 | This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia.(September 2018) |
Zaakir (born Courtenay Henderson), best known under the alias of Soup, is an American rapper and founding member of the group Jurassic 5.
| This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia.(September 2018) |
Zaakir (born Courtenay Henderson), best known under the alias of Soup, is an American rapper and founding member of the group Jurassic 5.
Zaakir, who grew up in South Central Los Angeles, was deeply influenced by his music-loving father. From a young age, he was introduced to the genre of Funk through artists such as the Ohio Players and the Fatback Band, [1] as well as to soul and blues icons like Otis Redding, Muddy Waters, and Sam Cooke. [2] His early musical experiences also included singing tracks by Al Green and Fats Domino. Over time, Zaakir broadened his musical scope to include hip hop, discovering groups like The Sugarhill Gang.
Zaakir attended Manual Arts High School in Los Angeles. During this period, his uncle, a member of a Gang Taskforce, introduced him to the Rap for Peace program where he performed "Stop Gang Violence." [3] This performance is noted as a pivotal moment in the launch of his rap career. [2]
In high school, Zaakir joined forces with Akil (later of Jurassic 5) and Shawny Mac [aka Afrika] to form The Rebels of Rhythm. [4] Initially interested in singing, Zaakir shifted his focus to rapping after Akil encouraged him to explore freestyling. [5]
Zaakir achieved fame with the hip hop group Jurassic 5. [6] An influential figure in the music industry, he played a key role in securing record deals for other artists, including Mobb Deep, at labels such as Immortal Records, Interscope and Loud Records. [3] He contributed to the production of acclaimed albums such as Wu-Tang Clan's " Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) ," [7] and Mobb Deep's " The Infamous ," for which he received gold records. Zaakir was also instrumental in obtaining Jurassic 5’s initial demo deal with Relativity Records. [5]
Jurassic 5 gained a reputation for their dynamic live performances, particularly during the 2000 and 2001 Warped Tours. [8] At one event in 2000, Zaakir directly addressed the audience after an incident where an object was thrown on stage, exemplifying his direct and engaging stage presence. [9] The group is celebrated for their distinctive blend of rapping and harmonizing, with melodies and hooks that influenced other hip hop groups, such as the Cold Crush Brothers. In a 2022 interview on Talib Kweli's People's Party podcast, DJ Nu-Mark praised Zaakir's role in defining Jurassic 5's harmonization and infectious hooks. [10]
In 2008, Zaakir, along with Marc 7, established a new group named Portable Payback. They released their debut single, "Relax," [11] followed by an EP of the same name on October 27, 2009. [12]
Zaakir embarked on a solo career under the pseudonym Fullee Love, releasing his debut EP, Still In Fullee Love, in February 2017. The EP, produced by Nicholas "Nick Green" Eaholtz and released on the Nalja Music label, incorporates R&B and soul influences reminiscent of the music Zaakir encountered during his childhood. [13] According to OC Weekly:
"It's a glimpse into the music that shaped Zaakir and combines his smooth flow and sharp lyrics with a touch of R&B and soul—stuff he'd grown up with as a kid." [14]
The majority of the tracks on Still In Fullee Love were conceived when Jurassic 5 reconvened after a seven-year hiatus to perform at Coachella in 2013. [15] He also performed in London, [4] Barcelona, and Portugal in late 2013.
Zaakir, (under the alias Soup), has made several notable guest appearances. On April 19, 2005, he was featured in DJ Z-Trip's single "Listen to the DJ." [7] [16] In the same year, he appeared on "Family Rap" by Breakestra from their album Hit the Floor. [17] More recently, in 2015, he contributed to "Right About Now" on Marc 7's solo album Food, Clothing, and Shelter. [18]
Soup's voice and on-screen roles extend to various media. He performed voiceover work and appeared in the music video for Jurassic 5’s "The Influence." [19] His television credits include appearances on Nickelodeon's All That, the film Blast starring Eddie Griffin, and the FOX series Fastlane with Bill Bellamy. [20]
Cypress Hill is an American hip hop group from South Gate, California, formed in 1988. They have sold over 20 million albums worldwide, and they have obtained multi-platinum and platinum certifications. The group has been critically acclaimed for their first five albums. They are considered to be among the main progenitors of West Coast hip hop and 1990s hip hop. All of the group members advocate for medical and recreational use of cannabis in the United States. In 2019, Cypress Hill became the first hip hop group to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Rapping is an African-American artistic form of vocal delivery and emotive expression that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and [commonly] street vernacular". It is usually performed over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The components of rap include "content", "flow", and "delivery". Rap differs from spoken-word poetry in that it is usually performed off-time to musical accompaniment. It also differs from singing, which varies in pitch and does not always include words. Because they do not rely on pitch inflection, some rap artists may play with timbre or other vocal qualities. Rap is a primary ingredient of hip hop music, and so commonly associated with that genre that it is sometimes called "rap music".
Jurassic 5 is an American alternative hip hop group formed by rappers Charles Stewart, Dante Givens (Akil), Courtenay Henderson, Marc Stuart ; and disc jockeys Mark Potsic and Lucas Macfadden. The six piece crew that was formed, came out of the Los Angeles venue Good Life. The group broke up in 2007, shortly after releasing the LP Feedback, citing "musical differences," but returned to the stage in 2013 and released a new track in 2014. The members have continued to release music individually.
West Coast hip hop is a regional genre of hip hop music that encompasses any artists or music that originated in the West Coast of the United States. West Coast hip hop began to dominate from a radio play and sales standpoint during the early to-mid 1990s with the birth of G-funk and the emergence of record labels such as Suge Knight and Dr. Dre's Death Row Records, Ice Cube's Lench Mob Records, the continued success of Eazy-E's Ruthless Records, Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment, and others.
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".
UGK was an American hip hop duo from Port Arthur, Texas, formed in 1987, by Chad "Pimp C" Butler and Bernard "Bun B" Freeman. They released their first major-label album, Too Hard to Swallow, in 1992, followed by several other albums charting on the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, including the self-titled Underground Kingz album, which contained their single "International Players Anthem " and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, in August 2007. The duo has also been featured on hit singles by several other artists, such as "Big Pimpin'" by Jay-Z and "Sippin' on Some Syrup" by Three 6 Mafia. Pimp C founded UGK Records in late 2005. On December 4, 2007, Pimp C died in his West Hollywood, California hotel room.
Lucas MacFadden, better known as Cut Chemist, is an American DJ and record producer. He is a former member of Jurassic 5 and Ozomatli. He has collaborated with DJ Shadow on a number of projects.
Tsidi Ibrahim, known professionally as Jean Grae, is an American rapper. She rose in the underground hip hop scene in New York City and has built an international fanbase. Grae's unique music and lyrical style have earned the artist recognition as a favorite emcee by many rap artists such as Talib Kweli, Jay-Z, and Black Thought of the Roots.
Albert Johnson, better known by his stage name Prodigy, was an American rapper and record producer.
Patrick Denard Douthit, better known as 9th Wonder, is an American hip hop 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.
Charles Stewart, better known as Chali 2na, is an American painter and rapper, associated with the groups Jurassic 5 and Ozomatli. He is known for his bass-baritone and quick delivery rapping style.
Matt Ford, better known as DJ Format, is a hip hop DJ born in Southampton, England who lives in Brighton. He collaborates frequently with Abdominal on the album Music For the Mature B-Boy and with Abdominal and fellow Canadian rapper D-Sisive on the second full album If You Can't Join 'Em… Beat 'Em, as well as with Akil and Chali 2na from Jurassic 5.
Brian Daniel Carenard, better known by his stage name Saigon, is an American rapper. After years of delay due to former record label interference his debut album The Greatest Story Never Told (2011) was released on Suburban Noize Records. He is also known for his appearances on the HBO television series Entourage.
Nicholas Marcell Speed is an American rapper, record producer, and disc jockey from Detroit, Michigan, United States. He has produced tracks for 50 Cent, Mopreme Shakur, Lloyd Banks, M.O.P., Talib Kweli, Phat Kat, Musiq Soulchild, Bishop Lamont, Danny Brown and many more.
Connie Price and the Keystones is a project helmed by guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Dan Ubick from Los Angeles, California, combining influences of funk, hip-hop, psych and soul. Besides Ubick, it had a revolving membership while they performed as a backing band to Big Daddy Kane from 2008 to 2012. As a studio artist, Connie Price and the Keystones have released original recordings on three albums, two EPs and a number of singles.
Domingo Padilla, better known as Domingo, is an American hip hop producer from Brooklyn, New York of Latino descent. He has produced for some well-known hip hop artists such as Das EFX, Immortal Technique, and Rakim, among others. He is closely associated with Kool G Rap.
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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.
Nasty P is a hip hop Producer/DJ from Edinburgh, Scotland. As an artist and producer he has worked with Akil from Jurassic 5, Skinnyman and Ed O.G.
Talib Kweli Greene is an American rapper. He earned recognition through his collaboration with fellow Brooklyn rapper Mos Def in 1997, when they formed the group Black Star. Kweli's musical career continued with solo success including collaborations with producers and rappers Kanye West, Just Blaze, and Pharrell Williams. In 2011, Kweli founded his own record label, Javotti Media.
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