Top Quality | |
---|---|
Birth name | T. Robinson |
Origin | White Plains, New York, U.S. |
Genres | Hip hop |
Occupation(s) | Rapper |
Years active | 1992–1998 |
Labels | RCA |
Formerly of | Hit Squad |
T. Robinson, professionally know by his stage name Top Quality is a former American rapper and a member of hip hop collective Hit Squad. Signing to RCA Records in the early 1990s, he became the first rapper from White Plains, New York to get a major record label deal. [1]
After appearing in The Source magazine's Unsigned Hype, a column dedicated to finding unsigned talent, Top Quality eventually caught the eye of PMD, who made him a member of the rap collective Hit Squad and was subsequently signed a deal with RCA Records. His debut album, Magnum Opus was released in May 1994 and was executively produced by Smith himself. The album, however, was a commercial failure. Unlike other Hit Squad releases at the time, Magnum Opus failed to sell many copies and peaked at only No. 95 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart. [2] [3]
After being released from RCA, Top Quality appeared on PMD's Shadē Business in 1994 and 3rd Eye's Planets in 1998.
Top Quality has been played on NTS shows including The NCA Show with Brassfoot, with Magnum Opus first played on November 21, 2017. [4]
Year | Title | Chart positions |
---|---|---|
U.S. R&B | ||
1994 | Magnum Opus
| 95 |
G-funk, short for gangsta funk, is a sub-genre of gangsta rap that emerged from the West Coast scene in the early 1990s. The genre was heavily influenced by the synthesizer-heavy 1970s funk sound of Parliament-Funkadelic, often using samples or recreating the original tracks. It was represented by commercially successful albums such as Dr. Dre's The Chronic (1992) and Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle (1993).
Black Eyed Peas is an American musical group consisting of rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo. The group's lineup during the height of their popularity in the 2000s featured Fergie, who replaced Kim Hill in 2002. Originally an alternative hip hop group, they subsequently refashioned themselves as a more marketable pop-rap act. Although the group was founded in Los Angeles in 1995, it was not until the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003 that they achieved high record sales.
EPMD is an American hip hop duo from Brentwood, New York. The duo's name is a concatenation of the members' names "E" and "PMD" or an acronym for "Erick and Parrish Making Dollars", referring to its members: emcees Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith. During an interview on college radio station WHOV in 1987, Parrish Smith stated that the name evolved from the original: "We were originally known as "EEPMD", but chose to go with EPMD because it was easier to say." He also stated that they dropped the two "E's" because N.W.A.'s Eric Wright was already using "Eazy-E" as his stage name. The group has been active for 36 years.
Elephunk is the third studio album by American group the Black Eyed Peas. It was released on June 24, 2003, by A&M Records, Interscope Records and will.i.am Music Group.
Out of Business is the sixth studio album by American hip hop duo EPMD. The album was originally scheduled for a December 1998 release under Def Jam Recordings, but had been delayed numerous times as a result of a merger between Seagram's PolyGram and Universal Music Group's MCA Records, combining Def Jam and Island Records' operations together under the Island Def Jam Music Group. Ultimately, the album was released on July 20, 1999. It is the first official Def Jam album released under the newly-formed Island Def Jam Music Group and the group's last album released under the label as they left the imprint a year later before going inactive for the second time.
The Four Lovers was a band formed in 1956 that was the result of vocalist Frankie Valli joining The Variatones in 1954. The Four Lovers achieved minor success before a name change to The Four Seasons in 1960. During those five years, group members also included Nicolas DeVito, Hugh Garrity, Charles Calello (bass), Nick Massi, Bob Gaudio, and Philip Mongiovi (drums).
The Hit Squad is an American hip hop collective of East coast hip hop artists. Originally formed in the 1990s by Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith of the rap group EPMD, the group included rap artists such as K-Solo, Redman, Das EFX, Top Quality, and Knucklehedz. When EPMD broke up for the first time in 1993, the collective separated, with Sermon forming Def Squad and Smith retaining the Hit Squad name.
Parrish J. Smith, better known as PMD, is an American rapper from Brentwood, New York, a member of EPMD and Hit Squad.
Shadē Business is the debut solo studio album by American rapper PMD. It was released on September 27, 1994, via RCA Records. Production was handled by DJ Scratch, Charlie Marotta, The 45 King, Jesse West and PMD himself. It features guest appearances from 3rd Eye, Top Quality, Zone 7 and Das EFX. The album peaked at number 42 on the Billboard 200.
Business Is Business is the second solo studio album by the American rapper PMD. It was released on October 22, 1996, through Relativity Records. The production was handled by Agallah, Charlie Marotta, DJ Scratch, Solid Scheme and Fabian Hamilton with PMD serving as executive producer. It features guest appearances from Das EFX, M.O.P. and Nocturnal.
The Awakening is the third solo studio album by American rapper PMD. It was released on June 17, 2003 via Solid Records. Production was handled by EPMD, DJ Honda, Track Addicts, 7L, Alchemist, DJ Lyve, DJ Muggs, Dre Meezy, the Ghetto Professionals, Ground Work, KutMasta Kurt, Pete Rock and Raheem Solo. It features guest appearances from Don Fu-Quan, 275, Cypress Hill, Fat Joe, Feever, J Boogie, Krazy Drayz, K-Solo, Rah, Rob Jackson, and Erick Sermon, who appeared on the EPMD reunion track "Look At U Now".
Polo Grounds Music is a hip hop and R&B record label, distributed by Sony Music's RCA Records. Founded in 2006 by Bryan Leach, Polo Grounds Music is a full-service entertainment company with a focus in publishing, management, marketing and promotions.
"I Saw It Cummin'" is the first single released from PMD's debut album, Shade Business. It was produced by PMD and DJ Scratch and became PMD's most successful single during his brief solo career, peaking at 89 on the Billboard Hot 100, his only solo single to do so.
"Rugged-N-Raw" is the first single released from PMD's second album, Business Is Business. The song made it to three different Billboard charts, gaining the most success on the Rap charts where it peaked at 19. PMD's fellow Hit Squad members Das EFX contribute verses to the song.
This is the discography of American rap duo, EPMD.
Magnum Opus is the only album released by Top Quality. The album was released on May 24, 1994 though RCA Records. Parrish "PMD" Smith of EPMD served as the album's executive producer.
Travis Porter is an American hip hop trio from Atlanta, Georgia. The group consists of stepbrothers Ali and Quez, and their friend Strap who they met in middle school. In November 2010 the trio signed with Jive Records. The group's biggest hits are "Ayy Ladies", "Bring It Back" and "Make It Rain", produced by longtime collaborators, production group FKi. Travis Porter released a biographical film titled Proud to be a Problem on May 18, 2010. Travis Porter has a YouTube channel with over 150 million views and a Twitter page.
Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) is an American independent record label. Specializing in hip hop and R&B artists, TDE is based in Carson, California. The label was founded in 2004 by record producer Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith, who also serves as the chief executive officer. His son, Anthony "Moosa" Tiffith Jr., and Terrence "Punch" Henderson are the presidents of the label.
Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, known professionally as Doja Cat, is an American rapper and singer. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she began making and releasing music on SoundCloud as a teenager. Her song "So High" caught the attention of Kemosabe and RCA Records, with whom she signed a recording contract prior to the release of her debut extended play, Purrr! in 2014.
Jeremie Damon Pennick, known professionally as Benny the Butcher or simply Benny, is an American rapper. He is part of the hip hop collective Griselda with frequent collaborators and first-cousins Westside Gunn and Conway the Machine. He is also a part of the collective Black Soprano Family.