Karen Lee Orzolek is a South Korean-born American singer, musician, and songwriter. She is the lead vocalist of the indie rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
Jason Green, better known as Planet Asia, is a rapper from Fresno, California. He is prominent for being one half of the now reunited hip-hop duo the Cali Agents and is currently a member of the groups Gold Chain Military and Durag Dynasty. He is also well known for his vast discography of mixtapes.
Full Circle is the sixth studio album by American rapper Xzibit. It was released on October 17, 2006 via Koch Records. Recording sessions took place at Sony Music Studios and Planet 2 Planet Studios in New York, and StarBass Enterprise Recording Studios in New Jersey. Production was handled by Allen Gordon, DJ Felli Fel, DJ Khalil, DJ Quik, Dublin Beats, Fyre Dept., Rick Rock, The Arkitects, Warryn Campbell, and Jelly Roll, who also served as executive producer together with Keith Shocklee and Xzibit. It features guest appearances from Jelly Roll, Kurupt, Daz Dillinger, DJ Quik, Don Blaze, King Tee, The Game, Too $hort, T-Pain and Donnell Rawlings.
A Musical Massacre is the third studio album by American hip hop duo The Beatnuts. It was released in August 1999 via Loud Records. Recording sessions took place at Chung King Studios, Soho Music Studios and Planet Sound Studios in New York. Produced entirely by the Beatnuts, it features guest appearances from E-Swinga, Nogoodus, Biz Markie, Carl Thomas, Cheryl Pepsii Riley, Common, Cuban Link, dead prez, Greg Nice, Magic Juan, Marlon Manson, Patrick Blazy, Tony Touch, Triple Seis, Tyler Fernandez and Willie Stubz. The album peaked at number 35 on the Billboard 200 and number 10 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States. It contains two singles: "Watch Out Now", which peaked at number 84 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and "Se Acabo".
The Birth is the first extended play by American rapper Rasco. Composed of eight tracks, it was released in 1999 via Copasetik Recordings. Recording sessions took place at Darcman Studios in Oakland and Jam Packed Studios in San Jose. Production was handled by Panik, Protest, Richness and Captain Kill A Mothafucka, with Jon Sexton and Rasco serving as executive producers. It features guest appearances from Planet Asia and Flii.
Black Panties is the twelfth studio album by American R&B singer R. Kelly. It was released in the United States on December 6, 2013, by RCA Records. The album features guest appearances from Ludacris, 2 Chainz, Young Jeezy, Migos, Kelly Rowland, Juicy J and Future.
Dice Game is a collaborative studio album by Detroit-based producer Apollo Brown and rapper Guilty Simpson. It was released online independently under hip hop label Mello Music Group on November 6, 2012 in digital format, and physical copies were made available on November 13, 2012. Recording sessions for Dice Game took place at LabCabInRoyalOak in Royal Oak, Michigan by Tate McBroom. The album was mixed at The Disc by Magnetic, and was mastered at Studio A by Eric Morgeson in 2012. The record was entirely produced and arranged by Apollo Brown, and features guest appearances from Torae and Planet Asia. The album was preceded by Apollo Brown & O.C.'s Trophies (2012).
John Sturgill Simpson, also known as Johnny Blue Skies, is an American country music singer-songwriter and actor. As of February 2022, he has released seven albums as a solo artist. Simpson's style has been met with critical favor and frequent comparisons to outlaw country.
Mello Music Group (MMG) is an American independent record label based in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 2007, Mello Music has released hip hop compilations and albums by producers and rappers such as Oddisee, Apollo Brown, Mr. Lif, Ghostface Killah, Open Mike Eagle, L'Orange, Quelle Chris, Jean Grae, Kool Keith, Nottz, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Pete Rock, and Rapper Big Pooh. In 2012, MTV Hive described MMG as having a "dedication to intelligent, street-wise boom bap", although the label has released a number of purely instrumental albums as well. In 2016, Forbes magazine called Mello Music Group the most successful indie rap label of the decade.
Clouds is the third studio album by Detroit-based hip hop producer Apollo Brown, released on February 22, 2011, by Mello Music Group. Upon its release, Clouds received mixed reviews from music critics. Despite that, it ended up being Apollo Brown's highest-selling album and the one he considers the most important in his career.
Free Will is the fifth solo studio album by American rapper Freeway. It was released on April 29, 2016, via Babygrande Records. Production was handled by S. Frank, Scholito, Girl Talk, Tryfe, Chemist, L.E.S. and Money Alwayz, with Chuck Wilson and Freeway serving as executive producers. It features guest appearances from Raheem DeVaughn, Rod, Scholito and Young Buck.
Thirty Eight is the fourth studio album by Detroit-based hip hop producer Apollo Brown, released digitally on April 29, 2014 by Mello Music Group. The album was later released physically, on CD and vinyl, with their own bonus tracks. Apollo Brown described Thirty Eight as a ride through Detroit of the early 1980s, that was inspired by various 1970s and 1980s films' soundtracks. One single was released from the album, "The Answer", as a preorder bonus.
PACKS is the second studio album by American rapper Your Old Droog. It was released on March 10, 2017 through Droog Recordings under exclusive license to Fat Beats Records. The fourteen-track record featured guest appearances by the likes of Detroit-based rapper Danny Brown, actor and comedian Anthony Jeselnik, Wiki from Ratking, Chris Crack, Heems, and Edan.
Soft Sounds from Another Planet is the second studio album by American indie pop band Japanese Breakfast. The album was released by Dead Oceans on July 14, 2017.
New Energy is the ninth studio album by British electronic musician Kieran Hebden, released under his alias Four Tet on 29 September 2017 by Text Records. The album follows a more uptempo, listener-friendly style than previous Four Tet records while containing elements of those albums and a variety of musical styles as well as virtual instrument replications of culturally-tinged instruments. The album garnered critical acclaim, landing on several year-end lists by publications such as PopMatters, Q, Uncut, The Guardian, and Pitchfork, and reached number 48 on the UK Albums Chart.
4eva Is a Mighty Long Time is the third studio album by American rapper Big K.R.I.T., released on October 27, 2017, through Multi Alumni and BMG Rights Management. A double album, it is his first full-length release since his departure from Def Jam in 2016. The album features guest appearances from T.I., Lloyd, Bun B, Pimp C, CeeLo Green, Sleepy Brown, Joi, Jill Scott, Keyon Harrold, Bilal, Robert Glasper, Kenneth Whalum and Burniss Earl Travis II.
Feature Magnetic is the fourteenth solo studio album by American recording artist Kool Keith. It was released on September 16, 2016 via Mello Music Group and produced entirely by Keith under his alias Number One Producer, except for three tracks produced by Futurewave, Giz, Ocean Ave Records, and Ol Man 80zz. The project featured guest appearances from B.a.R.S. Murre, Craig G, Dirt Nasty, Ed O.G., Freddie Foxxx, Godfather Don, Mac Mall, MF Doom, Necro, Psycho Les, Ras Kass, Sadat X, and Slug.
Charlotte Day Wilson is a Canadian contemporary R&B singer-songwriter. She came to prominence in the mid-2010s with her single "Work" and collaborations with other Toronto-based artists like BadBadNotGood and Daniel Caesar. Wilson released her debut album Alpha in July 2021.
Erik Vincent Stephens, better known professionally as Apollo Brown, is an American record producer from Detroit, Michigan, United States. He is a member of the hip hop group Ugly Heroes and has released numerous collaborations with the likes of Guilty Simpson, O.C., Ras Kass, Skyzoo and Planet Asia.
The Easy Truth is a collaborative studio album by American hip hop record producer Apollo Brown and rapper Skyzoo. It was released on September 30, 2016, via Mello Music Group. Recording sessions took place at the Village Caverns in Michigan. Production was handled entirely by Apollo Brown, who also served as one of executive producers together with Michael Tolle and Skyzoo. It features guest appearances from Conway the Machine, Joell Ortiz, Patty Crash, Stalley and Westside Gunn.
