Craig G | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Craig Curry |
Born | March 24, 1973 |
Origin | Queens, New York City, U.S. |
Genres | Hip hop |
Years active | 1985–present |
Labels |
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Formerly of |
Craig Curry (born March 24, 1973), [1] [2] better known by his stage name Craig G, is an American rapper. He is perhaps best known as one of the members of hip hop producer Marley Marl's Cold Chillin' Records group Juice Crew. [3] [4]
He recorded the single "Shout Rap" with Marley Marl in 1985 at 12 years old and in 1988 recorded "The Symphony" with Juice Crew described by Allmusic as "a landmark moment in the evolution of hardcore rap". [4] He was then signed by Atlantic Records who released two albums, in 1989 and 1991, with little promotion [4] After his experience with Atlantic his career went quiet for much of the 1990s although later in the decade he regained popularity with underground rap fans. He released another album in 2003 on D&D Records This Is Now!!! featuring collaborations with Marley Marl, DJ Premier and Da Beatminerz. [4] [5]
Craig G was a leading freestyle battle rapper memorably battling Supernatural on several occasions, [6] and in the early 2000s wrote and coordinated the battle verses used by Eminem and his opponents in the film 8 Mile . The next year he wrote the character Dangerous' lyrics in 50 Cent's feature film Get Rich or Die Tryin' . [7] His battle with fellow battle rapper Supernatural was a subject of the 2005 documentary Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme . [8]
In 2008, he was part of a reunited Juice Crew performing at the A3C Hip Hop Festival in Atlanta. [9]
In 2012 he released his fourth solo album Ramblings Of An Angry Old Man. [10] [11] He was recording an as yet to be titled E.P. With Da Beatminerz [12] Craig G dropped his fifth LP titled I Rap & Go Home on June 3, 2016. He recently leaked music from the project online [13] [14] Craig G new project the fragile ego will release September 4, 2020 Craig G will release a new album titled “The World Is Cooked” November 1st 2024
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
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US R&B /HH [15] | ||||
The Kingpin |
| — | ||
Now, That's More Like It |
| 97 | ||
| 99 | |||
Ramblings of an Angry Old Man |
| |||
I Rap and Go Home |
| — | ||
Lost Chronicles (with The Grinda & T-Leada) |
| — | ||
Can't Stop the Funk Volume 1 (with KeemBeats) |
| — | ||
The World Is Cooked (Featuring Chuck D, KRS-One, B-Real, DV Alias Khrist, Chubb Rock & Freeway) |
| — | ||
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Title | Mixtape details |
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This Is Now! Official Bootleg Mixtape (with DJ Evil Dee) |
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Title | Album details |
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Climate Control (as part of Silent Majority) |
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Title | Album details |
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Operation Take Hip Hop Back (with Marley Marl) |
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Title | Details |
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The Legacy (with DJ Koss) |
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The WZA Presents OG'S: Original Grown Shit (with The WZA & Egreen) |
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Striketeam (with Mr. Cheeks) |
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Limelight |
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The Fragile Ego |
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The World According to You (with Shawneci Icecold) |
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The Pen Is Mightier (with BigBob) |
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The Assignment (with Nivek Bogeezi & Tone Spliff) |
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Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
---|---|---|---|
US Rap [32] | |||
"Transformer" [lower-alpha 1] [33] | 1985 | — | Street Sounds Electro 10 |
"Shout" [lower-alpha 1] [34] | — | Non-album single | |
"Turn This House Into a Home" [35] | 1989 | — | The Kingpin |
"Shootin' The Gift" [36] | 1990 | — | |
"U-R Not The 1" | 1991 | 16 | Now, That's More Like It |
"Sing-A-Long/Welcome 2 The Game" [37] | 1998 | — | Non-album single |
"Cash Money" (with Domination Statuz) [38] | 1999 | — | Non-album single |
"Depopulator/The Freestyle" [39] | — | Non-album single | |
"Say What You Want/The Executioner Song" [40] | 2002 | — | This Is Now!!! |
"Let's Get Up" (with Marley Marl) [41] | 2003 | — | |
"Stomped/Make You Say Yes" [42] | — | ||
"Made the Change/Deep Down" [43] | 2008 | — | Operation Take Hip Hop Back |
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Year | Song | Featured artist(s) | Album |
---|---|---|---|
1988 | "Droppin' Science" | Marley Marl | In Control, Volume 1 |
"The Symphony" | Marley Marl, Masta Ace, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane | ||
"Duck Alert" | Marley Marl | ||
1989 | "Gotta Get Paid" | Roxanne Shanté | Bad Sister |
1994 | "Just When You Thought It Was Over (Intro)" | Gravediggaz, Biz Markie, Brother Rich, King Ice, I-Roc, Don McKenzie, Ethan Ryman, Michael Preston, Tim Wright, Dave Warner, Stephanie Jackson, Chino Q, Mike G, Joyce, Robert Robinson, Mr. Sime | 6 Feet Deep |
"Rest In Peace (Outro)" | |||
1996 | "The Cypher: Part 3" | Frankie Cutlass, Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, Roxanne Shanté | Politics & Bullshit |
1998 | "Intense" | Tommy Tee | Bonds, Beats & Beliefs |
2000 | "We Break Bread" | Chaos, Littles, Lord Black | Nas & Ill Will Records Presents QB's Finest |
2007 | "Offensive Lineup" | Snowgoons | German Lugers |
"Talk Cheap" | Tommy Tee | No Studio No Time | |
"Brother On The Run" | O.S.T.R. | HollyŁódź | |
2009 | "Lyrics?" | Sadat X | Brand New Bein' |
"Smallest Violin" | Sadat X, Jak D | ||
2011 | "Mann For Min Hatt" | Gatas Parlament | Dette Forandrer Alt |
2015 | "Ain't Nothing Funny" | Sadat X, Skyzoo | Never Left |
"The Kings Sent For Me (Samurydas Remix)" | Canibus, Bronze Nazareth, Kurupt, Raekwon | Time Flys, Life Dies...Phoenix Rise | |
2016 | "MC Voltron" | Kool Keith | Feature Magnetic |
2016 | "streets all day"cutsupreme x Craig g" | ||
2017 | "Real NY City" | Neek the Exotic | The Neek The Exotic Experience |
2018 | ”Duże Miasto” | Gorzki & Soyka | Kontrawersja |
2022 | "Summertime" | Specifik | The Triple3 Effect |
2022 | "Get Em" | Specifik | Get Em 7" |
2024 | "Take Command" | Pushing Buttons | Full Level |
Marlon Lu'Ree Williams, better known by his stage name Marley Marl, is an American DJ, record producer, rapper and record label founder, primarily operating in hip hop music. Marlon grew up in Queensbridge housing projects located in Queens, New York. He performed in local talent shows during the early days of rap music, further fueling his interest.
Lolita Shante Gooden, better known by her stage name Roxanne Shante, is an American rapper. She first gained attention through the Roxanne Wars and was part of the Juice Crew. The 2017 film Roxanne Roxanne is a dramatization of Shante's life.
Nathaniel Thomas Wilson, better known by his stage name Kool G Rap, is an American rapper. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as a member of the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MCs of all time, and a pioneer of mafioso rap/street/hardcore content and multisyllabic rhyming. On his album The Giancana Story, he stated that the "G" in his name stands for "Giancana", but on other occasions he has stated that it stands for "Genius".
Shawn Moltke, better known by his stage name MC Shan, is an American rapper, singer and record producer from New York City. He is best known for his guest appearance and production on Canadian singer Snow's 1993 single "Informer", which peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100. Shan is also known for his 1986 single "The Bridge," which was produced by Marley Marl and entered the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Antonio Hardy, better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper, producer and actor who began his career in 1986 as a member of the Juice Crew. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and skilled MCs in hip hop. Rolling Stone ranked his song "Ain't No Half-Steppin'" number 25 on its list of The 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time, calling him "a master wordsmith of rap's late-golden age and a huge influence on a generation of MCs".
Duval Clear, better known by his stage name Masta Ace, is an American rapper and record producer from New York City. A lead member of Mr. Magic's hip hop collective Juice Crew, he is best known for his guest appearance alongside Kool G Rap, Craig G and Big Daddy Kane on the group's 1988 posse cut "The Symphony". He is noted for his distinct voice and rapping proficiency.
The Bridge Wars was a hip hop music rivalry during the mid-to-late 1980s and early 1990s, that arose from a dispute over the true birthplace of hip hop music and retaliation over the rejecting of a record for airplay. The Bridge Wars originally involved the South Bronx's Boogie Down Productions, led by KRS-One, and Marley Marl's Juice Crew, hailing from Queensbridge. KRS-One and Marley Marl have since officially retired the feud, with the release of their collaborative 2007 album Hip Hop Lives.
The Juice Crew was an American hip hop collective made up largely of Queensbridge, New York–based artists in the mid-to-late 1980s. Founded by radio DJ Mr. Magic, and housed by Tyrone Williams' record label Cold Chillin' Records, the Juice Crew helped introduce New School artists MC Shan, Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, Roxanne Shante, Masta Ace, Tragedy, Craig G and Kool G Rap. The crew produced many answer records and engaged with numerous "beefs" – primarily with rival radio jock Kool DJ Red Alert and the South Bronx's Boogie Down Productions, as well as the "posse cut", "The Symphony".
Percy Lee Chapman, known by his stage name Tragedy Khadafi, is an American rapper and record producer. Chapman hails from the Queensbridge Housing Projects in Queens, New York City, and helped spawn other hip hop artists such as Mobb Deep, Capone-N-Noreaga, Nas. He is documented to be the first to use the phrase "illmatic" in 1988 on a record called "The Rebel", from the Marley Marl album In Control, Volume 1, which was an inspiration and influence on fellow New York rapper Nas.
Cold Chillin' Records was a record label that released music during the golden age of hip hop from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. A producer-and-crew label founded by manager Tyrone Williams and run by Len Fichtelberg, most of the label's releases were by members of the Juice Crew, a loosely knit group of artists centered on producer Marley Marl. In 1998, the label shut down, and the majority of its expansive catalog was bought by Massachusetts-based LandSpeed Records.
Road to the Riches is the debut album by hip hop duo Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, which was released in 1989 on then-prominent hip hop label Cold Chillin' Records. The album is notable for being one of the blueprints for the mafioso rap trend with the title track "Road to the Riches," which received strong rotation on the TV show Yo! MTV Raps, and was later featured on the old-school hip hop radio station Playback FM from the game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Most of the songs, however, are not crime-related. Other popular songs included "It's a Demo" and "Poison." In 1998, Road to the Riches was selected as one of The Source's "100 Best Albums".
Half a Klip is an album by American rapper Kool G Rap, released on February 5, 2008, by Chinga Chang, Latchey and Koch Records. It was the first new solo release from Kool G Rap in six years, and its producers included DJ Premier, Marley Marl, Domingo, and Marks. KL of Screwball, D-Roc and Haylie Duff appeared as a guest vocalists.
Born to Be Wild is the second album released by Juice Crew member and East Coast rapper MC Shan. With the production work of Marley Marl, MC Shan directly attacked Boogie Down Productions with "Juice Crew Law" and ended the silence around their feud.
This is the discography of American rapper KRS-One.
In Control, Volume 1 is the debut studio album by American hip hop record producer Marley Marl, of the Juice Crew. It was released on September 20, 1988, through Cold Chillin' Records with distribution via Warner Bros. Records.
The following is a discography of production credited to Marley Marl.
Riches, Royalty, Respect is the fourth solo album by American hip-hop recording artist Kool G Rap, released on May 31, 2011 by Fat Beats.
Frank Javiel Malave, better known by his stage name Frankie Cutlass, is an American Grammy nominated and award winning DJ, record producer, songwriter, and remixer from East Harlem, New York City. He was a member of the Funkmaster Flex's DJ collective The Flip Squad.
"The Symphony" is a rap song produced by Marley Marl featuring Juice Crew members Masta Ace, Kool G Rap, Craig G and Big Daddy Kane. The track appears on Marley Marl's 1988 Cold Chillin' Records release In Control, Volume 1. Rolling Stone ranked "The Symphony" the 48th greatest hip-hop song of all time, calling it "the first truly great posse cut".
This Is Now!!! is the third studio album by American rapper Craig G. It was released on May 20, 2003 on D&D Records. The album's audio production was handled by the Alchemist, Arabian Knight, Caspa, Curt Cazal, Da Beatminerz, DJ Premier, DJ Sage, Domingo, Kenny Muhammad the Human Orchestra, Large Professor, Marley Marl, Nottz, Rockwilder, and Will Pack, with executive production provided by David Lotwin and Douglas Grama. It featured guest appearances from Afu-Ra, Kenny Muhammad the Human Orchestra, Krumbsnatcha, Large Professor, Mr. Cheeks, and Will Pack. The album debuted at number 99 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. It spawned four singles: "Say What You Want", "Let's Get Up", "Stomped"/"Make You Say Yes", "Now That's What's Up"/"Ready Set Begin", but none of them charted.