Anthony L. Ray, better known by his stage name Sir Mix-a-Lot or his CB handle Prime Minista, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his 1992 hit song "Baby Got Back", which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Dead Prez is an American hip hop duo composed of stic.man and M-1, formed in 1996 in New York City. They are known for their confrontational style, combined with lyrics focused on both militant social justice, self-determination, and Pan-Africanism. The duo maintains an ethical stance against corporate control over the media, especially hip hop record labels.
Oscar Devereaux Micheaux (; was an American author, film director and independent producer of more than 44 films. Although the short-lived Lincoln Motion Picture Company was the first movie company owned and controlled by black filmmakers, Micheaux is regarded as the first major African-American feature filmmaker, a prominent producer of race films, and has been described as "the most successful African-American filmmaker of the first half of the 20th century". He produced both silent films and sound films.
Gang Starr was an American hip hop duo, consisting of Houston-born record producer DJ Premier and Boston, Massachusetts rapper Guru. For the entirety of their association, they were based in Brooklyn, New York. Gang Starr 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. Some of their top hits include "Mass Appeal", "Take It Personal", "Moment of Truth", "Full Clip" and "Above The Clouds".
Arrested Development is an American hip hop group, that was formed in Atlanta in 1988. It was founded by Speech and Headliner as a positive, Afrocentric alternative to the gangsta rap popular in the late 1980s. Baba Oje and frontman Speech met at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee when they were both students.
"Jesus Walks" is a song by American rapper Kanye West. It was released on May 25, 2004, as the fourth single from his debut album The College Dropout (2004). The song contains a sample of "Walk with Me" as performed by the ARC Choir. "Jesus Walks" was acclaimed by music critics, who praised its compelling sonic atmosphere and boldness in its open embrace of faith. It was met by widespread commercial success, peaking at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming West's fourth consecutive top-twenty hit in the United States.
"Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" is a song on the American hip hop group Public Enemy's 1988 album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. It was released as a single in 1989. The song tells the story of a conscientious objector who makes a prison escape. It is built on a high-pitched piano sample from Isaac Hayes' "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic", from 1969's Hot Buttered Soul.
The discography of West Coast hip hop artist Mack 10 consists of eight studio albums, two compilation albums, twenty-two singles, and fifteen music videos. He has also collaborated on two albums and was featured in two soundtrack albums. After signing to Priority Records in 1995, Mack 10 released his self-titled debut album in June. The album, produced by fellow rapper Ice Cube, saw considerable commercial success and went Gold in the US. His prosperity continued when he released Based on a True Story, which peaked at number fourteen on the US Billboard 200. The rapper collaborated with Tha Dogg Pound to record "Nothin' But the Cavi Hit" which was released on the Rhyme & Reason soundtrack. Mack 10's 1998 release, The Recipe, was the rapper's third and final album to be certified Gold in the US by RIAA. Mack 10's album sales began to decline after his first compilation album release, Hoo-Bangin': The Mix Tape, Vol. 1. His fourth studio album, The Paper Route (2000), debuted at number nineteen on the Billboard 200; however, it failed to earn the rapper any RIAA certifications.
Block Starz Music is an American independent record label owned and operated by Bayer Mack. Its catalog includes independent releases by Machine Gun Kelly, Lega-C, Wiz Khalifa, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, Big Sean, Rhymefest, and Ceddy Bu Rap Sumo. The label also includes its subsidiaries such as the independent film and television production company Block Starz Music Television.
Peter Spirer, founder of Rugged Entertainment, is an Academy and Emmy Award-Nominated director and producer whose films have been official selections at Sundance Film Festival.
The discography of Moroccan-American rapper French Montana consists of four studio albums, twenty-four mixtapes, 51 singles including 57 as featured artist, 32 music videos and 18 promotional singles.
Felicia Pride is an American author, screenwriter, producer, and director. She is the author of six books, including the young adult novel Patterson Heights. Pride has written for the television shows Queen Sugar and Grey's Anatomy. Her 2020 directorial debut tender received the STARZ/Lionsgate Short Film Award at the 2020 BlackStar Film Festival.
Jason L. Martin, formerly known by his stage name Problem, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer from Compton, California. His debut extended play (EP), Understand Me was released in December 2013. He is best known for his 2013 single "Like Whaaat", as well as his guest appearances on E-40's 2012 single "Function," and Childish Gambino's 2013 single "Sweatpants."
The Czar of Black Hollywood is a 2014 documentary film by Bayer Mack that chronicles the early life and career of African-American filmmaker Oscar Micheaux (1884–1951). Mack conceived of and produced the film about Micheaux using Library of Congress archived footage, photos, illustrations and vintage music. The documentary, which is the first devoted exclusively to Oscar Micheaux's life, is narrated by William Bell, features an original score by Nicholas Jones and art direction by Julie Anderson.
In the Hour of Chaos is a 2016 American documentary film directed by Bayer Mack about the life and trials of the Reverend Martin Luther King Sr., father of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
Profiles of African-American Success is an American documentary web series produced by Frances Presley-Rice and filmmaker Bayer Mack for their production company Block Starz Music Television. The documentary series features short biographies of African-American businesses and entrepreneurs.
Rafael Santiago Casal is an American writer, rapper, actor, producer, director, and showrunner originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. He is also an online creator of music, poetry, web shorts, and political commentary.
John D. Tucker, known as Dr. Teeth, is an American film director, commercial director, music video director, television producer, and professor. He has directed films such as Warner Brothers Records KeAnthony's A Hustlaz Story, directed commercials for Obamacare initiative Access Health CT and music videos for songs like "Hip Hop Saved My Life" by Lupe Fiasco, "Rock Yo Hips" by Crime Mob, and "Spit Yo Game" by Notorious B.I.G. Tucker is also the founder of the HBCU Film Festival.
No Lye: An American Beauty Story is a 2019 documentary film by Bayer Mack that chronicles the rise and decline of the black-owned ethnic beauty industry in America.
6IX RISING: Toronto’s Rap Ascendence is a Canadian documentary film about the hip hop culture in Canada. The film was directed by Shawney Cohen and released on November 16, 2017. It was distributed by Vice Media's online channel Noisey and made in collaboration with Nicolas Girard and Rafael Ruiz for Worship Studio.
