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".
David Marvin Blake, better known by his stage names DJ Quik or Da Quiksta, is an American rapper, record producer, and DJ, known for his production in the G-funk style of West Coast hip-hop. Blake has collaborated with Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, Tupac, Chingy, R. Kelly and Shaquille O'Neal, among others. Blake's stage name reflects his ability to produce songs in a short period of time. Some of his top songs include "Dollaz + Sense", "Tonite", "Born and Raised in Compton" and "Jus Lyke Compton".
M.O.P. is an American hip hop duo composed of East Coast rappers Billy Danze and Lil' Fame. After years of mostly underground success, they gained more mainstream recognition in 2000 with the song "Ante Up", which would become their biggest hit. The group has frequently collaborated with DJ Premier and is part of the Gang Starr Foundation. Fame sometimes produces under the moniker Fizzy Womack, and has produced tracks on every M.O.P. release since 1996's Firing Squad, as well as work for other artists including Kool G Rap, Teflon and Wu-Tang Clan.
Joseph Anthony Budden II is an American media personality, broadcaster, cultural critic, and retired rapper. He first gained recognition in the latter occupation with his 2003 single "Pump It Up", which peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 and preceded the release of his eponymous debut studio album (2003). Met with critical and commercial success, the album peaked within the top ten of the Billboard 200, although it served as his only major label release for Def Jam Recordings; he thereafter released seven albums independently to continued critical praise. While doing so, he performed as a member of the hip hop supergroup Slaughterhouse, which were signed to Eminem's Shady Records in 2012; the group released two studio albums.
Rotten Apple is the second studio album by American rapper Lloyd Banks, released October 10, 2006 via G-Unit and Interscope. The title of the album is a play on the New York City nickname, "The Big Apple". 50 Cent's song "Rotten Apple" is on his mixtape Guess Who's Back? (2002) and should not be confused with Banks' song of the same name on this album. Rotten Apple Entertainment is also the name of Banks' former label owned by 50 Cent in the past. The album cover also resembles the cover of the film, King of New York.
The discography of The Game, an American rapper, consists of eleven studio albums, six compilation albums, two soundtrack albums, fifteen mixtapes, 31 singles, and 39 music videos. His music released on major record labels such as Interscope, Geffen, and DGC Records, along with subsidiaries Aftermath Entertainment and G-Unit Records, including independent record labels Get Low Recordz and Fast Life Music, Inc. Records of which has released some of his early material.
Wu-Massacre is a collaboration studio album by American rappers and Wu-Tang Clan members Method Man, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon, under the group name Meth • Ghost • Rae, released March 30, 2010 on Def Jam Recordings. Production for the album was handled by several hip hop producers, including RZA, Allah Mathematics, Scram Jones, Emile, Ty Fyffe, BT and Digem Tracks Productions.
This article summarizes the events, album releases and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 2010.
American rapper Kendrick Lamar has released five studio albums, one compilation album, one extended play (EP), five mixtapes, 65 singles, and three promotional singles. Lamar initially performed under the stage name K.Dot, releasing three mixtapes under that moniker: Y.H.N.I.C. (2004), Training Day (2005), and C4 (2009). He gained major attention after the release of his fourth mixtape Overly Dedicated, which was released in 2010. It was Lamar's first full-length project to be released under his birth name and fared well enough to enter the United States Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, where it peaked at number 72.
Live. Love. ASAP is the debut mixtape by American rapper ASAP Rocky, who released it as a free digital download on October 31, 2011. It features production by Clams Casino, ASAP Ty Beats, DJ Burn One, and SpaceGhostPurrp, among others. The mixtape also features guest rappers Schoolboy Q and Fat Tony, as well as members of ASAP Mob, ASAP Rocky's hip hop collective.
This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 2012.
Hotel California is the third studio album by American rapper Tyga. It was released on April 9, 2013, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records; distributed by Republic Records. The album features guest appearances from Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, The Game, Jadakiss, while the production on the album was handled by DJ Mustard, Detail, Cool & Dre, David D.A. Doman, Mars of 1500 or Nothin', The Olympicks, SAP and Ryan Hunt, among others.
Jon Kevin Freeman Jr., better known by his stage name Jon Connor, is an American rapper and record producer. Connor has released various mixtapes and an album effort during his career including the Jay-Z inspired The Blue Album, and the Eminem inspired The People's Rapper LP. His debut studio album, Unconscious State was released in 2013. Shortly thereafter, he was signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment from 2013 to 2019, where he did not release an album. In 2015, he garnered notoriety for being featured on Dr. Dre's album Compton (2015) as well as The Game's album The Documentary 2.5 (2015).
The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil 5 is the nineteenth studio album by American rapper E-40. The album was released on December 10, 2013, by Heavy on the Grind Entertainment. The album features guest appearances from 2 Chainz, Young Bari, Roach Gigz, Iamsu!, Kool John, Gucci Mane, Young Scooter, Z-Ro, Big K.R.I.T., Danny Brown, Schoolboy Q, B-Legit, Mike Marshall, Too Short, Work Dirty, Laroo T.H.H., Stressmatic and J. Banks.
The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil 4 is the eighteenth studio album by American rapper E-40. The album was released on December 10, 2013, by Heavy on the Grind Entertainment. The album features guest appearances from Droop-E, Work Dirty, Young Dro, Chris Brown, Spodee, NHT Boyz, T.I., King Harris, Cousin Fik, Choose Up Cheese, J. Stalin, Bosko, Webbie, Ty Dolla Sign, and Mike Marshall.
The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil 6 is the twentieth studio album by American rapper E-40. The album was released on December 10, 2013, by Heavy on the Grind Entertainment. The album features guest appearances from Rick Ross, French Montana, B-Legit, Iamsu!, Sage the Gemini, Eric Statz, Skeme, Problem, Gucci Mane, Trinidad James, Jeezy, Cousin Fik, Mac Mall, San Quinn and Clyde Carson.
Nobody's Smiling is the tenth studio album by American hip hop recording artist Common. It was released on July 22, 2014, by Def Jam Recordings and No I.D.'s label ARTium Records. Following the release of his 2011's album The Dreamer/The Believer, Common took a hiatus from musical endeavors. In 2013, he returned to the studio and began working his tenth album and later revealed that the production, much like his previous effort, would be handled entirely by his longtime collaborator and record producer No I.D. In 2014, Common signed a recording contract with No I.D.'s ARTium Records, through Def Jam Recordings, for the distribution of the album.
Maybach Music Group is a record label founded by American rapper Rick Ross in 2008. An imprint of gamma. since 2023, the label was previously an imprint of Island Def Jam (2009–2011), Warner Records (2011–2012) and Atlantic Records (2012–2023). The label, having signed artists including Wale, Meek Mill, French Montana, Omarion, Rockie Fresh, and Stalley, has released a total of 29 studio albums, including three compilation albums in its Self-Made series. The "Maybach Music" vocal tag present in many of the label's recordings is spoken by Australian model Jessica Gomes.
They Got Amnesia is the fourth studio album by Moroccan-American rapper French Montana. It was released through Epic Records on November 19, 2021. The album features guest appearances from John Legend, Rick Ross, Kodak Black, the late Pop Smoke, Lil Durk, Doja Cat, Saweetie, Fivio Foreign, Fabolous, Coi Leray, 42 Dugg, Ty Dolla Sign, Latto, Lil Tjay, and Moneybagg Yo.
"Handstand" is a song by Moroccan-American rapper French Montana and American rapper and singer Doja Cat featuring fellow American rapper Saweetie, from French Montana's fourth studio album They Got Amnesia. It was written by the rappers, Darryl Clemons, Kevin Price, Jaucquez Lowe, and Hitmaka, with Hitmaka serving as one of the track's producers along with Pooh Beatz, Go Grizzly, and London Jae. The song interpolates Cash Money's 2000 single Project Chick and Big Pun's 2000 single "It's So Hard". It received favorable reviews from the music critics, who deemed the track as suitable for dancing.
