulted him into the mainstream of rap. Strike when the iron is hot. Jay-Z embarked on a large-scale arena tour, elevating his popularity to dizzying heights. Another factor that perversely helped Jay-Z were the killings of Tupac Shakur and his friend the Notorious B.I.G. These two were the rap superstars of the time and their deaths left Jay-Z as the numero uno rapper on the east coast.
In the next five years Jay-Z sold more than ten million records. He had more songs on the radio than any contemporary rapper. Jay-Z has scored a number of hits over the years, they include, "The Originator's," "Streets Is Watching," "Can I Get Open," "Ain't No N**a," "You Must Love Me," "Can't Knock the Hustle" and "Feelin It." Anyone in the forefront of the rap world spawns millions of fans. Jay-Z had become a cultural symbol for millions of people. The one way of taking advantage of this phenomenon was to expand.
Roc-A-Fella Films Have released films such as "Streets is Watching", "Backstage" and "State Property". Three feature films - Paid in Full, Paper Soldiers and Death of a Dynasty are on the anvil. Jay-Z started his own clothing line called Rocawear in 1999. Rocawear grossed $150 million in 2001. This is a global initiative with outlets in Europe, Japan and Canada. It carries loungewear, hats and belts for men, women and children. Roc-a-fella distributed Armadale Premium, a two grain, triple distilled Scottish vodka. He opened the 40/40 Club Elite sports bar in New York City. Another first to Jay-Z’s name is endorsement of Reebok shoes. The S. Carter shoe collection marks the first time a non-athlete ever had a signature shoe.
Jay-Z has encouraged many of his protégés who have gone on to make a big name for themselves. He has sold more than seventeen million albums. Jay-Z has undertaken many philanthropic activities in New York City. The Team Roc charitable organization helps underprivileged children in the city. Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund pays for the college tuition of deserving Marcy area high school students. During the annual Jay-Z Santa Claus Toy Drive, Jay-Z provides toys to children of the Marcy projects area in Brooklyn.
Jay-Z won the 2001 Grammy award for Best Rap Album - "Vol.3. Life And Times of S. Carter and the Best Rap Performance by Duo or Group - "Big Pimpin" He won the 1999 Best Rap Video for "Can I Get A…"
In 2000, Roc-A-Fella released a compilation designed to celebrate the talent that they had been nurturing as a label. Jay Z appeared on The Dynasty: Roc La Familia, which sold over 2 million copies in the USA.
Jay Z's next solo album, The Blueprint, was released in 2001 and is considered one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, by many. Kanye West produced a number of tracks from the album, which launched Kanye's musical career.
Following on the titular theme, Jay Z released The Blueprint2: The Gift and The Curse. The double album launched two hit singles, 'Bonnie & Clyde' (which featured
Beyoncé Knowles of Destiny's Child) and 'Excuse Me Miss'. The album also featured 'A Dream', a track recorded with Faith Evans.
In 2003, Jay Z released The Black Album, after touring with the likes of Sean Paul and 50 Cent. He worked with a number of producers on the album, The album featured the massive global hit, ''99 Problems.' The vocals from the album later featured inDAnger Mouse's influential underground remix project, The Grey Album, in which he mixed Jay Z's vocal with the instrumentals from the Beatles' The White Album.
In 2004, Jay Z collaborated with Linkin Park, on a project called Collision Course. They performed 'Numb / Encore' at the Grammy Awards, where they won the Best Rap / Sung Collaboration song.
Despite announcing his retirement in November 2003, at a huge Madison Square Garden charity concert (which also featured Mary J. Blige, Jay Z released Kingdom Come in 2006. His comeback single, 'Show Me What You Got' was accompanied by a video by acclaimed director, Hype Williams.
In 2007, Jay Z's tenth album, American Gangster was released. The album was inspired by the film of the same name, though it is not the official soundtrack to the film.
In 2008, amid much controversy, Jay Z was chosen to headline Glastonbury Festival.
Jay Z: Personal Life
In April 2008, Jay Z married his long-term girlfriend, Beyoncé Knowles. He had previously appeared on her single 'Crazy In Love'.
New Jay-Z album release date September 08, 2009
Blueprint Vol. 3 CD (2009)
Amp - Amended Produc Track Listing of songs: What We Talkin' About; Thank You; D.O.A.; Run This Town; Empire State of Mind; Real As It Gets; On To the Next One; Off That; Star is Born, A; Venus Vs. Mars; Already Home;
Blueprint CD (2001)
THE BLUEPRINT was nominated for the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" was nominated for the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. "Song Cry" was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards for Male Rap Solo Performance. It's
Jay Z - Fade To Black DVD (2004)
Black Album CD (2003)
Volume 2: Hard Knock Life CD (1998)
rReasonable Doubt CD (1996)
Jay Z - Fade To Black DVD (2004)
In My Lifetime Vol. 1 CD (1997)
Backstage DVD (2000)
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50 Cent
50 Cent Vital Stats
FULL NAME: Curtis Jackson
DOB: July 6, 1976, South Side Jamaica, Queens, New York
PARENTS: Sabrina Jackson (died when he was 8). Raised by his grandparents, never knew his father.
EDUCATION: Andrew Jackson High School, expelled in 10th grade for posession of crack. Got his GED while in jail.
SON: Marquise Jackson (6 years old)
FORMER JOB: Hustling, crack dealer (starting at age 12)
RAP GROUP: The G-Unit (Guerilla Unit)
G-UNIT MEMBERS: 50 Cent, Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks, Sha Money XL, Prov, Bang Em Surf, Ice, Bolo
50 Cent is very similar to other rap stars. They all sing about jail, drugs and violence on the street. There is one difference however, 50 Cent has been there and done that. He has done everything that he sings about. 50 Cent has intimate knowledge of the code and conduct on the street.
50 Cent frequently pronounced "Fiddy" was born Curtis Jackson on July 6 1976 in the Jamaica district of Queens, New York. 50 Cent’s parents belonged to a family that was heavily immersed in the street culture. There was always a risk to their lives. 50 Cent’s mother was killed in mysterious circumstances; his father disappeared soon after. All of this happened before 50 Cent was even ten years old. He moved in with his grand parents. As a teenager 50 Cent did what he had seen all those around him do. He did drugs and sold them. He was a frequent visitor to the jail. He had bought himself a top of the line Mercedes with his drug money. It was only the birth of his son that made him realize that he needed to get a legitimate job.
50 Cent got his first break when Jam Master Jay of Run DMC heard him rap and offered him a contract. It did not help him much financially but it provided a platform where some important people could hear him. One of the tracks that he made was called "How to Rob." In the song 50 Cent daydreams of robbing famous rappers such as Jay-Z, Ghostface Killah and Sticky Fingaz. He justified it by saying, "."I'm from the bottom," he says. "When you're from the bottom you have nothing to lose so you say what you gotta say and don't worry about the consequences." The song brought him instant notoriety and lots of enemies. After many anonymous death threats, he was stabbed at the Hit Factory studio on West 54th Street in Manhattan.
The number of enemies that 50 Cent had cultivated was multiplying by the second. In 1999, the rapper Ja Rule was robbed at gunpoint. Ja Rule claims that he saw his assailant talk to 50 Cent in a club. He has repeatedly insinuated that 50 Cent had a part to play in the attack. 50 Cent then had a problem with his former friend Nas because he made derogatory comments about 50 Cent at one of his concerts. 50 Cent has disassociated himself with former allies - Shyne, Jadakiss, and Fat Joe for working with Ja Rule. Bill O’Reilly has repeatedly insisted on the "The O'Reilly Factor" that the music of 50 Cent should be banned.
50 Cent had landed a contract with Columbia. In the year 2000, an incident occurred that would change his life forever. Columbia was set to release his album called "Power of the Dollar." On May 24, 2000, an assassin attempted to take 50's life by shooting him nine times with a 9mm pistol. 50 Cent was in the passenger seat of a car and took shots in his face and limbs. Columbia cancelled the contract and the album wasn’t released.
50 Cent then produced some mix tapes along with his partner Sha Money XL. One of the people to hear the tapes was Eminem. He promptly announced on radio that a new rapper called 50 Cent impressed him. A bidding war began but 50 Cent signed up with Eminem and Dr. Dre for U.S. $ 1 million. 50 Cent became part of Shady/Aftermath Records. Videos featured 50 Cents with his bulletproof vest, pistol and crucifix. His debut album Get Rich Or Die Tryin', has sold more than 4 million copies to date, it sold 872,000 copies in its first week in the US making it the highest selling debut of a major artist ever.
50 Cent’s songs include "Wanksta," "21 Questions" (featuring Nate Dogg) "P.I.M.P." "If I Can't" "Disco Inferno" "Candy Shop" (feat. Olivia) "Hate It Or Love It" (The Game feat. 50 Cent) "Piggy Bank" and "Just A Lil Bit."
50 Cent got into the news for the wrong reasons again in 2002. He was taken in for questioning for the murder of his mentor Jam Master Jay. He was also under investigation for Murder Inc's relationship to former drug dealer Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff He was then later jailed on New Year's Eve 2002 for gun possession. 50 Cent has signed a deal with Interscope Records to sign and develop artists under the imprint G-Unit Records.
50 CENT’S NEW ALBUM, CURTIS, TAKES HIP-HOP TO THE BANK
Superstar Rapper’s Third Album Includes Production from Dr. Dre, Eminem and Timbaland; Guests Include Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Justin Timberlake, Akon and More
SANTA MONICA, CA – April 23, 2007 – On Curtis, his third major label album, rapper 50 Cent gives no quarter. As hard and brutally honest, yet musical and entertaining, as his first two albums--each of them #1 Pop, #1 R&B/Hip-hop and at least seven times platinum--50 Cent (aka Curtis Jackson) tells it like it is on Curtis and makes the resulting controversy pay as he heads “Straight to the Bank,” the title of the album’s first street track.
Curtis (Shady/Aftermath/Interscope), releasing June 26, 2007, features guest appearances by Eminem, Akon, Justin Timberlake, Mary J. Blige, Robin Thicke, and Nicole Scherzinger from the Pussycat Dolls.
Curtis continues 50 Cent’s phenomenal rise from the mean streets. His official debut album, 2003’s Get Rich Or Die Tryin’, sold 872,000 units in the first four days of its release, making it the fastest-selling debut disc in the SoundScan era (since 1991). The album was the biggest seller of 2003 and is currently ten times platinum worldwide. Later that year, The New Breed, a DVD with a bonus CD including new songs, charted #2 Pop and #1 R&B/Hip-Hop. His second album, 2005’s The Massacre, was the second biggest-selling album of the year and is now seven times platinum worldwide.
Since he first dropped his bombs on the music world, 50 has earned 11 Grammy nominations, from Best New Artist to Best Rap Album for each of his first two efforts. Attesting to his worldwide popularity, Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ hit #2 in the U.K. and #1 in Australia while The Massacre went #1 in both those countries, #2 in Sweden, and is the biggest-selling rap album in India, where it has been certified double platinum, selling more than 2,000,000 copies.
Back in the U.S., 50 has scored three singles claiming the #1 spot across the charts--R&B/Hip-hop, Rap, and Pop: “In Da Club,” “Candy Shop” and “21 Questions” (featuring Nate Dogg). Three more went Top 3 across the board: “P.I.M.P.,” “Just A Lil Bit” and “Disco Inferno.” Yet another four were Rap Top 10s: “Wanksta,” “Outta Control (Remix),” “Window Shopper” and “Best Friend.” Four of the above have been certified digital gold: “In Da Club,” “Candy Shop,” “P.I.M.P.” and “Disco Inferno.”
From music to movies, videogames to books, a clothing line to footwear, 50 has taken street culture by storm. But as Curtis proves, and as he says in “Straight to the Bank,” 50 Cent wants even more.
Get Rich or Die Tryin'
2003 - : 
Including: Patiently Waiting, What Up Gangsta, Wanksta , and more...
The Massacre
2005 - 
Including: In My Hood, Intro, Gunz Come Out, and more...
The Massacre [CD & DVD]
2005
Including: A Baltimore Love Thing, A Baltimore Love Thing [DVD], Gatman and Robbin', and more...
Guess Who's Back?
2002
2005
Including: This Is 50, God Gave Me the Style, Gunz Come Out, and more...
21 Questions [Australia CD]
2003
Including: Soldier, 21 Questions, 21 Questions [The Video], and more...
2003
Including: Wanksta, Wanksta [Multimedia Track], In da Club, and more...
The Massacre [Bonus Track]
2005
Including: Gunz Come Out, Just a Lil Bit, Ryder Music, and more...
Get Rich or Die Tryin' [Bonus DVD]
2003
Including: What Up Gangsta, Wanksta , Gotta Make It to Heaven, and more..
P.I.M.P. [Australia CD]
2003
Including: P.I.M.P., P.I.M.P. [Remix], P.I.M.P. [Directors Cut][Multimedia Track], and
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Eve
Rapper and actress Eve was born Eve Jihan Jeffers on November 10, 1978 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She adopted the name Gangsta in high school as part of an all-female group called EDGP (pronounced Egypt), and eventually went solo as Eve of Destruction. Eve has sold millions of albums during her musical career, wuth her first three albums already selling over 3.8 Million copies sold in the U.S. alone. Eve also picked up a Grammy Award. In 2003 Eve became the star of her own TV show, Eve, which lasted for 3 seasons. Eve has also achieved success in fashion as she started a clothing line titled 'Fetish'.
After a period of working as a stripper, Eve returned to hip-hop at the encouragement of rap superstar Ma$e; she recorded "Eve of Destruction", which appeared on the soundtrack to Bulworth in 1998. Her label, Aftermath Records, found itself in financial trouble and Eve was soon without a record contract. She had, however, befriended DMX and appeared on a remix of his hit single "Ruff Ryders Anthem" from his multi platinum selling debut album, It's Dark and Hell is Hot, along with other Ruff Ryders' compilations. Her next single, "What Ya Want", featuring Nokio of Dru Hill, didn't do so well on the charts, so she collaborated with The Roots, Blackstreet and Janet Jackson, which further expanded her fan base. Her 1999 debut, Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders First Lady, was an unprecedented success, becoming the second hip-hop album by a woman to enter the Billboard 200 at #1 (the first was by Brooklyn rapper, Foxy Brown).
The follow-up album, Scorpion, was released in 2001 but was greated by bad reviews. Its first single, "Who's That Girl" guaranteed the rapper first international success. The second single, "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" with Gwen Stefani (who was still part of her band 'No Doubt' at that time) became a pop success, peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song won a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, and Scorpion eventually went platinum.
Eve's third album, Eve-Olution, was released in summer 2002 and peaked at #6 on Billboard chart. In the meantime, the album's first single, "Gangsta Lovin'", with Alicia Keys, became another #2 hit. The second and final single, "Satisfaction", only saw moderate chart success. Overall Eve-Olution, was a flop and became Eve's worst selling album to date. Afterwards, Eve closed out 2003 by signing to a UPN television sitcom, titled "Eve", in which she starred as 'Shelly', a fashion designer. The show lasted three seasons until it was cancelled May 2006. She also featured on Mary J. Blige's single, "Not Today".
Eve is no longer romantically involved with Teodorнn Nguema Obiang, son and heir of the Equatorial Guinean dictator. In 2003, a nude photo of what appeared to be Eve with another woman leaked onto the Internet. At the time, Eve said of the photo: "I used to strip, so it could be me or it could not be me." She also said, the person who released the photo had tried to blackmail her. In 2005, a clip of a sex tape she created in 1999 was leaked on the Internet. She took legal action to have sites remove the clip, however the clip still exists on some lesser known sites.
In 2005, the rapper appeared on Gwen Stefani's top ten hit "Rich Girl", which peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March. The same year, she appeared on the remix of Amerie's #8 US Hot 100/#1 US R&B single from the Hitch Soundtrack, "1 Thing."
Currently, Eve is working on her fourth solo album 'Here I Am' on Aftermath Records /Full Surface Records (although she is still signed to the Ruff Ryders Records and to their management company). Those rumored to be involved with the album are Dr.Dre, Timbaland, Pharrell, Swizz Beatz and Scott Storch. Slated to make guest appearances are Adam Levine, Shakira, and possibly Gwen Stefani.
Eve is not only a successful and respected rapper, she is also a respected actress. She appeared in the blockbuster movie "XXX" with Vin Diesel, and also landed roles in Barbershop and Barbershop 2 with Ice Cube. Her next role came in "The Cookout" along with Queen Latifah and Meagan Good, and then "The Woodsman" with Kevin Bacon released in mid 2004. She also voiced the character 'Major Jones' in the video game "XIII" (13). She also voiced one of the villains of the short-lived Spiderman cartoon on MTV.
A full return to music was made in 2007, when she released Here I am, an album featuring productions from Swizz Beatz , Timbarland, and Pharrell.
As you can see Eve’s time away from hip-hop was not spent idle. Now considered a genuine star in the worlds of music, fashion and film, she’s currently preparing to launch “a more womanly” line of Fetish and starting her own film production company. More importantly, she looks forward to getting knee deep in the rigors of the rap game. “I can’t wait to get back on tour,” she says. “I miss performing. I need it. It’s an indescribable hunger that I have.” Clearly, after 8 years in the business Eve hasn’t lost her zest for the music, which is all the reason why this album will absolutely spice things up—for the better. Just as the old saying goes, hip-hop is a man’s world, but it wouldn’t be anything without a woman in it.
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SNOOP DOGG
Snoop Dogg's Early Life: Nicknamed "Snoop" by his mother because of his appearance, Snoop often found himself at loggerheads with the law, as a child. He spent a good portion of his post high school graduation time in and out of jail. Music became his ultimate escape route from a criminal lifestyle. Snoop started by creating homemade hip-hop tapes along with Warren G, and Nate Dogg (the trio is known as 213).
Snoop Meets Dre: Legend has it that Warren G, who happens to be the step-brother of N.W.A. co-founder Dr. Dre, passed Snoop's tape to the good doctor. Dre was sold, and began collaborating with Snoop Dogg. Snoop's first official ticket to fame was the soundtrack to the movie "Deep Cover." Following his stellar performance on the theme song, Snoop was solicited to work with Dr. Dre on the former's G-Funk opus, The Chronic. The Chronic was successful due, in part, to Snoop's charming presence on the mic.
Doggystyle: Dr. Dre compensated Snoop's Chronic contributions on the fledgling rapper's own debut, Doggystyle. Both CD's became hip-hop essentials, attained multiple platinum status, and stamped gangsta rap on the national map.
"Murder Was The Case That They Gave Me": In the middle of recordings for Doggystyle, Snoop was charged with being a murder accomplice in the death of Phillip Woldermarian. Snoop was allegedly in the vehicle when his bodyguard, McKinley Lee, shot and killed Woldermarian for stalking the rapper. Both Snoop and his bodyguard were acquitted on grounds of self-defense.
The Dogg Father: Snoop may have beaten the murder rap, but his own rap career took some pounding of its own. Although Doggystyle became the first debut album to enter the charts at #1 and eventually sold over 4 million units, The Doggfather failed to produce any substantial hit and sales stalled at two million.
No Limit Top Dogg: Snoop eventually left Death Row for Master P's No Limit Records. While at No Limit, he dropped albums with the frequency of ABBA. Da Game Is To Be Sold Not To Be Told was his first project on P's label. He quickly followed it up with 3 more albums, but none reached the critical acclaim of Doggystyle. Snoop was undeterred. He dabbled into an array of mainstream movies including "Bones" and "Soul Plane." In 2005, Snoop dropped R&G:Rhythm & Gangsta, one of his most successful albums in years.
In His Own Words: "I don't regret anything I've ever said or done. Everything is done for a reason - I'm just a child of God doing what He wants me to do. I say what I say, but before I was here it was being said, and when I leave it is going to continue to be said, so don't blame me, don't hate me, hate the game." (September 1999, interview with Dimitri Erlich)
Snoop was born Calvin Broadus, in Long Beach, California, USA, on October 20, 1972. He was origianlly nicknamed 'Snoop' by his mother because of his appearance. Snoop was once a promising young basketball player from Long Beach. Although gangbanging, drug dealing, and jail time soon ruined his chances at athletic scholarships, Snoop was nonetheless connected in all the right ways. He got his first break when Warren G passed his tape to Dre which lead to Snoop's distinctive nasal monotone rap being displayed on Dre's work. Not long after his high school graduation, he was arrested for possession of cocaine, beginning a period of three years where he was often imprisoned. He found escape from a life of crime through music. Snoop was a member of a group called "213", which also included Warren G and Nate Dogg. But all three are now better-known for their individual careers than they are as a group. Snoop began recording homemade tapes with 213, and Warren G who happened to be the stepbrother of NWA's Dre gave a tape of Snoop to Dre, who was considerably impressed with Snoop's style and began collaborating with the rapper In 1992. When Snoop first emerged the West Coast was known for giving birth to the careers of such rappers as Easy E, Dre, Ice Cube and Ice T. These artists had a clever, albeit hardcore, approach to rap and spewed lyrics that painted an often disturbing but very realistic picture of their lives. Us Rap Heads first heard Snoop Dogg when he introduced his mellifluous rap style on Dre's "Deep Cover" from the movie of the same name. He later appeared on Dre "The Cronic" which featured his most notable performance on the No 1 hitNuthin But a G Thang, Dre was taken by Snoop's style, and the two formed what would become a lasting musical bond.
Plagued by controversy and a well-documented criminal past, Snoop Dogg embodies rap's philosophical staple of "keepin' it real." For him, the gangsta lyrics were not just fabricated hype churned out to sell records -- they were the product of a life of drama.
As I said previously, Snoop Dogg was arrested for drug possession shortly after leaving high school and spent subsequent years in and out of jail. He was a member of the notorious Crips gang and in 1993 was charged with murder in connection with a drive-by shooting. In 1995, Snoop Dogg, leaning on the legal arm of renowned O.J. Simpson attorney Johnnie Cochran, stood trial for accessory to manslaughter in the case of a rival gang member who was allegedly shot by Snoop's bodyguard, McKinley Lee. A year later, Snoop Dogg and Lee were acquitted.
Snoop was now on the most notorious label in music history, DeathRow Records, which went on to house artists such as Dre,Kurupt, Snoop, 2Pac, aswell as the controversial owner himself, Mr Suge Knight. Snoop would soon very quickly become the most famous star in rap, partially because of his drawled, laconic rhyming and partially because the violence that his lyrics implied seemed real, especially after he was arrested on charges of being a murder accomplice. This helped his career as listeners respect his words and music more as its truthful, or seems so, The arrest certainly strengthened the basis of his lyrics, and it helped "Doggystyle", become the first debut album to enter the charts at number one, and the statistics were staggering: It was the first debut album to enter The Billboard 200 chart at No. 1, and it received advance orders in excess of 1.5 million units.
Snoop Dogg's appeal was broad and contagious, thanks in large part to his affiliation with Dre and a string of hits from his Doggystyle album like "Murder Was the Case," "What's My Name," "Gin and Juice" and "Doggy Dogg World." But the Snoop Dogg phenomenon has been as much about him and his life as it has been about his music. But in the long run, his arrests and trouble he was in outside of music was now hurting his career instead.
Snoop had to fight charges throughout 1994 and 1995, and while he was eventually cleared, it hurt his momentum. But Snoop kept himself in the forefront of the music scene, appearing on the soundtrack to the Martin Lawrence film, "A Thin Line Between Love & Hate", and on a collaboration with 2Pac, "2 of Americanz most wanted," , which went on to be over 12x platinum. "Tha Doggfather", wasn't released until November 1996, thats a gap of 3 years between his own album releases, and by that time, pop and hip-hop had began to burn itself out on gangsta rap. However his sophomore album, "Tha DoggFather" teamed him with Gap Band lead singer Charlie Wilson on The album did not yield the acclaim of "Doggystyle", however Snoops release "Tha Doggfather" sold half as well as its predecessor, which meant that Snoop remained a star, but he no longer had the influence he had just two years before. This was perhaps because of its inopportune timing: It was released only weeks after the gangland stlye "drive-by" shooting death, of his friend and fellow 2Pac-- this was also cleary a time when there was an adamant backlash against gangsta rap, and Snoops sales suffered as a result of these two factors.
Consequently, Snoop's second album got lost in the shuffle, stalling at sales of two million, which was disappointing for a Hip Hop superstar. Perhaps sensing something was wrong, Snoop began to revamp his public image, moving away from his gangsta roots toward a calmer lyrical aesthetic. He also began making gestures toward the rock community, signing up to tour with Lollapalooza 1997 and talking about two separate collaborations with Beck and Marilyn Manson.
By 1998, while controversial Death Row Records chief Suge Knight served a prison bid for parole violation. The album showcased Snoop's growth as an artist, finally finding his artistic comfort zone with producers other than Dre, the album went on to sell many times platinum and once again showed Snoop's tightening grip on the rap game, in the departure of the rap legends that was 2Pac and BIGGY, both murdered in '96 and '97 respectively.
Additionally, he released two albums with Tha Eastsidaz through a label deal with TVT Records, performed songs with everyone from Keith Sweat to Kid Rock to Tyrese, and appeared on a half a dozen soundtracks.
In 2001, Snoop released his autobiography and also secured a second label deal. This time with MCA Records, and issued the compilation, "Snoop Dogg Presents Doggy Style Allstars: Welcome To The House, Vol. 1" in 2002. Snoop broke into the adult entertainment business in 2001, recording adult videos to some of his music tracks for the DVD, Doggystyle, Vol. 1, which received two AVN Video Awards. He followed Doggystyle with his own installment of the "Girls Gone Wild" series dubbed "Girls Gone Wild Doggy Style".
Ironically just before "Girls Gone Wild Doggy Style" was released, the long-time marijuana advocate announced that he had stop smoking the illegal herb, and drinking as well. He said his son was a motivation, as he coached the young Broadus' football team.
As a testament to his entrepreneurial skills, Snoop is also running a full-fledged record label, Doggystyle Records, which is distributed by MCA. Frank Cooper, president/GM of Doggystyle, says the label "shows the breadth of own creative energy and fills a void in the marketplace. He felt that no one had truly established a presence in the past few years" in terms of rap, hip-hop, and R&B music. Describing Snoop Dogg as an astute businessman with a great deal of vision, Cooper says the rapper "relies on his instincts as to which way to go. He usually makes the right decision. Vision is simply having the confidence to rely on your own intuition." Projects slated for release by Doggystyle include a 213 reunion project, as well as albums by Soopafly, R&B singer LaToiya Williams, and R&B vocalist Delano.
- 1993 - Doggystyle (Death Row)
- 1996 - The Dogg Father (Death Row)
- 1998 - Da Game Is To Be Sold Not To Be Told (No Limit/Priority)
- 1999 - No Limit Top Dogg (No Limit/Priority)
- 2000 - Dead Man Walking (D3 Entertainment)
- 2000 - Tha Last Meal (No Limit/Priority)
- 2002 - Snoop Dogg Presents Tha Eastsidaz (Dogg House)
- 2002 - Paid Tha Cost To Be Tha Bo$$ (Priority)
- 2004 - R & G: Rhythm & Gangsta (Geffen)
- 2005 - Welcome To Tha Chuuch (Koch)
- 2005 - Snoopified: The Best of Snoop Dogg (Priority)
- 2006 - Tha Blue Carpet Treatment (Geffen)
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Name Years
Will.i.am William James Adams, Jr. 1995–present
Apl.de.ap Allan Pineda Lindo 1995–present
Taboo Jaime Luis Gómez 1995–present
Fergie Stacy Ann Ferguson 2003–present
They've transcended their vigilant hip-hop roots and have become a global phenomenon, the likes of which the music world has rarely seen. Ever-curious and ever-confident, that group is The Black Eyed Peas, and after energizing crowds 'round the globe with the monster-stomp of Elephunk, it's time for the quartet – William, Fergie, apl.de.ap and Taboo to get down to business – Monkey Business, that is.
2003’s Elephunk was a breakthrough album for The Black Eyed Peas, vaulting them to a level of success unparalleled by any other hip-hop group. The accolades are quick to recite: 7.5 million albums sold worldwide, 4 Grammy nominations, 1 Grammy award, and an unforgettable performance on the 2005 broadcast. But fitted with loose rhymes, buoyant anthemic funk and an ebullient live spirit, the album also heralded a new sound for the modern age – one that is inspired by hip-hop, eschews boundaries and inhibitions, and cuts across ages, races and backgrounds. It is a sound that can be described only as One Nation Under A Black Eyed Peas Groove.
But if Elephunk was the group being crowned prince of the castle, then Monkey Business, their fourth album, is The Black Eyed Peas conquering the throne to become King. It is an album that further intensifies their passion for making music together, for connecting with their audience through the most fundamental ways: making people have a good time. It is a credo that has inspired the group since they formed in the late 1990s, earning their keep in the nurturing environment of Los Angeles' vibrant hip-hop underground. Even then, the group possessed a magnetic spirit that helped them establish a worldwide following through their first two albums, 1998's Behind The Front and 2000's Bridging The Gap.
In many ways, Monkey Business is a direct descendant of its predecessor. The success of Elephunk kept the group touring around the globe for nearly 18 months. "In going on the road for so long, we got an idea of what kind of music we wanted to play and make," explains will.i.am. "Monkey Business is very much about the types of songs we play live. It's about a party. It's layered differently and has energy to it that reflects how we tour – from the beats to the types of instruments we used to how we interact with the audience. It's very much about us and the crowd on this record."
Monkey Business was literally produced and recorded during The Black Eyed Peas everlasting road trip. "I was in Brazil doing some CD shopping," will.i.am recalls. "I came across this compilation and I thought it was one thing but it turned out to be something else. The Dick Dale song 'Miserlou,' was on it. At first I was angry – this isn't what I wanted to buy," he laughs. "But then, really, that song is hot. I said, 'we should do a song like this.' I jump-started the computer and made some beats on the train. Then we had to fly to Tokyo and I tightened up the beat on the plane. Then I recorded vocals in this park in Tokyo. And that's how we recorded the song, 'Pump It.'"
The song, a jump-up party anthem, is one of the featured tracks on Monkey Business – and made its debut in a commercial for Best Buy electronics. "It's the beauty of technology now – you can record anywhere, anytime, any which way. And I love that song because it feels like our live shows, it has that energy."
Monkey Business also furthers the bond the group forged as friends during the making of Elephunk. Before recording that album, the three original members of The Black Eyed Peas – will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo – had been ensnared by personal demons. "I remember that we were each talking about the things that were haunting us and seemed to be crippling us," recalls will.i.am. Adding the vocal talents of singer, Fergie, the group used music as a therapeutic vehicle. Making music with that near-desperate fervor also is maintained on Monkey Business, says will.i.am. "You're always challenged not to go back to those bad habits in life," he says. "When you're comfortable living, you sometimes think that, well, I beat it once so I can do it again. But you never really escape the things that haunt you."
Thus, making Monkey Business became an effort put forth by all the members of the group – the first the foursome co-wrote together – and the more sophisticated songwriting; the layered grooves of the record and its fulfilled spirit reflect that. "This was really about all of us building a house together," says will.i.am.
"Don't Phunk With My Heart" is a gripping soulful serenade that will.i.am describes as a sequel to The Black Eyed Peas song, "Shut Up." "Not sonically but in subject matter," he clarifies. "When you're on bad terms with a significant other, you don't want to break up. You tell her things and at the time you really mean them. But she's saying, stop f****ing with me."
If it sounds like the personal lives of the members infiltrated their songwriting, it is mostly because it did. "Don't Lie," is a song will.i.am says was born of true experience of deceptively bending the truth to an ex-girlfriend. "It's a song about owning up and apologizing and realizing your faults. It's about being a man or a woman – an adult – and confronting situations honestly."
Singer Justin Timberlake joins the group again for the song, "My Style." He first sang on the song, "Where Is The Love?," the breakout single from Elephunk. "We get along real well," says will.i.am, "and he sees music in a very similar way. Plus, he's just a good dude." The song was produced by famed beat-maker Timbaland. "I like experiencing things I've never experienced before," will.i.am says. "It brings you out of your comfort zone and that can be creatively inspiring. And Timbaland is an incredible talent."
Other collaborators join The Black Eyed Peas on this album, too, like Sting on "Union." Neo-folk singer, Jack Johnson is sampled on the song, "Gone Going." The Peas also got to live something of a dream when they hooked up with the Godfather of Soul, James Brown, for the song, "They Don't Want Music."
"That was just stupid, man," will.i.am says. "Being a fan of hip-hop and knowing that the music's backbone is based entirely on James Brown – the concept of hitting the beat on the "one," it's an otherworldly experience." The Black Eyed Peas remain one of only a handful of select groups that have been able to collaborate with Funk's inventor. "We met in the UK, at the Mojo Awards, and we talked about working together. I remember when we recorded; I played him the beat all nervous and everything. We all sat in the room and he nodded his head and grunted in approval."
That song is reflective of the Peas' fluid funk that can run from generation to generation – and is one of the reasons why the group is beloved and respected worldwide. "I think the fact that we just have fun with music is the reason why it works for us," says will.i.am. "We love music and melodies and don't try to distinguish ourselves from regular music fans. It's really that simple."
Albums
The E.N.D
"The E.N.D.," the group's fifth studio album and the third since the singer Stacy Ferguson (better known as Fergie) joined and took it from the earnest hip-hop underground to the glamorous, necessarily compromised pop mainstream, is more accomplished and more confounding than any of the foursome's previous efforts. It's likely to...
will.i.am - Songs About Girls
After conquering the pop charts with the Black Eyed Peas and crafting hits for Justin Timberlake, John Legend, Ciara, and NAS, will.i.am saved some of his platinum touch for his third solo work, Songs About Girls . Will is in storytelling mode with a not-so-typical boy-meets-girl/boy-loses-girl semi-autobiographical narrative, soaking in...
Bucky Jonson - The Band Behind The Front
Live organ funk and chunky hip hop grooves from Bucky Jonson -- a 4 piece crew who have a steady day job as the instrumental backbone of the Black Eyed Peas -- and if this debut for BBE is any indication, they'll do just as well repping folks with an ear for underground hip hop & funk! BJ split the difference between blacksploition inspired...
Lost Change
BBE have chosen this year, not one that will be remembered for its hip-hop classics, to launch their would-be-definitive Beatmasters series. BBE collections carry a good deal of critical weight behind them and the label had hoped to make the same mark in this area that they have done with their rare groove, dance and jazz releases. Reaction has...
Airpushers - Themes for the Ordinarily Strange
You need Airpushers. From the name alone you know this group is pushing something so elemental, you can't live without it. What they're pushing is their essential debut 'Themes for the Ordinarily Strange,' a landmark album that invites every genre to the party: hip-hop, jazz, swing, reggae and funk. 'Themes for the Ordinarily Strange' is a...
Fergie - The Dutchess
Going solo paid off for both Gwen and Beyoncé, and now Black Eyed Peas leading lady Fergie aims to prove that she's pop royalty with her debut, 'The Dutchess.' (Get it? Like Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson, the Duchess of York?) The album, due Sept. 19, will be the first release on fellow Pea Will.i.am's A&M records imprint, Will I Am...
Monkey Business
Grammy Award winners The Black Eyed Peas return with the release of their eagerly anticipated fourth album, 'Monkey Business' on 6th June through A&M Records. 'Monkey Business' is a madcap musical journey, mixing fat basslines with Latin rhythms, witty rhymes and hip-hop beats. It is the follow-up album to the 4 x platinum selling...
Elephunk
When I first heard "Where is the Love" last summer, I couldn't stand it. I dismissed the Black Eyed Peas as one hit wonders and waited for their moment to pass. Then I heard "Shut Up" and was surprised I liked it. It wasn't until I heard "Hey Mama" that I fell in love with them. This CD is by far the best hip hop...
Bridging the Gap
Once upon a time, hip-hop was about having a good time and (brace yourselves) getting down! The Black Eyed Peas are bringing that mentality back to the future. They reinvigorated blasé dance floors and seduced discriminating heads with their debut, Behind the Front, and they do it again on Bridging the Gap. In the open-minded old-school...
Behind the Front
The Black Eyed Peas' debut, Behind the Front, may sound thoroughly familiar: like A Tribe Called Quest, they sprout positive, deftly delivered lyrics out of their light jazz, R&B, and funk tracks; like the Roots, this multi-ethnic outfit's three MCs drop science in front of a live band that builds its grooves organically; and at their...
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Outkast, one member of which is a self-described player and the other a poet, is an anomaly in popular music. Innovative, street-savvy rappers, the duo's appeal cuts across all borders, even within the feudalistic, highly competitive world of hip-hop. Dre and Big Boi's spectacular success as artists not only lies in their ability to pioneer new sounds with each recording, but in accepting their different personalities and building on their common interests — a shared love of Parliament/Funkadelic, James Brown, and Jimi Hendrix.
The team's friendship goes back to Atlanta in the early '90s, where they both attended Tri-Cities High School in the East Point area. A single child, Andre Benjamin lived with his mother for most of his early life, eventually moving in with his father at 15. In contrast, Antwan Patton lived with several brothers and sisters in Savannah before moving to Atlanta as a teenager. At Tri-Cities High School, the two quickly connected. "When everyone was wearing Starter pants, we were wearing flower print shorts. We were just a tad bit different," Benjamin told Details magazine.
Though their paths momentarily diverged — Benjamin dropped out of high school during the 10th grade, while Patton received his diploma — they continued to rap together, eventually starting a group called 2 Shades Deep. While pursuing their musical ventures, the two did what most teenagers do — working odd jobs, partying, and running the streets. "I do remember Dre in a Cadillac with a Glock, getting high, waiting for *****s to run up," Benjamin's cousin Angelo reminisced to Vibe magazine in 1998. "He had a lot of women back then." Patton, meanwhile, pondered selling drugs to get enough money for studio time, as the Wu-Tang Clan, Eazy-E, and countless other groups had done before.
Before that happened, however, the duo was signed by L.A. Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds to their LaFace label, shortly before Patton graduated. In 1993, the two released their first single, "Player's Ball." It was an immediate hit. Though other Atlanta rappers had garnered success before them (notably Kriss Kross), Outkast was the first to have a hit with specific references to its city, calling out neighborhoods like East Point and College Park. "A player is somebody who take care of they business in the game, the game of life," Dre explained to Source magazine in 1994. "You can be a regular, average everyday Joe and be a player as long as you handle your business," Big Boi added. "If you're true to yourself and true to what you're doing, then can't nobody call you out."
The "Player's Ball" single eventually went gold and was soon followed by a full-length album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. A critical and commercial success, Southern was largely produced by Organized Noize. It spawned two more hit singles: the title track and "Get Up and Get Out." It went platinum later that year. The contrast between "Player's Ball" and the motivational anthem "Get Up and Get Out" would become a hallmark for Outkast. Ever since, the group has tried to strike a careful balance between positive messages and street-oriented stories. As Big Boi explained to Vibe in 1998, "Once you start getting preachy, that's when you start being like an overbearing parent … we just giving you everyday life how we see it."
Southern also served as a platform for fellow Atlanta rappers Goodie Mob (an acronym for the "Good Die Mostly Over Bulls--t") and Organized Noize's fledging production skills. Over the next two years, the latter would work on several rap and R&B hits, including Curtis Mayfield's comeback LP, New World Order; TLC's Crazysexycool; and Goodie Mob's debut, Soul Food, as well as its own side project, Society of Soul's Brainchild. The close relationship led many to believe that Outkast's success was due to Organized Noize's production genius, a misconception the former would soon dispel.
Outkast's second album, ATLiens, did even better than the first, selling 1.5 million copies and spawning another gold single, "Elevators (Me and You)." During this time, Dre began to develop the outrageous image for which he would become famous, wearing large wraps and dressing in white linen. "I done changed totally," Dre said in an interview with Source in 1998 while discussing his switch from designer gear to vintage clothing.
Despite the acclaim for ATLiens, many of Outkast's fans couldn't handle its current fascination with space travel and consciousness-raising. Others felt that Dre, based on his unique sartorial decisions, had lost his mind, spurring a series of bizarre rumors, from alleged drug use to homosexual behavior, that have continued to haunt him. "Everybody want to be a thug man," Dre charged in a 1998 Source interview. "[But] people just scared to [be original]. But everybody waiting on that ***** to do it. … So you have to be a strong ***** to take that ridicule." During this time, Dre developed a romance with Erykah Badu; the two eventually had a son. Dre also began painting professionally, while Big Boi started his own pit bull breeding farm, Pitfall Kennels, in Fayetteville, Ga.
Along with Organized Noize and the Goodie Mob, Outkast spearheaded a new collective, the Dungeon Family. It grew to include like-minded artists like Witchdocktor (A S.W.A.T. Healing Ritual), and Cool Breeze (East Point's Greatest Hit). The duo also contributed to several soundtracks, notably "In Due Time" for Soul Food and "Benz or Beamer" for New Jersey Drive.
In 1998, Outkast released its third opus, the double-platinum Aquemini, which went on to be its most successful album yet. Debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard charts, it received universal acclaim from music critics and fans, satiating the alternative audience who bought ATLiens as well as the hardcore fans who first discovered them on Southern.
"This album is a mixture between the music on the first album and the lyrical styles of the second," Big Boi told Source, which gave Aquemini its highest rating — five mics — for only the ninth time in its 12-year history. In its wrap up of the 90 greatest albums of the '90s, Spin magazine ranked Aquemini at No. 35. On Aquemini, Dre and Big Boi took control of their own sound as well. As Earthtone II, they produced the lion's share of the record — using sounds generated from live instruments — and finally stepped out from the shadow of longtime collaborators Organized Noize.
Their tight bond was indicated in the album's title — an amalgam of Dre (Gemini) and Big Boi's (Aquarius) astrological signs. "I smoke. He don't smoke. I go to strip clubs. He don't go to strip clubs. He used to, you know what I'm saying?" Big Boi said to Source when describing their differences, adding that Dre abstains from alcohol and is a vegetarian as well. "I mean, that's individualism. And that's what Outkast is all about."
The next year, Outkast received a Grammy nomination for the album's first single, "Rosa Parks." The real Rosa Parks, however, took offense to the language used in the song and brought a lawsuit against them for unlawful use of her name. In a statement, the group said, "It was never, nor has ever been, our intention to defame a woman who we consider a role model and a civil rights pioneer. We hope to be able to work out this situation amicably." The suit, however, went to court, where the judge ruled in Outkast's favor. Parks decided to appeal the decision and enlisted the help of famed lawyer Johnnie Cochran in her efforts. The appeal is still pending.
Outside of the courtroom, Outkast contributed to the Dungeon Family all-star track and Cool Breeze's hit single "Watch for the Hook." Big Boi guest-starred on Missy Elliott's "All N My Grill" and the Youngbloodz' "85." This year, Outkast contributed to soundtracks for The Wood ("Neck Uv Da Woods" with Mystikal) and the updated Shaft ("Tough Guy" with UGK). On Halloween 2000, Outkast released the highly anticipated CD Stankonia. Thanks to the response accorded its first three platinum releases, Stankonia is something of an event on the scale of Madonna and Radiohead's new albums. As Big Boi told Details, "Our influences are so vast that if we drop something, you better believe it's going to be groundbreaking."
Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik
Released April 26, 1994 (La Face)
Highest Chart Position: #20 Pop, #3 R&B
Certified Gold June 28, 1994
Certified 2x Platinum June 24, 2003
Featured Artists: Peaches, Big Rube, Goodie Mob, Society of Soul.
ATLiens
Released August 27, 1996 (La Face)
Highest Chart Position: #2 Pop, #1 R&B
Certified Gold November 06, 1996
Certified Platinum November 06, 1996
Featured Artists: Big Rube, Cool Breeze, Big Gipp, Goodie Mob.
Aquemini
Released September 29, 1998 (La Face)
Highest Chart Position: #2 Pop, #2 R&B
Certified Gold November 1, 1998
Certified 2x Platinum July 2, 1999
Featured Artists: Erykah Badu, George Clinton, Big Rube, Cee-Lo, Goodie Mob, Patrick Brown, Masada, WitchDoctor, Backbone, Cool Breeze, Raekwon.
Stankonia
Released October 31, 2000 (La Face)
Highest Chart Position: #2 Pop, #2 R&B
Certified Gold November 27, 2000
Certified 3x Platinum February 6, 2001
Featured Artists: Erykah Badu, Big Rube, Sleepy Brown, Cee-Lo, C-Bone, Slimm Calhoun, T-Mo, BackBone, Big Gipp, B-Real, Eco, Gangsta Boo, J-Sweet, Killer Mike, Khujo.
Grammy Award for best Rap Album 2001
Big Boi & Dre Present...
Released December 4, 2001 (La Face)
Highest Chart Position: #18 Pop, #4 R&B
Certified Gold March 6, 2002
Certified Platinum March 6, 2002
Featured Artists: various artists.
Speakerboxxx / The Love Below
Released September 23, 2003 (La Face)
Highest Chart Position: #1 Pop, #1 R&B
Certified 9x Platinum February 26, 2004
Speakerbox featured Artists: Cee-Lo, Khujo, Sleepy Brown, Jay-Z, Killer Mike, Big Gipp, Konkrete, Ludacris.
The Love Below featured Artists: Norah Jones, Kelis, Rosario Dawson,
Grammy Award for Album of the year 2003
Grammy Award for best Rap album 2003
EPs and Singles:
Player's Ball
Released March 7, 1994 (La Face)
Highest Chart Position: #37 Pop, #12 R&B
Certified Gold December 5, 1994
Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik
Released June 20, 1994 (La Face)
Highest Chart Position: #74 Pop, #41 R&B
Git Up, Git Out
Released October 17, 1994 (La Face)
Highest Chart Position: #59 R&B
Elevators (Me & You)
Released July 15, 1996 (La Face)
Highest Chart Position: #12 Pop, #5 R&B
Certified Gold September 13, 1996
ATLiens/Wheelz Of Steel
Released November 11, 1996 (La Face)
Highest Chart Position: #35 Pop, #23 R&B
Jazzy Belle
Released March 24, 1997 (La Face)
Highest Chart Position: #52 Pop, #25 R&B
Rosa Parks
Released January 22, 1999 (BMG)
Highest Chart Position: #55 Pop, #19 R&B
Da Art Of Storytellin (Part 1)
Released May 4, 1999 (BMG)
Highest Chart Position: #67 R&B
B.O.B.
Released December 8, 2000 (BMG)
Highest Chart Position: #69 R&B
Ms. Jackson
Released January 15, 2001 (BMG)
Highest Chart Position: #1 Pop, #1 R&B
Certified Gold May 1, 2001
Grammy Award for best Rap Duo single 2001
So Fresh, So Clean
Released May 14, 2001 (BMG)
Highest Chart Position: #40 Pop, #10 R&B
The Whole World
Released January 21, 2002 (BMG)
Highest Chart Position: #19 Pop, #8 R&B
Grammy Award for best Rap Duo single 2002
Land Of A Million Drums
Released July 1, 2002 (Wea International)
Ghetto Musick
Released September 22, 2003 (Arista)
Hey Ya
Released Oct 27, 2003 (BMG)
Highest Chart Position: #1 Pop, #1 R&B
Grammy Award for best Urban/Alternative Performance 2003
The Way You Move 1
ft. Sleepy Brown
Released April 27, 2004 (BMG Int'l)
Highest Chart Position: #1 Pop, #1 R&B
Tracklist:
1. Way You Move [Clean Version]
2. Way You Move [Johnny Toobad Radio Mix]
The Way You Move 2
ft. Sleepy Brown
Released April 27, 2004 (BMG Int'l)
Highest Chart Position: #1 Pop, #1 R&B
Tracklist:
1. Way You Move [Club Mix]
2. Way You Move [Johnny Toobad Full Lgth Vocal]
3. Way You Move [Full Phatt Radio Mix]
4. Way You Move [Multimedia Track]
Roses
Released July 20, 2004 (BMG Int'l)
Highest Chart Position: #9 Pop, #12 R&B
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Super-producer Timbaland has stamped his indelible imprint on the music scene since the mid-1990s. His production has helped create career-defining hits for artists such as Jodeci, Aaliyah, Ginuwine, Missy Elliott, Destiny’s Child, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg and Jay-Z, among many others. Respected beyond the genres of urban and hip hop music, Timbaland, whose musical influences cross cultural lines, has also been sought by diverse superstars whose music similarly knows no boundaries, from pop star Justin Timberlake to avant-singer Bjork. Released April 3, 2007 is his second solo album, Timbaland Presents Shock Value (Blackground/Interscope/MosleyMusic Group). That disc follows his producing of the majority of the tracks, including the #1 “SexyBack,” on Timberlake’s #1 charting, multiplatinumFutureSex/LoveSounds, which followed their work together on Timberlake’s previous smash, Justified.
Born Timothy Z. Mosley in Norfolk, Virginia on March 10, 1972, Timbaland, so named by Jodeci member Devante Swing after the Timberland boot, has had many reincarnations--from disc jockey DJ Tiny Tim to half of the hip hop group Timbaland & Magoo; from membership in Devante Swing’s Swing Mob crew known as Da Bassment to S.B.I. (Surrounded By Idiots), a production ensemble including Pharrell Williams, to being CEO of his own label, Mosley Music Group.
Ginuwine’s hit single “Pony” and debut LP Ginuwine…the Bachelor, produced by Timbaland, introduced a unique rhythmic style that defined the new wave of music in the ‘90s--R&B and hip hop mixed with an eclectic smorgasbord of effects held together by complex syncopated snare beats. At the same time, his partnership with high school friend Missy Elliott blossomed into a pairing that delivered Aaliyah’s double platinum One In A Million and they became one of music’s most successful production/songwriting teams. Naturally, Elliott looked to Timbaland to also define her as an artist and their work together, tracks such as “The Rain,” propelled Elliott to major stardom and critical acclaim.
Timbaland’s trademark sound has spawned numerous imitators—yet he has always remained the acknowledged originator. Not surprisingly given his talents, he started a new label in partnership with Interscope even as he delivered another three albums for Elliott, including 2005’s The Cookbook. He also launched Tweet, who debuted withSouthern Hummingbird, and produced Lil’ Kim’s “The Jump Off.” The Game relied on Tim for “Steer” and “Put You On The Game.”
Along the way he built an impressive 5,000 square foot studio in Virginia Beach where he does most of his production, and he regularly travels between that location, his Miami residence and the West Coast. In 2006 he founded a new label, again at Interscope, appropriately called Mosely Music Group (MMG). Open to all types of artists, MMG debuted with a bang: Nelly Furtado’s “Promiscuous” featuring Timbaland, which hit #1, as did her album, Loose.
Timbaland’s genre breaking has changed popular music today, and he takes pride in his success at staying ahead of the curve with his originality and experimentation. Confident and charismatic, his goal is still to blow the listener’s mind and make them move to the beat. On the personal side, this artist/producer is an avid bodybuilder committed to a strict diet and training regimen, and as serious about working out as he is about his time in the studio.
“You can accomplish anything you put your mind to if you stay persistent and disciplined,” explains the driven and dedicated Timbaland, an innovator of sound who continues to set popular tastes while adventurously expanding his musical palette.
Timbaland Presents Shock Value
Timbaland
Release Date:Apr 3, 2007
Format:Album
Under Construction Part II
Timbaland & Magoo
Release Date:Nov 18, 2003
Format:Album
Indecent Proposal
Timbaland & Magoo
Release Date:Nov 20, 2001
Format:Album
Tim's Bio: Life From da Basement
Timbaland
Release Date:Nov 24, 1998
Format:Album
Welcome to Our World
Timbaland & Magoo
Release Date:Nov 11, 1997
Format:Album
Producer:
Outside performers
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Wyclef Jean
Lead Fugees rapper and sometime guitarist Wyclef Jean was the first member of his group to embark on a solo career, and he proved even more ambitious and eclectic on his own. As the Fugges hung in limbo, Wyclef also became hip-hop's unofficial multicultural conscience; a seemingly omnipresent activist, he assembled or participated in numerous high-profile charity benefit shows for a variety of causes, including aid for his native Haiti. The utopian one-world sensibility that fueled Wyclef's political consciousness also informed his recordings, which fused hip-hop with as many different styles of music as he could get his hands on (though, given his Caribbean roots, reggae was a particular favorite). In addition to his niche as hip-hop's foremost global citizen, Clef was also a noted producer and remixer who worked with an impressive array of pop, R&B, and hip-hop talent, including Whitney Huston,Santana, and Destiny's Child, among many others.
The son of a minister, Nelust Wyclef Jean was born in Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, on October 17, 1972. When he was nine, his family moved to the Marlborough projects in Brooklyn, NY; by his teenage years, Jean had moved to New Jersey, taken up the guitar, and begun studying jazz through his high school's music department. In 1987, he also joined a rap group with his cousin Prakazrel Michel and Michal's high-school classmate Lauryn Hill. Initially calling themselves the Tranzlator Crew, they evolved into The Fugees, a name taken from slang for Haitian refugees. The trio signed with Ruffhouse Records in 1993 and released their debut album, Blunted on Reality, the following year; it attracted little notice, thanks to an inappropriate hardcore stance that the group wore like an ill-fitting suit. But The Fugees hit their stride on the follow-up, The Score, ignoring popular trends and crafting an eclectic, bohemian masterpiece that sounded like nothing else on the hip-hop landscape in 1996. Thanks to hit singles like "Fu-Gee-La" and "Killing Me Softly," The Score became a chart-topping phenomenon; in fact, with sales of over six million copies, it still ranks as one of the biggest-selling rap albums of all time.
Wyclef Jean was the first Fugees to declare plans for a solo project, setting to work soon after the group completed its supporting tours. Released in the summer of 1997, The Carnival (full title: Wyclef Jean Presents the Carnival Featuring the Refugee All-Stars) was even more musically ambitious than The Score. Its roster of guests included not only the remainder , but also Jean's siblings (who performed together in the duo Melky Sedeck), Cuban legend Celia Cruz, New Orleans funk mainstays the Neville Brothers, and Bob Marley's female backing vocalists the I Threes. The breadth of his ambition was further in evidence on the album's two hit singles; "We Trying to Stay Alive" recastthe Bee Gees' signature disco tune as a ghetto empowerment anthem, and the Grammy-nominated "Gone Till November" was recorded with part of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Those two songs helped push The Carnival into a Top 20, triple-platinum showing, and most reviews were naturally quite positive.
In the wake of The Carnival, Wyclef stepped up his outside work for other artists; over the next few years, he collaborated as a producer, songwriter, and/or remixer with a typically diverse list of artists: Destiny Child's ("No No No"), (the title track of her My Love Is Your Love album), dancehall reggae star Bounty Killer,Cypress Hill, Michal Jackson, ("Maria Maria"), Tevin Campbell, The BEP's, Kimberly Scott, and Canibus Clef also served as Canibus' manager for a short time in 1998; prior to their split, a report surfaced that Wyclef had pulled a gun on Blaze editor Jesse Washington over a negative Canibus review the magazine was slated to run (Wyclef vehemently denied the accusation, and no charges were filed).
By the time Wyclef began work on his second solo album, rumors were flying about tension between individual Fugees, and despite their denials, the fact that no follow-up to The Score was in sight seemed to lend credence to all the speculation. Although Wyclef had previously announced he would put off his sophomore effort until after the next Fugees album, he was well into the project by early 2000, giving an early release the antipolice brutality track "Diallo" (with guest vocals from Senegalese superstar Youssou N'Dour) via the Internet. The full album, titled The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book, was released toward the end of the summer and entered the charts at number nine. Besides N'Dour, guests this time around included Mary J.Blige (on the Grammy-nominated duet "911"), Earth, Wind & Fire, Kenny Rogers, and even wrestling star the Rock ("It Doesn't Matter"); Clef also threw in a left-field cover ofPink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here." This time around, some critics suggested that Wyclef's sprawling ambitions were growing messy, but the record went platinum nonetheless. Shortly after its release, he also started up his own record label, Yclef.
With no Fugees reunion in sight, Wyclef began preparing his third solo album, Masquerade, in 2001; he also appeared in the Jamaican gangster flick Shottas, and, sadly, suffered the death of his father in a home accident. Masquerade was released in the summer of 2002, and in addition to the usual worldbeat fusions, it found Wyclef reworking songs by Bob Dylan and Frankie Valli, and featured guest shots from Tom Jones and Israeli violinist Miri Ben-Ari. Masquerade entered the charts at number six, proving that Wyclef's freewheeling approach still held quite a bit of appeal. One year later, he returned with The Preacher's Son, and also released an album of traditional Haitian Creole music, Welcome to Haiti: Creole 101. His debut solo album got its sequel in 2007 when Carnival, Vol. 2: Memoirs of an Immigrant hit the shelves. The album had a diverse and lengthy guest list, with Akon, MAry J.Blige,Norah Jones, Shakira,Paul Somon and Sizzla being just some of the names involved.
The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book
2000 - :
Including: Pullin' Me In, Where Fugees At?, It Doesn't Matter, and more...
Presents the Carnival Featuring the Refugee Allstars
1997 -
Including: Mona Lisa, Year of the Dragon, Bubblegoose, and more...
Welcome to Haiti: Creole 101
2004 -
Including: 24 é Tan Pou Viv, Jean Dominique Intro, Nou Va Rive, and more...
Greatest Hits
2003 - :
Including: It Doesn't Matter, Wish You Were Here, Ghetto Religion, and more...
The Preacher's Son
2003 -
Including: Party to Damascus, Party to Damascus [Remix], Celebrate, and more...
New Day, Pt. 1 [UK CD]
1999
Including: New Day [Pop Edit], Gone Till November, Cheated [Randb Remix]
Masquerade
2002 -
Including: Daddy, PJ's, Message to the Streets, and more...
Buy album
Cheated (To All the Girls)
1998
Including: Cheated (R&B Remix), Cheated (R&B Remix Instrumental), Cheated [Rock Remix], and more..
Welcome to Haiti: Creole 101 [BMG Canada]
2004
Including: Fistibal-Festival, Fanm Kreyol, Party by the Sea, and more..
Gunpowder
1998
Including: No Airplay, No Airplay [Instrument
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Indie Release 1995
Indie Release 1997
Aftermath / Interscope 1999
Aftermath / Interscope 2000
Aftermath / Interscope 2002
Aftermath / Interscope 2004