Ian Matthias Bavitz, better known by his stage name Aesop Rock, is an American rapper and producer from Long Island, New York. He was at the forefront of the new wave of underground and alternative hip hop acts that emerged during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was signed to El-P's Definitive Jux label until it went on hiatus in 2010. In a 2010 retrospective, betterPropaganda ranked him at number 19 at the Top 100 Artists of the Decade.
Theodore Arrington II, better known by his stage name Vast Aire, is an American rapper from New York City. He is one half of the New York hip hop duo Cannibal Ox, which consists of him and fellow rapper Vordul Mega. He is also a member of the rap group Atoms Family and Scienceninjateam. He was born in Mount Vernon, New York, then lived in Jamaica, Queens before moving to Harlem, and became acquainted with the underground rap scene, performing in many clubs while still a teenager. He was once a part of the underground hip hop group The Weathermen.and then recorded with Al Babblez and Scienceninjateam records.
The Diggin' in the Crates Crew, commonly known as D.I.T.C., is an American hip hop collective formed in 1992 in New York City. The collective's name derives from the act of seeking out records to sample for production. The collective is composed of Lord Finesse, Diamond D, Big L, O.C., Fat Joe, Buckwild, Showbiz and A.G. Its members have achieved substantial and consistent recognition in underground rap circles, having often collaborated with undiscovered talents and underground hip hop artists alongside mainstream rappers.
Christian Palko, better known by his stage name Cage, is an American rapper from Middletown, New York. With a majority of his career being spent with record labels Definitive Jux and Eastern Conference, he has released six solo albums, in addition to two compilation albums and two EPs.
Slovak hip hop is said to have begun in 1988, before the establishment of the Slovak Republic itself. The first rap song released in Slovakia was done by Rap Steady Crew from Košice in 1993, followed by Jednotka slovenskej starostlivosti (JSS) with their album Kompromis in 1997 as well as the duo Trosky releasing their record. Long-running crews are Lúza and Drvivá Menšina, who perform together as Názov Stavby with DJ Hajtkovič. Vec, formerly of the seminal duo Trosky, is considered by many today to be the most influential figure within hip-hop music in Slovakia, although newer acts such as 2H+, A.M.O, MC Vrabec, Čistychov and Kontrafakt have also gained significant popularity since 2003. Slovak hip hop was considered to start becoming popular when Kontrafakt released their first music video, Dáva mi, in 2003. It topped many video charts in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The video even appeared on MTV. Kontrafakt's platinum debut album E.R.A. is considered to be one of the albums with the "classic" status.
Omar Gerryl Credle, better known by his stage name, O.C., is an American rapper and member of the group D.I.T.C. He has been involved with several underground hip hop groups, namely Crooklyn Dodgers '95, Luv NY, and Perestroika.
Derek W. Murphy, better known as Sadat X, is an American rapper, best known as a member of alternative hip hop group Brand Nubian. Originally known as Derek X, Sadat takes his name from former Egyptian president Anwar Sadat.
European hip hop refers to hip hop music and culture originating from Europe. Emerging in the 1980s following the genre's popularity in the United States, European hip hop has evolved into a diverse and influential musical movement. It encompasses a wide range of styles and subgenres, reflecting the continent's varied cultural landscapes and the experiences of both ethnic nationals and immigrant communities. Notable regional scenes include British hip hop and grime, German hip hop featuring both ethnic German and Turkish artists, and French hip hop, which has undergone several distinct eras of development. Other countries such as the Netherlands, Italy, Poland, and Romania have also produced significant hip hop scenes, each with its own unique characteristics and prominent artists.
The Weathermen was an American hip hop production group, formed in 1998 in Middletown, New York, composed of East Coast rappers and producers Cage Kennylz and Masai Bey, until further expanded into a rap group, and included; Aesop Rock, Tame One, Yak Ballz, El-P, Jakki Tha Motamouth, Camu Tao, Copywrite, Vast Aire, and Breeze Brewin. The group took its name from the revolutionary organization Weather Underground, and its debut album was to be called The New Left.
Eastern Conference Records is an independent record label based in New York City. It is owned and operated by DJ Mighty Mi, the DJ/producer for the High & Mighty.
Rahem Ross Brown, better known by his stage name Tame One, was an American hip hop recording artist and graffiti artist from New Jersey. He was a member of Artifacts, Leak Bros, and the hip-hop supergroup The Weathermen.
K-Def is an American, New Jersey–based, hip hop producer/DJ who has been actively involved in the music industry since the early 1990s. He has recently produced music for artists such as Ghostface Killah and Puff Daddy. K-Def earned critical praise early in his career for his work with Marley Marl on the album Here Come the Lords by the hip hop group Lords of the Underground. Among the songs from that album that benefited from K-Def's production work include the hits "Funky Child" and "Chief Rocka".
The Unusual is the second solo studio album by American rapper El Da Sensei. It was released on February 28, 2006 via Fat Beats Records. Recording sessions took place at Pete's Crib, Big Trouble In Little China Studios, Safe House Studios, It Is What It Is Studios and Madd Bass Studio in New Jersey, and K-Hill Studios in Durham. Production was handled by Fusion Unlimited, Illmind, J. Rawls, 3rd Rell, DJ Revolution, Frequency, Fyre Dept., Jake One, K-Def, Money Mark and Saukrates. It features guest appearances from O.C. and Sean Price.
William E. Williams, also known as El Da Sensei is an American rapper from Newark, New Jersey. During the 1990s he was a member of the hip hop duo, Artifacts.
El-P is a New York–based hip hop artist and co-founder, owner, and CEO of Definitive Jux Records. His discography consists of three solo studio albums, five instrumental albums, two mix tapes, and eleven singles. He has also appeared on numerous other artist's recordings as either a guest vocalist or producer. Releases from Company Flow, The Weathermen, and Run the Jewels, all of which El-P has been a member, are not included in this discography: only solo material.
Leak Bros was an American hip hop duo consisting of New York rapper Cage and New Jersey rapper Tame One.
Yak Ballz, born Yashar Zadeh, is an American independent hip hop artist who was brought up in Flushing, Queens, New York. He is one of the original members of The Weathermen. He is also a member of Cardboard City. Since 2019 he has worked for Warner Bros. Records as Vice President of their Media & Strategic Development team.
Terry Booker, professionally known as Internal Quest, is an American rapper from Newark, New Jersey. He began rapping in the early 2000s. He has worked with notable hip-hop artists such as El Da Sensei, Sadat X, Craig G and Trick-Trick
When Rappers Attack is the first solo studio album by American hip hop artist Tame One. It was released by Eastern Conference Records on March 25, 2003.
Rob Tewlow, professionally known by his moniker Reef, is an American musician, record producer and audio engineer from New York City. He is a former music journalist at The Source and a former A&R music executive for Atlantic Records' hip-hop department. He also worked at the Sirius XM's station's hip-hop channel Shade 45 as an executive.
