No Malice

Last updated

No Malice
Clipse in Cambridge 9 (cropped).jpg
No Malice performing with Clipse in 2007
Background information
Birth nameGene Elliott Thornton Jr.
Also known asMalice, Malicious
Born (1972-08-18) August 18, 1972 (age 52) [1]
The Bronx, New York City, U.S.
Origin Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
Years active1992–present
Labels
Member of
Formerly of

Gene Elliott Thornton Jr. (born August 18, 1972), better known by his stage name No Malice (formerly known as Malicious and later Malice), is an American rapper from Virginia Beach, Virginia. He is best known for being one half of hip hop duo Clipse, alongside his brother and fellow rapper Pusha T. No Malice released his solo debut album Hear Ye Him , in 2013, and his second studio album, Let the Dead Bury the Dead, in 2017.

Contents

Life and career

1972–2009: Early life and Clipse

No Malice was born Gene Elliott Thornton Jr. on August 18, 1972, in The Bronx borough of New York City. [1] He and his family later moved down south to Virginia Beach. [2] He and his brother, Pusha T, formed the rap group Clipse in 1992, and later were introduced to fellow Virginian Pharrell Williams, one half of the high-profile production team The Neptunes. [2] Impressed with their lyrical talents, Williams formed a working relationship with the duo. [2] He eventually helped them secure a recording contract with Elektra Records, in 1997. [2] Under Elektra, and with The Neptunes handling its production, Clipse recorded their debut album Exclusive Audio Footage . The group's debut single "The Funeral", helped to generate fan interest in the album, but failed to make a significant commercial impact. [2] With "The Funeral" deemed a failure, Exclusive Audio Footage itself was shelved indefinitely. Clipse were subsequently released from their recording contract shortly thereafter. [3] [4]

In early 2001, Williams signed the duo to Arista Records, through his recently established Star Trak Entertainment imprint. [2] Clipse released their commercial debut Lord Willin' , on August 20, 2002. [2] The album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-hop Album chart and No. 4 on the Billboard 200, fueled by the strength of the lead singles "Grindin'" and "When the Last Time", which peaked at No. 30 and No. 19 respectively, on the Billboard Hot 100. [2] The album's third single "Ma, I Don't Love Her" (featuring Faith Evans), was a modest hit, reaching No. 86 on the Hot 100. [2] On October 1, 2002—only a month after its release— Lord Willin' was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). [5]

In late 2003, Clipse began recording material for its second album, Hell Hath No Fury . [2] However, further work on the album ground to a halt in 2004, when Arista Records's urban artists were absorbed into its sister label Jive Records as part of a larger merger between Sony Music Entertainment and BMG. [2] Due to contractual requirements, Clipse was forced to stay on Jive, while Star Trak and the rest of its roster moved to a new home at Interscope Records. [2] While Clipse resumed work on the album, and eventually finished its recording, the duo became increasingly frustrated with Jive, as the label overlooked it in favor of the more pop-oriented acts on its roster, which caused numerous delays in the release of Hell Hath No Fury . [2] As delays continued, the group asked for a formal release from its contract. When Jive refused to grant this request, the duo sued the label. [2]

On May 9, 2006, Clipse finally reached an agreement with Jive Records to release the album through its own label, Re-Up Records, along with Jive. [6] Hell Hath No Fury was finally released on November 28, 2006. [2] It spawned two singles: "Mr. Me Too" with Pharrell Williams and "Wamp Wamp (What It Do)" with Slim Thug. [2] While the album received a great deal of critical acclaim, its sales were modest, at 78,000 in the first week. [2] The hip hop magazine XXL gave the album a "XXL" rating, marking it as a five-star album. At the time only five albums had previously received that honor. [2] In a May 19, 2007 interview with Eye Weekly , Clipse revealed that the group had been officially released from its recording contract with Jive. [7] After this, the duo began discussions with several record labels, eventually signing with Columbia Records on October 26, 2007. [8] The follow-up to Hell Hath No Fury, titled Til the Casket Drops , was released on December 8, 2009 via Columbia Records. [9] In a departure from the group's previous works, which only featured production from the Neptunes, the album features production from Sean "Diddy" Combs' production team The Hitmen, and DJ Khalil among others. The album did not fare as well commercially as the group's first two albums, peaking at No. 41 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. [2]

2010–present: Solo career and Hear Ye Him

In April 2010, No Malice announced that he and Pusha T would release solo albums later in the year, [10] and that they were no longer signed to Columbia Records. [11] In 2011 No Malice published his book Wretched, Pitiful, Poor, Blind & Naked, [12] a memoir about his life, including fearing contracting AIDS, as well as his conversion to Christianity. [13] [14]

On March 6, 2012, he announced that he changed his name from Malice to No Malice via a video posted to Twitter. [15] It depicted No Malice viewing himself in a casket in a funeral parlor and walking away. The video, which was directed by No Malice, opens with multiple quotes from the Bible: first, from Ephesians 4:31, "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice;" then, from 1 Peter 2:1, "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings;" and Romans 1:29, "Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers;" and Colossians 3:8, "But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth." [16]

In 2012, No Malice collaborated with Lecrae on his mixtape Church Clothes , on the song "Darkest Hour". [17] On June 19, 2012, No Malice released the first single from Hear Ye Him titled "June" featuring Eric David. [18] On July 24, 2012, the second single from Hear Ye Him titled "Unforgettable" was released. [19] On January 15, 2013, the third single from Hear Ye Him titled "Smoke & Mirrors" featuring Ab-Liva was released. [20] On May 21, 2013, it was announced that his debut album Hear Ye Him would be released on July 2, 2013, but the album was later pushed back. [21] On June 4, 2013, the fourth single from Hear Ye Him titled "Bury That" was released. [22]

On August 18, 2017, No Malice released his second studio album, Let the Dead Bury the Dead, which contains the track Fake News, where No Malice denounces his earlier work, singing "Take my catalog, I just as soon set a match to it / Money like a side chick, I ain't that attached to it".

On July 6, 2018, his single "Give 'Em Game" was released. [23] A reviewer on Jam The Hype wrote, "No Malice spits timeless bars that listeners will gain wisdom from." [24]

He and his brother made a guest appearance as Clipse on the track "Use This Gospel" on Kanye West's 2019 album Jesus Is King.

In 2022, they have collaborated on Japanese DJ Nigo’s album I Know NIGO! , on a song called "Punch Bowl". The following month, they collaborated on brother Pusha T’s album It's Almost Dry , on a song called "I Pray For You". He is credited as Malice on the record, produced by Ye.

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected details
TitleAlbum details
Hear Ye Him
Let the Dead Bury the Dead
  • Released: August 18, 2017
  • Label: Reinvision
  • Formats: Digital download

Guest appearances

TitleYearOther artist(s)Album
"Am I High?"2001 N.E.R.D In Search Of...
"Daddy" Kelis Wanderland
"Do What You Do" (Remix)2007 Drake Comeback Season
"Darkest Hour"2012 Lecrae Church Clothes
"Soldier"2013 Bizzle The Good Fight
"Pull the Curtain Back"2017 Statik Selektah 8
"Go"2019 Erick Sermon Vernia
"Use This Gospel"2019 Kanye West Jesus Is King
"Punch Bowl"2022 Nigo I Know Nigo!
"I Pray for You"2022 Pusha T It's Almost Dry

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Neptunes</span> American record production duo

The Neptunes were an American record production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provided backing vocals and music video appearances on the duo's productions, while Hugo remained behind the scenes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pharrell Williams</span> American musician (born 1973)

Pharrell Lanscilo Williams, often known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician. He first became known as one half of the music production duo the Neptunes, which he formed with Chad Hugo in 1992. Fifteen of their productions have peaked within the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100, which includes four songs that peaked atop the chart. The two also formed the alternative band N.E.R.D. with drummer Shay Haley in 1999, for which Williams served as lead vocalist. He has been considered one of the most influential music producers of the 21st century for his impact on popular music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chad Hugo</span> American record producer (born 1974)

Charles Edward Hugo is an American record producer. Alongside childhood friend Pharrell Williams, he formed the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes in 1992, with whom he has produced numerous hit records for various artists. He is also a member of the band N.E.R.D., alongside Williams and Shay Haley, and co-founded the record label Star Trak Entertainment with Williams in 2001. In contrast to Williams, Hugo does not perform vocals on records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clipse</span> American hip hop duo

Clipse, also known as the Clipse, is an American hip hop duo, mainly active from 1994 to 2010. It consists of brothers Gene "No Malice" and Terrence "Pusha T" Thornton. Pusha T was known as Terrar during the group's early years, while No Malice was originally known as Malicious, but changed his stage name to Malice soon after the group's formation, before changing it to No Malice once more in 2012 following his conversion to Christianity. Based in Virginia Beach, Virginia, the duo was discovered by producer and fellow Virginia Beach native, Pharrell Williams, who convinced the artists to work in tandem. Williams served as executive and lead producer for each of their albums, as part of the Neptunes and as a frequent guest performer. As key figures in establishing Virginia as one of the East Coast's strongholds in hip hop, the duo's frequent subject matter is based around illegal drug trade.

<i>Lord Willin</i> 2002 studio album by Clipse

Lord Willin' is the major label debut and second studio album by the American hip hop duo Clipse. The album was released on August 20, 2002, in the United States by Star Trak and Arista. Recording sessions took place over a year, beginning in 2001. Production was handled by The Neptunes.

<i>Exclusive Audio Footage</i> 1999 studio album by Clipse

Exclusive Audio Footage is the debut studio album from Virginia hip hop duo Clipse. The album spawned one single and music video "The Funeral", which hit airwaves in 1999. Promotional CD and vinyl copies exist and the LP has been leaked online on several occasions. In 2004, counterfeit vinyl pressings of the album were released. The album artwork is taken from the 2002 Lord Willin' photo shoot because of the promo CDs and vinyl of the album not containing any visible artwork, over time and through other bootleg copies the image was used as the album's default cover.

<i>Hell Hath No Fury</i> (Clipse album) 2006 studio album by Clipse

Hell Hath No Fury is the third studio album by hip hop duo Clipse. The album was released on November 28, 2006 in the United States by Re-Up, Star Trak and Jive. Recording sessions for the album took place over a period of several years, and suffered numerous delays prior to release. Production was handled by The Neptunes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pusha T</span> American rapper (born 1977)

Terrence LeVarr Thornton, better known by his stage name Pusha T, is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as one half of the Virginia-based hip hop duo Clipse, which he formed with his older brother No Malice. Mainly active from 1994 to 2010, the duo were discovered by Pharrell Williams and signed with his record label Star Trak Entertainment, an imprint of Arista Records in 2001. They released three studio albums—Lord Willin' (2002), Hell Hath No Fury (2006) and Til the Casket Drops (2009)—to mild commercial success; the former spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top 40 singles "Grindin'" and "When the Last Time", for which they became best known.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr. Me Too</span> 2006 single by Clipse featuring Pharrell Williams

"Mr. Me Too" is a song by American hip hop duo Clipse, released on May 23, 2006 as the lead single from their second studio album Hell Hath No Fury (2006). The song features guest vocals and production by Pharrell Williams. It is considered to be a diss track aimed at fellow American rapper Lil Wayne, after he graced the cover of Vibe magazine with A Bathing Ape hoodie, a brand which was at that time popularized by Clipse. Lyrically, the song is a braggadocio rap record, where the rappers boast about their fashion and style, while denouncing imitators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grindin'</span> 2002 single by Clipse

"Grindin'" is the debut single by the American hip-hop duo Clipse. The song was produced by the Neptunes, and was issued as the lead single for Clipse's debut studio album, Lord Willin' (2002) on May 14, 2002. The song became a summer top 40 hit, peaking at number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the issue dated August 10, 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Re-Up Gang</span> American hip hop group

The Re-Up Gang was an American hip hop group formed in 2004, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The group was formed by Pusha T and Malice, brothers and members of Virginia-based hip hop duo Clipse, alongside Philadelphia-based rappers Ab-Liva and Sandman. The Re-Up Gang is perhaps best known for their signature We Got It 4 Cheap mixtape series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clipse discography</span>

This is the discography of Clipse, an American hip hop duo consisting of rappers Pusha T and No Malice.

<i>Til the Casket Drops</i> (Clipse album) 2009 studio album by Clipse

Til the Casket Drops is the fourth studio album by the American hip hop duo Clipse, released in the United States on November 10, 2009, by Re-Up, Star Trak and Columbia. It debuted on number 46 on the Billboard 200, selling 31,000 copies in its very first week of availability. The album received generally positive reviews from critics. It is their final project as Clipse, prior to their split and solo ventures.

<i>Fear of God II: Let Us Pray</i> 2011 EP by Pusha T

Fear of God II: Let Us Pray is the major label debut extended play by American rapper Pusha T, released on November 8, 2011, under Decon and G.O.O.D. Music. The EP was his first project with Kanye West's GOOD Music label, since the announcement of his signing in September 2010. Pusha T claims his inspiration for Fear of God is that a vast majority of the people who he came in the music business with are in prison: "I came in the game with super producers. We made hit records. I never thought that it gets deeper. But not for nothing, 2009 I lost eight of my friends to incarceration. Everybody that I came in to the rap game with, and when I realized that those components weren't there anymore, the 'Fear of God' really came over me. It's full of the dichotomy of 'right and wrong' and 'good and evil'. A lot of it deals with greed. A lot of it deals with instant gratification. Personally... life without instant gratification... I don't know what it is."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pusha T discography</span> Hip hop recording artist discography

The discography of American rapper Pusha T consists of four studio albums, one extended play (EP), two mixtapes, 53 singles, two promotional singles and 33 music videos.

"What Happened to That Boy" is a song by American rapper Baby, released as the second single from his debut studio album Birdman (2002), featuring rap duo Clipse.

<i>My Name Is My Name</i> 2013 studio album by Pusha T

My Name Is My Name is the debut studio album by American rapper Pusha T. It was released on October 7, 2013, by GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings. While leading up to the album's announcement, Pusha T released the mixtape Fear of God and the EP Fear of God II: Let Us Pray during 2011, along with collaborating on the GOOD Music's compilation album Cruel Summer. In 2013, he also released another mixtape Wrath of Caine. The album's production was handled primarily by Kanye West, along with several producers, including Pharrell Williams, The-Dream, Hudson Mohawke, Sebastian Sartor, Don Cannon, Swizz Beatz, Rico Beats, Mano and Nottz. It also features guest appearances from Rick Ross, Jeezy, 2 Chainz, Big Sean, Future, Pharrell Williams, Chris Brown and Kendrick Lamar, among others.

<i>Wrath of Caine</i> 2013 mixtape by Pusha T

Wrath of Caine is the second mixtape by American rapper Pusha T, released on January 28, 2013 under GOOD Music and Re-Up Records. The mixtape features guest appearances from Rick Ross, French Montana, Popcaan, Travis Scott, Troy Ave, Kevin Gates, Andrea Martin and Wale. Production varies from Kanye West, Young Chop, Jake One and The Neptunes, among others.

<i>Hear Ye Him</i> 2013 studio album by No Malice

Hear Ye Him is the debut solo studio album by American rapper No Malice. The album was released independently on August 18, 2013, by Reinvision. The album features guest appearances from Ab-Liva, Pusha T, Fam-Lay and Jaeson Ma among others.

"Use This Gospel" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his ninth studio album, Jesus Is King (2019). The song features guest appearances from hip hop duo Clipse and jazz saxophonist Kenny G. It was produced by West, Angel Lopez, DrtWrk, Federico Vindver, and Timbaland, with co-production from BoogzDaBeast and Pi'erre Bourne. The song was recorded as a new version of the leaked track "Law of Attraction", which West came up with in a freestyle session. Clipse's feature on the song marked their reunion, after West requested for a collaboration. A gospel number with a maximalist style, it samples Two Door Cinema Club's "Costume Party" and includes a saxophone solo from Kenny G.

References

  1. 1 2 "Allmusic - No Malice". AllMusic . Retrieved June 26, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Maher, Dave (February 26, 2007). "Interviews: Clipse". Pitchfork.com. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2013.
  3. ↑ Brackett, Nathan. "New Faces: The Clipse". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 14, 2007. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
  4. ↑ Reid, Shaheem. "The Clipse Emerge". MTV. Archived from the original on December 29, 2010. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
  5. ↑ "Clipse Strike Gold, Neptunes Want To Go Country". AllHipHop.com. Archived from the original (Online news article) on May 6, 2006. Retrieved June 11, 2006.
  6. ↑ "Clipse Tour With Ice Cube; Album Release Date Set". AllHipHop.com. Archived from the original (Online news article) on May 21, 2006. Retrieved June 11, 2006.
  7. ↑ "Keys Open Doors". Eye Weekly. Archived from the original (Print interview) on September 27, 2007. Retrieved May 22, 2007.
  8. ↑ "The Clipse Signs With Columbia" (Online news article). Billboard.com. Archived from the original on May 28, 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2007.
  9. ↑ "CLIPSE to drop casket in October". xxlmag.com. Archived from the original on July 23, 2009. Retrieved July 24, 2009.
  10. ↑ "Clipse Announce Solo Albums". Rap Radar. May 5, 2010. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Pusha T Reveals New Clipse Album Title". Rap Radar. February 7, 2013. Archived from the original on August 12, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2013.
  12. ↑ Vasquez, Andres. "The Clipse's Malice Readies Book "Wretched, Pitiful, Poor, Blind & Naked" For Valentine's Day Release". Blog Article. XXL. Archived from the original on December 4, 2011. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  13. ↑ Serrano, Hannah (March 23, 2011). "Wretched, Pitiful, Poor, Blind, and Naked: The Story of Hip-Hop Artist Malice, of The Clipse". ALT Daily. Archived from the original on June 13, 2012. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
  14. ↑ Andrews, Ashley. "Gene Elliot Thornton, Jr (a.k.a. Malice)". The 700 Club. Archived from the original on June 19, 2012. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
  15. ↑ "Clipse's Malice Changes Name To 'No Malice'". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 29, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2013.
  16. ↑ "No Malice". Vimeo. 2012. Archived from the original on February 2, 2019. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  17. ↑ Diep, Eric. "Lecrae f/ No Malice "Darkest Hour"". Complex Music. Archived from the original on June 1, 2012. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
  18. ↑ "New Music: No Malice x Eric David "June"". Rap Radar. June 19, 2012. Archived from the original on August 7, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2013.
  19. ↑ "New Music: No Malice "Unforgettable"". Rap Radar. July 24, 2012. Archived from the original on August 7, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2013.
  20. ↑ "New Music: No Malice x Ab-Liva "Smoke & Mirrors"". Rap Radar. January 15, 2013. Archived from the original on August 5, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2013.
  21. ↑ "No Malice Hear Ye Him Release Date". Rap Radar. May 21, 2013. Archived from the original on August 7, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2013.
  22. ↑ "New Music: No Malice x Jon Bibbs "Bury That"". Rap Radar. June 4, 2013. Archived from the original on August 8, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2013.
  23. ↑ "No Malice Give'Em Game Release Date". Rap Wave. July 6, 2018. Archived from the original on July 15, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  24. ↑ "No Malice Drops off His New Single Titled "Give 'Em Game"". Jam The Hype. July 10, 2018. Archived from the original on July 21, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.