Fans of Old School Rap & Hip-Hop (2024)

08/08/2023

is an American rapper and music producer. Based in New York City, he is known as mentor and frequent collaborator of . „About.com“ ranked Large Professor at No. 13 on its Top 25 Hip Hop Producers list.
Career start: 1989
produced songs for the following artists:
&

&

11/07/2023

is an American music producer, DJ and rapper. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest Hip Hop producers of all time and is often mentioned alongside , , and as one of the mainstays of 1990s East Coast Hip Hop production. He rose to prominence in the early 1990s as one half of the critically acclaimed group & . Early on in his career, he was also famed for his remix work. He played a major role in the merging of elements from Jazz into Hip Hop music (also known as Jazz Rap).
Career start: 1987
He produced songs for the following artists:

&

&

26/06/2023

is an Grammy Award winning American Hip Hop and R&B record producer from Brooklyn, New York City. He produced songs for artists such as:

25/06/2023

is an American Hip Hop MC and record producer from The Bronx, New York City, and one of the founding members of (Diggin' in the Crates Crew). He produced songs for Hip Hop heavyweights such as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and .
Career start: 1987

21/06/2023

Shout out to of the legendary Hip Hop group who died 6 years ago 🙏🏼🕊️

24/04/2023

is an American rapper. He earned recognition early on through his collaboration with fellow Brooklyn rapper in 1997, when they formed the group . His musical career continued with solo success including collaborations with producers and rappers Kanye West, and Williams. His most recent album „Gotham“ was released in 2020. In 2011, founded his own record label „Javotti Media“.
Career start: 1997
Album certifications: 1x Gold

19/04/2023

is an American record producer, rapper, DJ and songwriter. Born and raised in the Bronx borough of New York City, he embarked on his musical career as a DJ. At the age of 18, he started to gain recognition in the Hip Hop industry through his family's record label, Ruff Ryders, as well as his friendship and work with East Coast rapper . Working with as his producer, DJ and hype man, helped gain prominence as a high-profile personality in Hip Hop. He was named the first "Producer in Residence" at New York University (NYU), for the 2010–11 academic year. „About.com“ ranked him number 27 on its list of the "Top 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Producers", and „The Source“ included him on its list of the "20 greatest producers" in the magazine's 20-year history. Fellow American rapper and producer Kanye West called him „the best rap producer of all time". Aside from music, has also added multiple entrepreneurial endeavors to his repertoire, including fashion design, art collecting, and board directing. He has been a member of trustees at the Brooklyn Museum since 2015, and a creative director for the companies Monster Cable and Reebok. He is married to American musician , with whom he has two children.
Career start: 1997
Single certifications: 1x Gold, 2x Platinum
Awards: 1x ASCAP Award, 1x BET Award, 1x BET Hip Hop Award, 2x Grammy Award, 1x Urban Music Award, 1x Webby Award, 1x Bronx Walk of Fame

11/04/2023

is an American rapper, singer and songwriter. Raised in Brooklyn, he first gained recognition while still a senior in high school, when he performed live on American music executive DJ Clue's radio show, then on Hot 97. subsequently signed to DJ Clue's „Desert Storm“ imprint, and later secured a distribution deal with major-label „Elektra“. He gained prominence with his first release „Ghetto Fabolous“ (2001), which spawned the hit singles "Can't Deny It" (featuring ) and "Young'n (Holla Back)". His second release was 2003's „Street Dreams“, which was supported by two US top 10 singles, "Can't Let You Go" and "Into You" (featuring ). In 2004, he signed to „Atlantic Records“ after leaving „Elektra“, where he released „Real Talk“, his first and only album under „Atlantic“. In 2006, was let out of his contract with „Atlantic“ and officially signed with „Def Jam Recordings“. Also in 2006, he founded his own record label „Street Family Records“. In 2007, he released „From Nothin' to Somethin'“, under „Def Jam“. In 2009, he released his fifth album „Loso's Way“. Throughout the years, has amassed a number of self-released mixtapes, including several installments of his highly acclaimed „There Is No Competition“ series and „The S.O.U.L. Tape“ series. He released his sixth album, „The Young OG Project“, in 2014.
Career start: 1997
Single certifications: 5x Gold, 4x Platinum
Album certifications: 3x Gold, 2x Platinum
Awards: 1x ASCAP Rhythm and Soul Music Award, 1x BET Hip Hop Award

06/04/2023

is an American Hip Hop duo from Brentwood, New York. The duo's name is a concatenation of the members' names "E" and "PMD" or an acronym for "Erick and Parrish Making Dollars", referring to its members ("E") and ("PMD"). During an interview on college radio station WHOV in 1987, stated that the name evolved from the original: "We were originally known as "EEPMD" (Easy Erick and Parrish the Microphone Doctor), but chose to go with EPMD because it was easier to say." He also stated that they dropped the two "E's" because .fans Eric Wright was already using as his stage name. The group has been active for 36 years (minus two breakups in 1993 and 1999).
Group foundation: 1987
Group members: |
Single certifications: 1x Gold
Album certifications: 5x Gold

03/04/2023

was an American rapper and record executive. Emerging from Harlem in New York City, he became known among underground Hip Hop fans for his freestyling ability. He was eventually signed to „Columbia Records“, where, in 1995, he released his debut album „Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous“. was noted for his use of wordplay, and writers at „AllMusic“, „HipHopDX“ and „The Source“ have praised him for his lyrical ability. He has also been described as "one of the most auspicious storytellers in Hip Hop history and known by many as the greatest punchline rapper of all time“. Regarding his legacy in an interview with Funkmaster Flex, claimed „ scared me to death. When I heard his performance at the Apollo Theater on tape, I was scared to death. I said, 'Yo, it's no way I can compete if this is what I gotta compete with". „HipHopDX“ called him "the most underrated lyricist ever". Idris Goodwin of „The Boston Globe“ wrote that "he had an impressive command of the English language", with his song "Ebonics" being the best example of this. M.F. DiBella of „Allmusic“ stated was "a master of the lyrical stickup un******ng his competition with kinetic metaphors and a brash comedic repertoire". On the review of „The Big Picture“, she adds, describing "the Harlem MC as a master of the punch line and a vicious storyteller with a razor blade-under-the-tongue flow." Trent Fitzgerald of „Allmusic“ said was "a lyrically ferocious MC with raps deadlier than a snakebite and mannerisms cooler than the uptown pimp he claimed to be on records“. In 2022, the 140th Street and Lennox Avenue intersection in Harlem was co-named Lamont "Big L" Coleman Way.
Career start: 1992
Death: 02/15/1999
Cause of death: Drive-by-shooting
Album certifications: 1x Gold

01/04/2023

was an American Hip Hop duo, consisting of Houston-born record producer and Boston, Massachusetts rapper Guru. For the entirety of their association, they were based out of Brooklyn, New York. was at its height from 1989 to 2003, and are considered one of the best MC-and-producer duos in Hip Hop history. They are recognized for being one of the pioneers of jazz rap.
Group foundation: 1986
Group members: | Guru (07/17/1961 - 04/19/2010)
Cause of death: Myeloma
Album certifications: 2x Gold

30/03/2023

(formerly known as Mos Def) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. His Hip Hop career began in 1994, alongside his siblings in the short-lived rap group Urban Thermo Dynamics (UTD), after which they appeared on albums by . He formed the duo , alongside fellow Brooklyn-based rapper , and in 1998 they released their debut album „Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star“, featuring the singles "Definition" and "Respiration". He was featured on the roster of Rawkus Records and in 1999 released his solo debut „Black on Both Sides“. His debut was followed by „The New Danger“ (2004), „True Magic“ (2006), and „The Ecstatic“ (2009). „About.com“ listed him 14th on its "50 Greatest Rappers of All Time". His hits include "Oh No", "Ms. Fat B***y", and "Mathematics". He has been vocal on several social and political causes, including police brutality, American exceptionalism, and the status of African Americans.
Career start: 1987
Album certifications: 2x Gold
Awards: 1x Black Reel Award, 7x Grammy Award nominations

22/03/2023

is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer and actor. of gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after NFL and CFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes. He has received 12 Grammy Award nominations for his work. Among his other ventures, he founded the record label „Conglomerate“ and the production crew „The Conglomerate“. „About.com“ included him on its list of the 50 Greatest MCs of Our Time (1987–2007), while Steve Huey of „AllMusic“ called him one of the best and most prolific rappers of the 1990s. In 2012, „The Source“ placed him on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time. „MTV“ has called him "one of Hip Hop's greatest visual artists".
Career start: 1986
Single certifications: 5x Gold, 10x Platinum
Album certifications: 2x Gold, 5x Platinum
Awards: 1x Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Award, 6x BET Hip Hop Award, 1x International Dance Music Award, 1x Soul Train Music Award, 1x Source Award, 1x Myx Music Award, 1x Smash Hits Poll Winners Party Award

18/03/2023

Tha Dogg Pound is an American hip hop duo made up of rappers Kurupt and Daz Dillinger. They were signed to Death Row Records in their early careers and were key to the label's success.
Group foundation: 1992
Group members: |
Album certifications: 2x Platinum
Awards: 1x Grammy Award nomination

15/03/2023

is an American rapper. Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, is one of the highest selling Hip Hop artists of all time and is also known as one of the pioneers of the Hip Hop subgenre Trap music, along with fellow Atlanta-based rappers and . signed his first major-label record deal in 1999 with Arista Records subsidiary LaFace. In 2001, he released „I'm Serious“, his solo debut and only album with the label. Upon being dropped from Arista, signed to Atlantic and soon co-founded his own label imprint, Grand Hustle Records, which he launched in 2002. has released 11 studio albums, with seven of them reaching the top five of the US Billboard 200 chart. During his career, he has also released several highly successful singles, including Billboard Hot 100 number-one hits "Whatever You Like" and "Live Your Life" (featuring ); the latter replaced the former atop the chart and made him one of the few artists who replaced themselves at number one and simultaneously occupied the top two positions.
Career start: 1999
Single certifications: 12x Gold, 27x Platinum
Album certifications: 2x Gold, 6x Platinum
Awards: 2x American Music Award, 8x ASCAP Pop Award, 8x ASCAP R&B/Soul Award, 3x BET Award, 9x BET Hip Hop Award, 12x Billboard Music Award, 1x Billboard Hip Hop/R&B Award, 9x BMI Award, 3x Grammy Award, 1x MTV Video Music Award, 1x MTV Australia Award, 2x Ozone Award, 2x Soul Train Music Award, 1x Source Award, 2x Southern Entertainment Award, 2x Vibe Award

13/03/2023

was an American rapper. Emerging from the underground Hip Hop scene in the Bronx borough of New York City in the early 1990s, he came to prominence upon being discovered by fellow Bronx rapper and made his earliest appearance on his 1995 album „Jealous One's Envy“. In 1997, signed with label, Terror Squad Productions in conjunction with RCA and Loud Records as a solo artist. The same year, he released his Grammy-nominated debut studio album „Capital Punishment“ in April 1998 to critical acclaim and commercial success, peaking at #5 on the Billboard 200 and becoming the first solo Hip Hop record by a Latino artist to go Platinum. On March 22, 2021, the intersection of East Fordham Rd and Grand Concourse in his native Bronx was named "Big Pun Plaza" in Pun's honor. A ceremony including family, friends, and local politicians preceded the street naming.
Career start: 1992
Death: 02/07/2000
Cause of death: Heart attack
Album certifications: 2x Platinum
Awards: 1x Grammy Award nomination

11/03/2023

is an American rapper and actor. Many of his songs are based on his life in Compton. His stage name was partly inspired by the numeral in name. He chose Eiht for its links to "hood culture", including Olde English 800 (8 Ball) and .38 caliber fi****ms. He is the de facto leader of West Coast Hip Hop group Compton's Most Wanted. He is also known for his role as A-Wax in the 1993 film Menace II Society, as well as playing the character Ryder in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
Career start: 1987
Single certifications: 2x Platinum
Album certifications: 1x Gold

07/03/2023

is an American Hip Hop group from Cleveland, Ohio. The group was signed to fellow American rapper Ruthless Records in late 1993, when they debuted with their EP „Creepin on ah Come Up“. The EP included their breakout hit single "Thuggish Ruggish Bone". In 1995, the group released its second album „E. 1999 Eternal“, which included hits "1st of tha Month" and "East 1999". Their hit song "Tha Crossroads", a tribute to then-recently deceased mentor won a Grammy Award in 1997. The group is regarded as one of the greatest Hip Hop acts of all time. is the only group that has worked with renowned American rappers , , and while they were all still alive. „About.com“ ranked them No. 12 on its list of the 25 Best Rap Groups of All Time and „MTV“ called them "the most melodic Hip Hop group of all time."
Group foundation: 1991
Group members: | | | |
Single certifications: 4x Gold, 4x Platinum
Album certifications: 1x Gold, 15x Platinum
Awards: 2x American Music Award, 1x Grammy Award, 1x Soul Train Music Award

06/03/2023

is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and was the president of Death Row Records. He began his career as a member of the World Class Wreckin' Cru in 1985 and later found fame with the Gangsta Rap group N.W.A. The group popularized explicit lyrics in Hip Hop to detail the violence of street life. During the early 1990s, was credited as a key figure in the crafting and popularization of West Coast G-funk, a subgenre of Hip Hop characterized by a synthesizer foundation and slow, heavy beats. „Rolling Stone“ ranked him number 56 on the list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. He was the second-richest figure in Hip Hop as of 2018 with an estimated net worth of $800 million.
Career start: 1985
Single certifications: 3x Gold, 3x Platinum
Album certifications: 1x Gold, 10x Platinum
Awards: 1x BET Hip Hop Award, 6x Grammy Award, 2x MTV Video Music Award, 1x Primetime Emmy Award

05/03/2023

Immortal Technique is an American rapper. Most of his lyrics focus on controversial issues in global politics, from a radical left-wing perspective. Immortal Technique seeks to retain control over his production, and has stated in his music that record companies, not artists themselves, profit the most from mass production and marketing of music. He claimed in an interview to have sold close to a combined total of 200,000 copies of his first three official releases. Immortal Technique visits prisons to speak to youth and working with immigrant rights activists, and raising money for children's hospitals overseas. He created a writing grant program for high-school students as well. In June 2008, Immortal Technique partnered with Omeid International, a non-profit human rights organization, and dubbed the work as "The Green Light Project". With the profits of the album „The 3rd World“ he traveled to Kabul, Afghanistan to help Omeid build an orphanage, the Amin Institute, without corporate or external funding.
Career start: 2000

04/03/2023

was an American singer and rapper. He gained recognition for providing guest vocals for a multitude of hit Rap songs between 1992 and 2007, earning the nickname "King of Hooks". began his career in the early 1990s as a member of 213, a trio formed in 1990 with his cousin and friend . In 1994, he co-wrote and sang as the featured performer on hit single "Regulate", which reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and served as a breakout success for both artists. would soon become a fixture in the West Coast Hip Hop genre, regularly working with , and in the 1990s; his deep vocals became sought after for hooks, and he would expand to work with a larger variety of artists in the 2000s, such as , , , , and . As a featured artist, he charted 16 times on the Billboard Hot 100, and in 2003 reached number one via "21 Questions". also was notably featured on "The Next Episode" and "'Till I Collapse". In addition to his guest work, released three studio albums, as well as a string of moderately successful singles of his own in the 1990s. He was known for his deep, melodic vocals, with his music often described as a mix between Hip Hop and R&B, and his vocal range between tenor and baritone. himself considered his voice and style to be mostly influenced by the Gospel music he performed in the church choir as a child, though he also grew up listening to Soul. He's considered to be the inventor of "gangsta singing", a singing style that consisted in the blend of R&B/soul vocals with Gangsta Rap lyrics.
Career start: 1990
Cause of death: heart failure as a result of multiple stroke complications (08/19/1964 - 03/15/2011)
Single certifications: 2x Gold, 14x Platinum
Awards: 4x Grammy Award nominations

#213

03/03/2023

is an American Hip Hop group from Memphis, Tennessee, formed in 1991. Emerging as a horror-themed underground Hip Hop group, they would eventually go on to enjoy mainstream success. The group's 1995 debut album „Mystic Stylez“ would go on to become an influential cult classic. They have released music on independent labels such as Prophet Entertainment and their own Hypnotize Minds label, as well as Relativity, Loud, and Columbia Records. Three 6 Mafia's worldwide album sales stand at 5.5 million as of 2016.
Group foundation: 1991
Group members: | | (04/27/1975 - 10/09/2015) | (11/17/1973 - 10/20/2013) | | Gangsta Boo (08/07/1979 - 01/01/2023)
Single certifications: 4x Gold, 4x Platinum
Album certifications: 2x Gold, 2x Platinum
Awards: 1x Academy Award, 1x American Music Award, 1x Memphis Music Hall of Fame

01/03/2023

is an American Hip Hop group from South Gate, California. They have sold over 20 million albums worldwide, and they have obtained multi-platinum and platinum certifications. The group has been critically acclaimed for their first five albums. They are considered to be among the main progenitors of West Coast and 1990s Hip Hop. All of the group members advocate for medical and recreational use of cannabis in the United States. In 2019, became the first Hip Hop group to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Group foundation: 1988
Group members: | | |
Single certifications: 2x Gold
Album certifications: 2x Gold, 8x Platinum
Awards: 1x Billboard Music Award, 1x Hollywood Walk of Fame Star, 3x Grammy Award nominations

28/02/2023

is an American rapper, songwriter, singer, record producer and actor. Born and raised in New York City, he debuted in 1999 with „Venni Vetti Vecci“ and its lead single "Holla Holla". During the 2000s, was signed to Murder Inc. Records, formerly known as The Inc. From 1999 to 2005, had multiple hits that made the top 20 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, including "Between Me and You" (featuring ), "I'm Real (Murder Remix)" and "Ain't It Funny" (both with )—which both topped the Hot 100—the number 1 hit "Always on Time" (featuring ), "Mesmerize" (featuring ), and "Wonderful" (featuring R. Kelly and ). As of 2018, has sold 14.4 million units in the US and has sold over 30 million records worldwide.
Career start: 1994
Single certifications: 1x Gold, 1x Platinum
Album certifications: 1x Gold, 8x Platinum
Awards: 1x BET Award, 1x GQ Men of the Year Award, 1x MTV Video Music Award, 1x NAACP Image Award, 1x Teen Choice Award

27/02/2023

is an American rapper and record producer. He became famous in the West Coast Hip Hop scene in the late 1980s, with lyrics often based on pimping and promiscuity, but also drug culture and street survival. This is respectively exemplified in his most popular songs "Blow the Whistle" and "The Ghetto". A pioneer of West Coast Rap, began recording in 1983, cultivating a large following in his native Oakland. In 1987, his fourth album „Born to Mack“ attracted the attention of Jive Records, who signed him and distributed the album nationally. His subsequent 1988 album „Life Is...Too Short“ was highly successful.
Career start: 1983
Album certifications: 3x Gold, 7x Platinum

25/02/2023

is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he was featured on debut solo single, "Deep Cover", and then on debut solo album „The Chronic“. has since sold over 23 million albums in the United States and 35 million albums worldwide. had been mainly described as a Hip Hop, West Coast Hip Hop, G-Funk, and Gangsta Rap artist. says he has "an ultra-smooth, laidback delivery" and "flavor-filled melodic rhyming". „The Washington Post“, „Billboard“, and „NME“ have called him a "West Coast icon" and „Press-Telegram“ "an icon of Gangsta Rap“. In 2006, „Vibe magazine“ called him "The King of the West Coast". „ABC News“ journalist Paul Donoughue, cited him among the 1990s acts that took Hip Hop into the Pop music charts.
Career start: 1992
Single certifications: 9x Gold, 32x Platinum
Album certifications: 3x Gold, 13x Platinum
Awards: 1x American Music Award, 1x APRA Music Award, 2x AVN Award, 1x BET Award, 1x Billboard Music Award, 1x Hollywood Walk of Fame Award, 1x International Dance Music Award, 1x MOBO Award, 1x MTV Movie Award, 5x MTV Award, 1x Primetime Emmy Award, 1x Rolling Stone Award, 2x Soul Train Music Award, 5x Source Award, 1x Stony Award, 1x Urban Fashion Award, 1x WWE Hall of Fame Award

24/02/2023

was an American Hip Hop duo from Port Arthur, Texas. They released their first major-label album „Too Hard to Swallow“ in 1992, followed by several other albums charting on the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, including the self-titled „Underground Kingz“ album, which contained their single "International Players Anthem (I Choose You)" and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, in August 2007. The duo has also been featured on hit singles by several other artists, such as "Big Pimpin'" by and "Sippin' on Some Syrup" by . founded in late 2005.
Group foundation: 1987
Group members: | (12/29/1973 - 12/04/2007)
Cause of death: accidental overdose
Single certifications: 1x Platinum
Album certifications: 1x Gold
Awards: 2x BET Award, 1x BET Hip Hop Award, 3x Ozone Award

Fans of Old School Rap & Hip-Hop