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what is music?

The problem with answering the question "What is music?" is understanding what would constitute a proper answer. Music arises from human behaviour, and the study of human behaviour is part of biology. So any question about music is a question about biology, and every question about biology requires an answer within the framework of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection.

Eminem

Eminem

Eminem biography

Eminem, born Marshall Bruce Mathers III, 17 October 1973, Kansas City, Missouri, USA. This white rapper burst onto the US charts in 1999 with a controversial take on the horrorcore genre. Mathers endured an itinerant childhood, living with his mother in various states before eventually ending up in Detroit at the age of 12. He took up rapping in high school before dropping out in ninth grade, joining ad hoc groups Basement Productions, the New Jacks, and D12. The newly named Eminem released a raw debut album in 1997 through independent label FBT. Infinite was poorly received, however, with Eminem earning unfavourable comparisons to leading rappers such as Nas and AZ. His determination to succeed was given a boost by a prominent feature in Source's Unsigned Hype column, and he gained revenge on his former critics when he won the Wake Up Show's Freestyle Performer Of The Year award, and finished runner-up in Los Angeles' annual Rap Olympics. The following year's The Slim Shady EP, named after his sinister alter-ego, featured some vitriolic attacks on his detractors. The stand-out track, "Just Don't Give A fuck", became a highly popular underground hit, and led to guest appearances on MC Shabaam Sahddeq's "Five Star Generals" single and Kid Rock's Devil Without A Cause set. As a result, Eminem was signed to Aftermath Records by label boss Dr. Dre, who adopted the young rapper as his protege and acted as co-producer on Eminem's full-length debut. Dre's beats featured prominently on The Slim Shady LP, a provocative feast of violent, twisted lyrics, with a moral outlook partially redeemed by Eminem's claim to be only "voicing" the thoughts of the Slim Shady character. Parody or no parody, lyrics to tracks such as "97 Bonnie & Clyde" (which contained lines about killing the mother of his child) and frequent verbal outbursts about his mother were held by many, outside even the usual Christian moral majority, to be deeply irresponsible. The album was buoyed by the commercial success of the singles "My Name Is" and "Guilty Conscience" (the former helped by a striking, MTV-friendly video), and climbed to number 2 on the US album chart in March 1999.

Eminem subsequently made high profile appearances on Rawkus Records' Soundbombing Volume 2 compilation and Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott's Da Real World. He was also in the news when his mother filed a lawsuit claiming that comments made by the rapper during interviews and on The Slim Shady LP had caused, amongst other things, emotional distress, damage to her reputation and loss of self-esteem. None of which harmed the sales of Eminem's follow-up album, The Marshall Mathers LP, which debuted at number 1 on the US album chart in May 2000 and established him as the most successful rapper since the mid-90s heyday of 2Pac and Snoop Doggy Dogg. By the end of the year, however, his troubled personal life and a serious assault charge had removed the gloss from his phenomenal commercial success. Despite criticism from gay rights groups, the rapper swept up three Grammy Awards the following February. He also reunited with his D12 colleagues to record the transatlantic chart-topping Devil's Night.
Eminem's new studio album, The Eminem Show, was premiered by single "Without Me". The track, which debuted at UK number 1 in May 2002, featured a sample from Malcolm McLaren's "Buffalo Girls" and was supported by a controversial video which saw the rapper dressing up as Osama Bin Laden. The album debuted at number 1 on both sides of the Atlantic. Later in the year, Eminem made his mainstream acting debut in 8 Mile. The lead single from the soundtrack, "Lose Yourself", gave the rapper his first US number 1 single in November.

Eminem Biography 2

Although he's only been in the public eye since 1999, Marshall Mathers (aka Eminem) has crammed at least a decade's worth of career highs and lows into those few short, high-profile years. The Detroit-based Dr. Dre prot�g� has invoked the wrath of women and homosexuals with his offensive lyrics; become enemies with Moby, Everlast, Fred Durst, and Christina Aguilera; provided tabloids with plenty of gossip fodder regarding his personal life...and in the process become just about the biggest rock star on the planet. This is because Eminem isn't just about controversy and shock value: This often misunderstood major talent has actually given white rappers genuine credibility in this post-Vanilla Ice age with his string of dynamic hits (both solo and with his side group, D12), his plethora of Grammy nominations, his critically acclaimed film 8 Mile, and his three multiplatinum studio albums, which--once one gets past the hype and hullabaloo that surround them--are some of the most creative, original, and exciting releases of the rap genre (or any musical genre) in the past decade.

Mathers was born into a poor, working-class family on October 17, 1972 in St. Joseph, Missouri, though he spent much of his youth in Detroit, the city he would eventually put on the rap map. Originally taking on the stage name M&M (later changed to its current spelling), at age 14 he became a battle rapper, competing against other Detroit MCs in local clubs. After a short stint with a rap act called New Jacks, in 1995 he made his recording debut with a group called Soul Intent, which introduced him to a rapper named Proof, who appeared on that single's B-side. Eminem and Proof soon started a new group called D12 with four other MCs (Bizarre, Kon Artis, Swift, and Kuniva), while Eminem simultaneously launched his solo career with two independent releases, 1996's Infinite and 1997's The Slim Shady EP, which featured his trademark dark, disturbing, angry lyrics. Eminem drew from his troubled personal life when penning such bleak words: He had just had a daughter with his on/off girlfriend, Kim, with whom he had a very tumultuous relationship; he was estranged from his mother, with whom he also frequently butted heads; he was abusing alcohol and drugs with alarming frequency; and he had attempted suicide on at least one occasion. Though these harrowing experiences provided inspiration for some brilliant if nasty and offensive lyrics, Mathers was at such a low point in his life that it seemed there was nowhere to go but up.

Enter Interscope Records honcho Jimmy Iovine, who--impressed by Eminem's fresh and bold style--approached the struggling rapper after seeing him take second place in the freestyle category at 1997's Rap Olympics. Iovine later played Eminem's demo tape for super-producer and former Death Row Records chief/NWA member Dr. Dre, who immediately liked what he heard, contacted Eminem, and started a fruitful creative partnership with Eminem that exists to this day. (Legend has it that the two recorded Eminem's first big hit single, "My Name Is," within an hour after first meeting each other.) Interscope quickly signed Mathers, and Dre produced his major-label debut album, The Slim Shady LP, which was released in February 1999 to both massive acclaim and derision, eventually going triple-platinum.

Eminem's follow-up, 2000's Marshall Mathers LP, was an even bigger phenomenon, selling almost 2 million copies in its first week of release alone, thus becoming the fastest-selling hip-hop album of all time. However, the album stirred up even more of an uproar than its predecessor, making Mathers the target of much public hatred. Among other conflicts and controversies, the album created a feud with pop princess Christina Aguilera (the single "The Real Slim Shady" alleged that she had performed oral sex on both Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst and MTV's Carson Daly); led his mother to file a defamation lawsuit against him (a judge later dismissed the case); and generated accusations of homophobia and sexism mostly centering around the songs "Kill You" and "Kim" (the latter a rant about the mother of his child, whom he had recently married but would soon divorce, and later reconcile with yet again). But Eminem thrived on the controversy, becoming an even bigger superstar and racking up a surprising number of Grammy nominations in 2001, much to the chagrin of his many outspoken detractors. And he kept people guessing about how much of the Slim Shady "character" was really the real deal, when he performed a duet version of his single "Stan" with the openly gay Elton John at the Grammys ceremony, even warmly hugging Elton onstage. Mathers won three Grammys that night--Best Rap Solo Performance (for "The Real Slim Shady"), Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group (for his work on the Dr. Dre duet "Forgot About Dre"), and Best Rap Album (for The Marshall Mathers LP)--adding to the two statuettes he'd won the previous year for "My Name Is" (Best Rap Solo Performance) and The Slim Shady LP (Best Rap Album).

There seemed no stopping Eminem--not even convictions on weapons and assault charges (stemming from separate incidents involving his estranged wife with another man and rival Detroit rap act Insane Clown Posse). Eminem was sentenced to community service and kept on recording, releasing Devil's Night with old group D12 in 2001 and then The Eminem Show, one of the most critically heralded albums of 2002 and his most personal work yet. He also revealed more of his real-life persona in 8 Mile, a Rocky-style feelgood flick lensed by L.A. Confidential/Wonder Boys director Curtis Hanson that presented a sort of cleaned-up version of Eminem's rags-to-riches life story. Eminem put on such an impressive performance in the film that there was actually speculation that he would receive a Best Actor nomination at the Oscars in 2003.

While Eminem may have seemed like a novelty act at first--with his shocking, four-letter lyrics, cartoonish bad-boy image, and, of course, pale skin color (a real anomaly in hip-hop)--he has since established himself as one of the most important artists of his time and a true force to be reckoned with, continuing to cross both color boundaries and genre boundaries with his edgy, rock-tinged raps. With his turbulent personal life, powder-keg temper, and tendency to tangle with the law, it is still uncertain how long his career will last before he burns out, but it's already obvious that his music had made history and will long outlast any controversy that dogs him.

- Lyndsey Parker

Eminem Biography 3

In a few short months, Eminem has gone from being one of the most heralded emcees in independent hip-hop to one of the most provocative, controversial rappers in contemporary pop music. The overnight success of his debut album, The Slim Shady LP, literally rocked the rap world, making him one of the biggest music success stories of 1999. But Eminem is more than the latest rap artist to blow up. He's spent the last several years paying his dues, and his lyrics, which cover topics such as poverty and single parenthood, reflect a rough upbringing. His unlikely acceptance by the pop mainstream has made some wonder how his popularity will affect the future of hip-hop music.

Before he had the world singing along to "My Name Is �," he was Marshall Mathers, a poor kid growing up in Warren, Mich. "It's like the real, stereotypical, trailer park, white trash," Eminem told Rap Pages earlier this year. As a child, he and his mother moved constantly, staying at relatives' homes in places as disparate as Warren and Kansas City, Mo. As a result, Marshall found it difficult to make friends, and he retreated into his comic books and television. "I didn't really start opening up until eighth grade, going into ninth," he said.

When Mathers was 12, his mother finally settled down on the east side of Detroit. There, he attended Lincoln Junior High School and Osbourne High School, hanging out with friends and listening to artists like LL Cool J and the 2 Live Crew. He battled against other rappers at his high school, and quickly gained a reputation as a nimble rhymer. But his penchant for skipping school led him to fail the ninth grade. After dropping out of high school, he held down several odd jobs, while continuing to work on his craft. "I tried to go back to school five years ago," he said, "but I couldn't do it. I just wanted to rap and be a star one day."

Mathers rapped in several groups such as Basement Productions, the New Jacks, and Sole Intent, before deciding to go solo. In 1997, he released an album, Infinite, through a local company called FBT Productions; it was met with derision from the local hip-hop community. "I was getting a lot of feedback saying I sounded like Nas or Jay-Z," he admitted. Despite the criticism, Eminem continued to promote himself through shows and appearances at radio stations and freestyle competitions across the nation. His perseverance garnered him a notice in the Source's influential "Unsigned Hype" column. Later that year, he won the 1997 Wake Up Show Freestyle Performer of the Year from L.A. DJs Sway and Tech, and earned second place in Rap Sheet magazine's "Rap Olympics," an annual freestyle rap competition.

In 1998, Eminem put out The Slim Shady EP, which contained the original version of "Just Don't Give A �" "Slim Shady is the evil side of me, the sarcastic, foul-mouthed side of me," he said during an interview with the Source. The EP made him an underground star, and Eminem was invited to appear on underground MC Shabaam Sahdeeq's "Five Star Generals" single, Kid Rock's Devil Without a Cause, and other rap releases. At the end of the year, Eminem put out a popular 12-inch, "Nuttin' to Do/ Scary Movies," with fellow Detroit rapper Royce the 5'9".

Meanwhile, a copy of The Slim Shady EP made its way into the hands of Dr. Dre, the legendary creator of The Chronic and N.W.A., and current president of Aftermath Entertainment. Dr. Dre quickly signed Eminem to his label, and the two began preparing The Slim Shady EP for a full-fledged release, adding songs like "My Name Is �" and "Guity Conscience." Early in 1999, Eminem made the world take notice with his charismatic video for "My Name Is �" parodying everyone from Marilyn Manson to the President of the United States. Shortly afterward, The Slim Shady LP debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Album Chart. Its sensationalistic depiction of rampant drug use, rape, sex, and violence horrified some; equally disturbing was Eminem's various four-letter-word insults directed at his mother and songs like "'97 Bonnie and Clyde," where Eminem fantasized about killing the mother of his child.

In defense, Eminem claimed that he was just speaking his mind. "I do feel like I'm coming from a standpoint where people don't realize there are a lot of poor white people," he explained in the Source. "Rap music kept my mind off all the bulls--t I had to go through." His cynical take on life struck a chord with millions of rap fans, and drove The Slim Shady LP to double-platinum-plus sales. He began to tour, including a solo jaunt with the Beatnuts and Mixmaster Mike.

While most in the hip-hop community greeted Eminem with open arms, others took a more cautious approach, wondering why rock stations across the country who never played rap music added "My Name Is �" to their playlists. Was it because Eminem was the first "legitimate" white rapper to gain widespread popularity? "I'm white in a music started by black people. I'm not ignorant to the culture and I'm not trying to take anything away from the culture," he said in his defense. "But no one has a choice where they grew up or what color they are. If you're a rich kid or a ghetto kid you have no control over your circumstance. The only control you have is to get out of your situation or stay in it."

Throughout the year, Eminem has continued to record for other artists, making appearances on Sway and Tech's This or That compilation, DJ Spinna's Heavy Beats Vol. 1, Missy Elliott's Da Real World, the Soundbombing 2 compilation, and Dr. Dre's highly anticipated sequel to The Chronic, Chronic 2001: No Seeds. And in June and July of 1999, the rapper took to the road with the Warped tour, filling in for Cypress Hill, who decided to forgo the tour in favor of recording its next album.

After wrapping up his touring commitments, Eminem plans to take a short break before returning to the studio to record the follow up to The Slim Shady LP. In the meantime, he can bask in the glow of his many awards. Not only is he up for Best New Artist in the Source's Hip-Hop Music Awards, he also garnered four MTV Video Music Awards � "My Name Is �" nabbed nods for Best Male Video, Best New Artist, and Best Director, and "Guilty Conscience" earned him a Breakthrough Video nomination.

- Mosi Reeves, Wall Of Sound

Eminem Biography 4

The average rapper wouldn't be able to grace the pages of Rap Pages, VIBE, Rolling Stone, Spin, The Source, URB and Stress and go on a national tour months before their major-label debut album is released. Then again, Eminem isn't an average rapper. He's phenomenal.

The impending release of the The Slim Shady LP, his first set on Aftermath/Interscope Records, already has underground hip-hop heads fiending for Eminem. Chock full of dazzling lyrical escapades that delve into the mind of a violently warped and vulgar yet extremely talented wordsmith, the 14-cut collection contains some of the most memorable and demented lyrics ever recorded.

For Eminem, his potentially controversial and undoubtedly offensive songs will strike a chord with a multitude of hip-hop loyalists who believe they have little to lose and everything to gain.

"I'm not alone in feeling the way I feel," he says. "I believe that a lot of people can relate to my shit--whether white, black, it doesn't matter. Everybody has been through some shit, whether it's drastic or not so drastic. Everybody gets to the point of 'I don't give a fuck.'"

Those words are more than just a slogan for the Detroit resident. "I Just Don't Give A Fuck" and "Brain Damage" are the two songs comprising Eminem's initial single from The Slim Shady LP. Each tune is sure to paralyze meek listeners with their relentless lyrical assault. Produced primarily by long-time collaborators FBT Productions, the Slim Shady LP also features beatwork from Aftermath CEO Dr. Dre. The N.W.A. alum handled beats for "My Name Is" (the second single), "Guilty Conscience" and "Role Model."

Dr. Dre was so impressed after hearing Eminem freestyling on a Los Angeles radio station that he put out a manhunt for the Michigan rhymer. Shortly thereafter, Dre signed Eminem to his Aftermath imprint and the two began working together. Thoroughly impressed with Eminem's previously released independent Slim Shady EP, Dre said they would include many of the EP's tracks on the album.

"It was an honor to hear the words out of Dre's mouth that he liked my shit," Eminem says. "Growing up, I was one of the biggest fans of N.W.A, from putting on the sunglasses and looking in the mirror and lipsinking to wanting to be Dr. Dre, to be Ice Cube. This is the biggest hip-hop producer ever."

But like many other rappers, Eminem's rise to stardom was far from easy. After being born in Kansas City and traveling back and forth between KC and the Detroit metropolitan area, Eminem and his mother moved into the Eastside of Detroit when he was 12. Switching schools every two to three months made it difficult to make friends, graduate and to stay out of trouble.

Rap, however, became Eminem's solace. Battling schoolmates in the lunchroom brought joy to what was otherwise a painful existence. Although he would later drop out of school and land several minimum-wage-paying, full-time jobs, his musical focus remained constant.

Eminem released his debut album, Infinite, in 1996. Desperate to be embraced by the Motor City's hip-hop scene, Eminem rapped in such a manner that he was accused of sounding like Nas and AZ.

"Infinite was me trying to figure out how I wanted my rap style to be, how I wanted to sound on the mic and present myself," he recalls. "It was a growing stage. I felt like Infinite was like a demo that just got pressed up."

After being thoroughly disappointed and hurt by the response Infinite received, Eminem began working on what would later become the Slim Shady EP -- a project he made for himself. Featuring several scathing lines about local music industry personalities as well as devious rants about life in general, the set quickly caught the ear of hip-hop's difficult-to-please underground.

"I had nothing to lose, but something to gain," Eminem says of that point in his life. "If I made an album for me and it was to my satisfaction, then I succeeded. If I didn't, then my producers were going to give up on the whole rap thing we were doing. I made some shit that I wanted to hear. The Slim Shady EP, I lashed out on everybody who talked shit about me."

By presenting himself as himself, Eminem and his career took off. Soon after giving the Rap Coalition's Wendy Day a copy of the Infinite album at a chance meeting, she helped the aspiring lyrical gymnast secure a spot at the Coalition�s 1997 Rap Olympics in Los Angeles, where he won second place in the freestyle competition. During the trip, Eminem and his manager, Paul Rosenberg, gave a few people from Interscope Records his demo and he made his major radio debut on the world famous Wake Up Show with Sway and Tech. Realizing that this was the opportunity of his lifetime, Eminem delivered a furious medley of lyrics that wowed his hosts and radio audience alike.

"I felt like it's my time to shine," Eminem says of that performance. "I have to rip this. At that time, I felt that it was a life or death situation."

Eminem would soon record the underground classic "5 Star Generals." This record helped establish him in Japan, New York and Los Angeles. It also helped him earn a spot on the inaugural Lyricist Lounge tour, which took him to stages from Philadelphia to Los Angeles.

Set to take the hip-hop world by storm with his unique lyrical approach and punishing production, Eminem and his The Slim Shady LP are sure to have listeners captivated.

"I do say things that I think will shock people," he says. "But I don't do things to shock people. I'm not trying to be the next Tupac, but I don't know how long I'm going to be on this planet. So while I'm here, I might as well make the most of it."

- Official Site, Eminem.com

Eminem Biography 5

Who would have guessed that a white boy from Michigan would be the one to move today's jaded hip-hop world? Without any warning, Eminem burst onto the rap scene spouting more vulgarity than ever with his first 14-cut collection, The Slim Shady LP, distributed by Aftermath/Interscope Records. "I Just Don't Give a F--k," the signature piece on his demented album, and "Brain Damage," which literally did just that to listeners, are the two most notable songs exhibiting for his dirty mouth. So good, in fact, that legendary rap artist/producer Dr. Dre scouted the angry chirpster after hearing him freestyle on the radio to collaborate on Dre's own label, Aftermath. The impressed Dre did not hesitate to include many of Slim's independently released EP tracks as Eminem jumped at the offer to work with "the biggest hip-hop producer ever."

As randomly offensive as his lyrics may seem, Eminem has mastered his talent into a form of reclaiming his pride. He spent his childhood roaming from his birthplace, Kansas City, to Detroit with his mother, never being able to find a stable hometown and school. Hence he pursued a life and identity in the hip-hop culture by releasing a debut album, Infinite, in 1996. Ironically, the response to his debut stifled his self-expression as he was labelled as a Nas and AZ sound-alike. Ripe for revenge, Eminem bombarded his critics with The Slim Shady EP, which not only gave the rapper a chance at originality but also at stirring controversy with his remorseless tunes of fury.

Yet it would do him no justice to dismiss him as a spiteful cursing machine. His fascinating freestyle ability is easy to underestimate or even recognize with the scorching flames blowing out of his mouth. At the start of his rap career, Eminem personally sent a copy of his overlooked debut album to Wendy Day from the Rap Coalition. Her nod of approval got him into the Coalition's 1997 Rap Olympics in Los Angeles, where he was honoured with second place in the freestyle competition. With the help of his manager, Paul Rosenberg, Interscope Records got a hold of his demo. Finally Eminem decided that it was his "time to shine" on his radio debut on the world-famous Wake Up Show with Sway and Tech by spewing a most ferocious lyrical mix that literally slapped the faces of the hosts and listeners wide awake. His underground classic "5 Star General" stretched out to Japan, New York, and Los Angeles, which also won him a spot on the inaugural Lyricist Lounge tour.

Before long, Eminem was a superstar and one of music's most controversial figures. His shocking lyrics (both solo and with side posse D12), his duet with Elton John, his public trials with his on/off wife and estranged mother...all of these things and more kept him in the public eye so often, he made Tommy Lee look like a social recluse. But Eminem's music kept his profile high too, as his Slim Shady and Marshall Mathers LPs sold by the millions; the latter was even nominated for several Grammys, including album of the year.

In the age of bored and hungry hip-hopsters, Eminem, with his fiery eyes and blazing lyrics, has broken into the rap and hip-hop dome by melting the image of the sold-out Vanilla Ice. You may hate his anger, but it's his only ammunition, and as long he is who he is, Eminem is going to take nothing back.

Jay Z

Jay Z

Jay Z biography

Shawn Corey Carter was born 4 December 1969 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. Raised in Brooklyn, Carter was a school friend of the Notorious B.I.G. He first started releasing records in the late 1980s. In 1990, he appeared on records by his close friend Jaz ("The Originators") and Original Flavor ("Can I Get Open"), and later scored an underground hit single with 1995"s "In My Lifetime". Drawing on Jaz's dealings with mercenary labels, Jay-Z set up his own Roc-A-Fella imprint in 1996 with entrepreneur Damon Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke. His debut set, Reasonable Doubt, went on to achieve gold sales and produced the US number 50 pop single "Ain't No Nigga"/"Dead Presidents", featuring future rap star Foxy Brown. The album, which reached US number 23 in July, attracted fans with a mixture of hard-hitting street lyrics and rhymes, epitomized by the collaboration with Notorious B.I.G. on "Brooklyn's Finest". The follow-up In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 was released in the aftermath of Notorious B.I.G.'s murder, and debuted at US number 3 in November 1997. Featuring guest appearances from Puff Daddy, Lil' Kim, Too Short, BLACKstreet and DJ Premier, this sombre and intensely personal album included the stand-out tracks "You Must Love Me" and "Where I'm From". Although in demand as a guest artist, Jay-Z found the time to write, produce, and direct the semi-autobiographical short Streets Is Watching. The gold-selling soundtrack introduced several of Roc-A-Fella's rising stars, including Memphis Bleek, Rell and Diamonds In The Rough, and featured the hit single "It's Alright". Jay-Z then became a major star with the hit singles, "Can I Get A ... " and "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)", the latter built around a line from the musical Annie. One of the more bizarre samples to be used on a hip-hop track, the single nevertheless became an international hit (UK number 2, December 1998/US number 15, March 1999). The album of the same name featured hotshot producer Timbaland, in addition to the usual team of Ski and DJ Premier. Guest rappers included DMX, Foxy Brown and Too Short, on a package that diluted Jay-Z's hard-hitting lyrical edge in an attempt to corner the crossover market. Vol. 2 -- Hard Knock Life easily succeeded in its aim, staying at US number 1 for five weeks before finally being deposed by Alanis Morissette's new album. Despite a hectic schedule as a guest producer/writer and rapper, Jay-Z still found the time to enter the studio and record tracks for his new album. Released in December 1999, Vol. 3 ... Life And Times Of S. Carter confirmed his status as one of hip-hop's most popular artists when it topped the album charts the following month. The following year's The Dynasty: Roc La Familia 2000, another US chart-topper, was originally planned as a supergroup collaboration with fellow Roc-A-Fella rappers Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek and Amil.

IMDb Mini Biography By: J.M.

Spouse
Beyoncé Knowles(4 April 2008 - present)

Trivia

"Ghostwriter" for such stars as: Foxy Brown, Ma$e, Dr. Dre, and others.

His ex-girlfriend's pregnancy led to a miscarriage two years ago, a fact he laments in the song "This Can't Be Life", from 2000's The Dynasty: Roc La Familia (2000).

Has had six consecutive albums make #1 debuts on The Billboard Hot 100 Pop Charts: "Volume 2: Hard Knock Life"; "Volume 3: The Life and Times of S. Carter"; "The Dynasty/Roc la' Familia"; "The Blueprint"; "Blueprint 2: The Gift and the Curse", and "The Black Album".

Since his album "Hard Knock Life/Volume 2", every Jay-Z solo album has gone at least double platinum.

2003" Opened a sports bar called 40/40 Club.

His "The Blueprint 2" has sold a total of 3 million copies.

Created urban clothing line 'Roca Wear'

His latest album is, "The Black Album", which he says will be his last.

Calls "Reasonable Doubt" the favorite of his own recordings because "it's the first.".

Calls "Blueprint 2" his weakest album because of "too many songs.".

The second rapper to have his own signature sneaker, the S. Carter by Reebok. (Master P was first, affiliated with Converse.) It went on to become one of the biggest-selling sneakers of 2003.

"The Black Album" is to be accompanied by his autobiography, "The Black Book".

Ends the feud with Rapper Nas.

Is good friends with Eminem. They have worked together three times since 2003.

Has often been called "The God MC." This is why he has been called Hova. J-Hova (Jehovah).

He and Beyoncé Knowles are buying a house in Miami as well as in London, England.

Discovered rapper Malicious Jynx.

July 2004: Has a sneaker deal with Reebok to create his S. Carter sneaker line.

Is portrayed by Jimmie Walker in rapper Cam'Ron's video "Wet Wipes".

Was among the guests at Usher Raymond's 26th birthday party.

Ranked #10 on VH1's 50 Greatest Hip Hop Artists.

In 2004, it was reported that he had amassed a fortune worth $286 million as founder of Roc-a-fella Entertainment.

Good friends with Ralph Fiennes.

Son-in-law of Mathew Knowles and Tina Knowles.

Brother-in-law of Solange Knowles.

Along with his wife, 'Beyonce Knowles', is good friends with Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin.

Ranked #7 in the 2008 Forbes The Celebrity 100 list.

It was controversially announced on February 2, 2008 that Jay-Z would headline Glastonbury Festival in Somerset, England, becoming the first major hip-hop artist to headline the British festival.


Where Are They Now

(2003) Recording his final album, "The Black Album", due out in November

(December 2003) Nominated for 6 Grammy Awards including best Rap Album and Rap Song.

(April 2005) President of Def Jam Records


Dr Dre

Dr Dre

Dr Dre biography

Dre (Andre Young) was born in February 18, 1965, Los Angeles, California.
He was raised in Compton, and got his nickname by adoring basketball superstar, Dr. J. His step-brother is Warren G. His brother got killed in a fight while Dre was on tour with N.W.A "My brother was my best friend. He was three years younger than me." Dre tells of being on the road when he received a phone call with the bad news. "You never forget that."
He started off as a D.J for parties as a teenager, and soon earned himself a spot in the "Eve After Dark" club, where he would play keyboards and sing.

Once a member of the rather anonymous group, "World Class Wreckin' Cru", Dre earned himself a name by producing tracks for Eazy-E, the D.O.C and others, and later became a gangsta rap pioneer as a co-founder, member, co-producer and rapper in the controversial group, N.W.A. (Niggaz With Attitude).

The band was extremely successful and was very promoted by endless scandals and unfettered messages of street violence. The debut album (Straight Outta compton) went platinum with minimal radio play, the second LP entered the charts at number one. "We loved the controversy. It's the reason we blew up as big as we did. It wasn't hurting us, it was helping us."

The group disbanded in '91, but Dre didn't stop for a second:
He established Death Row Records along with Marion "Suge" Knight, and shortly after released "The Chronic" (1992), which sold over three million copies, won two Grammy Awards, and is still considered to be one of the most influential rap albums ever.

The album introduced the new Death Row artists, such as Snoop Doggy Dogg and Tha Dogg Pound, and marked Dr. Dre not only as one of the most creative producers in the rap/hip-hop industry, but also as a fantastic rapper.
The following Death Row album, Snoop Doggy Dogg's "Doggystyle", was produced by Dr. Dre, and sold four million copies.
"I was trying to take it places no other record company had ever been," he says.
"Not just limiting myself to R&B and hip hop. I wanted to branch off into jazz, reggae,
and black rock 'n' roll."

In 1994 he directed the short film "Murder Was The Case", and co-produced the soundrack. He also added a song to the soundtrack entitled "Natural Born Killaz", which marked the reunion with former fellow band member, Ice Cube. That was his last work with protege Snoop Doggy Dogg. He decided that Snoop, who didn't make a single step without his mentor, should stick to his own work. In that same year he released a compilation album, entitled "Concrete Roots", which contained some old and some newer material.

In 1995 Dre contributed a track for the "Friday" soundtrack, "Keep Their Heads Ringin'". The track was a massive success, and won Dre the MTV "Best Rap Song" award in '96.

In that same year he left Death Row, and started his own label, "Aftermath Entertainment", a joint venture with Interscope Records.

"At first it was just a big family thing," he says. "But the more money that got made, the further apart everybody came. It's like, certain people started becoming what they hated." He adds:
"I wasn't feeling comfortable with the people I was around. Everybody wasn't professional. I always wanted things at Death Row to be right and positive, because I'm a positive person. And the situation I was in wasn't, plain and simple. It was too much negativity. Most likely, there are gonna be records coming out dissing me, dissing people I've worked with and am going to be working with. It's just a lot of negative bullshit. So from here on out, Death Row Records don't even exist to Dre."

In November 26, 1996, Dr. Dre released the compilation album "Dr. Dre Presents... The Aftermath", which featured new performances from several well-known artists as well as introducing more than a dozen Aftermath Entertainment artists and producers.

The albums unites hip-hop and R&B , east coast and west coast, hardcore and pop, male and female, old school and new school, delivered by talented performers hand picked by Dre, the album's executive producer.
One of the tracks in the album is "East Coast/West Coast Killas", which collaborates various artists from both coasts such as Nas, KRS-1, B-Real, RBX, and of course Dr. Dre.

"Now I'ma be able to do whatever I wanna do," he claims. "If it works, it's on me. If it fails, it's on me. But I'm an innovator. I like trying things." In that year he also released another compilation album, "First Round Knockout".

On top of the list of Dre's future projects is Helter Skelter, Dre's long-awaited reunion with Ice Cube, which Dre wanted to do since '94.
"If Cube is still into it, I definitely wanna do that record. I don't give a fuck if it's 10 years from now, and we're like walking on canes with gray hair. I wanna do that record, cuz I think it'll be amazing."

There were also rumors of an N.W.A. reunion, but it seems that Dre is not interested. "That was my past," he says. "What I thought was the thing to do then. I mean, I think 'Straight Outta Compton' was a classic hip-hop album. But I do look back on a lot of the things we were saying and doing then and go, "Damn!". But the shit was dope at the time. Would I ever do that N.W.A. material right now? No. No way. I'm more into totally positive moves."

And what about a solo album?
Dre is working on "The Chronic 2000: No Seeds", which will be released on November '99, and has already announced the album will contain two tracks with Snoop Doggy Dogg, with whom he hasn't worked for almost four years, and should also include tracks with Redman, Eminem, RBX, Xzibit and others.

Easy-E

Easy-E

Easy-E biography

Born: September 07, 1964 in Compton, CA
Years Active: 80 's, 90 's
Died: March 26, 1995 in Los Angeles, CA
Genre: RAP

Whether as a member of N.W.A., a solo act, or a label head, Eazy-E was one of the most controversial figures in gangsta rap. While his technical skills as a rapper were never the greatest, his distinctive delivery (invariably described as a high-pitched whine), over-the-top lyrics, and undeniable charisma made him a star. Following N.W.A.'s breakup, E's street credibility took a major beating, though his recordings continued to sell well when they appeared; unfortunately, he was diagnosed with AIDS in 1995, and died not long after.

Eric "Eazy-E" Wright was born September 7, 1964, in Compton, CA, a rough part of the Los Angeles metro area that N.W.A. would later make notorious. A high school dropout, Wright turned to drug dealing to support himself, and eventually used the profits to start his own rap label, Ruthless Records, with partner and music-business veteran Jerry Heller. E discovered a major performing talent in the D.O.C., and recruited Ice Cube and Dr. Dre to write songs for his stable of artists. When their composition "Boyz-N-the Hood" was rejected by Ruthless signee HBO, Cube, Dre, and E formed the first version of N.W.A. to record it themselves. Their first album, N.W.A. and the Posse, was released in 1987 and largely ignored; after a few tweaks of the lineup and the rough-edged subject matter, 1988's Straight Outta Compton made N.W.A. into superstars. E seized the opportunity to release a solo project later in the year, titled Eazy-Duz-It, which would be the only full-length album he would complete; it would sell well over two-million copies.

After Ice Cube's bitter departure from N.W.A. toward the end of 1989 (precipitated in part by Heller's business tactics), Eazy-E took over his not inconsiderable share of the rapping and songwriting duties, becoming the group's dominant voice on 1991's Efil4zaggin. His taste for cartoon-ish vulgarity began to undermine the claims of realistic inner-city reporting that the group had used to defend themselves. Disputes between the members led to N.W.A.'s breakup that summer, and a court battle between Ruthless and Dre's new label Death Row soon followed, with Eazy alleging that Death Row head Suge Knight had coerced Ruthless into releasing Dre from his contract. The case was eventually thrown out, but a bitter feud between Dre and Eazy raged for the next several years; Dre's seminal solo debut The Chronic made merciless fun of Eazy. E's 1992 solo EP 5150 Home 4 tha Sick sold well, but did little to dispel his increasingly cartoon-ish image; he found more success running the Ruthless label, with a roster that included Above the Law, N.W.A. bandmate MC Ren, the poorly received all-female group H.W.A. (Hoez With Attitude), and, eventually, the lucrative Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Eazy addressed his feud with Dre on the 1993 EP It's On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa, which famously included an actual photo of Dre wearing makeup and sequins during his World Class Wreckin' Cru days. Still, save for dissing Dre, Eazy didn't seem to have much to say, and despite healthy record sales, his artistic credibility was declining at an alarming rate. Eazy didn't help matters much when, in early 1993, he spoke out in support of Theodore Briseno, the only LAPD officer involved in the Rodney King beating to express displeasure; later in the year, he paid 2,500 dollars to attend a Republican fund-raiser, which his detractors saw as a further betrayal of his roots.

In early 1995, Eazy entered the hospital with respiratory difficulties, believing he had developed asthma. The diagnosis was far more serious: he had contracted AIDS. Eazy announced his plight to the public shortly thereafter, winning admiration for his straightforward attitude. Sadly, just a few weeks later, on March 26, 1995, the disease claimed his life. The record he had been working on, Str8 Off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton, was released posthumously (in unfinished form) later on in the year. In 2002, on the seventh anniversary of his death, some previously unreleased material from the Ruthless vaults was released as the EP Impact of a Legend, which was accompanied by a DVD. Steve Huey, All Music Guide

Abba 80's best music band

Abba 80's best music band

Abba's biography

FORMED: 1971, Stockholm, Sweden
DISBANDED: 1983

During the 1970s, fate - in combination with talent and hard work - would have it that one of the most dominating forces within the field of popular music was a group from Sweden. ABBA, a musical entity consisting of two couples, became by far the most successful act of that decade, even one of the biggest phenomenons of the whole century.

As far as the world knew, ABBA's story started in April 1974 when they won the Eurovision Song Contest with Waterloo, but by that time the group had existed for two years and the individual members were virtual showbusiness veterans in their native Sweden.

It all began in June 1966, when Björn Ulvaeus met Benny Andersson for the first time. Björn was a member of the Hootenanny Singers, a popular folk music group, while Benny was a member of the Hep Stars, Sweden's number one pop band at the time.

In the summer of 1966, the two groups were touring Sweden's popular open-air Folkpark circuit when they happened to meet up at a crossroads. The Hootenanny Singers were planning a party that night and invited the Hep Stars to come along. Björn and Benny soon found that they had a lot in common, and when they met at another party later that summer, they decided that they should try to write something together.

With the help of Björn's father, they transported all the instruments and amplifiers to his office in the middle of the night. The result was a song called Isn't It Easy To Say, which was later recorded by the Hep Stars, and the first seeds had been sown for what eventually would blossom as ABBA.

By 1969, the popularity of the two groups hade begun to wane somewhat, and after their respective summer tours of that year, the Hootennany Singers became more or less a recording act doing the occasional live performance, while Benny chose to leave the Hep Stars altogether. The two friends continued to write and record songs, encouraged by record company owner and publisher Stig Anderson who was to become ABBA's manager. Stig had great belief in the the songwriting and producing talents of Björn and Benny, assuring them that they would achieve worldwide success sooner or later.

The second Björn & Benny single was a song called Hej gamle man! ("Hey Old Man!") which featured the backing vocals of their respective fianc閑s Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid "Frida" Lyngstad, the first time the four future ABBA members appeared on the same record.

Frida, who had been a recording artist since the autumn of 1967, had met Benny when she appeared with a cabaret act in the town of Malmö in the south of Sweden in March 1969 - the Hep Stars had an engagement at another venue in the same town. Agnetha, a successful solo singer since her breakthrough in early 1968, had met and fallen in love with Björn in May 1969 when the two of them appeared in the same TV special.

It was as the cabaret act Festfolk, having the double meaning "engaged couples" and "party people" that the foursome first introduced themselves to the public in November 1970. This first attempt was ultimately not very successful, and all thoughts on a permanent group where shelved for the time being.

Meanwhile, they continued to appear on each other's records, and working together in different constellations. In July 1971 Björn and Agnetha got married, and in the autumn of that year Björn and Benny started working as house producers at Stig Anderson's record company Polar.

In the spring of 1972, it was decided to try the foursome concept again, and the first true ABBA single, People Need Love, was recorded. Released under the somewhat clumsy name "Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid", it became a Top Twenty hit in Sweden. On the back of that success, the two couples started to record a whole album together in the autumn of 1972, although they were far from sure if there was any long-term future in the group.

In February 1973, they took part in the Swedish heats for the Eurovision Song Contest with Ring Ring, a song composed by Björn, Benny and Stig. At the time of the contest, Agnetha was highly pregnant with Björn's and her first child, daughter Linda.

The group only finished third that year, but the Swedish and English-language singles and the album of the same name were by far the most popular of the Swedish contestants, and they soon found themselves at the top three places of the Swedish combined singles and albums chart. It was only with this final confirmation of their popularity that the four decided to put their respective solo careers on the backburner and concentrate on the group.

Everyone realized that the name Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida (as Anni-Frid now was called on their records) was far too unpractical, however. For the sake of convenience, Stig Anderson had come to refer to them as ABBA - an acronym of their Christian names - and when a "think of a name for Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida" competition held in a newspaper reached the same conclusion, the decision was sealed.

The only problem was that there already existed a Swedish canned fish company of that name, but when Stig asked them if they would mind lending their name to a popular music group, they fortunately did not object.

During the summer of 1973, the group set out on a tour of the Swedish Folkparks, but it was not until the autumn, when they started recording their next album, that ABBA became their official name. Late that year, Björn, Benny and Stig made a new attempt to come up with a winner for the Eurovision Song Contest. This time, the result was Waterloo, which effortlessly won first the Swedish heats in February, and then the finals in Brighton, England on 6th April 1974.

The Waterloo single became their first truly international hit, topping the charts in England, West Germany, Norway and Belgium, and reaching the Top Five in several other countries. Even the United States succumbed to the instant hit quality of Waterloo, sending it to Number Six on the Billboard Charts.

ABBA soon found themselves travelling all over Europe, appearing on countless TV and radio shows over the next several months. But as many Eurovision Song Contest winners can testify, it is one thing to have a big hit with your winning song, and another to follow it with something that proves that you are more than a one hit wonder.

ABBA ran into trouble almost immediately when every single they released in the UK over the next 18 months barely scraped into the charts, although they had continued success in many other European countries.

The autumn and winter of 1974 and early 1975 saw the group touring Europe and also recording their third album, simply titled ABBA upon its release in the spring of 1975. It was with the third single from that album, SOS, that they finally had a big UK hit again, the first of 18 consecutive Top Ten hits.

This was followed by Mamma Mia, their first UK Number One since Waterloo, and the song that together with I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do gave ABBA their great breakthrough in Australia during the summer of 1975. The enormous success ABBA had in several other territories notwithstanding, Australia was perhaps the country that most wholeheartedly embraced ABBA over the next few years.

In March 1976, ABBA released their Fernando single, which was one of their most successful ever. The same month they started recording sessions proper for their Arrival album, which was released in the autumn, reaching Number One virtually everywhere. The album had been preceded by the Dancing Queen single, released in August 1976, but actually recorded at the same time as Fernando a full year earlier. ABBA's biggest selling single ever, Dancing Queen was also their only US Number One.

The next single from the Arrival album was Money, Money, Money, and while this song conquered the charts, ABBA were busy preparing for their tour of Europe and Australia, due to commence in February 1977. Notable for the 3.5 million ticket applications that were received simply for the two concerts at London's Royal Albert Hall, the tour was a complete success with capacity houses everywhere. Small wonder that the current ABBA single, Knowing Me, Knowing You spent five weeks at Number One in the UK charts.

When the tour reached Australia in March, work was also begun on the feature film ABBA - The Movie, which went on to become one of the most successful films worldwide during 1978.

Back in Stockholm after the tour, Björn and Benny started writing new songs, and in May 1977 the group began recording sessions for what was to become ABBA - The Album. The release of the album in December 1977 (the Nordic countries only, the rest of the world in early 1978) had been preceded by the single The Name Of The Game. Just as ABBA - The Album was released in Sweden, Agnetha also gave birth to her second child, Christian.

The second single from the new album was Take A Chance On Me, another major hit which also reached the Number Three in the US. Indeed, part of the spring of 1978 was devoted to a major promotional campaign in the United States, a territory notable for being a little more resistant to ABBA's charms than most other countries. As a result, ABBA - The Album became their highest charting US album ever, reaching Number Fourteen.

ABBA themselves were soon back in the studio again, recording tracks for a new album. The first result of those sessions was the Summer Night City single, released in September 1978. Ultimately not included on the upcoming album, it was ABBA's last Number One hit in their native Sweden, reaching the top position on 6th October, the same day that Frida and Benny finally got married after more than nine years as a couple.

In January 1979, the group released another single, Chiquitita, which was premi鑢ed at an all-star UNICEF gala in New York, becoming ABBA's most successful single of 1979. On a more distressing note, the release of the single coincided with the news that Björn and Agnetha had decided to get a divorce. Although there was much speculation that this would mean the end of ABBA, both parties agreed that their marital split actually took a lot of tension off their working relationship.

Work on the new album continued throughout the spring, and in April 1979 the Voulez-Vous album was finally released, almost at the same time as Does Your Mother Know, the last single to feature Björn as lead vocalist.

The autumn of 1979 saw the group set out on a tour of Canada, the United States and Europe, and at the same time they released their brand new Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) single. The tour ended in Ireland in November, and was followed by the release of the successful I Have A Dream single.

A new year meant a new album, and 1980 was no exception. February found the group back in the studio again, although for the first time since 1975 they actually took a break from recording work to complete their final tour, taking place in Japan during three weeks in March. It was not until July that a new single appeared, The Winner Takes It All, which reached Number One in the UK, The Netherlands, and Belgium.

The next single, Super Trouper, was released as the lead-off single from the album of the same name in November 1980, and was the last of ABBA's nine UK Number Ones, a statistic topped only by The Beatles, Elvis Presley and Cliff Richard.

If this seemed like a promising start for the new decade, February 1981 brought further sad news when Benny and Frida announced their divorce. Echoing Agnetha's and Björn's statement, Benny and Frida maintained that their marital split did not affect their work with ABBA, and the group soon started recording what was ultimately their last album.

In December 1981, the single One Of Us was released almost simultaneously with the album The Visitors, and both releases soon found themselves in the higher regions of the charts all over Europe.

1982 turned out to be ABBA's final year together, and although they planned to record a new album, they did in fact only release two singles and the compilation double-album The Singles - The First Ten Years.

The double-album was soon at the top of several charts, but the first of the new singles, The Day Before You Came, met with mixed reactions. It only reached 32 in the UK, although in Sweden, Norway and The Netherlands, it was a Top Five single, even reaching Number One in Belgium.

The very last ABBA single to be conceived and released by the group during their active life was the December 1982 single Under Attack, which also had varied success on charts over the world.

Around this time, the individual group members were starting to feel that it was time to take a break from ABBA and move on to other challenges for a while. As it turned out, the four of them never recorded together again.

But after a few years when pop music fans had been distracted by new groups and new sounds, public interest in the Swedish foursome reached new heights in the 1990s. The compilation album ABBA Gold, released in 1992, topped the charts the world over, becoming the group's biggest seller ever.

However, despite all this revival success, no reunion has been on the cards as yet, and the group members constantly deny that they have any such plans. But the music is still there for anyone to enjoy - and a remarkable legacy it is, too.

Modern Talking

Modern Talking

Modern Talking biography

Modern Talking was a German Synthpop and eurodance duo consisting of singer Thomas Anders and composer/producer/singer Dieter Bohlen. Genre-wise they were often classified under Europop. By sales, it is the most successful and popular group in Germany.


The beginning of Modern Talking


First formed at the end of 1984, they unexpectedly became immensely popular with their eurodisco hit single You're My Heart, You're My Soul with which they occupied the number one position in 35 countries including their homeland where it perched at the top for six weeks, the single went on to sell eight million copies world-wide. The track was then followed by another number one hit You Can Win If You Want in the middle of 1985 from the The First Album. The album went on being certified platinum in Germany.


Dieter Bohlen and Thomas Anders in the 1987 "Romantic Warriors" Album

Soon after the second hit, Modern Talking released the single Cheri Cheri Lady which quickly climbed to the top as well, and being the only track released from their second album Let's Talk About Love, it managed to push the album to a platinum status in Germany. The success continued with two other number one singles such as Brother Louie and Atlantis Is Calling (S.O.S. for Love) both from the third album Ready For Romance. The duo also charted high with their sixth single Geronimo's Cadillac from the fourth album In the Middle of Nowhere and Jet Airliner from their fifth album Romantic Warriors.


During this era Modern Talking were successful in Europe, Asia, South America, Middle East, particularly in Iran, where all Western pop music was banned after the 1979 Islamic revolution, and also in several African countries. In the United Kingdom they entered the top ten only once with the song Brother Louie(#4 UK in 1986). Like most European pop groups, they were almost unknown in North America, never appearing in the US charts, although they did become one hit wonders in Canada when Brother Louie hit #34 in 1987. They released two albums a year between 1985 and 1987 while also promoting their singles on television all over Europe eventually selling 65 million records within three years.


Between 1987 and 1998


After the duo split up in 1987, Bohlen formed his own project Blue System immediately after the splitting and enjoyed several high chart positions with tracks like Sorry Little Sarah, My Bed Is Too Big, Under My Skin, Love Suite and Déjà Vu. Anders went solo and recorded some of his new pop like material in Los Angeles and London, and also in his native country. As a solo artist, Anders toured in places like Moscow, Sun City, Hong Kong and Santiago de Chile during which time he would sing songs from his pop solo albums, in the meantime keeping his thousands of enthusiastic loyal fans satisfied with former Modern Talking material. Anders recorded five solo albums in English Different, Whispers, Down on Sunset, When Will I See You Again and Souled and one album in Spanish Barcos De Cristal. Both his voice and vocal delivery advanced with every album he recorded; however, he found more success in foreign countries than at home. Despite all the quarrels and disagreements that Dieter and Thomas experienced between themselves in the past, Anders and Bohlen began keeping in touch again after Anders moved back to Koblenz, Germany in 1994.


The Reunion: 1998–2003


In the beginning of 1998 the duo reunited, and had their first performance together in March on Germany's biggest TV show Wetten, dass..?. The duo re-started things off with the repackaged version of their '84 single You're My Heart, You're My Soul '98. The single; however, no longer sounded like a mellow Europop track, instead it was a typical up-tempo Eurodance number featuring rapper Eric Singleton on the rap vocals. Their first comeback album Back For Good which included four new tracks as well as all of the previous hits redone with modern techniques not only stayed at number one position in Germany for five consecutive weeks but also went to number one in 15 countries, eventually selling six million units worldwide. They won the award at World Music Awards for being the Best Selling German Band that year. The follow-up album Alone which also went straight to number one in Germany was very successful elsewhere as well. Bohlen followed his '80 Modern Talking pattern as he chose to release two singles from each album again as in the past. A series of singles and four more albums followed as Year of The Dragon,America, Victory and Universe. After reaching the point where they had already collected over 400 gold and platinum awards worldwide, Bohlen and Anders decided to split up again in 2003. His involvement inDeutschland sucht den Superstar, the German edition of the UK's Pop Idol, was one of the major reasons and he said he knew it was best to stop while still on top. They released one more compilation album in 2003 calling it The Final Album which contained all of the duo's singles. Thomas Anders started another solo career immediately, while Bohlen had by now begun devoting most of his time to new talents, especially those he discovered on DSDS.


Production and sales figures


In 1998 Bohlen quoted the hit single Precious Little Diamond by Fox the Fox as his inspiration for using falsetto choruses. The studio vocal line up of Rolf Köhler, Michael Scholz, Detlef Wiedeke and (on early albums) Birger Corleis, in addition to Bohlen and Anders, produced the high choruses characteristic of Modern Talking. Köhler, Scholz and Wiedeke later went on to work with Bohler in Blue System, before joining with songwriter / producer Thomas Widrat to form Systems in Blue. Köhler, Scholz and Wiedeke were never credited on the Modern Talking albums, and eventually went to law over the matter. They received an out of court settlement and Bohler published a sleeve note for his next release (Obsession, by Blue System), acknowledging the trio's contribution.


Further influences include German-language Schlager music, disco pop (Bee Gees) and romantic English-language songs of Italian and French origin, like Gazebo's I Like Chopin. After the 1998 reunion Bohlen produced eurodance, as well as American-style MOR ballads.


Global sales of Modern Talking records were 120 million units, according to BMG in June 2003, and they have become the biggest-selling German music act in history, so far outselling even Frank Farian's projects Boney M. and Milli Vanilli, Michael Cretu's Enigma, Sandra as well as Scorpions and Rammstein.


Dieter Bohlen also worked with other artists even while Modern Talking existed, among them Chris Norman of Smokie fame whose song Midnight Lady (1986) remains Bohlen's most popular composition. He also wrote a large number of disco tracks for C.C.Catch (House of Mystic Lights) using an accelerated, less romantic sound. Some English Bohlen songs like You're My Heart, You're My Soul were also recorded with German lyrics by Mary Roos using the same playback tracks. When Modern Talking split up in 1987, a number of tracks written for the last album were instead moved onto Dieter Bohlen's first solo album which appeared almost at the same time, among them his first solo single Sorry Little Sarah. Bohlen's solo project was called Blue System, and comprised him, Rolf Köhler, Modern Talking co-producer Luis Rodriguez, and the backing singers.


Solo careers


In 2006 Bohlen included a secret message in his song Bizarre Bizarre which was played backwards: "There will never be an end to Modern Talking". However, Bohlen said: "He meant to say that the music of Modern Talking will live forever". Anders has kept the Modern Talking songs in his repertoire and produced songs in a similar vein for his solo records (Independent Girl). In 2006 he produced an album Songs Forever of Swing and Jazz versions of popular songs (including Modern Talking's first hit). Bohlen has written two autobiographical books, one of which also detailed Modern Talking's history from his perspective, and sold a million copies in Germany. The sequel was heavily criticised for his unfairness towards the people he worked with. As a result of that, he withdrew from the public for a year until 2006, when he said he regretted putting out the second book. Anders had not been the only one pressing charges against Bohlen and demanding that sections of the book be modified. Frank Farian was angered by Bohlen's literary output and released a book in which he tried to expose Bohlen as a fraud.. Bohlen's first book was the basis of an animated comedy film called Dieter - Der Film. The soundtrack of this film contained one previously unreleased Modern Talking song Shooting Star which had been written for theUniverse album. Anders recently had his first and Bohlen his fourth child.

The Game

The Game

The Game biography

Jayceon Taylor was born on November 29, 1979 in Compton, California. He was born into a life of gang-banging and hustling. When later interviewed, Taylor, aka The Game says at a young age, he recalls seeing both of his parents preparing to do drive-bys. His father was a Nutty Block Crip and his mother a Hoover Crippelette. Drugs and guns were all around Taylor growing up. At around the age of 6, Jayceon says that a friend of his was murdered in the neighborhood by a teenager, for his clothes and shoes. At the age of 7, Taylor went into foster care. In foster care he was teased by other children. He didn't go unnoticed however. Game's intelligence was acknowledged by his caretakers and he usually helped his foster brothers and sisters with their homework. Around 1989, The Game met his idol, Eric Wright aka Eazy-E founder of NWA. This was a defining moment in his life. Game's adolescence was one of many hardships. At 13, one of Game's older brothers, Jevon who was just 17 at the time was shot at a gas station. His brother had just received a record deal. Taylor says that he felt his father played a hand in this by not being there and felt that if he had, his brother would not have been shot. Jevon died the day after Game visited him in the hospital promising that things would be better and lost time would be made up. Two years later at the age of 15, teenage Jayceon was removed from the foster care system and back into his mother's home. Lynette (Taylor's mom) and Taylor had troubles in the beginning. The Game's father was not around. Taylor attended Compton High School and most of the students that were gang affiliated were Crips. His older brother Big Fase 100, attended Centennial High School and was a Cedar Block Piru Blood. The Game followed in his brother's footsteps. Taylor's natural abilities in althletics led him into a spot as point guard on the basketball team. He also ran track and did various other sports. The Game graduated in 1999 and had received many scholarship offers from various colleges. He chose to go to Washington State University to play basketball. His ticket and way out was shortlived after being found with drugs in his possession. Game's scholarship was revoked. Taylor and brother Big Fase had an apartment on the outskirts of Compton in Bellflower. Shortly after moving there, they quickly had a monopoly on the drug trade. That was shortlived however. On October 1, 2001 while at the apartment alone, Jayceon heard a knock on the door at 2 a.m. Wanting to make a late night sale, he opened the door to see a regular customer. His regular however brought two others with him. He and another man fought. Reaching for his pistol, he was shot execution style by one of the assailants five times. After laying still for several minutes, Jayceon used his cell phone and called the ambulance. Taylor was in a coma for two days. While recovering, he told his brother to go out and buy all of the classic hip hop albums. This included Big's "Ready To Die", Snoop's "Doggystyle", Dr. Dre's "The Chronic", Jay-Z's "Reasonable Doubt", and albums by Big Daddy Kane and Ice Cube. In the course of five months, he studied these albums in an almost scientific manner. In the beginning, his flows were weak, but Game was a quick study and eventually learned better freestyling skills. He took elements from his favorite rappers and formulized them into his own persona and style. After recovering, Big Fase and The Game made a mixtape together. The mixtape reached the hands of Sean Combs aka P. Diddy. Diddy was on the verge of signing him when the mixtape reached the hands of super producer Dr. Dre. Dr. Dre contacted Taylor and the deal was sealed. Taylor wanting to carry on the NWA legacy signed on in 2002 and began recording songs. Dre taught him the ropes of the studio and Taylor learned how to count bars. Taylor chose the alias The Game because his grandmother (deceased) used to call him Game saying he was game for anything. Being on the Aftermath label, he appeared in a few music videos including "In Da Club" and "Wanna Get To Know You". In the summer of 2003, Game's son Harlem Caron Taylor was born. Not having dropped an album despite being signed onto Aftermath/Interscope for awhile, Game still created hype around just his image alone. He appeared in ads for P. Diddy's Sean John clothing company and had an endorsement deal with Boost Mobile appearing in a commercial alongside Kanye West and Ludacris. Game also appeared heavily on the mixtape circuit and guest starred on mixtapes for DJ Green Lantern, The Diplomats, and G-Unit. The first single released with Game on it was "Certified Gangstas". Game guest starred on it alongside Jim Jones and Juelz Santana. Though the single wasn't considered mainstream, the buzz increased around the west coast rapper. "How We Do" featuring 50 Cent was Game's first official single. It was an instant hit with major air play. Game's debut was critically acclaimed and considered nothing short of a classic with productions by Kanye West, Cool And Dre, Dr. Dre, Scott Storch, and Timbaland. Game was dubbed the artist to bring the west coast back on the map so to speak. On January 18, 2005, The Documentary, Game's debut album was released and debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts. The album sold over 586,000 units in its first week.

Game's head for business made him a fixture on tv and radio. He frequently did interviews and showed up at award shows and other events. Although he moved into a condo in Beverly Hills, Game still owned many properties in Compton including a Liquor Store. He still hung around his native Compton with his entourage referred to as The Black Wallstreet. In an interview when asked why he has not abandoned his Compton roots, Game stated that the hood was his comfort zone. The Hip Hop artist's buzz was heightened not just by the honesty and openness of his autobiographical album, but his controversial persona as well. Game was known to have beefs with other artists including rumors of his quarrelling with none other than the G-Unit general himself, 50 Cent. Other artists also criticized the emcee for his signature "name dropping" in which he would mention other rappers frequently in his songs. Game and 50 Cent's dislike for eachother was confirmed despite having collaborated several times. 50 did interviews for New York's Power 105 and Hot 97 radio stations where he publicly dishonored Game for not supporting his feud with Fat Joe and Jadakiss. 50 also stated that Game's album was powered mostly by his help and if he hadn't helped, Interscope chairman Jimmy Iovine would've subsequently dropped Game from the label. 50 denounced Game saying that he was no longer apart of the G-Unit. On February 28, 2005 while 50 Cent and G-Unit were doing an interview at Hot 97 with Angie Martinez, Game and his entourage attempted to enter the building to confront 50. Before they could enter the building, a man in Game's entourage was shot in the leg. The news was everywhere. On the 9th of March, the feud ended with Game and 50 having a press conference in which both donated money to various organizations and publicly made a truce. A few other controversial incidents have swirled around Taylor including a $280 million dollar lawsuit filed on him, as well as the G-Unit/Shady/Aftermath/Interscope imprint for an alleged attack on a Washington D.C. radio DJ.

In May of 2005, Game was back in the news again. While headlining the "How The West Was Won" tour with Snoop Dogg, their concert in Auburn, Washington was shortened after a man was beaten onstage by Game and Snoop's entourage. A video tape surfaced on the internet and the news of a man being beaten by several other men. The man did an interview with a Seattle news station where he was shown with brutal injuries. His injuries included a broken nose, broken ribs, and one of his eyes swollen shut. The man alleged that his cell phone and wallet were stolen and his diamond earrings were ripped from his ears. Despite being new to the hip hop game and relatively new to battling and freestyling, The Game seems to have substance. He is currently working on his sophomore album.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Simone Hall aka Bambi

Trade Mark

Teardrop tattoo on corner of left eye

Prefers to wear red clothing and baseball caps. Usually wears a Cincinnati hat.

Wears black clothing and a black bandana representing The Blackwallstreet


Trivia

Appeared on the show "Change of Heart" (1998) when he was 17.

Signed to 50 Cent's record label, G-Unit Records, a subsidiary of Dr. Dre's Aftermath Records.

Has a son called Harlem Caron Taylor was (b. June 30, 2003). Joel Madden is the boy's godfather.

Is a member of the Cedar Block Piru Bloods

Established his own record label called "The Black Wallstreet". The Game has signed several artists and one of the more known artists, a female rapper named Vita. Vita was formerly a female rapper of Murder Inc.

Has several role models including Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G., Nas, Jay-Z, Rakim, KRS-One, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and most importantly 'Easy-E'.

The Game's debut album titled, "The Documentary" was released on January 18, 2005. His album sold more than 586,000 units in it's first week, and placed #1 on The Billboard charts.

From the ages of 7 to 15 when was in foster care, he resided right outside of West Compton in Carson, California...

As of February 28, 2005, The Game was officially booted out of the G-Unit by rapper 50 Cent. Rumors had been circulating for a long time that the two emcees were not getting along. The final straw was when The Game declined any involvement surrounding the controversy of 50 Cent's new single "Piggy Bank".

He and 50 Cent agreed to end their feud in early 2005 because neither wanted it to end in bloodshed. The two men have appeared in public on friendly terms since then.

Got four mics in The Source magazine for his album, "The Documentary".

Graduated from Compton High School in 1999.

Played basketball with NBA basketball star Baron Davis in high school and the two Compton natives are still good friends.

Sent demo to Dave Mays, the founder of The Source Magazine, in regards to wanting to be featured in the magazine as unsigned hype, but another L.A. MC was chosen instead.

Good friends with veteran hip hop artist Nas.

Recorded many songs with San Fransisco producer JT The Bigga Figga. JT has made those songs into two albums, "West Coast Resurrection" and "Untold Story" released under Get Low Records.

Participates in the annual Rucker's Basketball Championship in Harlem, New York

Good friends with Long Beach, California rapper Snoop Dogg and Joel Madden.

Favorite movie is Blow Out (1981) starring John Travolta.

Drinks tea to calm his nerves on the road. Prefers camomile tea to green tea.

Wanted to audition for the role of Tubbs" in the upcoming Miami Vice (2006) movie but couldn't, due to a heavy touring schedule.

Since his leave from the G-Unit group and record label, The Game has created his own record label, called Black Wallstreet Records. The label is still in development. The Game says there will be numerous guest appearances on his upcoming sophomore album, 'Doctor's Advocate', from those he has signed to his record label thus far.

His second album 'Doctor's Advocate' features production from some of the biggest names in hip-hop, such as Kanye West, Scott Storch, Timbaland and various others.

Created his own line of footwear called Hurricane, by 310 Motoring, which was released in stores December 26, 2005 and became one of the best-selling shoes of 2005/2006.

Album 'Doctor's Advocate' sold 358,988 copies in the United States and 433,600 worldwide in its first week of release. It claimed the #1 spot on both The Billboard 200 (US) and the United World Chart. In 2007, it was certified Platinum in the United States by the RIAA and has sold 2 million copies worldwide.

His father is of Spanish and Native American descent, his mother is African-American.

Girlfriend Tiffany Webb give birth their son King Justice on April 25, 2007.

In 2007, he ranked #3 on MTV2's "Top Ten Hottest MCs in the Game".


Personal Quotes

"LA's crazy. When I was younger and watched The Beverly Hillbillies Or Beverly Hills 90210, I used to think it was so far from the 'hood. We were just in Compton and saw the yellow tape out, the sheriffs pickin' up shells and looking for someone to arrest and take to jail. We get on the freeway for 10 or 15 minutes, and we're in Beverly Hills, where we can sit in a Subway with no problems."

"Me, myself, I'm not a star. I'm just a regular guy who has a great rap album and is the protégé of Dr. Dre. But I'm the most down-to-earth guy."

"Real situations and real problems can be solved with real talk".

"It's called 'The Dr.'s Advocate'. It means Dr. Dre's the man; what he says goes. He's got the formula, we gonna make it happen." - On the title of his sophomore album

"Dr. Dre makes good music. Eminem, 50, myself, we all sell records. We're all protégés of Dr. Dre. So me and 50's beef stays outside and we don't bring it in the house." - On his feud with 50 Cent

"My second album is the highest anticipated record coming out this year and I've been spending long hours in the studio to make sure it's a classic,"

"New York is my second home, but LA is my first."


Where Are They Now

(February 2005) Currently touring in Western Europe.

(April 2005) Scheduled to do a west coast tour with emcee Snoop Dogg

(March 2005) Touring in Canada

(May 2005) Finishing up "How The West Was Won" Tour with Snoop Dogg

(October 2005) Working on the follow up album to "The Documentary" tentatively titled 'Doctor's Advocate', which is slated for release on November 7th, 2006.

(November 2005) Filming the upcoming motion picture "Waist Deep" which will be in theaters June 2006.

(April 2006) Promoting his upcoming sophomore album 'Doctor's Advocate' as well as his debut motion picture "Waist Deep".

(July 2006) Released the first single, "It's Okay (One Blood)", from his second album 'Doctor's Advocate'.

(August 2006) Released the music video for his new single "It's Okay (One Blood)" on August 22nd.

(November 2006) Released his second album, 'Doctor's Advocate', on November 13th (U.K.) and November 14th (U.S.). It is the #1 most anticipated hip-hop album of '06.

(July 2007) Working with Black Wall Street Records artist Clyde Carson on his debut album. Also writing material for his (The Game's) third album.

(March 2008) Released "Big Dreams", the first single from his upcoming album 'L.A.X.'.

Snoop dogg

Snoop dogg

Snoop dogg biography

Snoop Dogg's Early Life:

Nicknamed "Snoop" by his mother because of his appearance, Snoop often found himself at loggerheads with the law, as a child. He spent a good portion of his post high school graduation time in and out of jail. Music became his ultimate escape route from a criminal lifestyle. Snoop started by creating homemade hip-hop tapes along with Warren G, and Nate Dogg (the trio is known as 213).

Snoop Meets Dre:

Legend has it that Warren G, who happens to be the step-brother of N.W.A. co-founder Dr. Dre, passed Snoop's tape to the good doctor. Dre was sold, and began collaborating with Snoop Dogg. Snoop's first official ticket to fame was the soundtrack to the movie "Deep Cover." Following his stellar performance on the theme song, Snoop was solicited to work with Dr. Dre on the former's G-Funk opus, The Chronic.The Chronic was successful due, in part, to Snoop's charming presence on the mic.

Doggystyle:

Dr. Dre compensated Snoop's Chronic contributions on the fledgling rapper's own debut,Doggystyle. Both CD's became hip-hop essentials, attained multiple platinum status, and stamped gangsta rap on the national map.

"Murder Was The Case That They Gave Me":

In the middle of recordings for Doggystyle, Snoop was charged with being a murder accomplice in the death of Phillip Woldermarian. Snoop was allegedly in the vehicle when his bodyguard, McKinley Lee, shot and killed Woldermarian for stalking the rapper. Both Snoop and his bodyguard were acquitted on grounds of self-defense.

The Dogg Father:

Snoop may have beaten the murder rap, but his own rap career took some pounding of its own. Although Doggystyle became the first debut album to enter the charts at #1 and eventually sold over 4 million units, The Doggfather failed to produce any substantial hit and sales stalled at two million.

No Limit Top Dogg:

Snoop eventually left Death Row for Master P's No Limit Records. While at No Limit, he dropped albums with the frequency of ABBA. Da Game Is To Be Sold Not To Be Told was his first project on P's label. He quickly followed it up with 3 more albums, but none reached the critical acclaim of Doggystyle. Snoop was undeterred. He dabbled into an array of mainstream movies including "Bones" and "Soul Plane." In 2005, Snoop droppedR&G:Rhythm & Gangsta, one of his most successful albums in years.

In His Own Words:

"I don't regret anything I've ever said or done. Everything is done for a reason - I'm just a child of God doing what He wants me to do. I say what I say, but before I was here it was being said, and when I leave it is going to continue to be said, so don't blame me, don't hate me, hate the game." (September 1999, interview with Dimitri Erlich)

Elvis king of rock'n roll

Elvis king of rock'n roll

Elvis biography

Simply put, Elvis Presley was the first real rock & roll star. A white Southerner singing blues laced with country, and country laced with gospel, he brought together American music from both sides of the color line and performed it with a natural hip-swiveling sexuality that made him a teen idol and a role model for generations of cool rebels. He was repeatedly dismissed as vulgar, incompetent, and a bad influence, but the force of his music and his image was no mere merchandising feat. Presley signaled to mainstream culture that it was time to let go. Four decades after his death, Presley’s image and influence remain undiminished. While certainly other artists preceded him and he by no means “invented” rock & roll, he is indisputably its king.

As a recording artist, Presley’s accomplishments are unparalleled. He is believed to have sold over 1 billion records worldwide, about 40 percent of those outside the U.S. The RIAA has awarded Presley the largest number of gold, platinum, and multiplatinum certifications of any artist in history; as of early 2001, 131. His chart performance, as tracked byBillboard, is also unmatched, with 149 charting pop singles: 114 Top 40, 40 Top 10, and 18 #1s.

Presley was the son of Gladys and Vernon Presley, a sewing-machine operator and a truck driver. Elvis’ twin brother, Jesse Garon, was stillborn, and Elvis grew up an only child. When he was three, his father served an eight-month prison term for writing bad checks, and afterward Vernon Presley’s employment was erratic, keeping the family just above poverty level. The Presleys attended the First Assembly of God Church, and its Pentecostal services always involved singing.

In 1945 Presley won second prize at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Diary Show for his rendition of Red Foley’s “Old Shep.” The following January he received a guitar for his birthday. In 1948 the family moved to Memphis, and while attending L.C. Humes High School there, Presley spent much of his spare time hanging around the black section of town, especially on Beale Street, where bluesmen like Furry Lewis and B.B. King performed.

Upon graduation in June 1953, Presley worked at the Precision Tool Company and then drove a truck for Crown Electric. He planned to become a truck driver and had begun to wear his long hair pompadoured, the current truck-driver style. That summer he recorded “My Happiness” and “That’s Where Your Heartaches Begin” at the Memphis Recording Service, a sideline Sam Phillips had established in his Sun Records studios where anyone could record a 10-inch acetate for four dollars.

Presley was reportedly curious to know what he sounded like and gravely disappointed by what he heard. But he returned to the Recording Service again on January 4, 1954, and recorded “Casual Love Affair” and “I’ll Never Stand in Your Way.” This time he met Phillips, who called him later that spring to record a song that Phillips had received on a demo, “Without You.” Despite numerous takes, Presley failed miserably and at Phillips’ request just began singing songs in the studio. Phillips then began to believe that he had finally found what he had been looking for: “a white man with the Negro sound and the Negro feel.”

Phillips enlisted lead guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, both of whom were then playing country & western music in Doug Poindexter’s Starlight Wranglers. Though some sources cite the date of their first meeting as July 4, 1954, the three had actually rehearsed for several months, and on July 5, 1954, they recorded three songs: “I Love You Because,” “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” and the A-side of Presley’s eventual debut, Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup’s “That’s All Right.”

Two days later Memphis disc jockey Dewey Phillips (no relation to Sam) played the song on his Red Hot and Blue show on radio station WHBQ. Audience response was overwhelming, and that night Presley came to the studio for his first interview. Scotty Moore became Presley’s manager, and “That’s All Right” b/w “Blue Moon of Kentucky” became his first local hit. After playing local shows, Presley made his first--and last--appearance at the Grand Ole Opry on September 25. Legend has it that after his performance he was advised by the Opry’s talent coordinator to go back to driving trucks.

By October Presley had debuted on The Louisiana Hayride, a popular radio program on which he appeared regularly through 1955. He made his television debut on a local television version ofHayride in March 1955. Meanwhile, “Good Rockin’ Tonight” b/w “I Don’t Care If the Sun Don’t Shine” were hits in the Memphis area.

In early 1955 Moore stopped managing Presley, although he would continue to play in Presley’s band for several years. Presley’s new manager was Memphis disc jockey Bob Neal. Colonel Thomas Parker first entered Presley’s career when he helped Neal make some tour arrangements. Presley, still considered a country act, continued to perform locally, and in April he traveled to New York City, where he auditioned unsuccessfully for Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts program. But on May 13 his performance in Jacksonville, Florida, started a riot, Presley’s first. “Baby, Let’s Play House” b/w “I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone” was released and hit Number Ten on the national C&W chart in July.

That September, Presley had his first Number One country record, a version of Junior Parker’s “Mystery Train” b/w “I Forgot to Remember to Forget.” By this time Colonel Parker, despite Presley’s agreement with Neal, had become increasingly involved in his career. When RCA purchased Presley’s contract from Sun for a then unheard-of $35,000, Hill and Range, a music publisher with which Parker had some connections, purchased Sam Phillips’ Hi-Lo Music for another $15,000. In addition, Presley received a $5,000 advance, with which he bought his mother a pink Cadillac. (It remains among his possessions preserved at Graceland.)

Presley became a national star in 1956. He and Parker traveled to Nashville, where Presley cut his first records for RCA (including “I Got a Woman,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” and “I Was the One”), and on January 28, 1956, the singer made his national television debut on the Dorsey Brothers’ Stage Show, followed by six consecutive appearances. In March, Parker signed Presley to a managerial agreement for which he would receive 25 percent of Presley’s earnings. The contract would last through Presley’s lifetime and beyond.

Presley performed on the Milton Berle, Steve Allen, and Ed Sullivan television shows. The Colonel arranged Presley’s debut at the New Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas that April, but the two-week engagement was canceled after one week due to poor audience response. In August he began filming his first movie, Love Me Tender, which was released three months later and recouped its $1 million cost in three days. Elvis’ hit singles that year were all certified gold; they included “Heartbreak Hotel” (Number One), “I Was the One” (Number 19), “Blue Suede Shoes” (Number 20), “I Want You, I Need You, I Love You” (Number One), “Don’t Be Cruel” b/w “Hound Dog” (Number One), “My Baby Left Me” (Number 31), “Love Me Tender” (Number One), “Anyway You Want Me (That’s How I Will Be)” (Number 20), “Love Me” (Number Two), and “When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold” (Number 19). By early 1957 he was the idol of millions of teens and the perfect target for the wrath of critics, teachers, clergy, and even other entertainers (including many country performers), all of whom saw his style as too suggestive; he was nicknamed Elvis the Pelvis by one writer. Presley repeatedly claimed not to understand what all the criticism was about. On January 6, 1957, when Presley made the last of his three appearances on Ed Sullivan’s show, he was shown only from the waist up.

In March 1957 Presley purchased Graceland, a former church that had been converted into a 23-room mansion; the next month “All Shook Up” began an eight-week run at Number One. It was preceded in 1957 by “Poor Boy” (Number 24), “Too Much” (Number One), and “Playing for Keeps” (Number 21). Presley’s next single was his first gospel release, “(There’ll Be) Peace in the Valley (For Me)”; it went to Number 25.

Presley was also the first rock star to cross over into films with consistently commercial, if not critical, success. His second film, Loving You, was released in July 1957, and “(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear” from the soundtrack hit Number One on the pop, country, and R&B charts, as did “All Shook Up,” and “Jailhouse Rock,” the title song from Presley’s next movie, which featured Lieber and Stoller songs. Other hit singles from 1957 were “Loving You” (Number 20) and “Treat Me Nice” (Number 18).

That December Presley received his draft notice but was granted a 60-day deferment to complete filmingKing Creole, a drama based on the novel A Stone for Danny Fisher, costarring Carolyn Jones and Walter Mattau. These first four feature films are considered to be his best. Early in the game, Presley truly intended to be taken seriously as an actor. Unfortunately, once he left the service, the choice of roles was left entirely up to Colonel Parker, and the results were rarely satisfactory for either the audience or Presley. However, since Presley would not tour again until the early ’70s, it was through the films that most fans saw him. Despite anything that might be said of these films, that reason alone accounts for their massive success.

On March 24, 1958, Presley entered the army. The preceding months brought two hits: “Don’t” (Number One, 1958) and “I Beg of You” (Number Eight, 1958). He took leave a few months later to be with his mother; Gladys Presley died the day after his arrival home in Memphis, on August 14, 1958. In later interviews Presley would call her death the great tragedy of his life. In the years since his death, much has been written about his relationship with his mother and her impact on him. She was without question the most important person in his life. At her funeral, he cried out, “You know how much I lived my whole life just for you,” words that were both true in the moment and prophetic, for the absence of Gladys, and his love for her, seemed to have never really left his mind. He was shipped to Bremerhaven, West Germany, and in January 1960 was promoted to sergeant. He was discharged that March.

Colonel Parker, meanwhile, had continued to release singles Presley had recorded before his departure, ensuring that while Elvis was gone, he would not be forgotten. He scored a number of hits in absentia, including “Wear My Ring Around Your Neck” (Number Two, 1958), “Don’tcha Think It’s Time” (Number 15, 1958), “Hard Headed Woman” (Number One, 1958), “Don’t Ask Me Why” (Number 25, 1958), “One Night” (Number Four, 1958), “I Got Stung” (Number Eight, 1958), “(Now and Then There’s) A Fool Such as I” (Number Two, 1959), “I Need Your Love Tonight” (Number Four, 1959), “A Big Hunk o’ Love” (Number One, 1959), and “My Wish Came True” (Number 12, 1959). In 1958 alone, Presley earned over $2 million. Shortly after returning to civilian life, Presley made his first stereo record, “Stuck on You” (Number One), and in late March 1960, he taped a TV program with Frank Sinatra, The Frank Sinatra-Timex Special.

In July, Presely’s father remarried. Vernon Presley’s second wife, Davada “Dee” Stanley, and her three sons would later write Elvis: We Love You Tender, one of dozens of insiders’ tell-all biographies that were published following his death. Also at this time, Presley gathered more closely around him the friends, employees, and hangers-on who would become known as the Memphis Mafia and would accompany him almost constantly until his death. Presley’s world became increasingly insular.

The films G.I. Blues and Flaming Star were released in 1960, and “It’s Now or Never” hit Number One in both the U.K. and the U.S. Presley had five Number One U.S. hits: “Stuck on You,” “It’s Now or Never,” “Are You Lonesome Tonight” (1960); “Surrender” (1961); and “Good Luck Charm” (1962). Other Top 10 singles included “I Feel So Bad” (Number Five, 1961), “Little Sister” (Number Five, 1961), “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame” (Number Four, 1961), “Can’t Help Falling in Love” (Number Two, 1961), “She’s Not You” (Number Five, 1962), “Return to Sender” (Number Two, 1962), “(You’re the) Devil in Disguise” (Number Three, 1963), and “Bossa Nova Baby” (Number Eight, 1963). Meanwhile, over Christmas 1960, Priscilla Beaulieu, the teenage daughter of an army officer whom Elvis met in Germany, visited Graceland. In early 1961 she moved in to live, it was said, under the supervision of Presley’s father and stepmother. Interestingly, the press largely went along with the spin Colonel Parker put on the story, and few seemed troubled that the King of Rock & Roll shared his domain with his teenage girlfriend.

After a live performance on March 25, 1961, at a benefit for the USS Arizona, Presley left the concert stage. He spent the next eight years making B movies: Wild in the Country; Blue Hawaii (1961);Follow That Dream; Kid Galahad; Girls! Girls! Girls!(1962); It Happened at the World’s Fair; Fun in Acapulco (1963); Kissin’ Cousins; Viva Las Vegas; Roustabout (1964); Girl Happy; Tickle Me; Harum Scarum (1965); Frankie and Johnny; Paradise, Hawaiian Style; Spinout (1966); Easy Come, Easy Go; Double Trouble; Clambake (1967); Stay Away Joe; Speedway; Live a Little, Love a Little (1968);Charro!; The Trouble with Girls (and How to Get Into It); Change of Habit (1969). With a few exceptions, the soundtrack music was generally poor. But by the mid-’60s Presley was earning $1 million per movie plus a large percentage of the gross. Most of the movies had a concurrently released soundtrack LP. Four of them hit Number One (Loving You, G.I. Blues, Blue Hawaii, Roustabout), and an additional seven were Top 10. Presley often made his displeasure with these films known to friends and associates, but Colonel Parker would not relent in his insistence that his sole client stick with a winning formula. Years later, in 1974, Parker’s shortsightedness as a manager resulted in his refusing Barbra Streisand’s offer to have Presley costar with her in what became a hit remake of A Star Is Born. Parker felt Streisand didn’t deserve equal billing with Presley.

Meanwhile, the younger rock audience heard Presley disciples like the Beatles more often than they heard Presley himself. But Presley did not disappear and he was not, like most American rockers, swept away by the British Invasion, though the Top 10 became increasingly beyond his reach, with only “Crying in the Chapel” (which he recorded in 1960) at Number Three (1965) making the cut. Presley turned increasingly inward, focusing on his family. On May 1, 1967, Elvis and Priscilla were wed in Las Vegas; on February 1, 1968, their only child, Lisa Marie, was born. Fearing he had been forgotten, Presley made a last-gasp bid to regain his footing. He defied Colonel Parker and followed the advice of director Steve Binder for his “comeback” television special. (Parker had wanted it to be a Christmas show.) Over the summer Presley taped the surprisingly raw, powerful Elvis television special that was broadcast on December 3 to high ratings. Its soundtrack reached Number Eight. It included his first performance before an audience in over seven years (though many portions were taped without an audience). It also spun off his first Top 15 single since 1965, the socially conscious “If I Can Dream” (Number 12, 1968). The importance of this moment in Presley’s life cannot be overestimated. Years later, the ’68 comeback special still stands as one of the most powerful performances in rock history.

With that success behind him, Presley turned to performing in Las Vegas. His monthlong debut at the International Hotel in Las Vegas began on July 26, 1969, and set the course for all of Presley’s future performances. His fee for the four weeks was over $1 million. Riding the crest of his comeback, Presley released a series of top singles, including “In the Ghetto” (Number Three, 1969), “Suspicious Minds” (Number One, 1969--his first chart-topper in over seven years), “Don’t Cry Daddy” (Number Six, 1969), and “The Wonder of You” (Number Nine, 1970). He toured the country annually, selling out showrooms, auditoriums, and arenas, frequently breaking box-office records. Until his death, he performed a total of nearly 1,100 concerts. There were two on-tour documentaries released, Elvis: That’s the Way It Is (1970) and Elvis on Tour (1972), the latter of which won the Golden Globe Award for Best Doucmentary.

Presley was honored with countless Elvis Presley Days in cities across the country, and the U.S. Jaycees named him one of the 10 most outstanding young men in America in 1970. His birthplace in Tupelo was opened to the public, and on January 18, 1972, the portion of Highway 51 South that runs in front of Graceland was renamed Elvis Presley Boulevard. That October, Presley had his last Top 10 hit with “Burning Love” (Number Two).

Meanwhile, Presley’s personal life became the subject of countless tabloid headlines. Priscilla, from whom Presley had been separated since February 1972, refused to return to Graceland, and on his birthday in 1973 he filed for divorce. Less than a week later the TV special Elvis: Aloha From Hawaiiwas broadcast via satellite to over a billion viewers in 40 countries, an indication of his international appeal, although (with the exception of three dates in Canada in 1957 and an impromptu performance while on leave in Paris in 1959) Presley never performed outside the U.S. The special’s soundtrack album became his last Number One album in 1973.

Outwardly, Presley appeared to have been given a second chance. He was more popular than ever, and the fan worship that would blossom into one of the biggest personality cults in modern history was taking hold. Offstage, however, Presley was plagued by self-doubt, poor management, and a basic dissatisfaction with his life. He repeatedly threatened to quit show business, but debts and his financial obligations to his large extended family, employees, and assorted hangers-on made that impossible. Unbeknownst to the public until after his death, Presley turned to drugs. Soon after he left the army, he became increasingly wary of the public and would often rent whole movie theaters and amusement parks to visit at night. By the late ’60s he was nearly a total recluse. Among the many books written by Presley by those who knew him, Priscilla’s account, Elvis and Me, goes so far as to suggest that he might have suffered a total nervous breakdown. Although it now seems clear that Presley was taking drugs--namely amphetamines--while in the service (and perhaps even before), his abuse of prescription drugs, including barbiturates, tranquilizers, and amphetamines, increased during the last years of his life. Several painful physical conditions may have initiated this trend. Ironically, he remained devoutly spiritual, never drank alcohol, and publicly denounced the use of recreational drugs. In one of his few unplanned excursions from Graceland, he actually showed up at the White House in 1970 to meet President Richard M. Nixon and received an honorary Drug Enforcement Administration agent’s badge. Days later he was given a special tour of FBI headquarters, where according to FBI files made public after Presley’s death, the singer offered to provide information on persons he believed were a bad influence on American youth.

Toward the end of his life, however, his onstage presence began to deteriorate. He would babble incoherently and rip his pants, having grown quite obese, and on at least one occasion he collapsed. Despite his clearly worsening health, he maintained a frantic tour schedule. This was due to the fact that in 1973 Colonel Parker had negotiated a complex deal whereby Presley sold back to RCA the rights to many of his masters in exchange for a lump-sum payment of which only $2.8 million came to him. Essentially, after 1973 Parker was earning nearly 50 percent commission (as opposed to the 10 percent industry standard). Worse, however, Presley was not earning any more royalties on sides recorded before 1973, although they continued to sell in the millions year after year. Parker’s need to satisfy personal gambling debts was said to be the reason for the self-serving deal. On top of it all, Presley opposed tax shelters on principle; he naively relied on his father for business advice; and he gave away expensive gifts and cash heedlessly. The result, by the mid-’70s, was near-certain financial disaster.

Presley’s last live performance was on June 25, 1977, in Indianapolis. He was reportedly horrified at the impending publication of Elvis: What Happened?, the tell-all written by three of his e-bodyguards and Memphis Mafiosi that was the first printed account of his drug abuse and obsession with firearms, to name just two headline-grabbing revelations. The book came out on August 12. On August 16, 1977--the day before his next scheduled concert--Presley was discovered by girlfriend Ginger Alden dead in his bathroom at Graceland. Although his death was at first attributed to congestive heart failure (an autopsy also revealed advance arteriosclerosis and an enlarged liver), later investigation revealed evidence that drug abuse may have been at least part of the cause of death. Because the family was allowed to keep the official autopsy report private, additional speculation regarding contributing factors in Presley’s death has run wild. Through the years, several insiders have insisted that he was suffering from bone cancer, to name just one unsubstantiated claim. In September 1979 Presley’s private physician, Dr. George Nichopoulos, was charged by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners with “indiscriminately prescribing 5,300 pills and vials for Elvis in the seven months before his death.” He was later acquitted.

Thousands gathered at Graceland, where Presley lay in state before he was buried in a mausoleum at Forest Hill Cemetery in Memphis. After attempts were made to break into the mausoleum, Presley’s body and that of his mother were moved to the Meditation Garden behind Graceland. Nearly two years later, his father, Vernon, died and was also buried there. With Vernon dead, all of Presley’s estate passed on to Lisa Marie.

Court battles over the estate ended in June 1983 after 21 months of litigation with a settlement that ended four lawsuits. One of the terms of the agreement called for Parker to turn over most of his interest in Presley’s audio and video recordings to RCA and the Presley family in return for a large monetary settlement. Lisa Marie’s court-appointed guardian ad litem, Blanchard Tual, wrote in his report on Presley’s financial affairs that Parker had “handled affairs not in Elvis’ but in his own best interest.” Parker died of a stroke in February 1997 at the age of 87. Priscilla Presley assumed control of the estate and through a number of business moves made the Presley estate many times more valuable than it had ever been during Elvis’ lifetime. The cornerstone of the Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE) financial empire is the Tennessee state law Priscilla Presley pushed for that guarantees to heirs the commercial rights to a deceased celebrity’s image and likeness. As a result, the name Elvis Presley is, technically speaking, a trademark, and anyone selling Presley-related merchandise in the U.S. must pay EPE an advance fee plus a royalty on every item sold.

Claiming the funds were needed to maintain the property (the estate was valued at only $5 million in 1979 and the costs to maintain Graceland are estimated at nearly half a million dollars annually), Priscilla Presley opened Graceland to the public in the fall of 1982. Although it is not preserved in exactly the way Elvis Presley left it, and the second floor, where his bedroom is located, remains off-limits to the public, millions have come from all over the world to pay homage to the King of Rock & Roll. In 1991 Graceland was added to the National Register of Historic Places. At last count, around 600,000 people visit Graceland annually. In the mid-’90s, the Presley estate was estimated to have been worth over $100 million. At the turn of the century, it was estimated that the presence of Graceland was responsible for bringing $100 million into the local Memphis economy. The Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation was created in 1985 by EPE to support various causes.

Presley’s sole heir, Lisa Marie, married a fellow Scientology follower, Danny Keough, in 1988. They had two children: Danielle and Benjamin Storm. In 1993 they were divorced, and in May 1994 she married Michael Jackson. They divorced in 1996, after 18 months of marriage. In August 2005, Lisa Marie sold 85 percent of her share of the Presley estate to CKX Inc., which also owns 19 Entertainment, the company responsible for theAmerican Idol TV show. Lisa Marie kept the Graceland property and most of its belongings. In February 2006, CKX announced its plan to increase Graceland’s tourist-destination profile.

Hundreds of books about Presley have been published in the U.S. alone. His enduring power as a cultural force is beyond the scope of this biography, but it has been examined by a number of authors, including Dave Marsh, Greil Marcus, and Peter Guralnick, to name a few. Guralnick’s award winning two-volume biography--Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley (1994) and Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley (1999)--is perhaps the closest to a definitive account as we will ever have. In 1986 Presley was among the first 10 performers inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2002, Presley’s “A Little Less Conversation,” from the Roustabout soundtrack (1968), was remixed by JXL (a.k.a. Junkie XL--the DJ-producer allowed his name to be truncated for the remix) and became a Number One U.K. hit, helping propel a new compilation, 30 #1 Hits, to healthy sales worldwide. (It reached Number One itself in the U.S.) 30 #1 Hitswas later followed by 2nd to None (Number Three, 2003), both of which were folded into a three-disc box titled Hitstory.

T.I

T.I

T.I. biography

Once dubbed "the Jay-Z of the South" by Pharrell Williams, T.I. gradually came into his own and established himself as one of rap's most successful MCs during the early 2000s. Like Jay-Z, T.I. -- born Clifford Harris in Atlanta, GA -- carried a balance of smoothness and toughness, and although 2001's I'm Serious didn't shoot him out of the gate à la Reasonable Doubt, he consistently grew and launched a string of major hits with 2003's "24's." Throughout the six following years, T.I. maintained a consistent presence on urban radio stations in America: 2003's Trap Muzik, 2004's Urban Legend, 2006's King (released in tandem with T.I.'s debut screen appearance in ATL), 2007's T.I. vs T.I.P., and 2008's Paper Trail -- all released through the MC's deal with Atlantic -- were Top Ten albums, with the latter three even spending time at the very top of the chart.

For better or for worse, T.I. also courted a good deal of controversy during his rise to superstar status. Far more ink was spent on his legal issues and conflicts with other rappers, including fellow Southerner Lil' Flip, than his Katrina relief efforts and other humanitarian involvements. One notable event occurred on May 3, 2006, when T.I.'s crew was caught up in a shooting after a show in Cincinnati. The crossfire left three people injured, while longtime friend and personal assistant Philant Johnson was fatally wounded. Despite such incidents, T.I. continued to flourish as the decade drew to a close, charting three chart-topping rap singles and four Top Five pop hits between 2008 and 2009. His career took a breather in 2009, however, when the rapper entered an Arkansas prison to serve a yearlong sentence related to federal gun charges. Andy Kellman, All Music Guide

D12

D12

D12 biography

In the post-Motown landscape of Detroit, brothers rocking the mic are still being considered the voice of young America. Yet, instead of dreaming of blue skies and white picket fences, the unruly boys known as D12 create surreal universes of wild times and unruly rhymes. On their bombastic sophomore effort, D12 World, this motley crew of versatile style slayers mixes the rowdiness and absurdities of their lives into one potent cocktail.

Two years after selling 4 million copies worldwide of their debut Devil's Night, these Motor City wild boys are on a mission to define themselves in the hectic canon of now-school hip-hop. "In D12 World, anything can happen at any time," Kuniva laughs. "Devil's Night was just an introduction, now it's time for us to really go crazy."

With a lineup that includes sharp-tongued Eminem, crazy cat Bizarre, beatmaster Kon Artis, laid-back Swift, chilled-out Kuniva, and freestyle king Proof, the D12 posse is already popular. The group's debut disc received rave reviews in the press. USA Today wrote, "The garishly funky beats that underpin the diabolically clever wordplay make the album hard to dismiss...their diatribes seem born less of anger and more of disdain for all that's politically correct."

Indeed, Devil's Night established D12 as one of the supergroups of the new millennium, with its chart-topping singles "Purple Pills" and "Fight Music," and with their outlandish antics on record and in performance. So what if Eminem has nine Grammys and one Oscar ("Lose Yourself" from the 8 Mile soundtrack); so what if Mr. Shady has proven himself as a film star (8 Mile) and America's most popular rapper? When D12 is in the house, he's just another group member.

"We all knew each other growing up in Detroit," Proof remembers. "I used to sneak Em into my school lunchroom just so he could battle. Later, when we started battling once a month at Maurice Malone's Hip-Hop Shop, everybody had a crew. So, we decided to form our own. That's how D12 was born. Before we even thought about making records, our only goal was to be like verbal ninjas and kick ass."

Although the Detroit hip-hop scene might not be on the scale of New York or Cali, those who are down take rap very seriously. Having known each other since the days when they were rapping just to be heard, headnodding onstage inside Detroit's infamous Hip-Hop Shop (where Proof was also the host), these brothers from different mothers have always had a special bond. "We were the All-Star Team of battle rappers," Kuniva recalls. "And when somebody like Bizarre got in front of the mic, we never knew what he might say. Bizarre is wicked 'cause he'll say sh-t that others won't."

While the group was a priority, each of the members has worked on solo and side-projects. Still, it wasn't until Eminem's own legendary solo success with Dr. Dre that D12 finally got a chance to move beyond their neighborhoods. "Em was able to take D12 to the next level," Kon Artis says. Prior to teaming up in front of a mic, the two worked together at a local pizza joint called Gilbert's Lounge. "He helps to bring stuff out of us. With him, no matter what happens, it's always been about real friendship."

One friend and group member who wouldn't live to see D12 successfully rock the world was a young rapper named Bugz. Although he too was down with the crew, Bugz was killed shortly before D12 was signed to Shady Records. "His last request was that we put Swift in the group," Proof says. "If you listen to our song 'Good Die Young' on D12 World, you'd understand how much he meant to the group." In an odd coincidence, Proof's son was born the same day Bugz died.

After the release of Devil's Night, the D12 crew spent many days and nights touring the world. Although Bizarre was still bringing the laughs and Kuniva was still being his outspoken self, there was still time for reflection. "Anyone who listened to the Devil's Night will hear a lot of growth on our new joint," Kon Artis says. "For the past two years all we've done is tour and mature." Bizarre concurs, "Although Eminem is the most prominent member of the crew, on this album the rest of D12 steps up and displays their skills. On D12 World, you can clearly hear we're all dope MCs. Most rap on the radio right now is either popcorn or gangsta, but we're going for a new refreshing approach with our beats and lyrical content."

Although D12 has grown, they are still funny as hell. "When you listen to the title track, it's like walking into a dope house party," says Bizarre. With its strange soundscape and spooky strings, the Kanye West-produced track serves the listener a taste of the group's bugged poetics.

While most cliques fronted by an internationally known rap superstar might try to distance themselves from secondhand fame, the members of D12 rather make fun of it with their first single, "My Band," lampooning the fact that more than a few journalists wrote about D12 as though they were the latest boy band on the scene.

"The entire 'My Band' track originated from a joke," Swift explains. "On the whole song, Em is just this dick lead singer who anoints us 'the cute one' or 'the shy one.' It's just a goof directed at the media." Reminding one of a rap version of Spinal Tap, this minimally produced Em nugget has the charm of Mad magazine and sassiness of a snake.

The group balances out the release of "My Band" with the simultaneous release of "40 Oz." (video and single). The rowdy Trackboyz-produced track gives the club heads the rush they need to get the party started.

Em also contributed the frantic beat on "Git Up." Featuring Em's bouncy chants combined with creepy gothic strings, "Git Up," which is an exciting street burner taunts any suckers trying to step to the crew. As group member Kon Artis, himself a noted producer (find him listed as "Mr. Porter" in the production credits), says, "Em created a track that is just pure adrenaline. We just went in the studio and tried to destroy whatever people might think about D12. Any backlash that Em has to deal with from the press, we go though together. D12 is more than a group, we're brothers."

Although naysayers and corn balls might try to label the humorous "I'm Gonna Get My Gun" as just another gangsta anthem, Bizarre knows better. "That's another one of those times we were just messing around in the studio," he explains. "One of the engineers said, 'You ever been in a club, and see dudes get in a fight. One guy always gotta announce...I'm gonna get my gun!' It's funny, but it's also real."

Lacing a little R&B with his pimping, Kon Artis constructed "You Are The One." Reminiscent of a beat Big Daddy Kane would have been proud to use, Kon Artis has created a track that examines both the bitter and the sweet in love.

Although Kon Artis has gotten much fame from producing the 50 Cent single "P.I.M.P." and G-Unit's "Stunt 101," he doesn't skimp when it's time to bring the noise to D12. "By definition, Detroit has always been a funk town," Kon Artis explains. "On 'I'll Be Damned,' I was just coming with a funky George Clinton/Larry Graham vibe. To me, rap is boring right now and a great way to liven it up is to bring the funk."

Kon Artis, who has studied the art of production under Detroit homeboy Jaydee (Slum Village) and Cali flyboy Dr. Dre (who also contributes to the project with "American Psycho II" featuring B-Real), has risen in the ranks as one of rap's most sought-after sound providers. Currently, he is working on tracks for Dre's upcoming CD, Snoop, Method Man, and Bilal. "The best lesson Dre ever taught me was it doesn't hurt to try an idea. The only way to get to the next level is to not be afraid."

Additional producers on D12 World include: Hi-Tek, Night & Day, Red Spyda, and Sick Notes.

With the release of D12 World, the group has created the perfect blueprint for all future groups to follow. As Proof is quick to say, "Forget about the word real, D12 keeps it right."

Persoane interesate

Usher

Usher

Usher biography

Usher (Usher Raymond IV) was born on 14 October 1978 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. Drawn from LaFace Records' seemingly inexhaustible wellspring of young R&B acts, Usher is one of the few who can boast of real star quality and staying power.

He moved to Atlanta with his family when he was 12. Usher started singing in the church choir (led by his mom Jonetta Patton) when he was six years old. When Usher was 14 he was spotted at a talent show by a record exec. from LaFace Records. Eventually the company signed the young singer while he was still in high school.

After being spotted by a La Face record executive at a talent show in his hometown of Atlanta, GA, it took no time for Usher Raymond's career to take off. The 14-year-old auditioned for La Face co-founder L.A. Reid, who signed the gospel choir boy to a recording contract. Raymond was introduced to the world simply as "Usher," and released his debut album of the same name in 1994, which featured co-executive producer Sean "Puffy" Combs. The first single, "Think of You," gained Usher notoriety and reached gold status. From that initial exposure, Usher was approached to do other projects.

Indeed, after the release of his self-titled debut in 1994, there seemed to be a danger that he would become better known as a face rather than a musical talent. He appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show. In 1995, he recorded a national holiday jingle for Coca-Cola. He also joined several top male R&B vocalists to form Black Men United for the single "You Will Know," featured on the Jason's Lyric soundtrack. He also teamed with teen singing sensation Monica for a duet remake of Latimore's "Let's Straighten It Out."

After graduating from high school, Usher released his sophomore album, My Way, in 1997. In an attempt to display his maturity and songwriting abilities, Usher co-wrote six of the nine songs and enlisted the help of producers Jermaine Dupri, Babyface, and, again, Combs. The album's first single, "You Make Me Wanna," re-established Usher as one of R&B's hottest artists, and also made him a crossover sensation; it topped the R&B charts for 11 weeks, hit number two pop, and eventually went double platinum. Both of the follow-up singles, "Nice & Slow" and "My Way," also went platinum, hip-hop-styled "Nice 'N' Slow" was a US chart-topper in March 1998; the former stayed at number one on the R&B charts for eight weeks and became his first number one pop single.

In the meantime, Usher launched an acting career, appearing in the 1998 horror spoof The Faculty and the 1999 urban high-school drama Light It Up. To tide fans over, he issued a concert recording titled simply Live in 1999.

His 2000 comeback single "Pop Ya Collar", co-written with husband-and-wife team Kevin She'kspere Briggs and Kandi, was a surprising failure in America. Usher was more successful in the UK, where the single debuted at number 2 in February 2001.

Usher returned with his third proper album, All About U, toward the end of 2000. He returned to the top of the US charts in July with "U Remind Me", which premiered the transatlantic hit album 8701. His album 8701 (2001) moved him from a teen pop star to a sultry R&B singer. The single "U Got It Bad" also reached the number 1 position in 2002, and helped complete Usher's transition from teen pop star to R&B bestseller.

In early 2004, Arista released the single "Yeah!" Produced by Lil Jon and guesting Ludacris, the addictive, lightly crunk cut fast became a club and radio favorite. By the time the Usher full-length Confessions dropped later that March, "Yeah!" had hit the top of the Billboard charts. In March 2004, Usher released his latest album, Confessions. The album has sold more than 2.8 million copies since its debut and the feature single off the disc.

Usher's only interest isn't singing. He's also tried his hand at acting with some pretty neat flicks. Usher has appeared in The Faculty and Light It Up, as well as the cowboy movie Texas Rangers with Ashton Kutcher.

"I've been working so hard, I'm about to have a Mariah Carey", - says Usher.

Akon

Akon

Akon biography

Although he was born in St. Louis, MO, Aliaune Thiam -- aka Akon -- grew up in Senegal before he and his family (including his father, jazz percussionist Mor Thiam) returned to the United States and settled in New Jersey when he was seven. There he discovered hip-hop for the first time, as well as crime. He was eventually jailed but he used the time -- three years, he claimed -- to work on his musical ideas. Upon release, Akon began writing and recording tracks in a home studio. The tapes found their way to SRC/Universal, which eventually released Trouble, Akon's debut LP, in June 2004. The album was an interesting hybrid of Akon's silky, West African-styled vocals with East Coast- and Southern-styled beats. The success of the song "Locked Up," a Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 hit, made Akon a star and desired collaborator. After appearing on Young Jeezy's "Soul Survivor," his number of guest appearances seemed to multiply each month. Konvicted, his second album was released in November 2006. Soon enough, two of the album's singles, "I Wanna Love You" and "Smack That," made their way to the upper regions of the Billboard charts. The surprisingly Euro-pop-flavored Freedom, his third album, followed two years later, and it repeated Konvicted's chart success by peaking within the Top Ten of the Billboard 200. Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide

Justin timberlake

Justin timberlake

Justin Timberlake biography

Justin Randall Timberlake was born on 31th January 1981in Memphis,Tennessee. This musically historical place had already produced musical idols like Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis. This cute boy was given the nickname " Curly ". Justin gained his first stage experience through various talent shows. When he was twelve he was discovered at an audition for the " Mickey Mouse Club " kids show. He moved with his mother to Orlando, where he not only gained more showbiz experience but also got to know JC.

Curly is the natural comic in the group and he takes enormous pleasure in making others laugh. This skill is only aided by his ability to act goofily. As well as being an excellent dancer and talented musician Justin is also very sporty. His favourite sport is basketball but, because of his hectic schedule with 'N SYNC he has admittedly little time to devote to his hobby.

Advanced for his age, Justin is a purposeful and ambitious young man, who knows exactly what he wants. This must explain why, despite all the stress, he still has enough energy to successfully continue his schooling through a special correspondence course for young artists. His favourite subjects are maths and physics.

At the beginning of 'N SYNC's career, on those rare occasions when he made a mistake during the dance routines, this smart young man, being the perfectionist that he is, often reacted by pulling sweet, tormented faces. As frontman alongside JC, he carries a heavy load on his young ( albeit broad ) shoulders being the main focus for the cameras. His likeable, friendly smile has captured the hearts of the majority of 'N SYNC fans. Despite his great success Justin remains modest and can't quite come to terms with his effect on girls. He simply can't understand why the fans become speechless when he looks at them.

IDEAL WOMAN : " She definitely has to have a sense of humor. But she has to be intelligent. I want to be able to talk to her. I guess I want just an all - over picture. Everyone deserves the best and everyone has somebody out there for them. The first thing I notice is the way she presents herself and carriers herself. If she's confident, then she's true to herself, and that's something that attracts me to a girl. "

Tiesto best DJ

Tiesto best DJ

Dj Tiesto biography

Highly regarded by both DJ Magazine and ultra-loyal fans, DJ Tiësto, due in part to his legendary six-hour, energetic live sets, has been elevated to mythical status as one of the world's foremost trance DJs. A native of Breda, Netherlands (born Tijs Verwest on January 17, 1969), Tiësto first starting playing out at a well-known club in his hometown called the Sprock. Discovered there by the GM of Rotterdam-based Basic Beat Recordings, Tiësto released his first of five mix CDs as a part of the label's Forbidden Paradise series.

Coupled by quick success and his accelerated work ethic, Tiësto soon partnered with Arny Bink and, in late 1997, started Black Hole Recordings as a private label for his productions and mixes which became the birthplace for both his Space Age and revered Magik series (volume seven hit during the summer of 2001). In addition to these acclaimed series, Black Hole also brought the world the first mix compilations from artists such as Ferry Corsten, Johan Gielen, and Armin Van Buuren, and introduced yet another prized series called In Trance We Trust.

Relentless global touring ensued and, in three short years, the world outside Holland took notice with Nettwerk finally signing him to a stateside deal. Summerbreeze marked Tiësto's U.S. debut, a mix album that showcased his remix of Delerium's "Silence" (featuring Sarah McLachlan), an epic 11 1/2 minute tour de force of throbbing beats cascading within a swirl of sweeping synthesized sounds, all of which cocooned round McLachlan's majestically angelic voice; a call from heaven heard from shore to shore to shore. Aside from reverberating throughout dance clubs everywhere, the remix was massive, spending four weeks in the Top Ten in the U.K., peaking at number three on the Billboard dance charts, and continues to remain one of the most influential tracks of the progressive dance era.

With this swell of immediate notoriety, he instantly became one of the most sought after producers/remixers and catapulted a stylized musical fashion, that of weaving threads of ethereal female vocals deep within the ebbs and flows of a tidal wave of pulsating electronic rhythms. As this anointed purveyor of exuberant layered soundscapes, Tiësto has churned out female-fueled remixes that span the gamut, including tracks by Chicane, Leigh Nash of Sixpence None the Richer (on Delerium "Innocente"), and Faithless. And there's more to come. A thorough sonic search in MP3 land unearths several tasty treats of re-workings of SuReal "You Take My Breath Away," Kosheen on their club smash "Hide U," Dave Matthews Band "The Space Between," and a blistering exploration on the theme from A Clockwork Orange.

Clockwork it seems to be as Tiësto's star continues to shine bright. November 2001 saw the release of In My Memory (Nettwerk), his first artist album that mixes original compositions-turned club anthems ("Flight 643") with more commercial fare, as evidenced on the title track with vocals by Mandalay's Nicola Hitchcock. April 2002 kept his catalog expanding with the release of the third installment of Tiësto's hypnotically elegant, Ibiza-influenced, and aptly named mix compilation entitled In Search of Sunrise. His 2004 album Parade of the Athletes was the soundtrack to the opening ceremony of that year's Olympics and recalled the work of Jean Michel Jarre and Giorgio Moroder. Elements of Life from 2007 featured a guest appearance from BT along with numerous guest vocalists. Robert Evanoff, All Music Guide

Basshunter

Basshunter

Basshunter biography

Basshunter aka Jonas Altberg was born 1984 in Halmstad, Sweden. He lives with his parents and younger brother 5 minutes from Swedens best beach "Tylösand". He can shortly be described as stubborn and creative person. He started to produce music in 1999 with a little help from the computer program "Fruityloops". The interest of music became bigger and bigger. After a lot of demos spread over the internet, he started to get some phone calls from clubs that wanted to have him as a deejay. In April 2006 he got his first real contact to the music industry when signed a record deal with Warner Music. He released his first single Boten Anna in Scandinavia and it became a hit instantly. It all went very fast, much faster then Basshunter himself ever could expect.

From a normal guy that were very good in computer games he went to the guy that performed almost every day all over Scandinavia. The story continued that his "SWEDISH" song also went no. 2 in Holland on the sales chart, which is historical. Right now has Basshunter just finished his debut album "LOL" and it is available in a store close to you!

tupac

tupac

Tupac biography

Tupac Amaru Shakur was born on June 16th 1971 in New York City, New York. He was born to a Black panther activist mother Afeni Shakur and it is still not sure who his father is. 2 Pac grew up in a poor lifestyle much of his life, he kept busy as a youth writing poetry and joined a Harlem Theatre group. At 15 years of age his mother moved him and his half-sister(Sekyiwa) to Baltimore, Maryland. There Tupac attended the Baltimore School for the arts, studying theater, ballet and music. At 19 years of age his mother had moved them to Marin City, California. 2 Pac started selling drugs on the street, and thats where his love for music started to grow. He met Ray Luv and Dj Dize and formed a group called Strictly Dope, which caught the attention of Shock G from Digital underground. In 1990 2pac mentored with Digital Underground, first as a backup dancer and then made his debut in a movie called Nothin but trouble. A small cameo appearence in the movie and on a song titled the same name. In 1991 2 Pac dropped his debut album 2Pacalypse Now, an album with street tales of a young black man misunderstood, dealing with the law and racism. The album became publicly criticized when fromer Vice President Dan Quale said the album has no place in society. 2Pacalypse now only went gold. In 1992 2 Pac starred in the classic movie "Juice" in which he plays the infamous character Bishop. The movie was shot in Harlem and Directed by Ernest R. Dickerson. Also starring was Omar Epss and Samuel L Jackson the movie grossed 20 million dollars at the box office despite being a low-budget film. In 1993 he dropped the Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z album which went platinum thanks to the two singles Keep Ya Head Up and I Get Around. Tupac also starred alongside Janet Jackson in a movie Directed by John Singleton called Poetic Justice the movie is about a young woman who recites poetry to deal with a grievance and depression. October 1993, Tupac got into serious trouble when he shot two off-duty officers in Atlanta. Tupac claimed he came to the rescue of a black motorist being beaten by the officers. Charges were droped when it was found that the officers were intoxicated and were using stolen guns out of an evidence locker.
December 1993, Tupac met a female fan at club Nell's, he took her back to his hotel room to finish business after she gave him oral sex on the dance floor. The next night she came back to the hotel to see him, thats when she alleged that his friends walked in and began to sodomize her with 2 Pac encouraging them. 2pac was charged with sexual assault and would later face trial. In 1994 2 Pac formed a group called Thug Life with Big Syke, Macadoshis, his step-brother Mopreme, and Rated R. They dropped Thug life vol.1 and went gold despite not getting much airplay. March 1994 appeared in the hood movie Above the rim as Birdie the drug dealer brother of Kyle-Lee, a basketball star trying to make it into the NBA. The film was directed by Jeff Pollack. 2 Pac met and befriended members of The Black Mafia on the set of this movie.
Novemeber 1994 2 Pac alleges he was set up and shot by Haitian Jake and King Tut, two members of The Black mafia who earlier took him in and took care of him, by buying him jewelry and clothes. The Black Mafia had been rumored to fund Bad Boy records and wanted him to join the label which he refused. That night in the lobby of the studio in New York Tupac was shot 5 times (1 in the testicles) (1 in the head) (3 in the legs). He was robbed of his jewelry. Not realising he had been shot 5 times he went upstairs to seek safety where he found Puffy, Biggie and his entourage in the recording studio. Puffy called an ambulance for him and 2 Pac was transported to Bellevue Hospital and checked out the next day out of fear for his life. In february 1995 2 Pac was found guilty for the sexual assault in Atlanta, and was was sentenced to four and a half years at the Clinton Correctional Facility. A few weeks after the Me Against the World album was released, going 2x platinum. In Jail Tupac expressed his anger at Biggie and Puffy for not warning him of the set-up and not visiting him in Jail, thus he started accusing them of playing a part in the set-up. And thats when the media began creating the East Coast/West Coast feud.
Shakur was released 8 months into his sentence on parole thanks to the 1.4$ million bail posted by the head of Death Row records Suge Knight. In exchange for the help Tupac was under contract to release 3 albums under death row. Upon his release Tupac recorded Hit em Up with the his new group The Outlawz. A song that attacks Biggie and BadBoy Records for their alleged involvment in the november 1994 shooting and robbery at the New York Studio.
In 1996 2 Pac dropped the double album All Eyez on Me, which went 9x platinum. All eyez on me, recieved critical acclaim by critics, fans and even rival rappers to be the greatest hip-hop album of all time. Tupac also made a great cameo in the movie Bullet, playing the character "Tank" a drug dealer from brooklyn. In this year alone Tupac recorded over 100 tracks and acted in two movies movies that were released after his death; Gridlock'd alongside Tim Roth and Gang related with James Belushi.
September 7 1996 Tupac alongside with his deathrow friends attended the boxing match between Mike Tyson and Bruce Seldon at the MGM Grand hotel. In the lobby Tupac and Suge were involved in a fight with a member of the Southside Crips Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson. After leaving the MGM Grand, the went to the hotel and got ready to go out. Heading towards Suge Knight's Club 662 in Suge's Mercedes, a white cadillac pulled beside their car and fired 13 times into the vehicle hitting Tupac twice in the chest and his arm and thigh. Knight was scratched by a piece of flying glass. Shakur survived on life support for six days and succombed to his wounds on september 13 1996.
His murder is still unsolved to this day, although Las Vegas Police believe that the Southside Crips were behind the shooting after Tupac had attacked Orlando Anderson in MGM Hotel. 2 Pac remains a legend in the Hip hop world even after his death, due to the fact he dropped the 5x platinum Makaveli: The Don Killuminati: 7 Day Theory album

Madonna queen of pop

Madonna queen of pop

Madonna biography

Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone was the third of eight children born into a large Italian family in Michigan. Her father, Sylvio Ciccone, was a design engineer for General Motors, and her mother was Madonna Ciccone. She died when Madonna was six years old.

Madonna attended the University of Michigan on a dance scholarship for two years before heading to New York City to become a ballet dancer. She danced for the Patrick Hernandez Revue before teaming with Dan Gilroy to form the band, Breakfast Club. She later formed the band, Emmy, with Stephen Bray. Their first two singles, "Everybody" and "Physical Attraction" became club hits in New York. The next single, "Holiday," became her first Top Ten hit. Since then Madonna has had a spectacular career in show business as a singer, actress, and producer. Through her ability to evolve with the audiences, she has had more number one singles than any other female artist, eleven in all. Her song, "Rescue Me" off of THE IMMACULATE COLLECTION, became the highest-debuting single by a female artist in U.S. chart history, entering at number 15. She has won numerous MTV Music Awards, five Grammys, and a Golden Globe for her performance in EVITA. In 1992 she signed with Time Warner to create her own record label, Maverick.

Madonna continues to record music and act in films, splitting her time between Los Angeles, New York, Miami, and London. She has a daughter, Lourdes Maria, whom she calls "Lola" and is expecting another baby in late 2000.

CHRONOLOGY

1958 She was born in Bay City, Michigan. (August 16)

1964 Her mother died of breast cancer.

1977 She moved to New York City.

1979 She became part of the Patrick Hernandez Revue.

1980 She formed the band Emmy with Stephen Bray.

1982 She was signed by Sire Records.

1983 MADONNA - album

1984 LIKE A VIRGIN - album; VISION QUEST - film

1985 She married Sean Penn.; DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN - film

1986 TRUE BLUE - album; SHANGHAI SURPRISE - film

1987 WHO'S THAT GIRL - album & film; YOU CAN DANCE - album

1989 She and Sean Penn divorced.; LIKE A PRAYER - album; BLOODHOUNDS OF BROADWAY - film

1990 I'M BREATHLESS, THE IMMACULATE COLLECTION - albums; DICK TRACY - film

1991 TRUTH OR DARE - documentary

1992 She won a Grammy for Best Music Video (Long Form) for MADONNA: BLONDE AMBITION WORLD TOUR LIVE.; SEX - photographic book; EROTICA - ALBUM; SHADOWS & FOG, A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN - films She signed with Time Warner to create Maverick, her own record label.

1993 BODY OF EVIDENCE, DANGEROUS GAME - films

1994 BEDTIME STORIES - album

1995 SOMETHING TO REMEMBER - album; BLUE IN THE FACE, FOUR ROOMS - films

1996 EVITA -album & film; She won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture for EVITA.; Her daughter, Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon, was born. (October 14); GIRL 6 - film

1998 RAY OF LIGHT; She won three Grammy Awards for RAY OF LIGHT in the categories, Dance Recording, Pop Album, and Music Video.

1999 She won a Grammy for a Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television, or Other Visual Media for "Beautiful Stranger."

2000 THE NEXT BEST THING - film; MUSIC - album; She announced in March that she is due with her second child.

50 cent

50 cent

50 cent biography

More so than any other music since the blues, hip-hop is all about stories. And its stories are both criminal minded and grand, making them enthralling and unbelievable, but also making them only as interesting and convincing as the teller. That's why, despite being blackballed by the industry, without a major-label recording contract, heads still gravitated to Jamaica, Queens' realest son, 50 Cent, like the planets to the sun. 50 Cent, born Curtis Jackson 26 years ago, is the real deal, the genuine article. He's a man of the streets, intimately familiar with its codes and its violence, but still, 50, an incredibly intelligent and deliberate man, holds himself with a regal air as if above the pettiness which surrounds him. Couple his true-life hardship with his knack for addictive, syrupy hooks, it's clear that 50 has exactly what it takes to ride down the road to riches and diamond rings. 50 is real, so he does real things.

Born into a notorious Queens drug dynasty during the late '70s, 50 Cent lost those closest to him at an early age. Raised without a father, 50's mother, whose name carried weight in the street (hint, hint, dummies), was found dead under mysterious circumstances before he could hit his teens. The orphaned youth was taken in by his grandparents, who provided for 50. But his desire for things would drive him to the block. Which in his case was the infamous New York Avenue, now known as Guy R. Brewer Blvd. There, 50 stepped up to get his rep up, amassing a small fortune and a lengthy rap sheet. But the birth of his son put things in perspective for the post adolescent, and 50 began to pursue rap seriously. He signed with JMJ, the label of Run DMC DJ Jam Master Jay and began learning his trade. JMJ would teach the young buck to count bars and structure songs. Unfortunately, caught up in industry limbo, there wasn't much JMJ could do for 50.


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Curtis Jackson also known as 50 cent hasent had it easy. he was born in queens 26 years ago.read on and here about his life..........
His drug dealing mother was shot right in front of him.he was an orphaned child.He has been stabbed and put in jail numerous times.in 2000, 50 cent was shot 9 times in front of his grandmothers house and rumours started he went back to selling crack.he has already made a number of songs such as in da club, no mercy no fear,50 cent is the future and tonnes more.
when he gave birth to his son he was more careful about his singing.On the 6th of february 2003 his albulm 'get rich or die trying' was released.he has been blamed for murders too.If anyone else was living this life what would you do?

MIchael Jackson king of pop

MIchael Jackson king of pop

Michael Jackson biography

Michael Jackson, one of the most widely beloved entertainers and profoundly influential artists of all-time, leaves an indelible imprint on popular music and culture.

Five of Jackson's solo albums - "Off the Wall," "Thriller," "Bad," "Dangerous" and "HIStory," all with Epic Records - are among the top-sellers of all time and “Thriller” holds the distinction as the largest selling album worldwide in the history of the recording industry with more than 70 million units sold. Additionally, singles released from the Thriller album sold more than 100 million copies worldwide, another all time record.

During his extraordinary career, he sold an estimated 750 million records worldwide, released 13 No.1 singles and became one of a handful of artists to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized Jackson as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time and "Thriller" as the Biggest Selling Album of All Time. Jackson won 13 Grammy Awards and received the American Music Award's Artist of the Century Award.

Michael Jackson started in the music business at the age of 11 with his brothers as a member of the Jackson 5. In the early 1980s, he defined the art form of music video with such ground-breaking videos as "Billie Jean," "Beat It" and the epic "Thriller." Jackson's sound, style and dance moves inspired subsequent generations of pop, soul, R&B and hip-hop artists.

Lil Wayne

Lil Wayne

Lil Wayne biography

A game-changing artist and an impervious celebrity, Lil Wayne began as his career as a near-novelty -- a preteen delivering hardcore hip-hop -- but through years of maturation and reinventing the mixtape game, he developed into a million-selling rapper with a massive body of work, one so inventive and cunning that it makes his famous claim of being the "best rapper alive" worth considering. Born Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. and raised in the infamous New Orleans neighborhood of Hollygrove, he was a straight-A student but never felt his true intelligence was expressed through any kind of report card. He found music was the best way to express himself and after taking the name Gangsta D he began writing rhymes. Combining a strong work ethic with aggressive self-promotion, the 11-year-old convinced the Cash Money label to take him on, even if it was just of odd jobs around the office. A year later, in-house producer Mannie Fresh partnered him with the 14-year-old B.G. and dubbed the duo the B.G.'z. Although only B.G.'s name appeared on the cover, the 1995 album True Story has since been accepted as the B.G.'z debut album both by fans and the Cash Money label. The 1997 album, Chopper City, was supposed to be the follow-up, but when Wayne accidentally shot himself in the chest with a .44, it became a solo B.G. release.

That same year, he officially took the moniker Lil Wayne, dropping the "D" from his first name in order to separate himself from an absent father. He joined B.G., Juvenile, and Young Turk for another Fresh project, the teen hardcore rap group the Hot Boys who released their debut album Get It How U Live! in 1997. Two years later, Cash Money would sign a distribution deal with the major-label Universal. Mainstream distribution would help that year's Hot Boys album Guerrilla Warfare to reach the number one spot on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. In 1998, Lil Wayne would appear on Juvenile's hit single "Back That Thing Up," or "Back That Azz Up" as it appeared on Juvie's album 400 Degreez. Wayne would launch his solo career a year later with the album Tha Block Is Hot featuring the hit single title track. It went double platinum but the rapper was still unknown to Middle America since his hardcore rhymes and the rough Cash Money sound had not yet crossed over. His second album, Lights Out (2000), failed to match the success of its predecessor but it did go gold, and with an appearance on the Big Tymers' hit single "1 Stunna," his audience was certainly growing. While Fresh was primarily responsible for launching his career, Wayne was now much closer to Fresh's fellow Big Tymer and Cash Money CEO Birdman. When Juvenile left the label, Wayne -- or "Birdman Jr." as he was calling himself -- showed his allegiance to his CEO by releasing an album with a title much hotter than Juvie's breakthrough effort. 500 Degreez landed in 2002 and while it went gold, rumors began flying about Cash Money's financial troubles and possible demise. The rest of the Hot Boys had defected and Wayne's planned 2003 album was scraped, coming out instead as an underground mixtape called Da Drought.

Wayne became enamored with the mixtape world after Da Drought drew so much attention from the hip-hop press. He used these underground releases to drum up anticipation for his next official album, the breakthrough effort Tha Carter. Released in 2004, the album seemed familiar on one hand with Mannie Fresh's production, but the Wayne on the cover was a dreadlocked surprise, and the rhymes he laid on the tracks showed significant growth. His marketing skills had become sharper too, and it was no mistake that the album's hit single, "Go DJ," mentioned hip-hop's greatest taste makers right in the title. It reached number five on the singles chart, and with a guest shot on Destiny's Child's number three single, "Soldier," Wayne had officially crossed over. On the flip side, his street cred was supported by a slew of mixtapes released in 2005, including the popular titles Dedication with DJ Drama and Tha Suffix with DJ Khaled. Cash Money's future was no longer in doubt and traditional music business rules no longer seemed to apply as tracks would be leaked onto the Internet and various DJ's mixtapes. "Get Something" was another bold move as a Universal-funded video was made without the track ever seeing official release.

With his alternative marketing scheme working in overdrive, the 2005 landing of Tha Carter II was a major event, selling over a quarter-million copies the week of its release. "Fireman" and "Shooter" with Robin Thicke were released as singles while the album -- which for the first time featured no Mannie Fresh productions -- went platinum. It also introduced his Young Money posse with appearances from Curreny and Nicki Minaj, and initially came with a bonus disc featuring Wayne's greatest hits screwed and chopped by Swishahouse DJ Michael "5000" Watts. A year later he collaborated with Birdman for the Like Father, Like Son album, featuring the hit single "Stuntin' Like My Daddy." His mixtapes were still flooding the underground including the stunning Dedication 2 which came with an iconic image of the rapper on the cover plus the much talked-about track "Georgia...Bush," a venomous response to President George W. Bush's handling of the Katrina disaster. With no official follow-up to Tha Carter II in sight, numerous collaborative tracks kept the rapper in the mainstream with "Gimme That" by Chris Brown, "Make It Rain" by Fat Joe, and "Duffle Bag Boy" by Playaz Circle becoming three of the biggest hits.

Tha Carter III was promised for 2007 but didn't arrive until a year later, setting off Wayne's infamous reputation of delayed releases. Part of the problem became unauthorized leaks of the album's tracks, something combated by the official, downloadable EP The Leak released that same year. Preceded by the number one hit "Lollipop," Tha Carter III arrived in May of 2008, selling more than a million copies in its first week of release. An appearance on Saturday Night Live and four Grammy Awards -- including Best Rap Album -- spoke to Wayne's mainstream acceptance. He also performed at that year's Country Music Awards with Kid Rock, but rather than rap, he played guitar. The guitar playing was part of Wayne's new involvement with rock music, including his help in signing Kevin Rudolf to Cash Money plus an appearance on Rudolf's massive hit "Let It Rock." His planned rock album was previewed with the 2009 single "Prom Queen" but when the album failed to meet its promised April release date, the music press began to portray the rapper as the king of missed street dates. Unconcerned, Wayne forged ahead with his Young Money crew, releasing the underground mixtape Young Money Is the Army, Better Yet the Navy plus the aboveground single "Every Girl" that same year. David Jeffries, All Music Guide
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