@prefix rdfs: . @prefix dbpedia2: . @prefix d: . @prefix dbo: . @prefix dct: . @prefix dm: . @prefix dr: . rdfs:label "KRS-One" ; dbo:abstract "Lawrence Krisna Parker (born August 20, 1965), better known by his stage names KRS-One (a backronym for Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone, also, K,R and S are letters from both his middle name and the name of the Hindu god, Krishna), and Teacha, is an American rapper of Jamaican descent. At the 2008 BET Awards, KRS-One was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for all his work and effort towards the Stop the Violence Movement as well as the overall pioneering of hip hop music and culture."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "1983" ; dr:danielsScore 4585 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Beastie Boys" ; dbo:abstract "Beastie Boys are an American hip hop band from New York City, formed in 1981. For the majority of its career, the group has consisted of three MCs and musicians Michael \"Mike D\" Diamond (vocals, drums), Adam \"MCA\" Yauch (vocals, bass) and Adam \"Ad-Rock\" Horovitz (vocals, guitar). Originally formed as a four-piece hardcore punk band in 1981 by Michael Diamond (vocals), John Berry (guitar), Adam Yauch (bass) and Kate Schellenbach (drums), the band appeared on the compilation cassette New York Thrash, before recording their first EP Polly Wog Stew, in 1982. After achieving moderate local success with the 1983 experimental hip hop 12-inch \"Cooky Puss\", the group transitioned to hip hop in 1984 and released a string of successful 12-inch singles. The Beastie Boys toured with Madonna in 1985 and a year later released their debut album Licensed to Ill. The group sold 22 million albums in the United States and 40 million albums worldwide, making them, according to Billboard, \"the biggest-selling rap group\" since 1991. With seven platinum or better albums from 1986–2004, the Beastie Boys were one of the longest-lived hip hop acts worldwide, and they continued to enjoy commercial and critical success more than 25 years after Licensed to Ill. In 2009, the group released digitally remastered deluxe editions of their albums Paul's Boutique, Check Your Head, Ill Communication and Hello Nasty. Their eighth studio album, Hot Sauce Committee Part Two, was released in 2011, and received positive reviews. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2012, \"just the third rap group to enter the Hall, after Run-D.M.C. (2009) and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five (2007). \" The following month, MCA died of cancer of the parotid salivary gland, which led to the speculation that the other members may decide to disband the group."@en ; dbo:genre , , , , ; dbo:recordLabel , , , ; dbo:startYear "1980" ; dr:danielsScore 5090 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "E-40" ; dbo:abstract "Earl Stevens (born November 15, 1967) better known by his stage name E-40, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and investor from Vallejo, California. He is a former member of the rap group The Click, and the founder of Sick Wid It Records. He has released over ten albums, appeared on numerous movie soundtracks, and has also done guest appearances on a host of other rap albums. Initially an underground artist, his 1995 solo album In a Major Way opened him up to a wider audience. Beginning in 1998, he began collaborating with more mainstream rappers outside of the Bay Area. He rose to even higher mainstream popularity in 2006 with his single \"Tell Me When to Go\" which was produced by Lil Jon."@en ; dbo:genre , , ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1989" ; dr:danielsScore 5207 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Puff Daddy" ; dbo:abstract "Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, Diddy, and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. Combs was born in Harlem and grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. He worked as a talent director at Uptown Records before founding Bad Boy Records in 1993. He signed The Notorious B.I.G. and profited from the success of the artists he signed. He released his debut album No Way Out in 1997, which has been certified seven times platinum and was followed by successful albums such as Forever (1999), The Saga Continues... (2001) and Press Play (2006). In 2009 Combs formed the musical group Diddy – Dirty Money and released the critically well-reviewed and commercially successful album Last Train to Paris (2009). Combs has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and is the producer of MTV's Making the Band. His non-music business ventures include the clothing lines Sean John and \"Sean by Sean Combs\" – for which he earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award – a movie production company, and two restaurants. In 2012 Forbes estimated Combs' net worth at $550 million, making him the richest figure in hip hop."@en ; dbo:genre , ; dbo:recordLabel , ; dbo:startYear "1988" ; dr:danielsScore 4429 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "GZA" ; dbo:abstract "Gary Grice (born August 22, 1966), better known by his stage names GZA and The Genius, is an American hip hop artist and founding member of the seminal hip hop group the Wu-Tang Clan. Within the clan, he is known as the \"spiritual head,\" being both the oldest and the first within the group to receive a record deal. Gza has appeared on his fellow clan members' solo projects and since the release of his critically acclaimed solo album, Liquid Swords (1995), he has maintained a successful solo career. Steve Huey of Allmusic has called him \"one of the best lyricists of the 1990s,\" while the editors of About. com ranked him #17 on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007), making him the highest-ranking Wu-Tang Clan member on the list. In 2012, The Source placed him on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time."@en ; dbo:genre , ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1988" ; dr:danielsScore 6426 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Ludacris" ; dbo:abstract "Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper, entrepreneur and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings. Ludacris has won a Screen Actors Guild, Critic's Choice, MTV, and three Grammy Awards during his career. Along with fellow Atlantans Big Boi and Andre 3000 of OutKast, Ludacris was one of the first and most influential Dirty South artists to achieve mainstream success. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludacris moved to Atlanta, Georgia at age nine, where he began rapping. After a brief stint as a disc jockey, he released his debut album Back for the First Time in 2000, which contained the singles \"Southern Hospitality\" and \"What's Your Fantasy\". In 2001, he released Word of Mouf, followed by Chicken-n-Beer in 2003. He took a more serious approach with his next three albums, The Red Light District (2004), Release Therapy (2006), and Theater of the Mind (2008). His latest record, Battle of the Sexes, was released in 2010."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "1995" ; dr:danielsScore 4806 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Wiz Khalifa" ; dbo:abstract "Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by the stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper. He released his debut album, Show and Prove, in 2006, and signed to Warner Bros. Records in 2007. His Eurodance-influenced single, \"Say Yeah\", received urban radio airplay, charting on the Rhythmic Top 40 and Hot Rap Tracks charts in 2008. Khalifa parted with Warner Bros. and released his second album, Deal or No Deal, in November 2009. He released the mixtape Kush and Orange Juice as a free download in April 2010; he then signed with Atlantic Records. He is also well known for his debut single for Atlantic, \"Black and Yellow\", which peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. His debut album for the label, Rolling Papers, was released on March 29, 2011."@en ; dbo:genre , ; dbo:recordLabel , , , ; dbo:startYear "2004" ; dr:danielsScore 3707 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Bone Thugs-n-Harmony" ; dbo:abstract "Bone Thugs-n-Harmony is a Grammy award winning American hip hop group from Cleveland, Ohio. It consists of rappers Layzie Bone, Flesh-n-Bone, Bizzy Bone, Krayzie Bone, and Wish Bone. Rapper Eazy-E, former member of rap group N.W. A, signed Bone Thugs-n-Harmony to Ruthless Records in late 1993, when Bone Thugs debuted with EP Creepin on ah Come Up. The EP included the hit single \"Thuggish Ruggish Bone\". In 1995, the group released its second album, E. 1999 Eternal, which included hits \"1st of tha Month\" and \"East 1999. \" A tribute to the recently deceased Eazy-E, \"Tha Crossroads\", won a Grammy award in 1997. The Art of War, the group's third album, was also released in 1997. Bone Thugs is also the only group that has worked with deceased artists 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G. , Eazy-E & Big Pun while they were still alive. The editors of About. com ranked them #12 on their list of the \"25 Best Rap Groups of All Time\", and MTV called them \"the most melodic hip-hop group of all time\". In 2000, BTNHResurrection reached platinum in one month and Thug World Order (2002) received more moderate sales and promotion. After the album the group went on hiatus and released their sixth studio album Thug Stories independently before returning in 2007 with the major label release Strength & Loyalty, this time released by Swizz Beatz's label Full Surface Records. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony officially returned with their new album Uni-5: The World's Enemy, released in 2010 by their own record label, BTNH Worldwide, with distribution by Warner Bros.. Due to internal conflicts with the group, longtime members Krayzie Bone and Wish Bone officially left the group in April 2011 to work with their independent label, The Life Ent. However, in 2012, Krayzie and Wish claimed they never really left and were in a state of mind where everything felt hopeless, thus claiming to quit. They however returned and are back with the group, thus once again unified."@en ; dbo:genre , , , , , ; dbo:recordLabel , , , ; dbo:startYear "1991" ; dr:danielsScore 3547 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Lil' Kim" ; dbo:abstract "Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, author, record producer and actress. She was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, living much of her adolescent life on the streets after being expelled from home. In her teens, Kim would freestyle rap, heavily influenced by actress/singer Diana Ross, and fellow female hip-hop artists like MC Lyte and The Lady of Rage. Performing a freestyle rap for The Notorious B.I.G. got her music career start in 1995 with his group Junior M.A.F.I.A. , whose debut album Conspiracy generated three hit singles. Lil' Kim's debut studio album, Hard Core (1996) was certified Double Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and spawned three consecutive #1 rap hits: \"No Time\", \"Not Tonight (Ladies Night remix)\", and \"Crush on You\", a record for a female rapper. Her following albums, The Notorious K.I.M. (2000) and La Bella Mafia (2003), were certified Platinum, making her the only female rapper besides Missy Elliott to have at least 3 platinum albums. She was featured on the single, \"Lady Marmalade\", which also had guest vocals by fellow recording artists Mýa, Pink and Christina Aguilera (a remake of the 1975 smash hit, originally recorded by LaBelle) which went to #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making her the first female rapper to have a #1 on that chart. In addition, the remake won two MTV Video Music Awards including Video of the Year, and a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the 44th Grammy Awards in 2002. In 2005, she served a yearlong prison sentence for lying to a jury about her friends' involvement in a shooting four years earlier. During her incarceration, her fourth album The Naked Truth was released. She returned to the public eye in 2009 with an appearance on Dancing with the Stars."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , ; dbo:startYear "1993" ; dr:danielsScore 4474 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Mobb Deep" ; dbo:abstract "Mobb Deep is an American Hip hop duo from Queensbridge, Queens, New York, U.S. , that consisted of Havoc and Prodigy. The duo is \"one of the most critically acclaimed hardcore East Coast Hip-Hop groups\". The group is best known for its dark, hardcore delivery as exemplified by the single \"Shook Ones Pt. II\". Mobb Deep have become one of the most successful rap duos in Hip Hop having sold over three million records. The majority of their albums have been critically acclaimed, in particular The Infamous, which is considered to be classic among avid Hip-Hop listeners and general fans. They are partially credited for the resurgence of East Coast rap in the early to mid-'90s. Havoc and Prodigy were also judges for the 7th Annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers and breakthroughs. The group was briefly disbanded as of 2012 after a beef broke out between the members, but that discrepancy has since been dealt with and the group has reunited for the 2013 Paid Dues festival in California."@en ; dbo:genre , ; dbo:recordLabel , ; dbo:startYear "1991" ; dr:danielsScore 4756 ; dct:subject , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Busta Rhymes" ; dbo:abstract "Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr. , (born May 20, 1972), better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George \"Buster\" Rhymes. Early in his career, he was known for his wild style and fashion, and today is best known for his intricate rapping technique, which involves rapping at a fast rate with lots of internal rhyme and half rhyme, and to date has received eleven Grammy nominations for his musical work. About. com included him on its list of the 50 Greatest MCs of Our Time (1987–2007), while Steve Huey of Allmusic called him one of the best and most prolific rappers of the 1990s. In 2012, The Source placed him on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time. MTV has called him \"one of hip-hop's greatest visual artists. \" He was both a member of Leaders of the New School and a founding member of the label and group Flipmode AKA the Conglomerate."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1988" ; dr:danielsScore 4839 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Kool G Rap" ; dbo:abstract "Nathaniel Thomas Wilson (born July 20, 1968), better known by his stage names Kool G Rap (or simply G Rap, and originally Kool Genius of Rap) is an American rapper. He hails from the Corona neighborhood of Queens, New York City. 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 often cited as one of the most influential and skilled MCs of all time as he is 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\" (after the mobster Sam Giancana), but on other occasions he's stated that it stands for \"Genius\". He has also been cited as a major influence to some of hip-hop's most critically acclaimed figures such as Eminem, Nas, Jay-Z, Notorious B.I.G. , Big Pun, RZA, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Necro, Action Bronson, Homeboy Sandman, and more."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1985" ; dr:danielsScore 5394 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Wu-Tang Clan" ; dbo:abstract "The Wu-Tang Clan /ˈwuːtæŋ/ is an American East Coast hip hop group from Staten Island, New York that consists of rappers RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi-member of the group. They were formed in (and are associated with) the New York City borough of Staten Island (U-God, Method Man, RZA, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon) (referred to by members as \"Shaolin\"), though some of their members are from Brooklyn (Ol Dirty Bastard, GZA and Masta Killa). They have introduced and launched the careers of affiliated artists and groups, often collectively known as the Wu-Tang Killa Bees, and in 2008, About. com ranked them the No. 1 greatest hip hop group of all time, and stated \"No weapon in hip-hop history can rival the chaotic cohesion of the Wu-Tang Clan. The Clan had so many characters, each with his own eccentricities. They were fearless in their approach. There's a good reason no group has been able to successfully recreate their sound. The crew spawned countless loosely associated acts. Their classic albums spawned classic albums. \" Kris Ex of Rolling Stone called Wu-Tang Clan \"the best rap group ever. \" In 2004, NME hailed them as one of the most influential groups of the last ten years."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "1991" ; dr:danielsScore 5895 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Fat Joe" ; dbo:abstract "Joseph Antonio Cartagena (born August 19, 1970), better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper, CEO of Terror Squad Entertainment, and member of musical groups D.I.T.C. and Terror Squad. Fat Joe's first album was Represent, released in 1993, followed by Jealous One's Envy in 1995. From 1998 to 2006, he was signed to Atlantic Records, releasing four albums under the label, Don Cartagena in 1998, Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E. ) in 2001, Loyalty in 2002, and All or Nothing in 2005. Around the release of All or Nothing, Fat Joe became involved in a highly publicized feud with another New York City-based rapper 50 Cent, who attacked Fat Joe in his song \"Piggy Bank\". His most popular song in which he performed was his Remy Ma duet \"Lean Back\" with Terror Squad. The song was a number-one hit in the summer of 2004. Starting in 2006, when his album Me, Myself, & I was released, Fat Joe was signed to Imperial Records, which distributes through Terror Squad Entertainment. His follow up album wasThe Elephant in the Room, which was released in 2008; Jealous Ones Still Envy 2 (J.O.S.E. 2), the sequel to Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E. ), was released in October 2009. His tenth album The Darkside Vol. 1 was released on July 27, 2010."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1991" ; dr:danielsScore 4686 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Tyga" ; dbo:abstract "Michael Ray Nguyen-Stevenson (born November 19, 1989), known by his stage name Tyga (an acronym for Thank You God Always), is an American rapper signed to Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Universal Republic Records. He first received recognition with his debut single \"Coconut Juice\", featuring his cousin Travie McCoy. Since then he has signed to Young Money and released his major label debut Careless World: Rise of the Last King. The album included the chart topping singles \"Faded\", \"Far Away\" and \"Make It Nasty\". He plans to release his third studio album in March 2013 entitled Hotel California."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "2006" ; dr:danielsScore 4601 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Blackalicious" ; dbo:abstract "Blackalicious is an American hip-hop duo from Sacramento, California, made up of rapper Gift of Gab (born Timothy Parker) and DJ/producer Chief Xcel (born Xavier Mosley). They are noted for Gift of Gab's often \"tongue-twisting\", multisyllabic, complex rhymes and Chief Xcel's \"classic\" beats. The pair have released three full-length albums,"@en ; dbo:genre , , ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1991" ; dr:danielsScore 5480 ; dct:subject , , , , , . rdfs:label "Game (rapper)"@en ; dbo:abstract "Jayceon Terrell Taylor (born November 29, 1979), known by his stage name The Game or simply Game, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, record producer and actor. Game is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Born in Los Angeles, California, he released his first mixtape You Know What It Is Vol. 1 in 2002, and landed a record deal with the independent label Get Low Recordz owned by JT the Bigga Figga. Game's mixtape reached the hands of Sean Combs, founder of Bad Boy Records, who originally was on the verge of signing him to his label. Five months later, he was discovered by Dr. Dre who listened to the mixtape and signed him to his Aftermath Entertainment label in 2003. He rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album \"The Documentary\" (2005) and \"Doctor's Advocate\" (2006). The Recording Industry Association of America certified his album \"The Documentary\" double platinum in March 2005 and it has sold over five million copies worldwide. A rising artist in the 2000s, Game is considered to be a driving force in bringing back the West Coast hip hop scene into the mainstream and competing with many of his East Coast counterparts. Game was placed into G-Unit by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine. Due to his disputes with 50 Cent, Game left Aftermath Entertainment and signed with Geffen Records another label under Universal Music Group's Interscope-Geffen-A&M division to terminate his contractual obligations with G-Unit in the summer of 2006. Game's second album Doctor's Advocate was released on November 14, 2006 and it became his second straight album to debut at No. 1 on US Billboard 200 chart. Doctor's Advocate did not feature any production from Dr. Dre. Pitchfork Media placed \"The Documentary\" at number 35 on their list of Top 50 Albums of 2005. Game was nominated with a total of two nominations, including Grammy Award for Best Rap Song and Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for the smash single \"Hate It or Love It\". The New York Times named Doctor's Advocate best hip-hop album of 2006. His next album LAX was released in 2008. With his fourth studio album The R.E.D. Album, Game made a return to Interscope Records. In addition to music, Game has starred in motion pictures and founded The Black Wall Street Records. In September 2011, Game started working on his fifth studio album titled Jesus Piece which was released on December 11, 2012."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , ; dbo:startYear "2001" ; dr:danielsScore 4416 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Canibus" ; dbo:abstract "Germaine Williams (born December 9, 1974) better known by his stage name Canibus, is a Jamaican-American rapper, actor and member of The Hrsmn, Sharpshooterz, Cloak N Dagga, The Undergods, and one-half of T.H.E.M. Canibus rose to fame in the mid-Nineties. About. com placed him #32 on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987-2007), while in 2012 The Source placed him nº 44 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "1991" ; dr:danielsScore 5991 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "2Pac" ; dbo:abstract "Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), best known by his stage names 2Pac (or Pac for short) and Makaveli was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2010, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world. Rolling Stone named him the 86th Greatest Artist of All Time. Shakur began his career as a roadie, backup dancer, and MC for the alternative hip hop group Digital Underground, eventually branching off as a solo artist. The themes of most of Shakur's songs revolved around the violence and hardship in inner cities, racism and other social problems. Both of his parents and several other of his family were members of the Black Panther Party, whose ideals were reflected in his songs. During the latter part of his career, Shakur was a vocal participant in the so-called East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry, becoming involved in conflicts with other rappers, producers and record-label staff members, most notably The Notorious B.I.G. and his label Bad Boy Records. On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot multiple times in a drive-by shooting at the intersection of Flamingo Road and Koval Lane in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was taken to the Southern Nevada University Medical Center, where he died six days later."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , ; dbo:startYear "1987" ; dr:danielsScore 3970 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Biz Markie" ; dbo:abstract "Marcel Theo Hall (born April 8, 1964) better known by his stage name, Biz Markie, is an American rapper, beatboxer, DJ, comedian, singer, reality television personality, and commercial spokesperson. He is best known for his single \"Just a Friend\", an American Top 10 hit in 1989. In 2008, \"Just a Friend\" made #100 on VH1's list of the 100 greatest hip hop songs of all time. Biz Markie currently lives in Howard County, Maryland and has helped support County Executive, Ken Ulman during his fundraisers. Markie has been called \"the Clown Prince of Hip Hop.\""@en ; dbo:genre , ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "1980" ; dr:danielsScore 4313 ; dct:subject , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Xzibit" ; dbo:abstract "Alvin Nathaniel Joiner (born September 18, 1974), better known by his stage name Xzibit (pronounced “exhibit”), is an American rapper, actor, and television host. He is known as the host of the MTV show Pimp My Ride, which brought him mainstream success. Before hosting the show, he achieved fame in the West Coast hip-hop scene as a rapper, debuting with his acclaimed At the Speed of Life and gathering chart success with his follow-up albums Restless, Man vs. Machine and Weapons of Mass Destruction, working with high-profile artists such as Eminem, Cypress Hill, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Knoc-turn'al, Timbaland, Limp Bizkit, Alice Cooper, Game and 50 Cent, as well as being one of the first out internationally, working with overseas acts such as Raptile from Germany, Bliss N Eso from Australia and Adil Omar from Pakistan."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , ; dbo:startYear "1993" ; dr:danielsScore 4982 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "CunninLynguists" ; dbo:abstract "CunninLynguists are a hip hop trio from Lexington, Kentucky and Atlanta, Georgia. The group currently consists of Deacon the Villain, Kno, and Natti."@en ; dbo:genre , ; dbo:recordLabel ; dbo:startYear "1999" ; dr:danielsScore 5971 ; dct:subject , , , , , . rdfs:label "Three 6 Mafia" ; dbo:abstract "Three 6 Mafia are a rap group originally from Memphis, Tennessee, signed to Sony Music Entertainment under the Columbia Records imprint. Formed in 1991 as Backyard Posse then later Triple 6 Mafia, by DJ Paul, Lord Infamous, Juicy J and Koopsta Knicca, the group later included two more members including; Crunchy Black and Gangsta Boo (who were both added shortly before the release of their debut album Mystic Stylez). The group has also collaborated with many rappers on their own label; Hypnotize Minds, where they have kick started the careers for many Memphis rappers, such as; Frayser Boy, Gangsta Blac, Lil Wyte and Indo G. The group frequently collaborates with Project Pat (Juicy J's older brother). Their 2005 song \"It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp\" from the film Hustle and Flow won Best Original Song at the 78th Academy Awards. The group released their debut underground album Mystic Stylez in 1995 through Prophet Entertainment, a record label they created but have since relinquished control of. Their musical style—which initially featured dark, menacing beats with equally gritty lyrics—has since moved to a more mainstream sound. The group has also had numerous lineup changes, and now consists of original members Juicy J and DJ Paul. Nonetheless, they have cultivated a sizable and diverse cult following that has only increased since their Oscar win. They have released two RIAA rated platinum albums; When the Smoke Clears: Sixty 6, Sixty 1 and Most Known Unknown, the latter featured their well known single Stay Fly, which is said to be the kick start of their rise to fame and the mainstream. The group's worldwide album sales stand at 5.5 million."@en ; dbo:genre , ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "1990" ; dr:danielsScore 4225 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Kanye West" ; dbo:abstract "Kanye Omari West is an American recording artist, record producer, film director and fashion designer from Chicago, Illinois. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's 2001 album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and Janet Jackson. His style of production originally used pitched-up vocal samples from soul songs incorporated with his own drums and instruments. However, subsequent productions saw him broadening his musical palette and expressing influences encompassing '70s R&B, baroque pop, trip hop, arena rock, folk, alternative, electronica, synthpop, and classical music. West released his debut album The College Dropout in 2004, his second album Late Registration in 2005, his third album Graduation in 2007, his fourth album 808s & Heartbreak in 2008, and his fifth album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy in 2010. West released a collaborative album, Watch the Throne with Jay-Z in 2011, which is the duo's first collaborative album. His five solo albums, all of which have gone platinum, have received numerous awards and critical acclaim. All albums have been very commercially successful, with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy becoming his fourth consecutive No. 1 album in the U.S. upon release. West has had 6 songs exceed 3 million in digital sales as of December 2012, with \"Gold Digger\" selling 3,086,000, \"Stronger\" selling 4,402,000, \"Heartless\" selling 3,742,000, \"E.T. \" selling over 4,000,000, \"Love Lockdown\" selling over 3,000,000, and \"Niggas in Paris\" selling over 3,000,000, placing him third in overall digital sales of the past decade. He has sold over 30 million digital songs in the United States making him one of the best-selling digital artists of all-time. He is also one of the most awarded artists of all-time. West also runs his own record label GOOD Music, home to artists such as John Legend, Common and Kid Cudi. West's mascot and trademark is \"Dropout Bear,\" a teddy bear which has appeared on the covers of three of his five solo albums as well as various single covers and in his music videos."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "1995" ; dr:danielsScore 3982 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Public Enemy (group)"@en ; dbo:abstract "Public Enemy is an American hip hop group consisting of Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Professor Griff and his S1W group, DJ Lord (DJ who replaced Terminator X in 1999), and Music Director Khari Wynn. Formed in Long Island, New York, in 1982, Public Enemy is known for their politically charged lyrics and criticism of the American media, with an active interest in the frustrations and concerns of the African American community. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Public Enemy number 44 on its list of the Immortals: 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Acclaimed Music ranks them the 29th most recommended musical act of all time and the highest hip-hop group. The group was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2007. The band were announced as inductees for the 2013 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on December 11, 2012, making them the fourth hip-hop act to be inducted after Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Run-DMC and the Beastie Boys."@en ; dbo:genre , , ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1981" ; dr:danielsScore 4481 ; dct:subject , , , , . rdfs:label "Jadakiss" ; dbo:abstract "Jason Phillips (born May 27, 1975), better known as Jadakiss, is an American rapper. He is a member of the group The LOX. (a member of the hip hop collective Ruff Ryders) Jadakiss is one of the three owners of the imprint known as D-Block. In early 2007, Jadakiss signed to Roc-a-Fella Records / Def Jam Records."@en ; dbo:genre , , ; dbo:recordLabel , , , ; dbo:startYear "1993" ; dr:danielsScore 4108 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Raekwon" ; dbo:abstract "Corey Woods (born January 12, 1970), better known by the stage name Raekwon, is an American rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He released his solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995, and has since recorded numerous solo albums, as well as continuing to work with Wu-Tang and providing an extensive number of guest contributions to other hip hop artist's works. He is the founder of his own label ICEH20 Records. Raekwon is often cited as one of the pioneers of the Mafioso rap sub-genre. In 2007, the editors of About. com placed him on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007). The Miami New Times described Raekwon's music as being \"street epics\" that are \"straightforward yet linguistically rich universes not unlike a gangsta Iliad.\""@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , ; dbo:startYear "1991" ; dr:danielsScore 5001 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Scarface (rapper)"@en ; dbo:abstract "Brad Terrence Jordan (born November 9, 1970), better known by his stage name Scarface, is an African-American rapper from Houston, Texas and a member of the Geto Boys. He is originally from South Park, Houston. In 2012, The Source ranked him #16 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time, while About. com ranked him #10 on its list of the 50 Greatest MCs of Our Time (1987-2007)."@en ; dbo:genre , ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "1986" ; dr:danielsScore 4123 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "UGK" ; dbo:abstract "UGK (short for Underground Kingz) was an American rap duo from Port Arthur, Texas formed in 1987 by the late Chad \"Pimp C\" Butler. He then joined with Bernard \"Bun B\" Freeman, who became his longtime partner. 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 debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 in August 2007. The group has been featured on hit singles by other artists, such as on \"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 was found dead in a West Hollywood, California hotel room."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "1986" ; dr:danielsScore 4011 ; dct:subject , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Talib Kweli" ; dbo:abstract "Talib Kweli Greene (October 3, 1975) is an American rapper who performs under the name Talib Kweli. His first name, Talib (طالب), in Arabic means \"student\" or \"seeker\" (which is also where the word Taliban comes from); his middle name in Swahili means \"true\". Kweli gained prominent recognition through Black Star, a collaboration with fellow MC Mos Def."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , ; dbo:startYear "1994" ; dr:danielsScore 4703 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "DMX (rapper)"@en ; dbo:abstract "Earl Simmons (born December 18, 1970), better known by his stage names DMX and Dark Man X, is an American rapper and actor. In 1999, DMX released his best-selling album ... And Then There Was X, which featured the hit single \"Party Up (Up in Here)\". He has acted in films such as Belly, Romeo Must Die, Exit Wounds, Cradle 2 The Grave, and Last Hour. In 2006, he starred in the reality television series DMX: Soul of a Man, which was primarily aired on the BET cable television network. In 2003, DMX published a book of his memoirs entitled, E.A.R.L. : The Autobiography of DMX. DMX released a mixtape The Weigh In as a prelude/promotion towards his album Undisputed (2012). DMX has sold over 30 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling hip-hop artists of all time."@en ; dbo:genre , , ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "1990" ; dr:danielsScore 3214 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Salt-n-Pepa" ; dbo:abstract "Salt-N-Pepa is an American hip hop trio from Queens and Brooklyn, New York,{{#invoke:Footnotes|sfn}} that was formed in 1985. The group, consisting of Cheryl James (\"Salt\"), Sandra Denton (\"Pepa\") and Deidra Roper (\"DJ Spinderella\"), was one of the first all-female rap crews. {{#invoke:Footnotes|sfn}}"@en ; dbo:genre , ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "1984" ; dr:danielsScore 3612 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Aesop Rock" ; dbo:abstract "Ian Matthias Bavitz (born June 5, 1976), better known by his stage name Aesop Rock, is an American hip hop artist and producer residing in San Francisco, California. He was at the forefront of the new wave of underground and alternative hip hop acts that emerged during the late 1990s and early 2000s (decade). He was signed to El-P's Definitive Jux label until it went on hiatus in 2010. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at number 19 at the Top 100 Artists of the Decade. He is a member of the groups The Weathermen, Hail Mary Mallon (with Rob Sonic & DJ Big Wiz), and Two Of Every Animal. Regarding his name, he said: \"I acquired the name Aesop from a movie I had acted in with some friends. It was my character's name and it sort of stuck. The rock part came later just from throwing it in rhymes.\""@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "1995" ; dr:danielsScore 7392 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "T.I." ; dbo:abstract "Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. (born September 25, 1980), better known by his stage name T.I. , his nickname Tip and his alter ego T.I.P. , is an American hip hop recording artist, record producer, actor, and author from Bankhead, Atlanta, Georgia. He embarked on his music career with his longtime friends and fellow rappers in Southern hip hop group Pimp Squad Click (P$C). T.I. is also the founder and co-chief executive officer (CEO) of Grand Hustle Records, which he launched in 2003. T.I. has released eight studio albums, with the most recent seven being highly successful on the commercial market. He has also released such successful singles as \"Bring Em Out\", \"What You Know\", \"Big Shit Poppin' (Do It)\", \"Swagga Like Us\", \"Whatever You Like\", \"Live Your Life\", \"Dead and Gone\" and \"Ball\" (featuring Lil Wayne). He plans to release the second installment to his Trouble Man series, Trouble Man II: He Who Wears the Crown, as well as a collaborative album with his Grand Hustle signee B.o. B, tentatively titled The Man and the Martian, and a compilation album showcasing his label Grand Hustle, all in the near future. He has served two stints in county jail, twice for probation violations and a federal prison bid for a U.S. federal weapons charge. While serving 11 months in prison he released his seventh studio album, No Mercy (2010). T.I. has also had a successful acting career, starring in the films Takers and ATL. He was in the comedy Identity Theft. He is also a published author, having written two novels Power & Beauty (2011) and Trouble & Triumph (2012) to moderate success."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "1995" ; dr:danielsScore 4151 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "De La Soul" ; dbo:abstract "De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres. The members are Kelvin Mercer, David Jude Jolicoeur and Vincent Mason, known under a variety of nicknames. The three formed the group in high school and caught the attention of producer Prince Paul with a demo tape of the song \"Plug Tunin'\". With its playful wordplay, innovative sampling, and witty skits, the band's debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, has been called \"a hip hop masterpiece. \" It is the band's biggest commercial success to date, with their subsequent albums selling progressively less, despite receiving high praise from critics. A measure of 3 Feet High and Rising's cross-over appeal was the fact that it was voted Album of the Year by NME, a title better known for its taste in guitar-based music. De La Soul have influenced numerous other hip hop artists such as Camp Lo, The Black Eyed Peas, and Digable Planets. They were influential in the early stages of rapper/actor Mos Def's career, and are a core part of the Spitkicker collective. They are the second longest standing Native Tongues Posse group, after the Jungle Brothers. In 2006, the group won a Grammy for their collaboration with Gorillaz on the single \"Feel Good Inc.\""@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , ; dbo:startYear "1986" ; dr:danielsScore 4933 ; dct:subject , , , , , . rdfs:label "Mos Def" ; dbo:abstract "Dante Terrell Smith (born December 11, 1973) is an American actor and MC, known by the stage names Mos Def and Yasiin Bey. He started his hip hop career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. With Talib Kweli, he formed the duo Black Star, which released the album Black Star in 1998. He was a major force in late 1990s underground hip hop while with Rawkus Records. As a solo artist he has released the albums Black on Both Sides in 1999, The New Danger in 2004, True Magic in 2006, and The Ecstatic in 2009. Editors of About. com ranked him number 24 on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007). In 2012, The Source ranked him No. 23 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time. Since the early 2000s, Mos Def's screen work has established him as one of only a handful of rappers who has garnered critical acclaim for his acting work. He is well known for his portrayal of Brother Sam in the American drama series Dexter. Mos Def has also been active in several social and political causes."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1990" ; dr:danielsScore 4630 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Brand Nubian" ; dbo:abstract "Brand Nubian is an American hip hop group from New Rochelle, New York, consisting of three MC's: Grand Puba (born Maxwell Dixon, on March 4, 1966), Sadat X (formerly Derek X, born Derek Murphy, on December 29, 1968) and Lord Jamar (born Lorenzo Dechalus, on September 17, 1968), and two DJs: DJ Alamo and DJ Sincere. Its debut album, One for All is one of the most popular and acclaimed alternative hip hop albums of the 1990s, known for socially conscious and politically charged content inspired by the teachings of the Nation of Gods and Earths. About. com placed the group on its list of the \"25 Greatest Rap Groups of All Time.\""@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , ; dbo:startYear "1988" ; dr:danielsScore 4609 ; dct:subject , , , , , . rdfs:label "Drake (entertainer)"@en ; dbo:abstract "Aubrey Drake Graham (born October 24, 1986), who records under the mononym Drake, is a Canadian recording artist, rapper, songwriter, and actor. He was born in Toronto, Ontario, and became known for playing Jimmy Brooks on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation. He later rose to prominence as a rapper, releasing several mixtapes before signing to Young Money Entertainment. Drake's EP, So Far Gone (2009), spawned the hit single \"Best I Ever Had\" and the moderate hit \"Successful\". His first studio album, Thank Me Later (2010), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and spawned the successful singles \"Over\" and \"Find Your Love\". It was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His second album, Take Care (2011), is his most successful to date, topping charts in the United States and Canada and producing multiple hit singles, including \"Headlines\", \"Take Care\", \"Make Me Proud\", and \"The Motto\", the last of which is also credited for popularizing the widely used acronym YOLO. He embarked on the worldwide Club Paradise Tour, which became the most successful hip-hop tour of 2012, grossing over $42 million. Drake has sold over 5 million albums worldwide. His work has earned him three Juno Awards, three BET Awards, and holds several significant Billboard records. With twelve number-one singles, Drake has more than any other artist on Billboard's Rap Songs chart. With ten number-one singles he also has more than any other rapper on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, passing Jay-Z in August 2012. He is one of two artists (the other being 50 Cent) that has simultaneously occupied the chart's top three positions. Drake also writes songs for other artists, including Alicia Keys and Jamie Foxx. He featured as a voice actor in Ice Age: Continental Drift. Drake was tied with Rihanna for the most nominations at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards. He was ranked No. 2 on MTV's Hottest MCs In The Game VII list in 2012."@en ; dbo:genre , ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "2000" ; dr:danielsScore 3522 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "LL Cool J" ; dbo:abstract "James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), better known as LL Cool J, (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor from Bay Shore, New York. He is known for romantic ballads such as \"I Need Love\", \"Around the Way Girl\" and \"Hey Lover\" as well as pioneering hip-hop such as \"I Can't Live Without My Radio\", \"I'm Bad\", \"The Boomin' System\", and \"Mama Said Knock You Out\". He has released thirteen studio albums and two greatest hits compilations, including 2008's Exit 13, the last for his record deal with Def Jam Recordings with his newest album \"Authentic\", hitting stores April 30, 2013. He has also appeared in numerous films, including Halloween H20: 20 Twenty Years Later, and currently stars as NCIS Special Agent Sam Hanna on the CBS crime drama television series NCIS: Los Angeles."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "1983" ; dr:danielsScore 4743 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Cam'ron" ; dbo:abstract "Cameron Ezike Giles (born February 4, 1976), better known by his stage name Cam'ron (formerly Killa Cam), is a Grammy-nominated American hip hop recording artist from Harlem, New York City, New York. He is the de facto leader of East Coast hip hop groups The Diplomats (also known as Dipset), and The U.N. (Us Now)."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , ; dbo:startYear "1993" ; dr:danielsScore 4406 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Eminem" ; dbo:abstract "Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), better known by his stage name Eminem (stylized as EMINƎM) and by his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem, along with his solo career, is a member of his group D12, and also one half of the hip hop duo Bad Meets Evil, with Royce da 5'9\". Eminem is one of the best-selling artists in the world and is the best-selling artist of the 2000s. He has been listed and ranked as one of the greatest artists of all time by many magazines, including Rolling Stone magazine which ranked him 82nd on its list of The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. The same magazine declared him The King of Hip Hop. Including his work with D12 and Bad Meets Evil, Eminem has achieved ten number-one albums on the Billboard 200. He has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, including 42 million tracks and 49.1 million albums in the United States. As an underground rapper Eminem released his debut solo album, Infinite in 1996. The album was a critical and commercial failure. He gained mainstream popularity in 1999 after the release of his major-label debut album The Slim Shady LP. The LP also earned Eminem his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. His next two records The Marshall Mathers LP, and The Eminem Show, also won Best Rap Album Grammy Awards, making Eminem the first artist to win Best Rap Album for three consecutive LPs. This was followed by another studio release in 2004 titled Encore. Eminem then went on hiatus after touring in 2005. He released his first album in five years titled Relapse, on May 15, 2009. In 2010, Eminem released his seventh studio album Recovery. Recovery was an international success and was named the best selling album of 2010 worldwide, joining The Eminem Show, which was the best seller of 2002. Eminem won Grammy Awards for both Relapse and Recovery, giving him a total of 13 Grammys in his career. Eminem has opened other ventures, including his own record label Shady Records with his manager Paul Rosenberg. He also has his own radio channel, Shade 45 on Sirius XM Radio. Eminem began an acting career in 2002, when he starred in the hip hop drama film 8 Mile. He won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, becoming the first rap artist ever to win the award. He has also made cameo appearances in The Wash (2001), Funny People (2009) and the television series Entourage."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1989" ; dr:danielsScore 4494 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Petey Pablo" ; dbo:abstract "Moses Mortimer Barrett III (born July 22, 1973), known by the stage name Petey Pablo, is an American rapper from Greenville, North Carolina."@en ; dbo:genre , , ; dbo:recordLabel ; dbo:startYear "1994" ; dr:danielsScore 3617 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Clipse" ; dbo:abstract "Clipse is an American hip hop duo formed by brothers Gene \"No Malice\" Thornton (formerly known as \"Malicious\" and \"Malice\") and Terrence \"Pusha T\" Thornton in Virginia Beach, Virginia in 1992. The group is heavily affiliated with the production team The Neptunes and are signed to their imprint Star Trak Entertainment."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1991" ; dr:danielsScore 4514 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Jay-Z" ; dbo:abstract "Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), better known by his stage name Jay-Z (sometimes stylized JAY Z), is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip-hop artists and entrepreneurs in America. In 2012, Forbes estimated Carter's net worth at nearly $500 million. He has sold approximately 50 million albums worldwide, while receiving seventeen Grammy Awards for his musical work, and numerous additional nominations. Consistently ranked as one of the greatest rappers of all-time he was ranked #1 by MTV in their list of The Greatest MCs of All-Time in 2006. Two of his albums, Reasonable Doubt (1996) and The Blueprint (2001) are considered landmarks in the genre with both of them being ranked in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Jay-Z co-owns the 40/40 Club, is part-owner of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets and is also co-creator of the line Rocawear. He is the former CEO of Def Jam Recordings, co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records, and the founder of Roc Nation. As an artist, he holds the record for most number one albums by a solo artist on the Billboard 200 with twelve. Jay-Z also has had four number ones on the Billboard Hot 100, one as lead artist. On December 11, 2009, Jay-Z was ranked as the 10th-most successful artist of the 2000s by Billboard and ranking as the 5th top solo male artist and as the 4th top rapper behind Eminem, Nelly, and 50 Cent. He was also ranked the 88th-greatest artist of all time by Rolling Stone. He married American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles in 2008. They have one daughter named Blue Ivy Carter, born in January 2012."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "1988" ; dr:danielsScore 4506 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Ice Cube" ; dbo:abstract "O'Shea Jackson (born June 15, 1969), better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper, record producer, actor, screenwriter, film producer, and director. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined N.W. A (Niggas With Attitudes). After leaving N.W. A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer, director, actor and producer in cinema. Additionally, he has served as one of the producers of the Showtime television series Barbershop and the TBS series Are We There Yet?, both of which are based upon films in which he portrayed the lead character. Cube is noted as a proficient lyricist and storyteller and is regarded as a brutally honest rapper; his lyrics are often political as well as violent, and he is considered one of the founding artists in gangsta rap. He was ranked #8 on MTV's list of the 10 Greatest MCs of All Time, while fellow rapper Snoop Dogg ranked Ice Cube as the greatest MC of all time. About. com ranked him #11 on its list of the \"Top 50 Greatest MCs of Our Time. \" Allmusic has called him one of hip-hop's best and most controversial artists, as well as \"one of rap's greatest storytellers. \" In 2012, The Source ranked him #14 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , ; dbo:startYear "1983" ; dr:danielsScore 4371 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Outkast" ; dbo:abstract "Outkast (stylized as OutKast) is an American hip hop duo based in East Point, Georgia, consisting of Atlanta native André \"André 3000\" Benjamin (formerly known as Dré) and Savannah, Georgia-born Antwan \"Big Boi\" Patton. They were originally known as Two Shades Deep but later changed the group's name to OutKast. The group's original musical style was a mixture of Dirty South and G-funk. Since then, however, funk, soul, rock, electronic music, spoken word poetry, jazz and blues elements have been added to the group's musical palette. After forming the group as high school students in 1992, Outkast released its debut album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik (1994), which gained popularity after the single \"Player's Ball\" reached number one on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart. The duo released ATLiens in 1996, which displayed stylistic differences from the band's debut and featured outer space-inspired themes. The albums Aquemini (1998) and Stankonia (2000) further expanded Outkast's musical experimentation. In 2003, the duo released a double album entitled Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, which featured the number one singles \"Hey Ya!\" and \"The Way You Move\". Speakerboxxx/The Love Below won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2004, the first and only for a hip hop group. Outkast next created the the soundtrack for the 2006 musical film Idlewild, which they starred in. Since 2007, Outkast has been on hiatus and both members have pursued their solo careers, although the group moved to Epic Records in September 2011. The duo is one of the most successful hip-hop groups of all time, having received six Grammy Awards. Over 25 million copies have been sold of OutKast's eight releases: five studio albums, a greatest hits release, and the Grammy Award-winning Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, a double album containing a solo album from each member. Along with their commercial success, OutKast has maintained an experimental approach in their music and are widely praised for their originality and artistic content."@en ; dbo:genre , , , , ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "1991" ; dr:danielsScore 5212 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Kool Keith" ; dbo:abstract "Keith Thornton, better known by his stage name Kool Keith, is an American rapper from The Bronx, New York. A founding member of Ultramagnetic MCs, Kool Keith has recorded prolifically both as a solo artist and in group collaborations. Kool Keith is the self-proclaimed inventor of horrorcore, and is generally considered to be one of hip-hop's most eccentric and unusual personalities."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1983" ; dr:danielsScore 6238 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Method Man" ; dbo:abstract "Clifford Smith (born March 2, 1971), better known by his stage name Method Man, is an American rapper, record producer, actor and member of the hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He took his stage name from the 1979 film The Fearless Young Boxer, also known as Method Man. He is one half of the rap duo Method Man & Redman. He won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for \"I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By\" with Mary J. Blige. In 2007, the writers of About. com placed him on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007). In 2012, The Source placed him on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time. He is also the only MC to be featured on Notorious B.I.G. 's debut album Ready to Die. Method Man appeared in the motion pictures Belly, How High, Garden State as well as a minor role in The Wackness. More recently, he appeared as a crewman in George Lucas' film Red Tails. On television, he and hip-hop collaborator Redman co-starred on the short-lived Fox sitcom Method & Red, and he had a recurring role on HBO's Oz as Tug Daniels and as Calvin \"Cheese\" Wagstaff on the HBO drama series The Wire."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel ; dbo:startYear "1989" ; dr:danielsScore 4951 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Run-D.M.C." ; dbo:abstract "Run–D.M.C. was an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York, founded in 1981 by Joseph \"Run\" Simmons, Darryl \"D.M.C. \" McDaniels, and Jason \"Jam Master Jay\" Mizell. The group is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture. Run–D.M.C. was one of the most well-known hip hop acts in the 1980s who, along with LL Cool J, The Beastie Boys, and Public Enemy signified the advent of the new school of hip hop music. They were the first group in the genre to have a gold album and be nominated for a Grammy Award. They were the first to earn a platinum record, the first to earn a multiplatinum certification the first to have videos on MTV, the first to appear on American Bandstand and the cover of Rolling Stone. Run-D.M. C was the only hip hop act to perform at Live Aid in 1985. The group was among the first to highlight the importance of the MC and DJ relationship. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked them number 48 in their list of the greatest musical artists of all time. In 2007, Run–D.M.C. was named \"The Greatest Hip Hop Group of All Time\" by MTV. com and \"Greatest Hip Hop Artist of All Time\" by VH1. On April 4, 2009, rapper Eminem inducted them into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In doing so, Run–D.M.C. became only the second hip hop group in history to be inducted, after Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. The initials \"D.M.C. \" are widely accepted to refer to Darryl McDaniels' initials. In the 1985 album King of Rock's title track, McDaniels says the initials have two meanings: \"Devastating Mic Control\" and \"D for never dirty, MC for mostly clean. \" He also makes a third reference \"The 'D's for Doing it all of the time, the 'M's for the rhymes that all are Mine, The 'C's for Cool - cool as can be.\""@en ; dbo:genre , , ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "1980" ; dr:danielsScore 4039 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Nicki Minaj" ; dbo:abstract "Onika Tanya Maraj (born December 8, 1982), known by her stage name Nicki Minaj, is a Trinidadian-born American rapper, singer-songwriter and television personality. Born in Saint James, Port of Spain and raised in Jamaica, Queens, New York City, she enrolled in performing art schools as a child. After success with three mixtapes released between 2007 and 2009, Minaj signed to Young Money Entertainment. Her debut studio album Pink Friday (2010) peaked atop the U.S. Billboard 200 and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) the month after its release. Its most successful single \"Super Bass\" has been certified quadruple-platinum and has sold more than four million copies, becoming one of the best-selling singles in the United States. She became the first female solo artist to have seven singles on the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time. Minaj's second album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012) topped charts internationally; it became one of the best-selling albums of that year and sold one million copies worldwide. Its lead single \"Starships\" became her highest-peaking single on the Billboard Hot 100 and one of the best-selling singles of 2012. She embarked on the Pink Friday Tour and the Pink Friday: Reloaded Tour and reissued the album as Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded – The Re-Up. Since 2013, Minaj has served as a judge on the twelfth season of American Idol. She has tentatively announced plans for a third album to be released later that year. Minaj's artistry features fast-paced rapping, alter egos and accents, notably British cockney. Her outlandish and colorful costumes, wigs and clothing have given her recognition as a fashion icon. She featured as a voice actress in Ice Age 4: Continental Drift. She has endorsed Adidas, MAC Cosmetics, and Pepsi. Minaj's work has earned her six BET Awards, four American Music Awards, two MTV Music Awards, an EMA and Billboard's 2011 Rising Star. She is the first female artist included on MTV's Annual Hottest MC List, with The New York Times suggesting that some consider her \"the most influential female rapper of all time. \" The Source named Minaj the Woman of the Year for 2012."@en ; dbo:genre , , , ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , ; dbo:startYear "2003" ; dr:danielsScore 4162 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Goodie Mob" ; dbo:abstract "Goodie Mob is a hip-hop act based in Atlanta, Georgia that formed in 1991 and currently consists of members Cee-Lo Green, Khujo, T-Mo, and Big Gipp."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1989" ; dr:danielsScore 4814 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Geto Boys" ; dbo:abstract "Geto Boys (originally spelled Ghetto Boys) is a rap group from Houston, Texas, consisting of Scarface, Willie D, and Bushwick Bill. The Geto Boys have earned notoriety for their lyrics which cover controversial topics such as misogyny, gore, psychotic experiences, and necrophilia. The Geto Boys broke new ground with their soulful southern sound (a precursor to the Dirty South style). About. com ranked them #10 on its list of the 25 Best Rap Groups of All-Time, describing them as \"southern rap pioneers who paved the way for future southern hip-hop acts.\""@en ; dbo:genre , ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1985" ; dr:danielsScore 4180 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Ice T" ; dbo:abstract "Tracy Marrow (born February 16, 1958), better known by his stage name Ice-T, is an American rapper and actor. He was born in Newark, New Jersey, and moved to the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles when he was in the 7th grade. After graduating from high school, he served in the United States Army for four years. He began his career as a rapper in the 1980s and was signed to Sire Records in 1987, when he released his debut album Rhyme Pays, the first hip-hop album to carry an explicit content sticker. The next year, he founded the record label Rhyme Syndicate Records (named after his collective of fellow hip-hop artists called the Rhyme Syndicate) and released another album, Power. He co-founded the heavy metal band Body Count, which he introduced in his 1991 album O.G. : Original Gangster. Body Count released its self-titled debut album in 1992. Ice-T encountered controversy over his track \"Cop Killer\", which was perceived to glamorize killing police officers. Ice-T asked to be released from his contract with Warner Bros. Records, and his next solo album, Home Invasion, was released later in February of 1993 through Priority Records. Body Count's next album was released in 1994, and Ice-T released two more albums in the late 1990s. Since 2000, he has portrayed NYPD Detective Odafin Tutuola on the NBC police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."@en ; dbo:genre , , ; dbo:recordLabel , , , ; dbo:startYear "1981" ; dr:danielsScore 4431 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Wale (rapper)"@en ; dbo:abstract "Ralph Victor Folarin (born Olubowale Victor Akintimehin in September 21, 1984), better known by his stage name Wale, is an American rapper from Washington, D.C.. He rose to prominence in 2006, when his song \"Dig Dug (Shake It)\" became popular in his hometown. Wale became locally recognized and continued recording music for the regional audience. Producer Mark Ronson discovered Wale in 2006 and signed him to Allido Records in 2007. While signed to that label, Wale released several mixtapes and appeared in national media including MTV and various urban magazines. In 2008, Wale signed to Interscope Records for $1.3 million, and his debut album Attention Deficit was released in 2009 with the singles \"Chillin\", \"Pretty Girls\", and \"World Tour\". The album, although under-shipped, received positive reviews from critics. In early 2011 Wale signed on with Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group, where members of the label released a compilation album, Self Made Vol. 1 on May 23, 2011. His second studio album, Ambition was released November 1, 2011, with mixed reviews. His third studio album, Gifted is scheduled for release on June 25, 2013."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "2004" ; dr:danielsScore 4896 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Insane Clown Posse" ; dbo:abstract "Insane Clown Posse (ICP) is an American hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan. The group is composed of Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, who perform under the respective personas of the \"wicked clowns\" Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. Insane Clown Posse performs a style of hardcore hip hop known as horrorcore and is known for its elaborate live performances. The duo has earned two platinum and five gold albums. According to Nielsen SoundScan, the entire catalog of the group has sold 6.5 million units in the United States and Canada as of April 2007. Originally known as Inner City Posse, the group introduced supernatural- and horror-themed lyrics as a means of distinguishing itself stylistically. The duo founded the independent record label Psychopathic Records with Alex Abbiss as manager, and produced and starred in the feature films Big Money Hustlas and Big Money Rustlas. They formed their own professional wrestling federation, Juggalo Championship Wrestling, and later collaborated with many well-known hip hop and rock musicians. The group has established a dedicated following, often referred to as Juggalos. The songs of Insane Clown Posse center thematically on the mythology of the Dark Carnival, a metaphoric limbo in which the lives of the dead are judged by one of several entities. The Dark Carnival is elaborated through a series of stories called Joker's Cards, each of which offers a specific lesson designed to change the \"evil ways\" of listeners before \"the end consumes us all.\""@en ; dbo:genre , , ; dbo:recordLabel ; dbo:startYear "1988" ; dr:danielsScore 4146 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Nelly" ; dbo:abstract "Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. (born November 2, 1974), better known by his stage name, Nelly, is an American Grammy Award-winning hip hop recording artist, entrepreneur and occasional actor from St. Louis, Missouri. He has performed with Southern hip hop group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album Country Grammar, the title track of which was a top ten hit. The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and went on to peak at number one. Country Grammar is Nelly's best-selling album to date, selling over 8.4 million copies in the United States. His following album, Nellyville, produced the number-one hits \"Hot in Herre\" and \"Dilemma\". Other singles included \"Work It\", \"Air Force Ones\", \"Pimp Juice\" and \"#1\". With the same-day dual release Sweat and Suit (2004) and the compilation Sweatsuit (2006), Nelly continued to generate many chart-topping hits. Sweat debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 342,000 copies in its first week. On the same week of release, Suit debuted at number one, selling around 396,000 copies in its first week on the same chart. Nelly's fifth studio album, Brass Knuckles, was released on September 16, 2008, after several delays. It produced the singles \"Party People\", \"Stepped on My J'z\" and \"Body on Me\". In 2010, Nelly released the album 5.0. The lead single, \"Just a Dream\", has appeared in the top ten of several singles charts and were certified platinum in the United States. The second single is \"Move That Body\" (featuring T-Pain and Akon). \"Gone\" is the sequel to Nelly's 2002 worldwide number one single \"Dilemma\", also with Rowland, and serves as third single from Nelly's album. He won Grammy Awards in 2003 and 2004 and had a supporting role in the 2005 remake film The Longest Yard with Adam Sandler and Chris Rock. He has two clothing lines, Vokal and Apple Bottoms. He has been referred to by Peter Shapiro as \"one of the biggest stars of the new millennium\", and the RIAA ranks Nelly as one of the best-selling male artists in American music history, with 21 million albums sold in the United States. On December 11, 2009, Billboard ranked Nelly the number three Top Artist of the Decade."@en ; dbo:genre , , ; dbo:recordLabel , , , ; dbo:startYear "1992" ; dr:danielsScore 4413 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Master P" ; dbo:abstract "Percy Robert Miller Sr. (born April 29, 1970), better known by his stage name Master P or his business name P. Miller, is an American rapper, actor, entrepreneur, investor, producer, and former professional minor league basketball player. He is the founder of the popular label No Limit Records, which went bankrupt and was relaunched as New No Limit Records through Koch Records, followed by Guttar Music Entertainment, Take A Stand Records and No Limit Forever Records. He is the founder and CEO of P. Miller Enterprises, an entertainment and financial conglomerate and Better Black Television. Miller gained fame in the late 1990s with the success of his group TRU and his fifth album Ice Cream Man, which contained his first single \"Mr. Ice Cream Man\". In 1997, after the success of one his biggest singles to date, \"Make 'Em Say Uhh!,\" went platinum, Miller grew further in popularity. Then Miller released his second platinum album Ghetto D. Miller also starred in his own street film, mostly based on his life, I'm Bout It. In 1998, P. Miller released his most successful album to date MP Da Last Don. The album was also based on a film that Miller produced, which came out earlier that year with the same name. The album hit #1 on the Billboard Top 200 charts, selling over 400,000 copies in its first week. The album was certified 4x platinum, with over four million copies sold, making it Miller's best-selling album. In 1999, Miller released his eighth album, Only God Can Judge Me. It was not as successful as his previous album, though it still managed to reach a gold certification. Miller also starred in the movie, I Got the Hook Up, with A.J. Johnson. In the 2000s, as No Limit Records' popularity was declining, Miller's was as well. P. Miller re-launched No Limit Records as New No Limit Records. On November 28, 2000, he released his ninth studio album, Ghetto Postage; with relatively little success compared to earlier releases, selling 500,000 copies; critics ravaged the album. In 2003, Miller starred in the film Lockdown. In 2004, Miller released his eleventh album, Good Side, Bad Side it charted number 1 on the Independent Billboards and sold 300,000 copies. The same year Miller released his first independent album Living Legend: Certified D-Boy on his new label Guttar Music, and the album only sold 75,000 copies. In 2011, Miller and Gucci Mane produced and were featured in a new soundtrack entitled \"Get Money\" which was produced by Drumma Boy."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1989" ; dr:danielsScore 3612 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Rakim" ; dbo:abstract "William Michael Griffin Jr. (born January 28, 1968), known by his stage name Rakim, is an American rapper. One half of golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential and most skilled MCs of all time. Eric B. & Rakim's classic album Paid in Full was named the greatest hip hop album of all time by MTV in 2006, while Rakim himself was ranked #4 on MTV's list of the Greatest MCs of All Time. Steve Huey of Allmusic stated that \"Rakim is near-universally acknowledged as one of the greatest MCs -- perhaps the greatest -- of all time within the hip-hop community. \" The editors of About. com ranked him #1 on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007). Rakim began his career as the emcee of the rap duo Eric B. & Rakim, who in 2011 were nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2012, The Source ranked him #1 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , ; dbo:startYear "1984" ; dr:danielsScore 4621 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "RZA" ; dbo:abstract "Robert Fitzgerald Diggs (born July 5, 1969), better known by his stage name RZA, is an American music producer, multi-instrumentalist, author, rapper, actor, director, and screenwriter. A prominent figure in hip hop, RZA is the de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan. He has produced almost all of Wu-Tang Clan's albums as well as many Wu-Tang solo and affiliate projects. He has also released solo albums under the alter-ego Bobby Digital, along with executive producing credits for side projects. In addition to the Wu-Tang Clan and his solo releases, RZA was also a founding member of the horrorcore Hip Hop group Gravediggaz where he used the name The RZArector. Furthermore, he has acted in several movies, including Coffee and Cigarettes, American Gangster, Gospel Hill, Life Is Hot in Cracktown, Ghost Dog, Funny People, Derailed, Due Date and Repo Men. He also appears in the Showtime TV series Californication. His directorial debut is for the film he co-wrote and in which he plays the title role, The Man with the Iron Fists, starring Russell Crowe. On November 1, 2012, he introduced the movie at a preview screening in the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens, the evening before the Universal picture opened nationwide. In 2008, RZA was ranked #4 on About. com's list of the Top 50 Hip-Hop Producers, while The Source placed him on its list of the 20 greatest producers in the magazine's twenty-year history. He also made the \"Elite 8\" in the search for The Greatest Hip-Hop Producer of All Time by Vibe."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1988" ; dr:danielsScore 5905 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Too Short" ; dbo:abstract "Todd Anthony Shaw (born April 28, 1966), better known by the stage name Too Short (stylized as Too $hort), is an American rapper, producer, and actor. He is best known for his hit songs like \"The Ghetto\" and \"Blow the Whistle\" along with being one of the pioneer rappers of West Coast hip hop."@en ; dbo:genre , ; dbo:recordLabel , ; dbo:startYear "1982" ; dr:danielsScore 3391 ; dct:subject , , , , , . rdfs:label "Lil Wayne" ; dbo:abstract "Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American hip hop recording artist from New Orleans, Louisiana. In 1991, at the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G. 'z, with fellow New Orleans-based rapper B.G.. In 1996, Lil Wayne joined Southern hip hop group Hot Boys, which also included rappers Juvenile, B.G. , and Young Turk. Hot Boys debuted with Get It How U Live! that same year. Lil Wayne gained most of his success with the group's major selling album Guerrilla Warfare (1999). Lil Wayne's debut studio album, Tha Block Is Hot (1999), was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His next albums, Lights Out (2000) and 500 Degreez (2002), were certified gold. He reached higher popularity with Tha Carter (2004), which included the single \"Go D.J. \", also appearing on Destiny's Child's top ten single \"Soldier\" that year. The album was followed by Tha Carter II (2005) and several mixtapes and collaborations throughout 2006 and 2007. Tha Carter III (2008) became Lil Wayne's most successful album to date, with first-week sales of over 1 million copies in the United States. It included the number-one single \"Lollipop\", as well as \"A Milli\" and \"Got Money\", and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. Lil Wayne's debut rock album, Rebirth (2010), was certified gold despite a generally negative critical response. In March 2010, Lil Wayne began serving an 8-month prison sentence in New York after being convicted of criminal possession of a weapon stemming from an incident in July 2007. I Am Not a Human Being (2010) was released during his prison sentence. His ninth album and first since his release, Tha Carter IV (2011), sold 964,000 copies in its first week of availability in the U.S. It featured \"6 Foot 7 Foot\", \"How to Love\", and \"She Will\". On September 27, 2012, Lil Wayne passed Elvis Presley as the male with the most entries on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with 109 songs."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , ; dbo:startYear "1990" ; dr:danielsScore 3743 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Das EFX" ; dbo:abstract "Das EFX is an American hip hop duo. It consists of emcees Skoob (also known as Books, born William \"Willie\" Hines, November 27, 1970) and Dray (also known as Krazy Drayzy, born Andre Weston, September 9, 1970). They rose to popularity in the early 1990s due to their affiliation with EPMD's Hit Squad and the duo's stream of consciousness lyrical delivery, which became one of the most influential lyrical styles in hip hop music during the early 1990s. Their style combined nonsensical lines with a fast-paced flow (that included words that end with \"-iggedy\") and numerous pop culture references."@en ; dbo:genre , ; dbo:recordLabel , ; dbo:startYear "1987" ; dr:danielsScore 5005 ; dct:subject , , , , , . rdfs:label "Gang Starr" ; dbo:abstract "Gang Starr was an influential East Coast hip hop duo that consisted of the late MC Guru and the DJ/producer DJ Premier."@en ; dbo:genre , ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "1984" ; dr:danielsScore 4794 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Common (entertainer)"@en ; dbo:abstract "Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. (born March 13, 1972), better known by his stage name Common (formerly Common Sense), is an American hip-hop recording artist and actor from Chicago, Illinois. Common debuted in 1992 with the album Can I Borrow a Dollar? and maintained a significant underground following into the late 1990s, after which he gained notable mainstream success through his work with the Soulquarians. His first major-label album, Like Water for Chocolate, received widespread critical acclaim and tremendous commercial success. His first Grammy award was in 2003 for Best R&B Song for \"Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)\" with Erykah Badu. Its popularity was matched by May 2005's Be, which was nominated in the 2006 Grammy Awards for Best Rap Album. Common was awarded his second Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, for \"Southside\" (featuring Kanye West), from his July 2007 album Finding Forever. His best-of album, Thisisme Then: The Best of Common, was released on November 27, 2007. Common has also initiated a burgeoning acting career, starring significant roles in such films as Smokin' Aces, Street Kings, American Gangster, Wanted, Terminator Salvation, Date Night, Just Wright, Happy Feet Two, and New Year's Eve. He also narrated the award-winning documentary Bouncing Cats, about one man's efforts to improve the lives of children in Uganda through hip-hop/b-boy culture. He currently stars as Elam Ferguson on the AMC western television series Hell on Wheels."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , ; dbo:startYear "1990" ; dr:danielsScore 4974 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "A Tribe Called Quest" ; dbo:abstract "A Tribe Called Quest is an American hip hop group, formed in 1985, and is composed of MC/producer Q-Tip, MC Phife Dawg aka Phife Diggy (Malik Taylor), and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A fourth member, rapper Jarobi White, left the group after their first album but rejoined in 1991. Along with De La Soul, the group was a central part of the Native Tongues Posse, and enjoyed the most commercial success out of all the groups to emerge from that collective. Many of their songs, such as \"Bonita Applebum\", \"Can I Kick It?\", \"I Left My Wallet in El Segundo\", \"Scenario\", \"Check the Rhime\", \"Jazz (We've Got)\", \"Award Tour\" and \"Electric Relaxation\" are regarded as classics by the hip hop community. They released five albums between 1990 and 1998; the group disbanded in 1998. In 2006, the group reunited and toured the U.S. , and planned to release a new album. The group are regarded as iconic pioneers of alternative hip hop music, having helped to pave the way for innovative hip hop artists. John Bush of Allmusic called them \"the most intelligent, artistic rap group during the 1990s,\" while the editors of About. com ranked them #4 on their list of the \"25 Best Rap Groups of All Time. \" In 2005, A Tribe Called Quest received a Special Achievement Award at the Billboard R&B Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta. In 2007, the group was formally honored at the 4th VH1 Hip Hop Honors."@en ; dbo:genre , ; dbo:recordLabel ; dbo:startYear "1984" ; dr:danielsScore 4635 ; dct:subject , , , , . rdfs:label "Lupe Fiasco" ; dbo:abstract "Wasalu Muhammad Jaco (born February 16, 1982), better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco, is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to fame in 2006 following the success of his debut album, Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor. He also performs as the frontman of rock band Japanese Cartoon under his real name. As an entrepreneur, Fiasco is the chief executive officer of 1st and 15th Entertainment. Raised in Chicago, Fiasco developed an interest in hip hop after initially disliking the genre for its use of vulgarity and misogyny. After adopting the name Lupe Fiasco and recording songs in his father's basement, 19-year-old Fiasco joined a group called Da Pak. The group disbanded shortly after its inception, and Fiasco soon met rapper Jay-Z who helped him sign a record deal with Atlantic Records. In September 2006, Fiasco released his debut album Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor on the label, which received three Grammy nominations. He released his second album, Lupe Fiasco's The Cool, in December 2007. The lead single \"Superstar\" peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. After a two-year delay, Lasers was released in March 2011 to mixed reviews, with lead single \"The Show Goes On\" peaking at number 9 on the chart. Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1 was released in September 2012. In addition to music, Fiasco has pursued other business ventures, including fashion. He runs two clothing lines, Righteous Kung-Fu and Trilly & Truly; he has designed sneakers for Reebok. He has been involved with charitable activities, including the Summit on the Summit expedition, and in 2010 he recorded a benefit single for victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Fiasco is also noted for his anti-establishment views, which he has expressed in both interviews and his music."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel ; dbo:startYear "1998" ; dr:danielsScore 4439 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Twista" ; dbo:abstract "Carl Terrell Mitchell (born November 27, 1973), better known by his stage name Twista, (formerly known as Tung Twista) is an American rapper. He hails from Chicago, Illinois and is known for his Chopper style of rap and for once holding the title of fastest rapper in the world according to Guinness World Records in 1992, being able to pronounce 598 syllables in 55 seconds. In 1997, after appearing on Do or Die's hit \"Po Pimp\" produced by The Legendary Traxster, Twista signed with Big Beat/Atlantic Records and debuted with that label with Adrenaline Rush and formed the group Speedknot Mobstaz in 1998. His 2004 album Kamikaze went to the top on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart after the success of his Billboard Hot 100 single \"Slow Jamz\"."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1989" ; dr:danielsScore 4705 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Brother Ali" ; dbo:abstract "Ali Newman (born Jason Newman, July 30, 1977), better known by his stage name Brother Ali, is an American hip hop artist signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , ; dbo:startYear "1997" ; dr:danielsScore 4700 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "50 Cent" ; dbo:abstract "Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003) and The Massacre (2005). His album Get Rich or Die Tryin' has been certified eight times platinum by the RIAA. Born in the South Jamaica of Queens, New York City, Jackson began drug dealing at the age of twelve during the 1980s crack epidemic. After leaving drug dealing to pursue a rap career, he was shot at and struck by nine bullets during an incident in 2000. After releasing his album Guess Who's Back? in 2002, Jackson was discovered by rapper Eminem and signed to Interscope Records. With the help of Eminem and Dr. Dre, who produced his first major commercial successes, Jackson became one of the world's highest selling rappers. In 2003, he founded the record label G-Unit Records, which signed several successful rappers such as Young Buck, Lloyd Banks, and Tony Yayo. Jackson has engaged in feuds with other rappers including Ja Rule, Nas, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Cam'ron, Puff Daddy, Rick Ross, and former G-Unit members The Game and Young Buck. He has also pursued an acting career, appearing in the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin' in 2005, the Iraq War film Home of the Brave in 2006, and Righteous Kill in 2008. 50 Cent was ranked as the sixth-best artist of the 2000s by Billboard magazine. The magazine also ranked him as the fourth top male artist and as the third top rapper behind Eminem and Nelly. Billboard magazine also ranked him as the sixth best and most successful Hot 100 Artist of the 2000s and as the number one rap artist of the 2000s. Billboard ranked his album Get Rich or Die Tryin' as the twelfth best album of the 2000s and his album The Massacre as the 37th best album of the 2000s. 50 Cent is currently working on his fifth studio album, Street King Immortal, which is to be released in Spring 2013."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1995" ; dr:danielsScore 3591 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Snoop Dogg" ; dbo:abstract "Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. (born October 20, 1971) is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actor, well known by his stage names Snoop Doggy Dogg, Snoop Dogg, and Snoop Lion. He has sold over 30 million albums worldwide. His music career began in 1992 when he was discovered by Dr. Dre. He collaborated on Dre's solo debut The Chronic, and on the theme song to the film Deep Cover. Snoop's debut album, Doggystyle, was released in 1993 under Death Row Records, debuting at #1 on both the Billboard 200 and Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. Selling almost a million copies in the first week of its release, Doggystyle became certified 4× platinum in 1994 and spawned several hit singles, including \"What's My Name\" and \"Gin & Juice\". In 1994, Snoop released a soundtrack on Death Row Records for the short film Murder Was The Case, starring himself. His second album Tha Doggfather (1996), also debuted at No.1 on both charts with \"Snoop's Upside Ya Head\" as the lead single. The album was certified double platinum in 1997. After leaving Death Row, Snoop signed with No Limit Records, where he recorded his next three albums. Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told (1998), No Limit Top Dogg (1999), and Tha Last Meal (2000). Snoop then signed with Priority/Capitol/EMI Records in 2002, where he released Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss. He then signed with Geffen Records in 2004 for his next three albums R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece, Tha Blue Carpet Treatment, and Ego Trippin'. Malice 'n Wonderland (2009) and Doggumentary (2011), were released on Priority. Snoop Dogg has starred in motion pictures and hosted several television shows including, Doggy Fizzle Televizzle, Snoop Dogg's Father Hood, and Dogg After Dark. He also coaches a youth football league and high school football team. In September 2009, Snoop was hired by EMI as the chairman of a reactivated Priority Records. In 2012, after a trip to Jamaica, Snoop announced a conversion to the Rastafari movement and a new alias, Snoop Lion. Under the new moniker, he plans to release a reggae album, Reincarnated, and a documentary film of the same name, of his Jamaican experience, in early 2013."@en ; dbo:genre , , ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1991" ; dr:danielsScore 3974 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Ghostface Killah" ; dbo:abstract "Dennis Coles (born May 9, 1970), better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success. Ghostface Killah debuted his solo-career with Ironman in 1996, which was well received by music critics. He has continued his success over the following years with critically acclaimed albums such as Supreme Clientele (2000) and FishScale (2006). His stage name was taken from one of the characters in the 1979 kung fu film Mystery of Chessboxing. He is the founder of his own label Starks Enterprises. Ghostface Killah is critically acclaimed for his loud, fast-paced flow, and his emotional stream-of-consciousness narratives containing cryptic slang and non-sequiturs. In 2006, MTV included him on their honorable mention list of The Greatest MCs of All Time, while the editors of About. com placed him on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007), calling him \"one of the most imaginative storytellers of our time. \" Q magazine called him \"rap's finest storyteller.\""@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel ; dbo:startYear "1991" ; dr:danielsScore 5774 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Nas" ; dbo:abstract "Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, better known mononymously as Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is the son of jazz musician Olu Dara. Since 1994, Nas has released eight consecutive platinum and multi-platinum albums and sold over 13 million records in the United States alone. Aside from rapping, Nas is also an occasional actor. His musical career began in 1991 when he was featured on Main Source's track \"Live at the Barbeque\". His debut album Illmatic, released in 1994, received universal acclaim from both critics and the hip hop community. It is frequently ranked as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. His follow-up album It Was Written debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Charts, stayed on top for four consecutive weeks, went platinum twice in only two months, and made Nas internationally known. From 1996 to 2005, Nas was involved in a highly publicized feud with rapper Jay-Z. In 2006, Nas signed to Def Jam. In 2010, he released a collaboration album with reggae artist Damian Marley, donating all royalties to charities active in Africa. His tenth studio album, Life Is Good was released in 2012. Nas is often named as one of the top rap artists. MTV ranked him at number 5 on their list of The Greatest MCs of All Time. In 2012, The Source ranked him No. 2 on their list of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , ; dbo:startYear "1979" ; dr:danielsScore 5096 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Gucci Mane" ; dbo:abstract "Radric Davis (born February 12, 1980) better known by his stage name Gucci Mane, is an American rapper. He debuted in 2005 with Trap House, followed by Hard to Kill in 2006, Trap-A-Thon, and Back to the Trap House in 2007. In 2009, his second studio album The State vs. Radric Davis was released. The Appeal: Georgia's Most Wanted was released in 2010, and is his highest charting album so far. Gucci Mane has released many other mixtapes and independent albums as well. While serving a six-month jail term for assault in late 2005, Davis was charged with murder, though the charges were later dropped due to a lack of evidence. In 2009, he served a year-long county jail sentence for violating probation for his 2005 aggravated assault conviction."@en ; dbo:genre , , ; dbo:recordLabel , , , ; dbo:startYear "2004" ; dr:danielsScore 3885 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "The Roots"@en ; dbo:abstract "The Roots are an American Grammy Award-winning hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq \"Black Thought\" Trotter and Ahmir \"Questlove\" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are known for a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which includes live instrumentals. Malik B. , Leonard \"Hub\" Hubbard, and Josh Abrams were added to the band, originally called The Square Roots. Since their first independent album release, the band has released 10 studio albums, two EPs, two collaboration albums and have collaborated with a wide range of artists from different genres. The Roots have served as the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon since its premiere in 2009. The Roots' work has been repeatedly met with critical acclaim. About. com ranked them #7 on its list of the 25 Best Rap Groups of All-Time, describing them as \"Hip-hop's first legitimate band.\""@en ; dbo:genre , , , , , ; dbo:recordLabel , , , ; dbo:startYear "1986" ; dr:danielsScore 5803 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Lil B" ; dbo:abstract "Brandon McCartney (born August 17, 1989), known by his stage name Lil B or The BasedGod, is an American rapper and author from Berkeley, California. Lil B has recorded both solo and with The Pack. In addition, Lil B is noted for his extensive use of social media websites such as MySpace and Twitter to build an online following."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel ; dbo:startYear "2003" ; dr:danielsScore 3724 ; dct:subject , , , , , , . rdfs:label "MF DOOM" ; dbo:abstract "Daniel Dumile is an English-born American underground hip hop artist best known for his \"super villain\" stage persona and unique lyrics. Daniel Dumile has taken on several stage names in his career, most notably as MF DOOM. He has appeared in several collaborative projects such as Danger Doom, JJ DOOM and Madvillain. His rap moniker is DOOM, and when producing for himself, MF will precede it, referring to his production moniker Metal Fingers."@en ; dbo:genre ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1987" ; dr:danielsScore 5204 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Missy Elliot" ; dbo:abstract "Melissa Arnette \"Missy\" Elliott (born July 1, 1971) is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actress. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Elliott, with record sales of over thirty million in the United States, is the only female rapper to have six albums certified platinum by the RIAA, including one double platinum for her 2002 album Under Construction. Elliott is known for a series of hits and diverse music videos, including \"The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)\", \"Hot Boyz\", \"Get Ur Freak On\", \"One Minute Man\", \"4 My People\", \"Work It\", \"Pass That Dutch\", and \"Lose Control\". In addition, she has worked extensively as a songwriter and producer for other artists, both alone and with her fellow producer and childhood friend Timbaland, with whom she received her first production credit on R&B singer Ginuwine's 1996's album Ginuwine... the Bachelor."@en ; dbo:genre , ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1990" ; dr:danielsScore 3874 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Killah Priest" ; dbo:abstract "Walter Reed, better known by his stage name Killah Priest, is an American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan affiliate who was raised in Brooklyn. He is known for intensely spiritual lyrics loaded with metaphors and religious references. He is connected to the Black Hebrew Israelites through his rhymes, and is known for controversial and political subject matter. He is also a part of supergroup the HRSMN along with Canibus, Ras Kass, and Kurupt."@en ; dbo:genre , ; dbo:recordLabel , , ; dbo:startYear "1992" ; dr:danielsScore 5737 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Big Daddy Kane" ; dbo:abstract "Antonio Hardy (born September 10, 1968) better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is a Grammy Award-winning American rapper who started his career in 1986 as a member of the rap group the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MCs in hip hop. Regarding the name Big Daddy Kane, he said: \"The Big Daddy part and the Kane part came from two different things. The Kane part came from my fascination with the martial arts flicks when I was young. \" The Big Daddy part came from the name of a character Vincent Price played in the film Beach Party. Rolling Stone magazine ranked his song \"Ain't No Half Steppin'\" #25 on its list of The 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time, calling him \"a master wordsmith of rap's late-golden age and a huge influence on a generation of MCs. \" They added, \"Legend has it that even the Eighties' greatest rapper, Rakim, turned down a challenge to go mic-to-mic with Kane.\""@en ; dbo:genre , ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1986" ; dr:danielsScore 4768 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Juvenile (rapper)"@en ; dbo:abstract "Terius Gray (born March 25, 1975), better known by his stage name Juvenile, is an American rapper, He is also a former member of hip-hop group the Hot Boys. At the age of 19, he began recording raps, releasing his debut album Being Myself in 1995. He became popular when his 1999 single \"Back That Thang Up\" was released. In 2003, he returned to Cash Money to record Juve the Great, spawning the number-one hit \"Slow Motion\". Following this album he again left Cash Money, and in 2006 he was signed to Atlantic Records. He released Reality Check under that label. He released his eighth studio album, titled Cocky & Confident, on December 1, 2009. He released his ninth studio album, titled Beast Mode, on July 6, 2010."@en ; dbo:genre , , ; dbo:recordLabel , , , ; dbo:startYear "1992" ; dr:danielsScore 3630 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , . rdfs:label "Cypress Hill" ; dbo:abstract "Cypress Hill is an American hip hop group from South Gate, California. Cypress Hill was the first Cuban-American/Latino hip hop group to have platinum and multi-platinum albums, selling over 18 million albums worldwide. They are one of the most well-known groups in West Coast rap and Hip Hop in general and are critically acclaimed for their first two groundbreaking albums."@en ; dbo:genre , , , , , , ; dbo:recordLabel , , , , ; dbo:startYear "1987" ; dr:danielsScore 4568 ; dct:subject , , , , , , , , , , , , .