Australian hip hop traces its origins to the early 1980s and is largely inspired by hip hop and other urban musical genres from the United States. As the form matured, Australian hip hop has become a commercially viable style of music which is no longer restricted to the creative underground, with artists such as The Kid LAROI, Manu Crooks, ONEFOUR, Iggy Azalea, Hilltop Hoods, Bliss n Eso and Youngn Lipz, having achieved notable fame. Australian hip-hop is still primarily released through independent record labels, which are often owned and operated by the artists themselves. Despite its genesis as an offshoot of American hip hop, Australian hip hop has developed a distinct personality that reflects its evolution as an Australian musical style.
Gregory Keltgen, better known by his stage name DJ Abilities, is a Minnesota-based underground hip hop producer and DJ signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment. He is a founding member of Eyedea & Abilities alongside the late rapper Eyedea and also Semi.Official alongside rapper I Self Devine. Abilities is a member of 1200 Hobos and was also a member of Atmosphere at one point.
Eyedea & Abilities was an American hip hop duo from Saint Paul, Minnesota, consisting of rapper Eyedea and DJ Abilities. The duo was founded in 1999 and became a prominent figure of the underground hip hop scene, becoming known for Eyedea's philosophical and socially conscious lyrics, along with DJ Abilities' dynamic experimental fusion of stylistic elements from both rap and rock, as well as electronic music. The group was active until Eyedea's death in October 2010.
Vincenzo Luvineri, better known as Vinnie Paz, is a Sicilian American rapper and producer behind the Philadelphia underground hip hop group Jedi Mind Tricks. He is also the frontman of the hip hop collective Army of the Pharaohs.
Anthony Davis, better known by his stage name Ant, is an American hip hop producer. He is best known as being one half of the hip hop group Atmosphere, but has worked with many other artists and projects, mostly with Rhymesayers Entertainment, such as Brother Ali, I Self Devine, Felt and The Dynospectrum. He has also released two solo albums, Melodies and Memories, and Melodies and Memories 85–89.
Asian hip hop is a heterogeneous musical genre that covers all hip hop music as recorded and produced by artists of Asian origin.
Minneapolis hip hop is hip hop or rap music that originates from the Minneapolis metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Minnesota.
Lawrence "Kris" Parker, better known by his stage names KRS-One and Teacha, is an American rapper, lyricist and occasional producer from New York. He rose to prominence as part of the hip hop group Boogie Down Productions, which he formed with DJ Scott La Rock in the mid-1980s. KRS-One is best known for his top hits, "Sound of da Police", "Love's Gonna Get'cha ", and "My Philosophy", among others. Boogie Down Productions received numerous awards and critical acclaim in their early years. Following the release of the group's debut album, Criminal Minded, fellow artist Scott La Rock was shot and killed, but KRS-One continued the group, effectively as a solo project. He began releasing records under his own name in 1993. He is politically active, having started the Stop the Violence Movement after Scott's death. He's also a vegan activist, expressed in songs such as "Beef". He is widely considered an influence to many hip hop artists, including 2Pac and Eminem.
Jamall Jernard Bufford, formerly known as by his stage name Buff1, is an American rapper and songwriter from Ann Arbor, Michigan. He is a member of Ann Arbor-based rap crew Athletic Mic League since 2000, with whom he released three studio albums from 2000 to 2004 via Lab Technicians Productions. He is currently managed by Mello Music Group. In 2005 he started his solo career and released his debut album Pure in 2007, which was called "incredible" and "classic" by Okayplayer. Pure includes features from notable Michigan hip hop acts, including Guilty Simpson, Elzhi, Invincible, One Be Lo, and Monica Blaire as well as production from the Lab Techs, Mr. Porter, and Waajeed. In 2010, Bufford and DJ Rhettmatic released a collaborative self-titled project, Crown Royale, and went a nationwide tour with Mayer Hawthorne. He quits using his Buff1 moniker and dropped his third solo full-length in 2013 under his real name. The same year, he formed and runs rap performing arts group The Black Opera alongside with many other artists.
Semi.Official is an American hip hop group from Minnesota. It consists of I Self Devine and DJ Abilities. The duo released the debut album, The Anti-Album, on Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2003. In 2011, Complex listed the track, "Grey", as one of the 25 Best Rhymesayers Songs.
Chaka Mkali, better known by his stage name I Self Devine, is an American hip hop musician based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has been a member of groups such as The Dynospectrum, Micranots, and Semi.Official. In 2012, City Pages described him as "one of the most influential voices in Minnesota hip hop."
Micranots is an American hip hop duo, consisting of I Self Devine and DJ Kool Akiem from Atlanta, Georgia, but currently reside in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 2013, the group was described by City Pages as "the pioneering rap group that left an immense footprint on the local hip-hop scene".
Rhymesayers Entertainment is an American independent hip-hop record label based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was co-founded in 1995 by Sean Daley (Slug), Anthony Davis (Ant), Musab Saad and Brent Sayers (Siddiq). Beginning in 2008, Rhymesayers Entertainment sponsors the annual Soundset Music Festival, a popular attraction that takes place over Memorial Day weekend in Minneapolis. The music festival was postponed in 2020.
Michael Sean Martinez, better known by his stage name Onry Ozzborn, is a rapper and producer from Seattle, Washington. He is a founding member of alternative hip hop groups such as Grayskul, Dark Time Sunshine, and Oldominion, among others.
The Emperor & the Assassin is the third studio album by American hip hop duo Micranots, consisting of I Self Devine and DJ Kool Akiem. It was released February 3, 2004 on Rhymesayers Entertainment.
One is the debut studio album by Seattle hip hop collective Oldominion. It was released November 5, 2000 on Under The Needle Recordings.
Ryan McMahon, better known by his stage name Iame, is an American hip hop recording artist, record producer and record executive from Portland, Oregon. He is a member of the hip hop groups Oldominion and Sandpeople. In 2012, he released the album Lame$tream, which was given favorable reviews including Williamette Week, who on said "This is an MC at the very top of his game" and the albums's songs "shines a light on the MC's powerful grasp of storytelling." He has shared stages with Grayskul, Sleep, The Chicharones and Boom Bap Project, among many others.
Todd Gumke, better known by his stage name Mr. Hill, is an American hip hop record producer and DJ from Seattle, Washington. Mr. Hill has produced for the likes of Kool Keith, Mr. Lif, Boom Bap Project and Grayskul, among others. He is a member of the Pacific Northwest hip hop collective Oldominion.
The Grey Area is a studio album by American hip hop artist Onry Ozzborn, a member of the Pacific Northwest hip hop collective Oldominion. It was released June 17, 2003 on One Drop Records. Guest appearances include Sleep, Qwazaar and Luckyiam of Living Legends, among others.
In Between is the third solo studio album by American hip hop artist Onry Ozzborn, a member of the Pacific Northwest hip hop collective Oldominion. It was released November 8, 2005 on Camobear Records, an independent Canadian hip hop record label run by Josh Martinez. Guest appearances include the likes of Aceyalone, Busdriver and Ill Bill.
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