Michael Woodrow Jackson, known professionally as Oh No, is an American rapper and record producer who has released several albums on Stones Throw Records. He is half of the hip hop duo Gangrene along with The Alchemist. He is also half of the hip-hop duo The Professionals with his brother Madlib.
Tyree Cinque Simmons, professionally known as DJ Drama, is an American DJ, record executive and music promoter. He is the co-founder of Generation Now, an Atlantic Records imprint with artists including Lil Uzi Vert, Jack Harlow, and Skeme on its roster. He gained recognition as the official DJ for Atlanta rapper T.I. and as a prominent mixtape DJ with his series, Gangsta Grillz. Numerous artists have utilized the DJ Drama's Gangsta Grillz branding in projects he's compiled, including Lil Wayne, Fabolous, Jeezy, Gucci Mane, Snoop Dogg, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, among others.
Freddie Beauregard, professionally known by his stage name Paradime, is an American rapper and producer from Detroit, Michigan.
NY's Finest is the third studio album by hip hop producer and emcee Pete Rock. The album was Rock's first studio album since 2004's Soul Survivor II, and was released on February 26, 2008 through the Nature Sounds record label. The album's cover art was created by Fuse Green and inspired by the cover of James Brown's Hell. The instrumental version of the album was released on May 13, 2008 and includes two additional songs not available on the ordinary release; "It's So G" and "When I Need It".
Ode to the Ghetto is the debut solo studio album by American rapper Guilty Simpson from the Almighty Dreadnaughtz. It was released on March 25, 2008 via Stones Throw Records. Production of the album was handled by seven record producers, including Madlib, Mr. Porter, Oh No, J Dilla, Black Milk, DJ Babu, Konphlict, and Peanut Butter Wolf, who served as executive producer. It also features guest appearances from Black Milk, Sean Price, MED, Kon Artis, and Simpson's A.D. groupmates Konnie Ross, Kriz Steel, Supa Emcee.
Denmark Martin Vessey is an American rapper and record producer from Detroit, Michigan. He is also a member of hip hop duo Crown Nation with Quelle Chris. He was named after Denmark Vesey, leader of a slave revolt planned in 1822 in Charleston, South Carolina; it was interrupted before any actions took place. He is also a member of the west coast collective Dirty Science.
Hip hop music or hip-hop music, also known as rap music and formerly known as disco rap, is a genre of popular music that originated in New York City in the 1970s. It consists of stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted. It developed as part of hip hop culture, a subculture defined by four key stylistic elements: MCing/rapping, DJing/scratching with turntables, break dancing, and graffiti writing. Other elements include sampling beats or bass lines from records, and rhythmic beatboxing. While often used to refer solely to rapping, "hip hop" more properly denotes the practice of the entire subculture. The term hip hop music is sometimes used synonymously with the term rap music, though rapping is not a required component of hip hop music; the genre may also incorporate other elements of hip hop culture, including DJing, turntablism, scratching, beatboxing, and instrumental tracks.
Gregory Skyler Taylor, known professionally as Skyzoo, is an American Songwriter and rapper. He has released a number of notable solo and collaborative albums, including Cloud 9: The 3 Day High with 9th Wonder in 2006, The Salvation in 2009, A Dream Deferred in 2012, Music For My Friends in 2015, and his most recent solo album All the Brilliant Things. Skyzoo has also released a plethora of non-commercial mixtapes including Corner Store Classic and The Great Debater throughout his career, and has worked with artists such as Jill Scott, Wale, Lloyd Banks, Tyrese, Dr. Dre, Raheem Devaughn, Black Thought, Jadakiss, Talib Kweli, Spike Lee, John Legend, and others. Skyzoo has headlined or co-headlined often-yearly tours throughout Europe, the United Kingdom, Africa, Australia, and Asia, and he owns and operates the independent record label First Generation Rich.
Jamall Jernard Bufford, formerly known as by his stage name Buff1, is an American rapper and songwriter from Ann Arbor, Michigan. He is a member of Ann Arbor-based rap crew Athletic Mic League since 2000, with whom he released three studio albums from 2000 to 2004 via Lab Technicians Productions. He is currently managed by Mello Music Group. In 2005 he started his solo career and released his debut album Pure in 2007, which was called "incredible" and "classic" by Okayplayer. Pure includes features from notable Michigan hip hop acts, including Guilty Simpson, Elzhi, Invincible, One Be Lo, and Monica Blaire as well as production from the Lab Techs, Mr. Porter, and Waajeed. In 2010, Bufford and DJ Rhettmatic released a collaborative self-titled project, Crown Royale, and went a nationwide tour with Mayer Hawthorne. He quits using his Buff1 moniker and dropped his third solo full-length in 2013 under his real name. The same year, he formed and runs rap performing arts group The Black Opera along with many other artists.
Live from the Tape Deck is the collaborative studio album by Brooklyn rapper Skyzoo and New Jersey producer Illmind, released on October 5, 2010 by Duck Down Records and distributed through E1 Entertainment. It was preceded by Skyzoo's first studio album, The Salvation (2009), although it isn't its follow-up. The album serves as a prelude to his second studio album A Dream Deferred (2012).
Kyle Alfonso Myricks, better known by his stage name Stalley, is an American rapper from Massillon, Ohio.
For the Record is the debut studio album by American rapper Torae, released on November 1, 2011 via his own imprint Internal Affairs Entertainment, in conjunction with Fat Beats Distribution. It was preceded by the collaborative project Double Barrel in 2009 with producer Marco Polo.
Dan Weiss, better known by his stage name Verbal Kent, is an alternative hip hop artist from Chicago.
Trophies is a collaborative studio album by Detroit, Michigan producer Apollo Brown and D.I.T.C. member O.C. It was released by Mello Music Group in 2012.
Marci Beaucoup is the third studio album by American hip hop artist Roc Marciano, released on December 10, 2013 under Man Bites Dog Records. A month prior to its release, the album was preceded by The Pimpire Strikes Back, a mixtape which serves as its precursor.
Double Barrel is an album made in collaboration between American rapper Torae and Canadian hip hop producer Marco Polo. The album was released on June 2, 2009 by Duck Down Music Inc. It was preceded by Marco Polo's critically well-received debut album Port Authority (2007), and Torae's inaugural release Daily Conversation (2008) on which Polo has produced three tracks.
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.
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.
Time? Astonishing! is a collaborative studio album by American record producer L'Orange and American rapper Kool Keith. It was released via Mello Music Group on July 24, 2015. It features guest appearances from J-Live, Mr. Lif, Open Mike Eagle, Blu, Montage One, DJ Trackstar, MC Paul Barman, and MindsOne.
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.
