The Infamous Mobb Deep is the eighth and final studio album by American hip hop duo Mobb Deep, which is composed of Havoc and Prodigy. The album was released on April 1, 2014, by Prodigy's Infamous Records and Sony's RED Distribution. The Infamous Mobb Deep is a double album that consists of one disc of new original music and another of unreleased tracks from the recording sessions from their second studio album The Infamous (1995). The album has been in development since 2011, but was delayed by a feud that occurred between Havoc and Prodigy during 2012. However, they shortly reconciled.
Ozomatli is an American six-piece band playing primarily Latin, hip hop, and rock music, formed in 1995 in Los Angeles. They are known both for their vocal activist viewpoints and their wide array of musical styles – including salsa, jazz, funk, reggae, rap, and others. The group formed in 1995 and has since released seven studio albums. The group is also known for advocating for farm-workers' rights and immigration reform. The band has performed in various countries all over the world, including China, Tunisia, Jordan, Cuba, and Burma. Although the band has had many member changes over the years and has sometimes had as many as ten members, the current six members have been in the band since its debut album.
Felipe Andres Coronel, better known by the stage name Immortal Technique, is a Peruvian American hip hop artist, entrepreneur, and activist. Most of his lyrics focus on controversial issues in global politics, from a radical left-wing perspective.
Ron Raphael Braunstein, better known by his stage-name Necro, is an American rapper from Brooklyn.
"The Message" is a song by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. It was released as a single by Sugar Hill Records on July 1, 1982, and was later featured on the group's debut studio album of the same name.
Pick Up the Mic is a documentary film, released in 2006, which profiles the underground homo hop scene, which is a subgenre of hip hop that includes gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender artists. The film was directed by Alex Hinton.
The PeaceOUT (World) Homo Hop Festival, was an annual festival of hip hop music and culture created by Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) people from 2001 to 2007. The main festival took place in Oakland, California, although sibling festivals were also held in New York City, Atlanta and London.
Joseph Thomas Lee, better known by his stage name Deadlee, is an American rapper and songwriter. He is based in Los Angeles, California, is of Mexican American and African American descent, and launched his career in 2000. In 2002, he released his critically acclaimed first album 7 Deadlee Sins. The follow-up album, Assault With a Deadlee Weapon, was released in late 2006.
Tori Fixx is one of the first openly gay hip hop artists. He also produces music for other noted queer performers. He is based in Minneapolis.
Luke Caswell, known mononomously as Cazwell, is an American rapper, record producer and songwriter. He has released the three studio albums Get Into It in 2006, Watch My Mouth in 2009 and Hard 2 B Fresh in 2014, along with videos and singles.
II Trill is the second studio album by UGK member Bun B. It was released on May 20, 2008 by Rap-a-Lot Records, Asylum Records and Warner Bros. Records.
LAX is the third studio album by American rapper The Game. It was released on August 26, 2008, by The Black Wall Street Records and Geffen Records. Recording sessions took place from 2007 to 2008, with the production that were contributed by Cool & Dre, Kanye West, Scott Storch, Nottz, Hi-Tek, J.R. Rotem and JellyRoll; as well as guest appearances from DMX, Chrisette Michele, Common, Ice Cube, Keyshia Cole, Ludacris, Nas, Ne-Yo, Raekwon, Raheem DeVaughn, Travis Barker, Bilal and Lil Wayne. The album was supported by four singles: "Game's Pain" featuring Keyshia Cole, Grenique "Dope Boys" featuring Travis Barker, "My Life" featuring Lil Wayne, and "Camera Phone (song)" featuring Ne-Yo. The album was released with two different cases such as one cover art for the deluxe version with Game looking at the camera with his bandanna in his hand, and the cover art for another was with him sitting on a couch smoking a blunt.
Asher Paul Roth is an American rapper. He is best known for his debut single "I Love College". Roth released his debut studio album Asleep in the Bread Aisle, on April 20, 2009, under Universal Motown, SRC and Schoolboy Records; the latter of which was launched by Roth's former manager Scooter Braun. Roth later left Schoolboy Records in late 2012, due to creative differences with Braun. In 2013, Roth signed with indie record label Federal Prism, under which he released his second studio album, RetroHash.
LGBT representations in hip hop music have been historically low. Hip hop has long been portrayed as one of the least LGBT-friendly genres of music, with a significant body of the genre containing homophobic views and anti-gay lyrics. Attitudes towards homosexuality in hip hop culture have historically been negative. Slang that uses homosexuality as a punchline like "sus", "no homo", and "pause" can be heard in hip hop lyrics from the industry’s biggest stars. However, since the early 2000s there has been a flourishing community of LGBT hip hop artists, activists and performers breaking barriers in the mainstream music industry.
Slaughterhouse was a hip hop supergroup consisting of rappers Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, Kxng Crooked and Royce da 5'9". They released two studio albums as a group, the independent Slaughterhouse and the Shady Records/Interscope-backed Welcome to: Our House.
Trash Talk is an American hardcore punk band from Sacramento, California, formed in 2005. They have toured all around the world including Japan and Europe, as well as performed in many festivals in support of their releases which helped give the band recognition from publications including Rolling Stone.
Quincy Matthew Hanley, better known by his stage name Schoolboy Q, is an American rapper from South Central Los Angeles, California. In 2009, Hanley signed to Carson-based independent record label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) and in late 2011, secured a recording contract with major label Interscope Records. Hanley is also a member of the hip-hop supergroup Black Hippy, alongside label-mates and fellow California-based rappers Ab-Soul, Jay Rock, and Kendrick Lamar.
"BEN" is a hip hop song written by rapper, producer, and director Adair Lion, a native of El Paso, Texas. The song samples Michael Jackson's 1972 song of the same name and gives a pro-LGBT message. One report described it as a message to the rap world, and a stance against gay discrimination. Towleroad called it a "beautifully-spun message about doing away with homophobia in hip-hop and Christianity, and accepting gay parents". Originally titled "It Gets Benner" in homage to the It Gets Better Project, Lion decided to use "Ben" with the name also serving as an acronym for "Better Everything Now".
Hotel California is the third studio album by American rapper Tyga. It was released on April 9, 2013, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records; distributed by Republic Records. The album features guest appearances from Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, The Game, Jadakiss, while the production on the album was handled by DJ Mustard, Detail, Cool & Dre, David D.A. Doman, Mars of 1500 or Nothin', The Olympicks, SAP and Ryan Hunt, among others.
The African-American LGBT community is part of the overall LGBT culture and overall African-American culture. LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. The LGBT community did not receive societal recognition until the historical marking of the Stonewall Riots in 1969 in New York at Stonewall Inn. The Stonewall riots brought domestic and global attention to the lesbian and gay community. Following Stonewall, Romer v. Evans vastly impacted the trajectory of the LGBT community. Ruling in favor of Romer, Justice Kennedy asserted in the case commentary that Colorado's state constitutional amendment denying LGBT people protection from discrimination "bore no purpose other than to burden LGB persons".
