1997-2016

grand master caz

CREDENTIALS: The first person to DJ and rap simultaneously, raps were stolen
for Rappers Delight
After experiencing one of DJ Kool Hercs early hip-hop parties for the first time,
Bronx-born Curtis Fisher got himself two turntables and a mic and adopted the
name Casanova Fly. Hailed as the first to rap and DJ simultaneously, he earned
the title Grandmaster Caz and became the standout member of the legendary Cold
Crush Brothers, rocking countless park jams, recording singles for the Tuff City
label, and battling the Fantastic Five in the seminal hip-hop movie Wild Style.
Yet despite all these accomplishments, Cazs biggest claim to fame is being
the man whose lyrics were jacked by Big Bank Hank for the Sugarhill Gangs.
Rob
Kenner

curtis blow
CREDENTIALS: The Breaks
In 1980 Kurtis Blow wasnt just the best rapper alive, he was the first
rapper to show and prove that a career in rap was even possible. Blessed
with a booming, elastic, singsong voice, he became the first MC to
sign with a major label in 1979hot on the heels of the Rappers
Delight phenomenonand dropped the hit single Christmas Rappin.
He came right back with a self-titled debut album the following year,
powered by The Breaks, which became the first gold single in rap
history. Blows exuberant flow on the cut still thrills three decades later.
He would continue to be a force in hip-hop, touring the world, producing,
and acting, but this was the year when it first came together for him.

kool moe dee

CREDENTIALS: Bodied Busy Bee at the Harlem World Christmas Rappers
Convention
Long before he became a solo star on the strength of Teddy Riley-produced joints
like Wild Wild West and How Ya Like Me Now, MC Kool Moe Dee was one
third of the legendary Treacherous Three, along with Special K and LA Sunshine
(not to mention DJ Easy Lee). Born Mohandas Dewese in Manhattan, Moe
was a quiet character who channeled his passion into carefully crafted rhymes.
At age 19 he devastated the renowned party rapper Busy Bee Starski at the Harlem
World Christmas Rappers Convention in a performance that is often cited as the
first hip-hop battle. The relentless routine opened with Come on Busy Bee I dont
mean to be bold/But put that bom-ditty-bom bullshit on hold. Things only went
downhill from there as Moe Dee clowned Busys formulaic rhymes and served
notice that from this moment forward MCs would have to step up their lyrical game.

melle mel
CREDENTIALS: The Message
If you see modern-day Melle Mel out in New York City rocking a powder
blue tuxedo with long tails and calling himself Muscle Simmons, you might
not suspect that this is the same dude who rhymed the immortal words Dont
push me, cause Im close to the edge. Back in 1982 Mel was a member of the
Furious Five along with his brother Kidd Creole (Nathaniel Glover), Scorpio
(Eddie Morris), Rahiem (Guy Todd Williams), and Cowboy (Keith Wiggins).
When they werent ripping park jams and rec centers with DJ Grandmaster Flash,
they were dropping hit records like Super Rappin, The Birthday Party, and
Its Nasty (Genius of Love) for labels like Enjoy and Sugar Hill Records. But
when Melle Mel turned his attention to the realities of life in the Bronx during the
Reagan era, he created a groundbreaking hip-hop classic called The Message.

run-dmc
CREDENTIALS: Run-DMC
If the Its Like That / Sucker MCs single was the warning shot, the release
of Run-DMCs self-titled debut album emptied the full clip. The nine-track
tour de force announced that these three teenagers from Hollis, Queens, were
rewriting the rules of the rap game, stripping the music down to its elements:
a pair of MCs who worked in perfect synch with one untouchable DJ.
Joseph Run Simmons got his start in hip-hop DJing for Kurtis Blow.
He got the gig thanks to his older brother Russell, who managed Blow.
Known as DJ Run, Kurtis Blows Disco Son, Run began to MC and
honed his skills by battling with Blow. He would sometimes record
the sessions and send them to his friend Darryl DMC McDaniels.

ll cool j
CREDENTIALS: Radio
Def Jams first hip-hop superstar was a charismatic 17-year-old from Queens
named James Todd Smith, better known as LL Cool J (shorthand for Ladies
Love Cool James.) Ladies might have dug his debut album, Radioit was an
instant success, both critically and commercially, eventually selling well over a
million copiesbut at this stage his music was aimed mostly at a male audience.
LL Cool J is hard as hell, he roared on Rock the Bells, adding (over Rick
Rubins obnoxiously abrasive beat) that hed battle anybody I dont care who
you tell. This was no idle boast, as he would engage in a long-running war of
words with Kool Moe Dee, among others. Double Ls was the most urgent and
authentic voice in hip-hop that year. Whatever his rhymes may have lacked in
complexity they more than made up for with heaping portions of b-boy bravado.

krs one
CREDENTIALS: South Bronx
KRS was living at a Bronx homeless shelter when he met Scott Sterling,
a.k.a. DJ Scott LaRock, who worked there as a counselor. KRS was also an
MC and graf writer known for battling other residents at the shelter. Scott
was so sufficiently impressed that he would slide the 20-year-old passes
that allowed him to go out and catch live rap shows from time to time.
Before they collaborated on their monumental 1987 debut album, Criminal
Minded, with beats supervised by Ced Gee of Ultramagnetic MCs, KRS
and Scott LaRock dropped a 12 single called South Bronx (Fresh for
86, you suckers!). This song was provocative enough to set off an epic
inter-borough musical conflict known as The Bridge Wars, and also
set KRS above and beyond all lyrical competition in that particular year.

rakim
CREDENTIALS: Paid in Full
More than just a rapper, Rakim proudly proclaimed himself to be a writer. Not only were his
lyrics simply too complex to be freestyles, but he broke down his meticulous methodology
in his songs like My Melody: Im not a regular competitor, first rhyme editor/Melody
arranger, poet, etcetera. Elsewhere in the song he goes further: I wouldnt a came and
said my name and run some weak shit/Puttin blurbs and slurs and words that dont fit/In
a rhyme, why waste time on the microphone?/I take this more serious than just a poem/
Rockin party to party, backyard to yard/I tear it up yall and bless the mic for the gods.
Rakims influence remains enormous. Not only was he A$AP Rockys namesake,
its impossible to imagine Nas making Illmatic without inspiration from the
God MC. Perhaps he put it best on My Melody when he said, Im No. 1,

competition is none/Im measured with the heat thats made by sun.

slick rick
CREDENTIALS: The Great Adventures of Slick Rick
Goddamn, 1988 was a good year for hip-hop. Too good, really. Or at least too good to distil for
a list like this. So many great voices emerged, saying so many compelling, literally worldchanging, genre-shifting things. But only one of them said it the slickest. And his name was
Rick. Slick Rick. Or MC Ricky Dee, the Ruler if youre not into the whole brevity thing.
In 1988, the English expatwhod achieved notoriety three years prior as a member
of Doug E Freshs Get Fresh Crew, performing raps on the classic 12 The Show
b/w La Di Da Direleased his platinum debut, The Great Adventures of Slick
Rick, and vaulted himself to raps pole position (no Magic City). Though Rick
had been an obviously able lyricist on his earlier work, and stood out thanks to
his English accent, the mix of intricate and often hilarious narratives with stone-

cold shit talking that he unleashed on the LP was absolutely unprecedented.

big dady kane

CREDENTIALS: Its a Big Daddy Thing
Kane got his start in 84, writing rhymes for his friend Biz
Markie and later joining Marley Marls Juice Crew, releasing his
debut single, Raw, on Cold Chillin Records in 1987. His 1988
album, Long Live the Kane, included the smash single Aint No
Half Steppin, and that same year he killed his verse on Marleys
legendary posse cut The Symphony. But it was Kanes followup album, Its a Big Daddy Thing, that cemented his status as a
bonafide hip-hop icon. On cuts like Smooth Operator, the tall,
dapper, dark-skinned MC, sometimes known as Count Macula,
made the ladies melt like Hersheys kisses in a microwave.

ad rock
CREDENTIALS: Beastie boys
Diamond was born in New York City to a rich Jewish household.He
attended Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York for six months. In
1979, Diamond co-founded the band The Young Aborigines. In 1981,
Adam Yauch, aka MCA, a friend and follower of the band, became their
bass player, and on the suggestion of their then-guitar player, John Berry,
the band changed their name to the Beastie Boys. By 1983, Adam Horovitz
(Ad-Rock) joined, and their sound began to shift away from punk to hip hop.
In 1992, Mike D founded the Beastie Boys now-defunct record label
Grand Royal Records. He is also interested in interior decoration, and
designed Brooklyn-themed toile wallpaper; it was used in the renovation
of the Marquee nightclub in Chelsea, which reopened in January 2013.

mca
CREDENTIALS: Beastie boys
Diamond was born in New York City to a rich Jewish household.He
attended Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York for six months. In
1979, Diamond co-founded the band The Young Aborigines. In 1981,
Adam Yauch, aka MCA, a friend and follower of the band, became their
bass player, and on the suggestion of their then-guitar player, John Berry,
the band changed their name to the Beastie Boys. By 1983, Adam Horovitz
(Ad-Rock) joined, and their sound began to shift away from punk to hip hop.
In 1992, Mike D founded the Beastie Boys now-defunct record label
Grand Royal Records. He is also interested in interior decoration, and
designed Brooklyn-themed toile wallpaper; it was used in the renovation
of the Marquee nightclub in Chelsea, which reopened in January 2013.

mike d
CREDENTIALS: Beastie boys
Diamond was born in New York City to a rich Jewish household.He
attended Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York for six months. In
1979, Diamond co-founded the band The Young Aborigines. In 1981,
Adam Yauch, aka MCA, a friend and follower of the band, became their
bass player, and on the suggestion of their then-guitar player, John Berry,
the band changed their name to the Beastie Boys. By 1983, Adam Horovitz
(Ad-Rock) joined, and their sound began to shift away from punk to hip hop.
In 1992, Mike D founded the Beastie Boys now-defunct record label
Grand Royal Records. He is also interested in interior decoration, and
designed Brooklyn-themed toile wallpaper; it was used in the renovation
of the Marquee nightclub in Chelsea, which reopened in January 2013.

ice cube
CREDENTIALS: AmeriKKKas Most Wanted
Soon after his acrimonious split with N.W.A, OShea Jackson, better known
as Ice Cube, knew he had to make a solo album. At first he reached out to
Dr. Dre, who reportedly wanted to work with him, but Eazy-E and Ruthless
Records boss Jerry Heller nixed that idea. So Cube linked with the Bomb
Squadthe production team behind Public Enemywho delivered the highenergy funk while Cube dug deep into his lyric books and created a classic.
The rhymes on AmeriKKKas Most Wanted went beyond gangster life and dug
into the underbelly of American apartheid. This was the record that predicted
the L.A. riots two years before they happened. There is also a lot of talk about
selling out and a tension between mainstream pop culture and hip-hop that
now feels anachronistic but was obviously a very real concern at the time.

eazy e
CREDENTIALS: N.W.A founder, Ruthless reccords
Eric Lynn Wright[3][4][5] (September 7, 1964 March 26, 1995), better known by
his stage name Eazy-E, was an American rapper who performed solo and in the hip
hop group N.W.A. Wright is affectionately called The Godfather of Gangsta Rap.
He was born to Richard and Kathie Wright in Compton, California. After dropping
out of high school in the tenth grade, he supported himself primarily by selling drugs
before founding Ruthless Records and becoming a rapper. When Ruthless artist Ice
Cube wrote Boyz-n-the-Hood, Dr. Dre, Cube, and Eazy formed N.W.A. After DJ
Yella, MC Ren, and Arabian Prince joined the group, N.W.A released N.W.A. and the
Posse. In 1988, they released their most controversial album, Straight Outta Compton.
Eazys main influences included 1970s funk groups, contemporary rappers, and comedians.
When reviewing Eazys albums, many critics noted his unique overall style, with Steve Huey
of the All Music Guide remarking: While his technical skills as a rapper were never the
greatest, his distinctive delivery... over-the-top lyrics, and undeniable charisma made him a star

dr dre
CREDENTIALS: the chronicle, N.W.A producer
Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known by his stage name
Dr. Dre, is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. He is the
founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics. Dre
was previously the co-owner of, and an artist on, Death Row Records. He has
produced albums for and overseen the careers of many rappers, including The
D.O.C., Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Xzibit, Knoc-turnal, 50 Cent, The Game and
Kendrick Lamar. He is credited as a key figure in the popularization of West Coast
G-funk, a style of rap music characterized as synthesizer-based with slow, heavy
beats. In 2014, Dr. Dre was ranked as the second richest figure in the American
hip hop scene by Forbes with a net worth of $550 million;[3] he is at the top
of the 2015 Forbes list, with an estimated pre-tax take of $620 million in 2014.

q tip
CREDENTIALS: The Low End Theory, Groove Is in the Heart, Dont
Curse, A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays, Come on Down
It had been clear from his first verses on the Jungle Brothers debut in 1988 that
Q-Tip had a remarkable, unique voice, and important things to say. But two
years later, on A Tribe Called Quests admittedly awesome debut, Peoples
Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, the outfits offbeat attire and
quirky (I Left My Wallet in El Segundo) to occasionally goofy (Ham and
Eggs) subject matter obscured the acknowledgement of Tips lyrical prowess.
That all changed in 1991, though. Stripped of the costumes, ATCQs sober (in
sound, if not in creation) sophomore effort, The Low End Theory, thrust Q-Tip
to the epicenter of hip-hop. He slowed down the BPMs and introduced the jazz,
funk, and soul loops that would define East Coast hip-hop until the Puffy era.

redman
CREDENTIALS: Whut? Thee Album, Headbanger
Ready to rock rough rhymes, renegade rapper Redman ripped when it was rhyme
time. And it was with addictive alliteration like that, on EPMDs foreboding
1990 classic Hardcore, that the always frowny-faced Newark MC spectacularly
announced his arrival on the scene. However, even before his first recorded
appearance, reigning kings like Biz Markie took the young MC around to parties
to show off his gift of gab, immortalized in this Queens nightclub recording.
Two years later, the then 22-year-old Reggie Noble released his debut LP,
Whut? Thee Album, and made it clear there was much more to Redman
than repetitive wordplay, punchlines, and skull hats. The album, with its
loose narrative structure, aggressive funk tracks, vicious battle raps, and
hilarious stories, gave listeners a uniquely rugged ride through the Bricks.

snoop dog
CREDENTIALS: The Chronic, Doggystyle
Quite out of the blue, at a time when East Coast rappers were
committing alphabetic slaughter via infinite iggity-biggities
and manic multi-syllable matching, an unassuming 21-yearold Long Beach native turned the paradigm on its head, putting
rhythm and melody over content and complexity. Snoop
cruised over beats with soft intonation and self-assured ease.
His simple, almost old school-esque rhymes were instantly memorable
(One, two, three and to the four, Snoop Doggy Dogg and Dr. Dre
is at the door...), and his ability to fluidly navigate negative space
provided a much appreciated relief from the frenzied spitting that
was in vogue on the East Coast. Fans could not get enough of it.

nas
CREDENTIALS: Illmatic
Nas, Nas, Nas was not the king of disco, despite what the It Aint Hard to Tell remix would
have you believe. But he was a king, the king of rap. In 1994, at the age of 19, Nasty Nasir Jones
would ascend the throne with the April release of Illmatic, his debut LP. A raw talent, one of
the first to make a name on guest appearances, Nas shocking, borderline horrorcore (before
horrorcore existed) raps of the early 90s created an enormous buzz for the Queensbridge MC.
But those wicked raps only scratched the surface of what was to come. Dense yet
melodic, wrought yet nonchalant, the rhymes on Illmatic represented the confluence
of the last seven years of rap innovation. He was a child of 88. From Rakims aloof
thoughtfulness to Kanes multi-syllabic juggling to Kool G Raps corner-drug-dealing
realism to the educated militancy of Chuck D, even the gripping narrative skills of Slick
RickNas had it all. And he had it all quietly. Nothing about Illmatic was labored.

coolio
CREDENTIALS: Gangsters paradise
Artis Leon Ivey Jr. (born August 1, 1963), known professionally as Coolio, is an
American Grammy Award-winning musician, rapper, chef, actor, and record producer.
Coolio achieved mainstream success in the mid to late 1990s with his albums It Takes a
Thief (1994), Gangstas Paradise (1995), and My Soul (1997). He is best known for his
1995 Grammy winning hit single Gangstas Paradise, as well as other singles Fantastic
Voyage (1994), C U When U Get There (1997) and 1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin New)
(1996). He was also known for rapping the theme song for the late 1990s Nickelodeon
series Kenan & Kel. Coolio has since gone on to release albums independently, as well
becoming a chef, creating a web series titled Cookin with Coolio and releasing a cookbook
He recorded two singles in 1987, titled Watch Gonna Do and Youre Gonna Miss Me.
Coolio made connections in the L.A. rap scene, and in 1991, ended up joining the group
WC and the Maad Circle, led by rapper WC. The album was regionally successful.

the notorious b.i.g

CREDENTIALS: Life After Death, back to back No. 1 hits with Hypnotize and
Mo Money Mo Problems, guest spots on Been Around the World, Its All
About the Benjamins, and Victory
Christopher Wallace was only alive for 67 days in 1997, but with a talent so
immense, thats all it took for him to be the most dominant rapper of the year.
In the months after Biggies March 9 death, its almost as if his stock rose.
The untimely loss of someone so young, with so much heft in the language
of hip-hop, was like a call to reflection. Infatuation with his wit, wordplay,
and delivery soared, and 1997, in spite of tragedy, was Biggies biggest year.
Life After Death was released just over two weeks after Biggie passed and peaked
at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The album was an ambitious two-disc set with a
tracklist comprised of every type of song imaginable. While the diverse styles and
subject matterwere an organic product of Biggies incomparable range, the strategy
of Life After Deaths sequencing has become the de facto approach for rap albums
in the years since. Its an incredibly influential project, before you even press play.

tupac shakur
CREDENTIALS: All Eyez on Me, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory,
drops epic diss track Hit Em Up
2Pacs tireless work ethic and prolific output made him a legend, and 1996 saw
both of those habits at their highest efficiency. For most of the previous year, he
was incarcerated, after being found guilty on three counts of molestation. 2Pac
was released from Clinton Correctional Facility in October 1995, Suge Knight
successfully recruited him to Knights infamous, powerful record label, Death
Row, and the rapper launched into the next year with unprecedented resilience.
2Pacs historical tear through 1996 began with the release of All Eyez on Me in
February. By then, he had become a mainstream fixturean icon larger than rap
and it was evident in the albums reception. It debuted at No. 1 on the pop charts
and moved 566,000 units in its opening week, achieving 5X platinum certification
by April. But 2Pacs appeal that year goes much deeper than sales statistics.

b real
CREDENTIALS: All Eyez on Me, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory,
drops epic diss track Hit Em Up
2Pacs tireless work ethic and prolific output made him a legend, and 1996 saw
both of those habits at their highest efficiency. For most of the previous year, he
was incarcerated, after being found guilty on three counts of molestation. 2Pac
was released from Clinton Correctional Facility in October 1995, Suge Knight
successfully recruited him to Knights infamous, powerful record label, Death
Row, and the rapper launched into the next year with unprecedented resilience.
2Pacs historical tear through 1996 began with the release of All Eyez on Me in
February. By then, he had become a mainstream fixturean icon larger than rap
and it was evident in the albums reception. It debuted at No. 1 on the pop charts
and moved 566,000 units in its opening week, achieving 5X platinum certification
by April. But 2Pacs appeal that year goes much deeper than sales statistics.

dmx
CREDENTIALS: Its Dark and Hell Is Hot, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My
Blood, guest spots on Money, Cash, Hoes and Money, Power, Respect
As history tells it, Kurt Cobain and Nirvana saved rock from the death grips of hair
metal in the early 90s. After the glitz and glamour of hip-hops shiny suit Jiggy
era, the emergence of Yonkers badass DMX was celebrated in the same way.
His debut single, Get at Me Dog, had no overwrought 80s pop sample, and
its accompanying visual was a gritty black-and-white account of a night at
legendary hip-hop nightclub the Tunnel, rather than an ostentatious display
of wealth. The rap community welcomed this long-missed hardcore approach
to the music with open arms, but DMX was more than a contrarian alternative
to the popular hip-hop of time. He was, in his own right, an excellent rapper.

prodigy
CREDENTIALS: Its Dark and Hell Is Hot, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My
Blood, guest spots on Money, Cash, Hoes and Money, Power, Respect
As history tells it, Kurt Cobain and Nirvana saved rock from the death grips of hair
metal in the early 90s. After the glitz and glamour of hip-hops shiny suit Jiggy
era, the emergence of Yonkers badass DMX was celebrated in the same way.
His debut single, Get at Me Dog, had no overwrought 80s pop sample, and
its accompanying visual was a gritty black-and-white account of a night at
legendary hip-hop nightclub the Tunnel, rather than an ostentatious display
of wealth. The rap community welcomed this long-missed hardcore approach
to the music with open arms, but DMX was more than a contrarian alternative
to the popular hip-hop of time. He was, in his own right, an excellent rapper.

havoc
CREDENTIALS: Its Dark and Hell Is Hot, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My
Blood, guest spots on Money, Cash, Hoes and Money, Power, Respect
As history tells it, Kurt Cobain and Nirvana saved rock from the death grips of hair
metal in the early 90s. After the glitz and glamour of hip-hops shiny suit Jiggy
era, the emergence of Yonkers badass DMX was celebrated in the same way.
His debut single, Get at Me Dog, had no overwrought 80s pop sample, and
its accompanying visual was a gritty black-and-white account of a night at
legendary hip-hop nightclub the Tunnel, rather than an ostentatious display
of wealth. The rap community welcomed this long-missed hardcore approach
to the music with open arms, but DMX was more than a contrarian alternative
to the popular hip-hop of time. He was, in his own right, an excellent rapper.

mf doom
CREDENTIALS: Operation Doomsday, Madvillain, King Geedorah and
Viktor Vaughn, Key to the Kuffs, NehruvianDOOM and DOOMStarks.
Daniel Dumile (born 9 January 1971) is a British hip hop
recording artist who spent most of his life in the United States.
Dumile was born in 1971, in London, England, the son of a Trinidadian
mother and a Zimbabwean father. His family moved to Long Island, New
York when he was a child, although Dumile remains a British citizen
Best known for his super villain stage persona and unique lyrics, Dumile has
taken on several stage names in his career, most notably as Metal Face Doom or MF
DOOM. He has appeared in several collaborative projects such as Madvillain (with
Madlib), DANGERDOOM (with Danger Mouse), DOOMSTARKS (with Ghostface
Killah), JJ DOOM (with Jneiro Jarel), and NehruvianDOOM (with Bishop Nehru).

del the funky homosapien

CREDENTIALS: No Need for Alarm (1993), Funk Man (The Stimulus
Package) (2009), It Aint Illegal Yet (2010), Golden Era (2011) and several
colaborations with Gorillaz
Teren Delvon Jones (born August 12, 1972), better known as Del the Funky Homosapien
or Del tha Funkee Homosapien or Sir Dzl, is an American underground hip hop MC.
Born in Oakland, California, he is the cousin of seminal west coast rapper Ice
Cube, and began his career writing lyrics for Ice Cubes group, Da Lench Mob.
[2] In 1991, with the help of Ice Cube, Del released his first solo album, I Wish My
Brother George Was Here,[2] at the age of 18. The album was a commercial success
largely due to the popularity of the hit single, Mistadobalina. Ultimately Del,
who was not pleased with the limited musical range of the album, severed his
production-artist relationship with Ice Cube for his next album, No Need for Alarm.

dharius
CREDENTIALS: Member of Real academia de la rima y Artilleria pesada
C S (cartel de santa)
Alan Alejandro Maldonado Tamez, better known as Dharius (Born September
24, 1984 in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico) is a Mexican singer-winning rap.
In 1996, at the age of 12, he recorded his first demo in studio with the Pattos, of which 2
singles starting to sound in some radio programs in Monterrey emerge: Mexicana Earth
and feel with this Finally also get their first video and also its first recognition, winning the
best Student Video category in the awards golden pillow to the best of music in Monterrey.
In 1999 he meets Babo, leader of the Cartel. With it, and with the best members of
other groups rap collective cover area The Royal Academy of Rhyme recording
several songs and standing in a great position in the rap nationally. It did not
take more than a year of the creation of the Royal Academy of Rima for Dharius
was invited (Like Babo) to be part of The Heavy Artillery group founded by
Fermin IV, vocalist of Control Machete, the maximum Rap exponent at that time.

fermin iv
CREDENTIALS: Control machete
His musical background goes back to adolescence, and once referred hear the Hip hop of
the United States during this stage, referring to its strong message of nonconformity and
open criticism of society in general. Since then, he began to develop a low-profile music
project, called fugitive from Metate; same as left aside when deciding to study medicine.
Later, he resumed his music as occupation and would not be until
1996 where debut with Control Machete group in the Mexican scene.
For 2000, it would be understood that Control Machete leaving to pursue a new
solo project under his own name. Event that was mainly because that Fermin
had converted to Christianity and leave the secular world to address that public.
To date officiating as pastor in a Christian congregation of name Mustard Seed
in Mexico City; today is pastor occupation Mustard Seed music while but
changing the theme of his compositions to preach about salvation in Jesus Christ.

pato machete
CREDENTIALS: Soy, Trinches (Ft. Rocko Pachukote, Pkz, Fdfx & DJ
Ventura), Plata o Plomo (Ft. Eugenia Len), Desde el Piso (Ft. Luis E. Fara
& Boscop), Es As (Ft. Ely Guerra)
Patricio Chapa Elizalde better known as Pato Machete was born on
October 6 , 1975. From the age of 12 he began his classes on electric bass.
Begins forming a small band with his classmates for a school play . His
constant curiosity about music led him to discover instruments such as drums,
guitar and flute -from the beginning wanted to be baterista- however, the
artistic influence of his mother led him to take the microphone and launched
into song. In its beginnings as a musician he was part of the Pasto band
as a vocalist participating alongside Gil Cerezo ( Kinky Current vocalist )

jay z
CREDENTIALS: 1998s Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life, Vol. 3...Life and Times
of S. Carter, guest spots on Heartbreaker and Lobster & Scrimp
After the banner year that was 1998, Jay Z entered 1999 with his confidence at
an all-time high. One lyric sums up his thoughts on the competition: You got a
little flow, thats cool with me...but none of yall motherfuckers can fool with me.
Hov spent the majority of the year riding off the success of Vol. 2... Hard
Knock Life, releasing singles Money Cash Hoes and Nigga What, Nigga
Who from that album. For anyone who (somehow) missed out on Jays efforts
the previous year, both tracks served as excellent confirmation of Jays rapid
ascent. Money Cash Hoes had him effortlessly bending syllables over one
of Swizz Beatzs most unorthodox beats. Nigga What, Nigga Who saw Hov
flowing faster than usual, without ever missing a step or compromising his depth.

rakaa
CREDENTIALS:
Pay Attention (2001), End to Means (2003), New Maps (2012)
Rakaa Taylor, better known by his stage names Rakaa, Rakaa
Iriscience, and Iriscience, is a rapper from Los Angeles, California.
He is a member of Dilated Peoples alongside Evidence and DJ Babu.
Rakaa released the solo debut album, Crown of Thorns, on Decon in 2010.
[6] It featured vocal contributions from Aloe Blacc, KRS-One, Chali 2na,
Evidence, and Fashawn.It was produced by Exile, DJ Babu, Oh No, El-P,
and The Alchemist.

eminem
CREDENTIALS: The Marshall Mathers LP, guest spots on Forgot About
Dre and Dont Approach Me, three classic singles with Real Slim
Shady, The Way I Am, and Stan,
After the immense success of The Slim Shady LP and Dr. Dres 2001, Eminem
was riding high even as he became overwhelmed by the reach of his new
found fame. Rather than crack under the pressure, Marshall took some time
(and drugs) in Amsterdam, came back Stateside, and released his magnum
opus, The Marshall Mathers LP. Even if it hadnt become one of the bestselling rap records ever, the record was still a conceptual masterpiecewith
Eminem mixing autobiographical detail and absurdist fantasy to chilling results.
It was only a short while after this that Chris Rock would point out that the best golfer was
black, the tallest basketball player was Chinese, and the best rapper was indeed white.

andre 3000
CREDENTIALS: The Marshall Mathers LP, guest spots on Forgot About
Dre and Dont Approach Me, three classic singles with Real Slim
Shady, The Way I Am, and Stan,
After the immense success of The Slim Shady LP and Dr. Dres 2001, Eminem
was riding high even as he became overwhelmed by the reach of his new
found fame. Rather than crack under the pressure, Marshall took some time
(and drugs) in Amsterdam, came back Stateside, and released his magnum
opus, The Marshall Mathers LP. Even if it hadnt become one of the bestselling rap records ever, the record was still a conceptual masterpiecewith
Eminem mixing autobiographical detail and absurdist fantasy to chilling results.
It was only a short while after this that Chris Rock would point out that the best golfer was
black, the tallest basketball player was Chinese, and the best rapper was indeed white.

50 cent
CREDENTIALS: Get Rich or Die Tryin, back to back No. 1 hits with In
da Club and 21 Questions, guest spots on Magic Stick, We All Die
One Day, and The Realest Killaz, and the merciless destruction of Ja
Rules career
Only one year prior to the release of Get Rich or Die Tryin, no one could
have predicted 50s rise. Roc-A-Fella was on top; Camron was rapidly
becoming one of the biggest rappers in New York, ready to succeed Jay
Z on the back of massive singles Oh Boy and Hey Ma. Jay Z was
coming off the most celebrated release of his career and was about to
release an ambitious double album. And 50s fellow Queens-repping street
rapper Ja Rule was dominating the charts with a series of hip-hop ballads.

evidence
CREDENTIALS: Dilated peoples, The Weatherman LP (2007) andCats &
Dogs (2011)
Michael Taylor Perretta, better known as Evidence (born December 10,
1976), is an American MC, producer, and member of the rap group Dilated
Peoples. Before becoming a rapper and producer, Evidence was a graffiti artist.
Shortly after meeting QD3, Evidence teamed with the likeminded Rakaa to
form the group Dilated Peoples and after the success of their 1997 single Third
Degree b/w Confidence and Global Dynamics on ABB Records and the
addition of DJ Babu to the fold a year laterthe group quickly became a fixture
on the hip hop tour circuit. They hoped their success would serve as a platform
for solo projects, much as the Wu-Tang Clans success had done before them.

t.i
CREDENTIALS: Urban Legend, the slow burn of 2003s Trap Muzik,
Down With the King, guest spots on Soldier, Goodies (Remix),
T.I.s classic Trap Muzik came out in August 2003 and sold modest initial numbers on the
strength of the single 24s, which made it into the lower reaches of the Hot 100. On the
album, T.I. proclaimed himself King of the South, a title that sparked controversy. The
second single, Be Easy, found little chart traction, but in 2004, Tip released Rubber Band
Man, a David Banner-produced pop-banger that shot up the Hot 100 and peaked at No. 30.
Tips buzz began to build on a national level in earnest. Unlike much of the competition in
Atlanta and the rest of the South at the time, Tip balanced his unapologetically Southern
drawl with a lyrical focus. As difficult as it was to hear much of a New York influence
in his drawling syllables, the rapper had an elastic double-time flow and unquestionably
deft rhythmic control that ran circles around the competition; witness his guest spot
on 2004s Look at the Grillz, which gives co-guest-star Twista a run for his money.

travis mCoy
CREDENTIALS: Gym class heroes
Travis Lazarus Travie McCoy (born August 6, 1981) is an American rapper and singersongwriter. He is the co-founder and lead singer of the rap rock band Gym Class Heroes, in
addition to having a solo career. McCoy became involved with punk rock scenes as a teenager.
He formed the group Gym Class Heroes with childhood friend Matt McGinley, and after several
line-up changes, the group was signed to Fueled by Ramen, and released their debut album.
Gym Class Heroes took a three-year hiatus from music, leaving McCoy to
focus on his solo career; McCoy released his debut solo album, Lazarus, in
2010. The lead single from the album, Billionaire featuring Bruno Mars,
peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100, and number three on the UK
Singles Chart. McCoy is signed to T-Pains label Nappy Boy Entertainment.

lil wayne
CREDENTIALS: 2005s Tha Carter II, Like Father, Like Son, Dedication
2, barrage of guest verses including Gimmie That, Make It Rain, and
You
More importantly, his mastery on the mic gave him the confidence to feel his way
through any beat and interact with it as he saw fit. Once he started experimenting
with more and more styles, the results were fascinating. It wasnt obvious then, but
in retrospect he laid the groundwork for everyones favorite version of Tunechi:
Coke Rapper Weezy, Drugged-Out Weezy, Mainstream Weezy, Mixtape Weezy,
etc. With confidence came comfort, and with comfort Waynes personality
shined through as he talked more about his love of SportsCenter, motorcycles,
and all things New Orleans. His rhymes made him famous, but his Murder
the adults and let the kids get adopted approach to fame made him a superstar.

kanye west
CREDENTIALS: Graduation, beats 50 Cent in highly publicized sales battle,
drops several huge hits, Cant Tell Me Nothing, Stronger, Good Life,
Kanye Wests career had been building toward this moment all along. By 2007, the stars had
aligned and Yeezy became the epicenter of hip-hop, both sonically and artistically. Despite
releasing two stellar albums in 2004 and 2005, he was seen as a great producer and great
songmaker but never a great MC. During the years when the rap zeitgeist was playing limbo
with coke rappers, mixtape runs, and ringtone rap, Yeezy raised the bar up and got his bars up.
His humor was still present as he spit the most Kanye line ever: Im like the fly Malcolm
X, buy any jeans necessary. The real change was in Yeezys now fluent delivery. No
longer did he flub verses with over exposition. Whatever his words lacked in humility
they made up for in maturity. His vocal performance was now poised and patient,
characteristics best seen on cuts like Flashing Lights, where he employed a delicate
nuance to his rhymes where a younger Kanye might have gone for a ham-fisted approach.

rick ross
CREDENTIALS:Trilla (2008), Deeper Than Rap (2009), Teflon Don (2010),
God Forgives, I Dont (2012), Mastermind (2014), Hood Billionaire(2014)
William Leonard Roberts II was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi,[2][3] and
raised in Carol City, Florida.[4] After graduating from Miami Carol City
Senior High School, he attended the historically black college Albany State
University on a football scholarship.[5] Roberts worked as a correctional
officer for 18 months from December 1995, until his resignation in June 1997.
In his early years at Suave House Records, Roberts initially made his debut under the
pseudonym Teflon Da Don. He made his recording debut on the song Aint Shhh to
Discuss on Erick Sermons lone album for DreamWorks, Def Squad Presents Erick
Onasis.[6] In the mid-2000s, he changed his name to Rick Ross. After being signed to
Suave House Records, former label for rap duo 8Ball & MJG, he eventually signed a
deal with Slip-n-Slide Records, which has been under the Def Jam label since 2006.

drake
CREDENTIALS: Take Care, non-album cuts like Club Paradise and
Dreams Money Can Buy, guest spots like Im on One, Tony Montana
(Remix), and Round of Applause
Bill Simmons once called LeBron James the car wash everything package, saying,
You see an athlete get handed the everything package maybe only five times in your
life. Drake is like the LeBron of rap (albeit with more hair), and he can seemingly do
anything: rap, sing, craft projects, create a soundscape, and drop meme-worthy lines.
When Drake emerged on the scene in 2009 he was more than just a rapper with
crossover potentialjust like LeBron is more than a 68 dude with a jump shot
he was a rapper with superstar potential. So Far Gone put Drake on the map in
09, and his 2010 debut album, Thank Me Later, was released in a stacked hiphop year. But Drake didnt claim his championship ring until 2011 rolled around.

wiz khalifa
CREDENTIALS:Rolling Papers (2011), O.N.I.F.C. (2012),
Blacc Hollywood (2014), Khalifa (2016)
Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by his stage name
Wiz Khalifa, is an American recording artist, songwriter and actor. He released
his debut album, Show and Prove, in 2006, and signed to Warner Bros. Records
in 2007. His Eurodance-influenced single, Say Yeah, received urban radio
airplay, charting on the Rhythmic Top 40 and Hot Rap Tracks charts in 2008.
He is also well known for his debut single for Atlantic, Black and Yellow,
which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. His debut album for
the label, Rolling Papers, was released on March 29, 2011. He followed that
album with O.N.I.F.C. on December 4, 2012, which was backed by the singles
Work Hard, Play Hard and Remember You. Wiz released his fourth album
Blacc Hollywood on August 18, 2014, backed by the lead single We Dem Boyz.

kendric lamar
CREDENTIALS: 2012s good kid, m.A.A.d city, guest verses for A$AP
Rocky, Emeli Sand, Young Jeezy, Bitch Dont Kill My Vibe
Kendrick Lamar spent most of 2012 crafting his masterful debut album,
good kid, m.A.A.d. city, before dropping it toward the end of the year. The
release of good kid cemented Kendricks status as the Best Rapper Alive
and earned comparisons to other legends who jump-started their careers with
unforgettable major-label debuts. It wasnt just a great album, it was a great
conceptual album with a storyline throughouta Herculean hip-hop feat.
His current statue isnt best explained in his raps but by an image: The cover
art to the Jay Z-assisted Bitch Dont Kill My Vibe (Remix) featured a young
Kobe standing next to an aging Jordan. No one thought the analogy was far
off. Time for everybody to bow down to King Kendrick Lamar (ya bish)!

tyler, the creator

CREDENTIALS: Goblin (2011, Wolf (2013),Cherry Bomb (2015) and Collaborations
The Odd Future Tape (2008 with Odd Future),Radical (2010 with Odd Future)
Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), better known by his stage name Tyler,
The Creator, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, musician, graphic
designer, music video director, and actor from California. Born in Ladera Heights, he
rose to prominence as the leader and co-founder of the alternative hip hop collective
Odd Future and has rapped on and produced songs for nearly every Odd Future release.
konma also creates all the artwork for the groups releases and said in an interview
with radio presenter DJ Semtex, that he designs all the groups clothing and other
merchandise as well. After releasing his debut album Goblin under XL Recordings, in
April 2011, he signed a joint venture deal for him and his label Odd Future Records,
with RED Distribution and Sony Music Entertainment. Following that he released
his second studio album Wolf, which was met with generally positive reviews and
debuted at number three onn the US Billboard 200 selling 90,000
90,0 copies in its first week.

a$ap rocky
CREDENTIALS: Live.Love.A$AP(2011),Long.Live.A$AP(2013),
At Long. Last. A$AP (2015)
Rakim Mayers (born October 3, 1988), better known by his stage name ASAP Rocky
(stylized as A$AP Rocky), is an American hip hop recording artist, record producer,
director and actor from Harlem, New York. He is a member of the hip hop group
A$AP Mob, from which he adopted his moniker. Rocky released his debut mixtape
Live. Love. A$AP, in 2011 to critical acclaim. The success of his mixtape led to a
record deal with Polo Grounds Music, RCA Records, and Sony Music Entertainment.
He subsequently recorded his 2013 debut album Long. Live. A$AP, which was also
well received by critics and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. In 2015,
Rocky released his second studio album titled At. Long. Last. A$AP. The album
debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making it Rockys second consecutive
album to debut at number one and has received critical acclaim from music critics.

charles ans
CREDENTIALS: smile (2015) , singles like aqui todo esta bien and
Esta noche
Charles Ans native of Hermosillo , Sonora , belongs to the group and collective
anesthesia , which consists of four MCs and a music producer with which they took to
the streets a model of eight subjects which bears the name of Contact . Throughout
this process Charles never stopped working on his music and shows it was recording
a demo recorded between 2008 and 2009 Illuminati , The All-Seeing Eye .
By the end of 2009 he got himself into the studio with producer Jas always Beats
and as a result that proved a Charles + Jas Beats Vol.1 album of eleven tracks
where already a noticeable evolution in terms of quality recording and letters.

killer mike
CREDENTIALS: I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II (2008)
PL3DGE (2011), R.A.P. Music (2012).
Michael Render (born April 20, 1975), better known by his stage name Killer Mike,
is an American hip hop recording artist, activist, and occasional actor from Atlanta,
Georgia. He is the founder of Grind Time Official Records, which he launched through
the SMC and Fontana Distribution. Mike made his debut on Snappin and Trappin,
from OutKasts 2000 LP Stankonia, and later appeared on the Grammy-winning
song The Whole World, a single from OutKasts greatest hits album Big Boi and
Dre Present...OutKast. He has since released five full-length albums as a solo artist.
In December 2008, Mike confirmed he signed to fellow Atlanta-based rapper T.I.s Grand
Hustle Records. In 2012, he released R.A.P. Music, produced entirely by American rapperproducer El-P. In 2013, the two subsequently formed a duo, branding themselves Run the Jewels.
The two signed to Fools Gold Records and released their self-titled debut in June of that year.

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