Member of the now-disbanded Manhattan, NY, rap group called A Tribe Called Quest. Song "Vivrant Thing," is the first single from VIOLATOR THE ALBUM, a compilation of new tracks from the Violator Records/Management artists including Busta Rhymes, Mobb Deep, Noreaga, Mysonne, Cam'ron, Missy Elliott, and more.
Music style:
Hip Hop
Similar Artists:
A Tribe Called Quest
Artist history:
A Tribe Called Quest, featuring Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammed, and Phife were part of the Native Tongues collective with Queen Latifah and the Jungle Brothers. August 1989 debut, "Description Of A Fool," was followed by the hit, "Bonita Applebum." Q-Tip appeared on Deee-Lite's 1990 hit, "Groove Is In The Heart," before Quest's own biggest success in 1991: "Can I Kick It?" The song epitomized ATCQ's jazz/hip hop. As members of the Native Tongues Posse, Quest passed on the message of Africentricity, a theme emphasised in their music. Q-Tip guested on De La Soul's "Me Myself And I." The CD LOW END THEORY featured Miles Davis/John Coltrane's jazz bassist Ron Carter. It also had the controversial song, "The Infamous Date Rape." Other cuts from that CD used samples from Lou Reed, Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind and Fire to great success. MIDNIGHT MARAUDERS followed to platinum sales. Q-Tip appeared in the 1992 film, "Poetic Justice," opposite Janet Jackson, and helped produce Tony!Toni!Tone! (whose Raphael Wiggins made an appearance on MIDNIGHT MARAUDERS), Nas, Tiger, Apache and Shaquille O'Neal. At the first Source Magazine hip hop awards in 1994, ATCQ were named Group of The Year. After a long absence, the group released BEATS, RHYMES AND LIFE in 1997; it debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart.

 

 

It's a spectacular event to welcome the emergence of a new, strong female presence in the hip hop industry. 1997 heralds the arrival of Queen Pen, the rapper, Iyricist, career woman, working mother and community activist. With her debut album, My Melody Queen doesn't just hit us with an effortless flow of slickly styled rhymes, she takes us on a life journey as well, along with extraordinary producer Teddy Riley by her side and special guest appearances by The Lost Boyz' "Mr. Cheeks," Phil Collins, and singer/songwriter Me' Shell Ndege'ocello.

Like most journeys, there are rocky parts, unexpected twists and turns, and triumphs of will. Queen Pen's gift of writing her candid Lyrics (she's been writing songs since she was 14), and her silken delivery, make this journey worth the trip.

Whether she is rapping about the combined bliss and agony of first love in "AII My Love," the psychological and emotional effects of domestic abuse in "Get Away," or the reality of street life in "The Setup," Queen's storytelling is from the heart. "Every song I wrote has something to do with me," says Queen, "and somebody out there can relate to it because it's the straight-up truth. I want people to rewind a certain part of a song and say, that is so true."

Queen Pen, a.k.a. Lynise Walters, grew up in some of the roughest areas in Brooklyn, NY. She always wanted to rap and perform on-stage. "Everyone in a video was my inspiration," she chuckles, "you couldn't have told me I wasn't Salt-NPepa." She even attended a performing arts high school where she studied acting and dance. But like many young girls, she succumbed to the environment around her. By the age of 15 she found herself pregnant and out on her own. For the next ten years she would exist simply by survival instincts.

But she never gave up on her dream. In 1992, Queen approached BLACKstreet's Teddy Riley and told him she could rap. "I had known Teddy for a long time through mutual friends," she explains, "but I never approached him on that level." The superstar producer/performer told her that when he started his own label he would keep her in mind.
He kept his word. In 1996, he put her on as a guest rapper on BLACKstreet's #I chart-topping platinum single "No Diggity." Soon after, he signed her as the first artist on Lil' Man records, his newly formed label. The success of "No Diggity" opened up doors for Queen, who went on to appear in Levert's "True Dat," and to tour with BLACKstreet on New Edition's 1996-1997 "Home Again" tour.

Now, the streetwise and determined mother of two sons is witnessing her dreams come true. Lucky for us, we're along for the ride. Queen's album, my Melody, is not only a diverse offering of finely interwoven stories, combined with the lushness of Teddy Riley's production, it is a departure from the norm.

Queen Pen can come off hard without sounding forced, and she can tell the truth without preaching. She can educate and still make us dance. "I want to use hip hop as a tool to really say something. I'm not here just to throw out records and videos. I'm here to make changes." And Queen has already started making changes. Whenever she's on the road, she stops and speaks to kids at group homes to share her experiences and encourages them to stay in school. "People are so afraid to dream and have goals," she says. "I want them to know I came from the same place, and look at me now."

 

 

Urban R&B producer/vocalist/multi-instrumentalist/songwriter R. Kelly and his supporting band Public Announcement began recording in 1992 at the tail end of the New Jack Swing era, yet he was able to keep much of its sound alive while remaining commercially successful. While he's created a smooth, professional mixture of hip-hop beats, soul-man crooning, and funk, the most distinctive element of Kelly's music is its explicit carnality. Over the course of two albums, the singer has been able to make songs like "Sex Me," "Bump n' Grind," and "Your Body's Callin'" into hits because his production has been seductive enough to sell such blatant come-ons.

Kelly and Public Announcement released their debut album, Born into the '90's, at the beginning of 1992. It was an instant R&B smash, while earning a fair amount of pop airplay; "Honey Love" and "Slow Dance (Hey Mr. DJ)" were number one R&B hits, while "Dedicated" was his biggest pop hit at number 31. 12 Play, released in the fall of 1993, established R. Kelly as an R&B superstar, eventually selling over five million copies. The first single, "Sex Me (Parts I & II)," went gold, and the second, "Bump n' Grind," hit number one on both the pop and R&B charts in 1994; it stayed on the top of the R&B charts for an astonishing 12 weeks, while it logged four weeks at the top of the pop charts. The follow-up, "Your Body's Callin'," was another gold single, peaking at number 13 pop. Also in 1994, he produced Age Ain't Nothin' But a Number, the hit debut album for then-15-year-old Detroit R&B singer Aaliyah. Late in the year, it was revealed that Kelly and Aaliyah had wed in August. The news sparked a small storm of controversy in the media, yet it didn't hurt the careers of either singer. Kelly next wrote and co-produced "You Are Not Alone," the second single from Michael Jackson's HIStory album, which was released in the summer of 1995. Later that year, Kelly released a self-titled album which became his first to top the pop charts. R. Kelly sold four million copies and produced three platinum singles, all of which hit number one R&B and reached the pop Top Five.

Kelly truly consolidated his crossover success with the 1996 single "I Believe I Can Fly," which he recorded for the Michael Jordan movie Space Jam. The song won Grammy Awards for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Song, and Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television. Kelly remained in the public eye in 1997 with another Top Ten soundtrack tune, Batman & Robin's "Gotham City." The two-disc R. followed in 1998 and became Kelly's biggest-selling album yet, going platinum six times over. Its first single, a duet with Celine Dion titled "I'm Your Angel," became Kelly's second number one pop hit with a six-week run on top; even though subsequent singles were more successful on the R&B charts, Kelly was well on his way to landing more Top 40 hits in the '90s than any other male solo artist. Moving his blockbuster success into a new decade, Kelly returned in 2000 with TP-2.com.

 

 

On April 25th, the call came in on my cellular. "Attention all units!! Be on the lookout for Lou Diamonds and the Wu-Gambinos of Gatin' Island! Within the world of money and girls, they're the treasurers of glaciers of ice. They can be found wearing baggy jeans and Wallabee Clarks, pushin' phat black cars or just holdin' down on the block. We don't want no problem out there, so respect heat holders." Over.
That's when my office launched an extensive investigation into the secret society of New York's most infamous rhyme family and their Lieutenant, Lou Diamonds A.K.A. Raekwon the Chef. My name is Friday. According to our files, his name and rank was given to him for his ability to earn money for the family by cookin' up lyrical boulders. The lethal product is made inside hollow 50 gallon drums, produced by the RZA-giving it substance, then laced with crime rhymes as the glaze, before it's distributed to the street soldiers during promotional driveby's

Intelligence informs us that a new and more potent dope will drop like napalm this summer, feeding loyal and devoted jewelry and sneaker addicts with the single, "Criminology," which sources say is guaranteed to leave the listener, in one way or another, a victim to organized rhyme. With lyrics like "stand on the block, Reebok, gun cocked, avalanche rock/get paid off mass murderers, services... Chef break'em watch the alley cats bake'em/....drop their names and take'em..." The forthcoming album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, has both the raw material and the muscle to put a dent in a hardhead's wig!

My partner was successful in planting a receiver in the back of the Legend LOU DIAMONDS drives and recorded the conversation he had with IRON MAN A.K.A. TONY STARKS (Ghostface Killa), his First Lieutenant.

"Its not that you gotta have a chain around your neck, it's to say that the link is something that couldn't be popped. Everybody thought we would shine for a minute and then break up, but nah! You can't break this shit and it stays heavy 'cause were heavyweights!...I wanna let 'em know this is my shit, this is my team and I'm the stand up man for this shit right now."

"I know, Lou. As treasurers, we make sure that this shit stays on top level regardless of what. In rap, it's like a wrestling match. You got all types of clowns with all kinds of styles...niggas be cheating, you know biting...but if it was wrestling we'd be Tony Atlas or somethin', ya know? Whoever we'd be, we'd have the belt, though."

"The alliance is blood. We're from the closet projects, which is the livest on the whole island, Tony. We're from the major parts. You're a Lieutenant where you at and I'm the one where I'm at, ya know?....It's only right. You're Hutch and I'm Starsky, Fighting fake rhyme.

From the Wu tapes it's clear they got their shit locked tight once again. All Wu-Tang members appearing on the LP go by new names, Bobby Steeles (The RZA), Johnny Blaze (Method Man), Rally Fingers (INS), Lucky Hands (U-God), and Noodles (Masta Killer). The album also introduces new Clan members Big UN and Cappadon and has a guest appearance from Nas. They're ready are you.

"The worst enemy is a fake nigga around a real nigga. That's the scariest shit there is. That's why we call the album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... It's really important to know what you're workin' wit' and who you're workin 'wit. If you can't understand, then it ain't for you."

 

 

 

Rah Digga, the hottest, hardest new female MC in hip-hop, opens the door to her Newark, N.J., apartment dressed in a fuzzy bathrobe with faded pastel stripes.As the female member of hip-hop's Flip Mode Squad (which also counts Busta Rhymes, Rampage and Lord Have Mercy among its ranks), Rah Digga is one of rap's most prominent women MCs. Though her rapping is hard-hitting, Digga's background is surprisingly stable: Born in New Jersey, she attended a private school in Maryland and studied electrical engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. She started rapping with Twice The Flavor and was the only woman in Jersey's Da Outsidaz clique; when A Tribe Called Quest's Q-Tip discovered her at a performance at New York's Lyricist Lounge, he introduced her to Busta Rhymes, who invited her to join the Flipmode Squad.Rah Digga--a.k.a. Rashia Fisher--lives in a rundown apartment complex. The security is spotty (you enter through an unlocked back door) and graffiti line the hallways. Rah herself, who is tall (5 ft. 7 in.) and striking, isn't dressed for ghetto fabulousness just this moment. In fact, she isn't dressed for much of anything. She isn't wearing makeup, and there's a blemish the size of a cigarette burn on her right cheek. Her pajama-clad daughter Sativa, 3, stands behind her, peeking between her mother's legs. They look as if they just got up. It's 1:27 p.m.

You sit down on a wooden chair in the living room while Rah and her daughter go into the other room to change. You look around. On the wall there's a platinum record Rah was awarded for her work on The Score. In the kitchen--it's a kitchenette, really--there's a Speed Queen washing machine sitting atop four bricks. In one of the two bedrooms--actually a bedroomette--there's a small wooden bunk bed. The living room--which is only a little larger than a changing room at Banana Republic--is dominated by a large black couch, a 52-in. Zenith projection television and a cluttered table. On the table, there's a colander, a swan-shaped ashtray filled with cigarette butts, color copies of the cover artwork for Dirty Harriet. Next to the table is a stack of vinyl records: Commodores Live, An Evening with Diana Ross, a couple of albums by Marvin Gaye. "How long have you lived here?" As a part of that hip-hop clique, she appeared on Rhymes' 1997 album When Disaster Strikes and the Flipmode Squad's The Imperial Album from 1998. She also appeared on the Fugee's "Cowboys" and dueted with Bahamadia on "Be Ok" from Lyricist Lounge Vol 1. Her full-length solo debut Dirty Harriet arrived in 2000, and featured cameos from Rhymes and the Ruff Ryders' Eve.

 

 

Ras Kass released his indepent, pre-priority, promotional opus in 1995Ras Kass's first official release was a 12'' entitled Remain Anonymous b/w Won't Catch Me Runnin (both songs are classic, but neither one got much airplay), and it was marked as a release from Western Hemisfear (Ras, Voodo, Mean Green, produced by Bird). The first time most heads had the opportunity to peep Ras was on the Street Fighter Soundtrack, Come Widdit* w/ Saafir & Ahmad. After the initial hype this soundtrack, combined with the numerous stories of freestyle battles, and infinite appearances on the Wake Up Show, there was rumored to be a Patchwerk promotional cd/cassette that radio stations received. Then came Miami Life from The Substitute Soundtrack. After that came the Soul on Ice Remix b/w Marinatin' * (this was released on wax and cassette, but never on cd). Once a released date had been set for the album, the Source magazine released the Sampler On Ice a cassette with snippets from the album. This tape has a minute and a half long version of Jack Frost that was also on a DJ Rhettmatic mix tape that was released at the time. Ras, Key Kool, and Rhettmatic also did a joint entitled E=MC5 on the Kozmonautz self-titled debut. He then joined up with D.B.A. Flip on the song It Ain't Nothing Nice. In the time between the snippet and the SOI album, he did shows that were partially aired on BET (there was a new song with Jay- Z and a phat freestyle with Big Les). Ras Kass then released Soul on Ice the album.After releasing the single for Anything Goes on vinyl, he did a song with Chino XL on the Here to Save You All album entitled Riiiot! A white label release of Live From C-arson/Nature of The Threat/Anything Goes Remix was also dropped . He did a song on Coolio's Gansta's Paradise entitled Get Up Get Out. Xzibit's Plastic Surgery (big up to Travis from PIMMS on the correction) has a guest spot from Ras Kass. Then came Uni-4-Orm w/ Helta Skeltah & Canibus on the Rhyme & Reason Soundtrack. Ras Kass then reunited with Coolio on Hit Em on the My Soul album. Ras's latest team up is on the Cru's Da Dirty 30 entitled The Ebonic Plague. On the Law House Experience Ras has a song with Xzibit entitiled Arch Angles. Another duo on the Lyricist's Lounge compilation with O.C. entitled Action Guarenteed. He teamed up with Mr. X, and Saafir again on the hot 40 Days & 40 Nights on 3 Card Molly. He blew things up on Diamond D's You're In The Wrong Place as the Fantastic Four with John Dough, Big Red, and K. Terrobul. He is also working on an EP project with Xzbit and Mr. No No (Saafir), known as the Golden State Warriors. He is also on the Kid Capri Soundtrack To The Streets Mix Tape dropping next month. Kurupt is also supposed to be trading verses with Kurupt on the Kuruption album. Ras, Kurupt, Killah Priest and Canibus are also working on thier Four Horsemen EP (Big Up to DJ Noodlz for that info). Ras's first single off the new album, Understandable Smooth b/w Music of the Business, will not be on the album because of sample clearance issues, so get your white label copy while you still can.. H20Proof and Ghetto Fabulous were released as the limited edition promo singles, full with instrumentals, radio edits, acapellas, and street versions

 

 

You are now about to embark on a unique adventure where time, sound, and reality all have different meaning. No you won't be hanging with Pee-Wee Herman money, your guide for this ride is none other than Reggie Noble BKA Redman, and the place with all the bass just happens to be The Dark Side. There's no need to go into how Redman came on the scene housin' $%&! right ? What! Your memory is failing you? Don't ask somebody, I'm about to school ya. After years tearing it out the frame doing classic freestyles across the Tri-state area, Redman burst out upon the Hip-Hop scene in 1991 by catching wreck with his gift of vocab on the EPMD tracks "Hardcore and "Brothers On My Jock." Soon after he gained more props by releasing his first funky single "Blow Your Mind" off the now Gold debut album "Whut? Thee Album." It contained gem tracks such as "Time 4 some Akshun" and "Tonight's The Night." Besides that, Redman was also a powerful force in The Hit Squad, a crew in Hip-Hop so revered any mention of the name brought instant respect.But that was two years ago, and a lot has happened in between. In 1993 Redman was voted by The Source as the top rap artist of the year. And Now Redman returns to reveal "Dare Is A Dark Side", his highly anticipated follow-up on Def Jam Recordings. The title for the new platter came easily as the mc has gone through a barrage of stress, trials and tribulations career wise, in addition to the everyday struggle of maintaining out in society. After a quick trip to the corner store for a couple of phillips, he broke it down to me, "My meaning of the dark side is deep and real. All that shit I was GOING thou, I was like "This don't make sense." So you know what? I may just let shit go on this album to the dark side. Everybody's got a dark side, but they don't let it come out by pretending and grinning up in your face, and when they get home, they're on a whole different note. It wasn't about no gimmick. It's strictly real. The shit is dark but it's still funky."

Ah yes, the funk. That word combined with Redman go together like rice and beans. "Dare Is A Dark Side" packs the same quality head-noddin' funk the Hip-Hop nation came to love about "Whut...", but it also contains if possible a heavier bottom groove on 17 tracks. For example the first single, "Rockafella" contains hypnotizing bassline that symbolizes traditional east coast funk, cleverly merged with snippets of samples that will undoubtedly bring mad love from the west. "Rockafella" is also a personal special jam as it's dedicated to his man Rockafella, who was tragically gunned down just before the process of Redman putting him on. Redman states, "He had mad songs and he gave 'em to me because I was trying to let people hear him and stuff.

So I was like fuck it, I can't do nothing but let the world hear him (on the intro). The track "Cosmic Slop" features Redman gettin' biz with his present Def Squad family members Keith Murray and Erick Sermon the only way they know how. "Can't Wait" is a padlock to be a favorite in the rides as it carries the same vein of the previous butter track "Tonight"'s The Night." The joint "Green Island" finds Reggie Noble flippin' lyrics over a Caribbean -type beat to be believed. Other dope tracks such as "Da Game" and "Slide And Rock On" spotlights Redman doing what he does best, rhyming his ass of while even more importantly, showing us his captivating personality that gets heads open. Not too many mc's can lift the choruses from "Hey D.J." and a Prince jam, and in a comedic fashion, flip them, and be talking about blunts, But the treats don't end there. The funkadelic devil does a wicked duet with Hurricane G on "Werun N.Y." and every single person that dug the first album "Sooperman Luva." Redman has succeeded again on the production tip. He knocked five joints himself, while benefiting from the fly skills of the Funklord Erick Sermon and coming Funky Noble Productions producer Rockwilder who completed the package with him.

So there you have it. Redman is back wit' the dope. After hearing this joint for one listen y'all won't be so afraid of the "dark" anymore.

 

 

 

Achieving superstar status in hip-hop requires a combination of talent and timing. Boom! Here comes Royce Da 5' 9", urban music's fastest-rising star and heir apparent to the hip-hop throne.

"Once upon a time in Detroit there was Berry Gordy and that's where everybody went to chase their dream," Royce explains. "Now it's mainly New York and Cali. I want to take it back to that Detroit essence, and it starts with the music." Named after a city rich with musical history, Rock City showcases Royce's crew D. Elite and bequeaths upon Royce the self-proclaimed title "King Of Detroit."

The DJ Premier-produced banger "Boom" sets the pace for the project, having been selected as the lead-off single for the soundtrack to the MTV film "Carmen" starring Destiny's Child's Beyoncé Knowles. A blazing high-concept video clip for "Boom" is letting the world know that Royce Da 5' 9" means business when it comes to the mic. Other featured cuts include "We're Live (Danger)" a mid-tempo thumper directed to the ladies; "Life," a moving, groovy tribute to Royce's son, and the album's title cut, an undeniable rap anthem featuring another Detroit rapper who happened to become one of the biggest stars in pop music: Marshall Mathers a.k.a. Eminem a.k.a. the real Slim Shady.

Royce's entrance into the MC field came via Eminem's 1999 quadruple-platinum Slim Shady LP (Aftermath/Interscope). Royce was the only guest MC on the album, featured on the cut "Bad Meets Evil" where Royce and Em furiously exchange rhyme couplets, reaching a twisted lyrical frenzy. The song's title was actually a salute to the moniker Royce and Em adopted when they met on Detroit's burgeoning rap scene in the late 1990s and were immediately taken by each others' style. "We were introduced by a mutual friend," Royce explains, "when both of us were opening for Usher" at the Palladium in suburban Detroit. "Em is a genius and a perfectionist. Anybody that goes in the studio with him, he'll bring the best out of him."

It was as Bad Meets Evil that in 1999 the duo released the stellar maxi-single "Nuttin' To Do" b/w "Scary Movies" on New York-based independent Game Recordings, a release which went on to be named Indy Record Of The Year by The Source, was nominated for Hip-Hop Single of the Year by the Association for Independent Music, reached #1 on the Hits and Gavin rap charts and performed well on the Billboard Rap Singles chart. Royce and Game followed the success of Bad Meets Evil with "I'm The King," a powerful solo 12-inch debut produced by Alchemist that locked up Royce's following among "in the know" hip-hop fans while reaching #1 on Hits and Gavin. Soon Royce was found re-creating his Bad Meets Evil "underground classic" for the soundtrack of the 2000 Wayans brothers" hit film "Scary Movie."
In the heat of his early buzz, Royce joined Eminem for sessions in Los Angeles with one of the greatest rap producers of all time, Dr. Dre. Impressed by his talents, Dre enlisted Royce's writing skills for his album-in-the-works Chronic 2001. Royce wrote several songs and verses, which culminated in the moving selection "The Message," a stellar contribution to another multi-platinum LP for a rising rap sensation.

These high profile feats helped Royce maintain considerable buzz in hip-hop circles; plentiful press coverage and numerous web sites sprung up praising Royce's talents and citing him as a sizzling-hot sensation clearly "about to blow." Particularly impressed was legendary producer DJ Premier, who got behind the boards for Royce's 2000 Game Recordings single "Boom," a street anthem which reached #1 on Hits and Gavin and quickly became a club and mix tape staple. "Boom" became a vinyl classic, selling over 25,000 units in this format until it was heard by Columbia Records, who flipped for the aggressive-yet-stylish vocal presence and attention-grabbing street credibility of the track. Royce Da 5' 9" and Game Recordings were signed to a long-term deal with Columbia and "Boom" was quickly reissued to kick-start the Rock City campaign.

Meanwhile, Royce has kept the streets on permanent lock with the success of two other songs: "Let's Grow" off the well-received 2000 Lyricists Lounge, Vol. II album (Rawkus), and "What The Beat," a collaboration with Method Man and Eminem that rocks DJ Clue's 2001 hit album The Professional, Part Two (Def Jam). Showing he can bridge the gap between the street and the stratosphere, Royce is also featured in the new video and single "I Wanna Be Bad," by pop songstress Willa Ford (Lava/Atlantic), a sure-to-be smash that seems destined to earn Royce considerable mainstream attention. Much appreciated for his mic skills, Royce is also an undeniable hit with women who seem grateful that Royce is here to inject some much-needed male sex appeal into urban music.

With Royce clearly poised to snag the solo spotlight, he's acutely aware of the need to step up with quality content. "I want to give people diversity like they've never seen or heard before," he says. "I want to become everyone's favorite rapper all rolled up into one MC. Respected by all, feared by many!" Rock City is both the theme and title of the new album: "I'm letting the world know the seriousness of how we feel about our city," Royce explains. He's rolling thick with his crew D. Elite, whose self-titled cut on Rock City is a scorching collaboration featuring Royce, Tre Little, Cha Cha, Cutthroat, Billy Nix and Jha. "That means we are the elite group in Detroit. Six MCs and a million soldiers."

"It's a big thing to bring the whole Motown era back," Royce muses. "We're not scared to shout our city out." With superstardom for Royce Da 5' 9" a mere heartbeat away, the world better get ready to for Detroit Rock City. For real.

 

 

 

Ruff Ryders is a family owned business and our mission is to promote the community inclusion of Rap/R&B music and to assist in attaining a more productive, self-sufficient role in the entertainment industry.

Chivon Dean is a key player in the rap game traditionally dominated by men. She is one third of the triumvirate that composes Ruff Ryders Entertainment, a company which manages the platinum selling DMX and the Lox while maintaining it's own record label distributed by Interscope Records. Her lifelong dedication to helping her siblings and community, along with comprehensive experience in the field of health care has allowed her to create a new formula for success in the recording industry. This formula: Faith, Family, Fortitude; has made Ruff Ryders a driving force in Hip Hop.

As the black stallion and creative force in entertainment, Joaquin "Waah" Dean is making heads turn quickly in the industry. Once considered a long shot in entertainment, Dean has managed to speed by the fastest competition -- only to
leave them in the dust looking on through their binoculars. Dean was born and raised in New York City. This Ruff Ryder started off in the music industry as an independent tape salesman for DJ Kid Capri (who now has his own multi-platinum album on the airwaves). While working the streets, Dean decided to manufacture and sell his own tapes. Have him tell it, the tapes were of his first artist, multi-platinum rapper DMX. Selling over 15,000 units locally, industry executives caught wind of what Dean was accomplishing and Columbia/Ruffhouse Records signed DMX for a single deal. After nine months on the Columbia label, Dean then set his sights on bigger deals and later had DMX signed to Russell Simmons' Def Jam Recordings and the rest is history. DMX has since moved on to become the #1 all time seller to have two albums on the charts simultaneously ranked among the top ten within a one-year time span.


Dean's secret to success: "Give it to people like it is." And giving it to them he is...Dean's multi-million dollar selling artist has led Dean to a huge joint venture deal with Interscope and the development of Ruff Ryder Entertainment.

Darrin"D" Dean, the other half of Ruff Ryder Entertainment is the glue to the company. As the herdsman and driving force of the posse, D manages to keep things at a smooth and steady winning pace. D understands, accurately envisions, and carries out the family's visions. His understanding and implementation of ideas makes him a critical part of the Ruff Ryder team.

Hard-working, staying true to the streets and quietly building an empire, Dean and company won't be satisfied until they control their own destiny. "In the future, we hope to become more independent and create and distribute our own product," Chivon reveals. "But no matter how much we grow, we know it's important to stay in close contact with your artists and producers. We are a family and that's how we function in business." Now you know, that's how the Ruff Ryder's roll.

 

 

After years of blazing trails for reality based rap, elevating hard-core hip hop to a high art, and earning millions of dollars and fans around the world, Scarface has decided that it is time to take his music to a whole new level by returning it back to the people who inspired him to create the music in the first place: His homies.
"This was a record that my homies in the streets asked for," says Scarface. "They wanted the raw ghetto reality. And that's just what I'm giving them on this one."

Truer words never spoken.

Fresh off his chart-topping platinum LP Untouchable, Scarface returns to the table with yet another ghetto classic: Mr Scarface presents My Homies is a star-studded double CD that pairs the godfather of hard-core reality rap with some of the hottest, most talented lyricists in the rap game. " I got everybody that I wanted to work with on this album, except Jimi Hendrix," muses Scarface. "Everybody that's hot on the streets right now, I got 'em on this album- Tupac, Master P, Tela, Too Short, and Yukmouth from the Luniz. Plus I've got some rappers from my label, Interface Records, on it too."

Although the LP does contain a bevy of guest appearances and a couple tracks that feature Interface recording artists - such as the hilarious track "Boo Booin" by Devin of the FaceMob and the incomparable Odd Squad - Scarface stresses that this is not a compilation album, but rather an album of raw uncut duets and posse cuts aimed to please die-hard Scarface fans who have been supporting him and the Rap-A-Lot family from day one.

Eschewing political correctness totally devoid of the milquetoast middle class values inherent in many of today's Cristal-sipping-Versace wearing dribble that currently infest rap music nowadays, My Homies contains some of the rawest, in-yo-face tales from the darkside of American life, a place known all over the world as the ghetto.

"This album is basically about the rebirth of Rap-A-Lot and the launching of InterFace Records," says Scarface. "It's a record the homies in the streets. It's a record to let them know that I ain't forgot about them." Indeed, My Homies is filled with hard-core, straight-to-the-point reality based lyrics, thunderous basslines and some of the tightest beats south of the Rio Grande. It is an album designed strictly for the underground - the weak and faint of heart need not apply for this LP. The lead single, "Homies and Thugs," teams up with longtime friend and rap compatriots Master P and the late great Tupac Shakur, kicking a fierce anthem celebrating the true brothers and sisters who struggle to survive everyday in the Ghetto. Produced by Face and Mike Dean, both the original and remixed versions of "Homies and Thugs" are destined to be a hit with players and ballers everywhere.

"F-k Faces" featuring the incomparable Bay Area player Too Short, a bawdy ode to women with beauty, brains and mad bedroom skills, is going to have heads bobbing and tripping all at the same time. "In My Blood" is a cautionary tale of warning to those who would dare test the strength (lyrical or otherwise) of Yukmouth, Big Mike, Scarface and DMG. Other standout tracks include the introspective "The Ghetto" featuring Ice Cube, Big Mike, Scarface and FaceMob's DMG, the adrenaline filled ditty "Who Run This," and the title tune which highlights Scarface's brilliant lyrical flow and insightful social commentary.

In this world of designer-wearing big willies and gold-plated wanna be down clowns, it's refreshing to see that despite his tremendous success Scarface remains down to earth. "My heart's still in the streets, man," says Scarface sternly. And with his new album My Homies, Face proves once and for all that he hasn't lost sight of who he is and where he's from.

 

 

Jamal Barrow, Belize. A protg of Sean "Puffy" Combs who has been endlessly touted as the new star of Bad Boy Entertainment, Shyne's career was left in the balance by his indictment on an attempted murder charge in January 2000. His involvement in the previous month's notorious nightclub incident, in which his mentor was also embroiled, hampered the promotion of his debut album but at the same time helped raise Shyne's street profile. Shyne was born in Belize, but relocated with his mother to Brooklyn, New York's Flatbush district. Despite some time on the streets in his early teens, Shyne subsequently held down a steady job while continuing his education and pursuing his interest in music. He was fortuitously overheard rhyming in a barbershop by producer Clark Kent, who, noting the young rapper's vocal similarity to the late Notorious B.I.G., steered him towards Combs and Bad Boy. Shyne signed a lucrative deal with the company in 1998, making some low-key appearances on Bad Boy product while working on his own debut album, before shooting to attention with his involvement in the nightclub fracas. He was freed on bail in time for the release of his debut single "Bad Boyz", which featured vocal contributions from Barrington Levy. His self-titled debut, an uninspiring gangsta rap collection, was eventually released in September.

 

 

With a second-place finish (behind Midwest rapper Supernatural) in the freestyle competition at the nation's most prestigious MC seminar in 1995, this aptly named Virginia-native demonstrated his limitless verbal potential. The first salvo fired from Skillz was the single "The Nod Factor" of which a lengthy stanza appeared as a memorable Hip Hop Quotable in The Source Magazine. Skillz reigned supreme with his brand of harshly wicked witticisms, uncorking the type of sinister rhymes that would make a freestyle foe hang his head in shame. The consummate lyricist, Skillz mastered the unique art of double-entendre with rhymes like: "put your clothes on backwards if you feel like frontin'." The lampooning onslaught came to a head with Skillz' debut in 1996, From Where??, which called attention to the virtually untapped talent within his home state. The album featured a few gems on production from Large Professor and Buckwild and a guest appearance from Q-Tip on "Extra Abstract Skillz." Many heads were checking for this album although the same heads also clamored for more decisive production that would match the Madd one's singular lyrical gift. Madd Skillz reappeared in 1999 on Rawkus' Soundbombing, Vol. 2 on "B-Boy Document" which also featured Mos Def. In 2000, he released his own single on Rawkus, "Ghost Writer" produced by fellow Virginian Timabaland

 

 

 

When Slum Village released their debut album, Fantastic Volume 2, in 1999, they introduced themselves to the public as a group who had a progressive vision for hip-hop's future yet still gave a nod to the continuing funk spectrum of black music through the decades. Judging by a quick survey of the hip-hop province, that combination was in rare supply and, probably hadn't been done well enough since the days of the Native Tongues.

Others seemed to agree and two years after amassing acclaim with that album, Slum Village return with their second offering: Trinity Past, Present, Future. With this album, the Detroit-based group look at the journey they've experienced, take stock in the realities of their current surroundings and look to the road ahead all with the usual head-nodding flair and, of course, a few surprises. "There's definitely surprises," says the group's T3. "I think people know us for being spontaneous and go-with-the-flow. But we constructed this album to be very lyrical. We've developed like three or four concepts to go on at the same time."

Slum Village began several years ago as a musical union between rappers Baatin and T3 and producer Jay Dee, who grew up together in the Conant Gardens neighborhood of Detroit. The group issued a handful of indie singles in the area and were steeped in the city's rich music scene. Even before they properly released anything to the public, Slum Village were being heralded as next-generation torch-bearers for inspired hip-hop. Jay Dee was the most visible to emerge into the spotlight, making his name by producing The Pharcyde, A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul, among others. His stripped-down soul-clap minimalism was a recognizable touch in his work and a much-desired sound.

But people knew it wasn't Jay Dee alone that made Slum Village, and it was his interplay with rappers Baatin and T3 that made Slum Village's sound so celebrated. Their ability to hop around and interpolate the rhythms of the sparse sound with their limber rhyme styles and unique voices was the fuel to the producer's fire. The effect was striking: the group's never-released demo, Fantastic Volume 1, began making the rounds amongst the hip-hop cognoscenti. People praised the group's free-spirit ways and post-modern hip-hop sound: Q-Tip, ?uestlove, D'Angelo and Black Star all went on record with their love for Slum Village. "What can you say?," asks Baatin, rhetorically. "Those are some high quality people whose tastes you trust." Adds T3, "It's just a blessing to be recognized by those kinds of artists. Those are artists that we've always respected."

Fantastic Volume 2 was released in 1999 on Goodvibe/Barak after many months delay due to record industry restructuring (the group were originally signed to the now-defunct A&M Records). When it was finally released, the chemistry between Jay Dee's beats and T3 and Baatin's percussive rhyming style was near magical, bringing a new perspective on hip-hop's sound. Q-Tip even rhymed as much when, on the Slum song, "Hold Tight," he inferred that, with the demise of A Tribe Called Quest, the future of hip-hop was "in the hands of Slum now." Other guests like D'Angelo, Busta Rhymes, Pete Rock and Jazzy Jeff were also featured guests on the album, which is cited as one of the more important hip-hop records of the last few years. "It was just a great learning and evolving experience for us as a group," says Baatin, of the whole experience. "We got to work with some amazing musicians and really do what we wanted to."

For their current album, Trinity: Past, Present, Future, the group has changed dynamic to keep things ever evolving. The biggest question will be: Where is Jay Dee? The producer, who has always considered his creative base, decided to pull back from the day-to-day operations of the group, leaving much of the creative impetus to rest with Baatin and T3. The rigors of touring took Jay Dee away from his primary love making beats in the studio. But Slum Village will always be the three of them, says Baatin. "Slum Village is the fluid entity," he explains. "The core members will always be us three. We may take different roads at different times but we'll all be involved in Slum."

Indeed, Jay Dee produced several tracks on Trinity, and he will continue to have input with T3 and Baatin on any and all future Slum Village projects. In addition to his work, other tracks were produced by DJ Hi-Tek, Scott Storch, Young RJ NeAstra, Black Milk, Waajid and Karriem Riggins, who is responsible for the mellifluous vibe on the lead single, "Tainted". Trinity, meanwhile, was built as a concept album. It is divided into three parts that represents the group's journey: where they've been, where they are and where they're headed. "It's a mix of biographical stories and also part fantasy," describes T3. "There's a lot of concepts we're playing with that, to us, have never been done in hip-hop."

As part of their effort to keep things evolving, Slum Village recruited up-and-coming Detroit rapper Elzhi to join in on Trinity. Including new talent on subsequent albums is something T3 and Baatin want to keep doing with Slum. As Baatin jokes, it'll "keep things interesting." "Elzhi adds a lyrical part to Slum, that battle-ready aspect. It's a balance now between him and our sound, which is more freestyle, go with the beats style," says Baatin. Trinity was written and recorded over the last year and a half. "The album has us playing different roles," explains T3. "I play a battle soldier, Elzhi is the orator and Baatin is the shapeshifter." These personalities, he says, will be evident not only in the rhyming style and the content of the lyrics but also in the energy of the songs. "It's always been a magical mix that's made Slum what we are," says Baatin. "But keeping the same magic all the time makes the music sound the same. We want to shake things up a bit." That, more than anything, will keep the Slum Village spirit alive.

 

 

Snoop Dogg. simply put, is one of the most influential and significant forces in modern music. Since the release of 1993's Doggystyle, his solo debut that sold more than 6 million copies in the U.S., the Long Beach rhymer has been the standard which others careers are judged by.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that No Limit Top Dogg, Snoop's fourth solo album, stands as hip-hop's latest landmark album. With 21 songs of his signature gangster-edged music, the set maintains a white-hot flow throughout. From the 3 songs supplied by producer Dr. Dre to his collaborations with Sylkk The Shocker, Mystikal, Raphael Saadiq and others, Snoop's album takes its place with the master works of hip-hop.

This album solidifies me in the hip-hop game as one of the top five solo artists in the history of the music," Snoop says. "I've been on top of the rap game ever since I've been in it. Even when they thought I fell, I was on top. This record is showing that through all the adversity - the good and the bad, the label transitions - I can still find time to put out some good, quality Snoop Dogg hip-hop."