Hard Core is the debut studio album by American rapper Lil' Kim. It was released on November 12, 1996, by Undeas Recordings, Big Beat Records, and Atlantic Records. After achieving success with the hip hop group Junior M.A.F.I.A. and their album Conspiracy (1995), Kim began working on her solo album with The Notorious B.I.G. serving as the executive producer. She collaborated with a number of producers, such as Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs, Stevie J., David "Ski" Willis and Jermaine Dupri, among others. Other rappers, including Jay-Z, Lil' Cease and Puff Daddy were featured on the album.
Raymond Leon Scott, better known by his stage name Ray Benzino, is an American urban media proprietor, television personality, rapper, and record producer. He produced records and co-owned the magazine The Source.
Big Willie Style is the debut solo album by American hip hop recording artist Will Smith. It was released on November 25, 1997, by Columbia Records. The album was primarily produced by Poke & Tone, with other contributors including L.E.S. and Smith's former collaborator DJ Jazzy Jeff. The album was the first to be released by Smith since 1993's Code Red, the last by the duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince. Five singles were released, including Smith's first US Billboard Hot 100 number one, "Gettin' Jiggy wit It".
14 Shots to the Dome is the fifth studio album by American hip hop recording artist LL Cool J. It was released on March 30, 1993 via Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions took place at Marley's House Of Hits, at Cove City Sound Studios and at Unique Recording Studios in New York, and at QDIII Soundlab in Los Angeles, at Bobcat's House in Palmdale, and at Encore Studio in Burbank. Production was handled by Marley Marl, DJ Bobcat, Quincy Jones III, Andrew Zenable and Chris Forte. It features guest appearances from Lords of the Underground and Lieutenant Stitchie.
Disturbing tha Peace is the second compilation album released by record label Disturbing tha Peace. Artists who appear on the album include Ludacris, Bobby V, I-20 and Shawnna. This album has been certified Gold by the RIAA.
Thug Matrimony: Married to the Streets is the sixth studio album by American rapper Trick Daddy. It was released on October 26, 2004 via Slip-N-Slide/Atlantic Records. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 with 145,000 copies sold in the first week released. It was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on December 1, 2004.
Dillinger & Young Gotti II: Tha Saga Continuez... is the third studio album by rap group Tha Dogg Pound.
The Price of Fame is the fifth studio album by American rapper Bow Wow. The album was released on December 19, 2006 through LBW Entertainment and Columbia Records. The production on the album was primarily handled by Jermaine Dupri, Nitti, Lil Ronnie and R. Kelly. The album also features guest appearances by Chris Brown, Johntá Austin, Pimp C, T-Pain, Lil Wayne and many others.
Arch Nemesis is the third solo studio album by American rapper and record producer Benzino. It was released independently on February 22, 2005 via ZNO Records. Production was handled mostly by Benzino's production team Hangmen 3, as well as Reefa, Diego Morales, Gizz, L.E.S., M. Brown, Nomad, Scott Storch, S. Joyner, StreetRunner, the Beat Brokers, Troy Bell and Vincent Herbert. It features guest appearances from the Untouchables, 2Pac, 3 Down, Ekko, Faheim, Freddie Foxxx, Gambino, Huddy, Lil' Jon, Miss Lilli, Scarface, Yaga & Mackie. The album peaked at number 117 on the Billboard 200, number 39 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, number 19 on the Rap Albums and number 12 on the Independent Albums.
Redemption is the second solo studio album by American rapper and record producer Benzino. It was released January 14, 2003 via Elektra Records and ZNO Records. Production was primarily handled by Benzino's production team Hangmen 3, as well as Mario Winans, Gary "Gizzo" Smith, L.E.S., L.T. Hutton, Paul "Little Bo Peezy" Hemphill, Sean "Inferno" Dunnigan, That Nigga Moel, Tone Capone and Trackmasters. It features guest appearances from Mario Winans, Mass Murderer Mike, Black Child, Caddillac Tah, Daz Dillinger, Hussein Fatal, Jadakiss, Jewell, Kid Javi, Lil' Kim, LisaRaye, Petey Pablo, Scarface and Wyclef Jean.
The Renaissance is the second studio album by American hip hop artist Q-Tip, released November 4, 2008, on Universal Motown Records. The follow-up to his solo debut album, Amplified (1999), it was recorded after Q-Tip's Kamaal the Abstract (2009) was initially shelved in 2002 by his former label Arista Records and his proposed effort Open was shelved by Universal Motown, both deemed commercially inadequate by the labels. The Renaissance was produced primarily by Q-Tip and features guest contributions by D'Angelo, Norah Jones, Amanda Diva, and Raphael Saadiq.
Mack 10 is the debut solo studio album by American rapper Mack 10. It was released on June 20, 1995 via Priority Records. Production was handled by Ice Cube, 88 X Unit, Dr. Jam, Madness 4 Real, DJ Crazy Toones, and Mack 10 himself. It features guest appearances from K-Dee, Westside Connection and the Mary Jane Girls.
Six is the sixth and final studio album by American hip hop group Whodini and their first and only record released via Jermaine Dupri's So So Def label. It was released in 1996 along with the single "Keep Running Back". Audio production was handled by Dave Atkinson, Red Spyda, Carl So-Lowe, and Jermaine Dupri, who also served as executive producer.
It Must Be Magic is the fourth studio album by Teena Marie, released on May 14, 1981. It was her last album for Motown and the highest-selling of Marie's tenure with Motown. The album peaked at No. 2 on the US Black Albums chart and No. 23 on the Pop Albums chart.
Men in Black: The Album is the soundtrack to the film Men in Black. It was released on July 1, 1997, distributed by Columbia Records and featured production from some of music's top producers, such as Poke & Tone, Jermaine Dupri and The Ummah.
The Tunnel is a collaborative album by American DJs Funkmaster Flex and Big Kap. It was released on December 7, 1999 via Def Jam Recordings.
Bobby Tarantino II is the sixth mixtape by American rapper Logic. It was released on March 9, 2018, through Def Jam Recordings and Visionary Music Group. The mixtape features guest appearances from Logic's alter-ego, Young Sinatra, alongside 2 Chainz, Big Sean and Wiz Khalifa, with the production handled by Illmind, Marshmello and 6ix, among others. Bobby Tarantino II serves as a sequel to Logic's mixtape, Bobby Tarantino (2016).
"Unify" is the song written and performed by American hip hop recording artists Kid Capri, Snoop Dogg and Slick Rick. It was recorded at Larrabee Studio in Los Angeles, at Bearsville Studio in Bearsville and at The Hit Factory in New York City, and released in 1998 through Track Masters/Columbia Records as the only single from Kid Capri's sophomore studio album Soundtrack to the Streets. It was produced by Kid Capri himself, and contains a sample from "One Mint Julep" written by Rudy Toombs. Its remix version was produced by Poke & Tone, and contains portions of "Good Times" written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers.
"Rock the Party" is a song written and performed by American rapper Raymond "Benzino" Scott and featuring singer-songwriter Mario "Yellowman" Winans. It was released on September 3, 2002 via Elektra Records as the lead single from Benzino's second solo studio album Redemption. Recording sessions took place at Planet 2 Planet in New York with Wayne Allison. Production was handled by Winans. It was mixed by Paul Logus at the Hit Factory Criteria in Miami and mastered by Chris Gehringer at Sterling Sound in New York. Young Heff remixed version featured guest verses from Lil' Kim and Petey Pablo.
Coi Leray Collins is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Leray began posting music to SoundCloud after being inspired by her father, media proprietor Benzino to make music, releasing her breakout single "Huddy" and her debut mixtape Everythingcoz in 2018. After signing a record deal with 1801 Records and Republic Records, she released her second mixtape, EC2, in 2019, and her debut extended play, Now or Never, in 2020. In 2021, her single "No More Parties" gave Leray her first US Billboard Hot 100 entry, becoming her highest-charting single to date peaking at number 26, and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Her single "Blick Blick" peaked at number 37.
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