 | 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.
Growing up in South Central Los Angeles, Zaakir was deeply influenced by his music-loving father. At 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 soul and the blues, through icons like Otis Redding, Muddy Waters, and Sam Cooke. [2] Zaakir's early musical experiences also included learning to sing songs 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. While in high school, his uncle, a member of a gang task-force, informed him of a "Rap for Peace" contest, where Zaakir performed his first ever recorded song, "Stop Gang Violence." [3] This performance is noted as a pivotal moment in the launch of Zaakir's music 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, 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 of 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, Zaakir 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 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 the 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".
Lawrence Muggerud professionally known by his stage name DJ Muggs, is an American DJ, audio engineer and record producer. He has been a member of Cypress Hill, a member of the trip hop band Cross My Heart Hope To Die and the leader of hip hop and art collective Soul Assassins.
David Marvin Blake, better known by his stage names DJ Quik or Da Quiksta, is an American rapper and record producer from Compton, California, 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."
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.
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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.
Dominick J. Lamb, better known by his stage name Nottz, is an American hip hop producer and rapper from Norfolk, Virginia. Nottz has produced for some of the biggest names in hip hop, including Busta Rhymes, G Unit, Kanye West, Swizz Beatz, Rah Digga, Scarface, Snoop Dogg, Diamond D, Cassidy, Ghostface Killah, M.O.P., Kardinal Offishall, Xzibit, 50 Cent, Royce da 5'9", Little Brother, The Game, T.I., Dwele, Termanology, Bilal, Phife Dawg, Rakim, AZ, The Lox, Fat Joe, Black Moon, Asher Roth, Slaughterhouse, Method Man, Pusha T, J Dilla, DJ Funk Master Flex, Torae, Dj Drama, Rapsody, Canibus, BJ The Chicago Kid, Murs, Wale, Mac Miller, Shateish, Talib Kweli among many others.
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