Boogie Down Productions (BDP) was an American hip hop group originally composed of KRS-One, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock. DJ Scott La Rock was murdered on August 27, 1987, five months after the release of BDP's debut album, Criminal Minded. The name of the group, Boogie Down, derives from a nickname for the South Bronx section of New York City. The group pioneered the fusion of dancehall reggae and hip hop music and their debut LP Criminal Minded contained frank descriptions of life in the South Bronx during the late 1980s, thus setting the stage for what would eventually become gangsta rap.
Radio is the debut studio album by American rapper LL Cool J. It was released on November 18, 1985, by Def Jam Recordings and Columbia Records. It was also Def Jam's first full-length album release.
Christian hip hop is a cross-genre of contemporary Christian music and hip hop music. It emerged from urban contemporary music and Christian media in the United States during the 1980s.
Nerdcore is a genre of hip hop music characterized by subject matter considered of interest to nerds and geeks. Self-described nerdcore musician MC Frontalot has the earliest known recorded use of the term in the 2000 song "Nerdcore Hiphop". Frontalot, like most nerdcore artists, self-publishes his work and has released much of it for free online. As a niche genre, nerdcore generally holds to the DIY ethic, and has a history of self-publishing and self-production.
Follow the Leader is the second studio album by American hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim. Following their debut album Paid in Full (1987), Eric B. & Rakim left 4th & B'way Records and signed with Uni Records, a subsidiary label of major label MCA Records. They recorded Follow the Leader at Power Play Studios in New York City. The duo produced, composed, and arranged the album with additional contributions from Rakim's brother Stevie Blass Griffin, who contributed with various instruments. Eric B. & Rakim worked with audio engineers Carlton Batts and Patrick Adams on the album. In a similar manner to their first album, a "ghost producer" was brought in for two songs. In a 2007 interview with Unkut.com, The 45 King said he produced both "Microphone Fiend" and "The R". "Microphone Fiend" was originally made for Fab 5 Freddy, until 45 King gave it over to Eric B., the group's "DJ".
Damian Hess, better known by his stage name MC Frontalot, is an American rapper and web designer. Hess began releasing music as MC Frontalot in 1999. His first successes came through Song Fight!, an online songwriting and recording competition, where he became known for consistently beating opponents. Throughout his history at Song Fight!, he has never lost a competition as MC Frontalot, although he has entered only seven entries in that name. In one such song fight, entitled "Romantic Cheapskate", he likens Song Fight! to a neglected lover who favors him regardless of how he treats her. The song went on to garner a total of 614 votes, while the next closest song ended the round with 28.
Kejuan Waliek Muchita, better known by his stage name Havoc, is an American rapper and record producer. He was one half of the hip hop duo Mobb Deep with Prodigy.
The band Commodore 64 was one of the pioneers of the hip hop music subgenre known as geeksta rap or nerdcore. Formed by four members of a math club and breakdancing troupe in 1992 at a concert in New Jersey, Commodore 64 was the first group to release a single produced entirely using an Apple Macintosh computer, "Horton Hears A Ho" in 1999.
Hip hop production is the creation of hip hop music in a recording studio. While the term encompasses all aspects of hip hop music creation, including recording the rapping of an MC, a turntablist or DJ providing a beat, playing samples and "scratching" using record players and the creation of a rhythmic backing track, using a drum machine or sequencer, it is most commonly used to refer to recording the instrumental, non-lyrical and non-vocal aspects of hip hop.
Jesse Alexander McDonald, better known by their stage name Jesse Dangerously or The Halifax Rap Legend, is an alternative hip hop artist from Halifax, Nova Scotia and operating out of Ottawa, Ontario. Dangerously has released solo projects, provided guest vocals for other local artists, hosted a weekly radio show, written a weekly column, and produced beats for other musicians. They are a member of the Backburner crew.
Raheem Jarbo, also known by his stage names Mega Ran and Random, is an American underground nerdcore rapper, chiptune DJ, and record producer. In February 2015, he changed his stage name to Mega Ran, removing Random from any releases.
Keith A. Moore is a nerdcore rapper, better known by the stage name Beefy, from the Tri-Cities, Washington.
Tanya Morgan is an American hip hop group, which consists of MC William Donald "Donwill" Freeman and MC/producer Devon "Von Pea" Callender. Donwill is from Cincinnati, Ohio, while Von Pea is from Brooklyn, New York. Their fourth studio album, YGWY$4, was released on July 28, 2017.
Beau Fa'asamala, known as ZeaLouS1, is an American rapper and producer from Oceanside, California. The self-proclaimed "King of the Boss Fights" and "The Sleeping Dragon of Nerdcore" started making beats, producing, and MC'ing while attending California State University, San Marcos as an Audio Production major. He has worked with notable artists such as Dr. Awkward, MC Frontalot, MC Lars, YTCracker, Random, and Beefy.
Nerdcore for Life is a 2008 documentary film about the world of Nerdcore hip-hop directed by Dan Lamoureux and produced by Crapbot Productions.
Random Axe is the only studio album from the American hip hop group Random Axe, released June 14, 2011, on Duck Down Music Inc. The group was composed of hip hop producer Black Milk and rappers Guilty Simpson and the late Sean Price. The album was produced entirely by Black Milk and features guest contributions from Roc Marciano, Danny Brown, Fat Ray, Melanie Rutherford, Rock, Trick Trick, and Fatt Father.
H.F.M. 2 is the third studio album by American rapper Lloyd Banks, released on November 22, 2010 through G-Unit Records and EMI.
Dijon Isaiah McFarlane, known professionally as Mustard, is an American record producer. He is a frequent collaborator with California-based hip hop artists YG and Ty Dolla Sign; among various other records for hip hop and R&B artists since his entrance into mainstream music with Tyga's 2011 single "Rack City".
Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo, known as Sammus, often stylized as SΔMMUS, is an American underground rapper, former teacher, and record producer.
Richie Branson is an American music producer, game designer, and nerdcore rapper from San Antonio, Texas. His stage name is derived from that of British entrepreneur Richard Branson. He has also made various ending themes for the Rooster Teeth web series Camp Camp. He is also known as the "Otaku King" and founder of the group Otaku Gang.
