Kyle Rapps | |
|---|---|
 Rapps in 2014 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kyle Sutton |
| Also known as | Skeptik Black Skeptik |
| Born | March 4, 1980 Grand Rapids, Michigan |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation | Rapper |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Labels | Mishka NYC Records |
Kyle Sutton (born March 4, 1980), [1] better known by his stage name Kyle Rapps, is an American hip hop artist from New York City.
Sutton was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, [1] and raised in Princeton, New Jersey, [2] primarily by his mother. His father was a minister. [3] Sutton attended Rutgers University, earning a BA in Spanish. [4] In 2015, he relocated from Harlem, New York to Mexico City, Mexico. [5] [6]
While at Rutgers, under the pseudonym Skeptik, he formed the underground hip hop group Thought Breakers. Their debut EP, Episode 1, was released in 2004 and independently sold over 10,000 copies. [7] The group opened for Wyclef Jean, Fat Joe, Talib Kweli and Dead Prez. [1] [3] [8] Around that time, he formed a spoken-word poetry collective, Mayhem Poets. [3] [4] In 2007, the collective won a Microsoft small business competition, enabling them to establish the open mic venue Slam Chops in Manhattan, which stayed open for two years. [4] Also in 2007, the collective had a two-month off-Broadway run at the New Victory Theater. [9] After a 2009 trip to Liberia with Mayhem Poets, Sutton began to go by the name Black Skeptik, and released titles "Rent" and "Frankenstein Saves Hip Hop". [3] [7]
In 2010, now going by Kyle Rapps, he released the single "Love, Love," featuring KRS-One and Homeboy Sandman. [8] In 2011, his RE-Edutainment mixtape came out, with the title in homage to the 1990 Boogie Down Productions album Edutainment . KRS-One, Joell Ortiz and U-N-I appear on the mixtape. [10] [11] Later in 2011, Rapps released On Air, featuring appearances from Talib Kweli, C-Rayz Walz, KRS-One and Homeboy Sandman. [8] The eight-track mixtape is built around samples from French electronic music duo Air. [12] [13]
In June 2013, Mishka NYC Records released SUB, Rapps' first full-length album, produced by Belief and featuring collaborations with Murs, Action Bronson, Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire, Aaron Cohen and Spaceman. [14] [15] [16] Earmilk called it "a mesmerizing selection of songs." [5]
In 2014, Rapps put out the single "The Sky's on Fire", produced by Belief and featuring vocals by Adrienne Mack-Davis. [17]
In 2017, Rapps released "Latrell", its title and sampled intro referencing Latrell Sprewell, a former professional basketball player who was suspended for attacking his Golden State Warriors coach P.J. Carlesimo in 1997. [18]
In 2020, Rapps performed virtually over Zoom at Soul Vey, a Black and Jewish community event led by Adam Swig and Kosha Dillz. [19]
Rapps has collaborated with a large variety of other music artists, including KRS-One, Homeboy Sandman, Diwon, Action Bronson, Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire, Murs, Adrienne Mack-Davis, Belief, Hefna Gwap, Talib Kweli, Chuuwee, Faruz Feet, Dirt E. Dutch, Joell Ortiz, Sly5thAve, Aaron Cohen, Brody, Y-Love, Nathan Sela, Vulkan the Krusader, Sam Siegel, S'natra, DJ JS-1, Breez Brewin, Dru the Monster, Nelson, Little Freckles, Ali Salah Rasé, and Ray Contour.
Patrick Denard Douthit, better known as 9th Wonder, is an American record producer, record executive, and DJ from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, who is also teaching faculty at North Carolina Central University and Duke University, where he collaborates with Professor Mark Anthony Neal.
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.
Duck Down Music Inc is a New York City based record label, talent management, music-marketing, and consulting company founded by Drew "Dru-Ha" Friedman and Kenyatta "Buckshot" Blake in 1995. In Duck Down's 20-year existence, the company has released over 40 albums and sold more than 3 million collective copies worldwide. Home of established hip hop artists such as Boot Camp Clik, Pharoahe Monch, Black Rob, 9th Wonder, KRS-One, B-Real of Cypress Hill, The Away Team, Statik Selektah, Random Axe, Promise, David Dallas, Marco Polo, Ruste Juxx, Torae, Blue Scholars, Special Teamz and Kidz in the Hall.
"New York Shit" is a song by American rapper Busta Rhymes, released July 10, 2006 as the third single from his seventh studio album The Big Bang (2006). The song, produced by American record producer DJ Scratch, contains a sample of "Faded Lady" as performed by Soul Sensation Orchestra. Additionally the song features vocals from American musician Swizz Beatz, a longtime collaborator of Busta Rhymes.
Rock the Bells is an annual hip-hop festival that originally took place in Southern California only, but has since toured throughout the world. The concert features a line-up of high-profile alternative hip-hop artists, often headlined by a more mainstream artist. The first festival was held in 2004, featuring a re-united Wu-Tang Clan, who performed four months before Ol' Dirty Bastard's death. That festival is covered in depth by a 2006 documentary film also called Rock the Bells.
Chemical Warfare is the second solo studio album by American hip hop producer and recording artist the Alchemist. It was released on July 7, 2009 via ALC Records and E1 Music. Produced entirely by the Alchemist himself, it features guest appearances from Blu, Eminem, Evidence, Fabolous, Jadakiss, Juvenile, Kid Cudi, Kool G Rap, KRS-One, Kxng Crooked, Lil' Fame, Maxwell, Oh No, Prodigy, Pusha T, Roc C, Snoop Dogg, Talib Kweli, Tha Dogg Pound, The Lady of Rage, Three 6 Mafia and Twista.
Joel Astman, known professionally as J.Period, is a Brooklyn-based Mixtape DJ, remixer and hip-hop producer. He is best known for producing official mixtape collaborations with Q-Tip, John Legend, Nas, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, Lauryn Hill, the Roots, the Isley Brothers and Mary J. Blige, and an "audio-biography" style that incorporates personal interviews with these artists into his “Best of” compilations. His original production and remixes have also recently appeared in film trailers for Universal Pictures' American Gangster (2007) and Fox Searchlight's Street Kings (2008). In November 2008, J.Period became the first DJ/producer commissioned by Activision to score and produce an entire video game soundtrack, Tony Hawk's Motion for Nintendo DS.
Gregory Skyler Taylor, known professionally as Skyzoo, is an American rapper and songwriter. 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.
Joshua Solomon Jeremiah Jordan, better known by his stage name, Never Yet Contested, is an American rapper, artist, songwriter, and record producer. He was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York.
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The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival (BHF) is an annual celebration of Hip-Hop music and culture. It is produced The Bodega Agency a wholly owned subsidiary of Brooklyn Bodega, Inc.
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Speed Walton is an American hip hop artist based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Speed gained recognition while using his previous stage name Buggs Tha Rocka During that time he released various underground mix-tapes and projects.
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