Grammy-winning Philadelphia DJ, producer, and turntablist Jeff Townes is known as half of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince alongside Will Smith. He pioneered the Transformer scratch, executive-produced Jill Scott's multi-platinum debut, and released solo albums including The Magnificent.
Born in Barbados, Doug E. Fresh became known as the first and best human beatbox in rap. He rose to fame in the mid-1980s, releasing the classic hit The Show/La Di Da Di with his Get Fresh Crew, which included Slick Rick. He followed with albums like Oh, My God!
Buckshot, from '90s group Black Moon, went solo with 'The BDI Thug' in 1999. Known for collaboration with 9th Wonder, albums 'Chemistry' & 'The Formula' revived his reputation.
Mr. Cheeks rose to fame in the nineties as a member of the critically acclaimed New York hip-hop group Lost Boyz. Launching his solo career in the early 2000s, he released his debut album John P. Kelly, featuring the hit single Lights, Camera, Action! He also collaborated with Lil Kim on The Jump off.
Formed in 1987 by Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith in Brentwood, New York, hip-hop duo EPMD released classic underground albums like Strictly Business and Business Never Personal. Known for hits like You Gots to Chill, they later launched the Hit Squad.
Kwam.E is a German rapper from Hamburg with Ghanaian roots, known for his distinctive blend of classic hip-hop, jazz, and electronic music. His style features intricate rhyming patterns and soulful melodies, often exploring themes of self-discovery. Popular songs include "Hallow Kitty," "Roadrunner," and "Ohne Verträge." He has collaborated with artists like Ace Tee and Tom Hengst, and released albums such as "UpNorth Tape vol.1" and "UpNorth Tape vol.2."
Born in Kingston, Jamaica and raised in Brooklyn, Chubb Rock is a rap artist known for his nimble flow. He left pre-med studies at Brown University to pursue music, releasing his 1988 debut album. His 1991 album The One featured his biggest hit, Treat 'Em Right.
Formed in Queens in 1988, hardcore rap group Onyx achieved mainstream success with their 1993 platinum debut album, Bacdafucup, and its hit single Slam. Led by Fredro Starr and Sticky Fingaz, the group earned a Soul Train Music Award and later released independent and collaborative albums.
Strafe is the electro project of Brooklyn native and producer Steve Standard. He is best known for the 1984 quintessential track Set It Off, released by Jus Born. The heavily sampled song became a club staple featuring a minimal electro beat and the famous chant.
Harlem-born hip-hop pioneer Kurtis Blow (born Kurtis Walker) was the first commercially successful rapper and first to sign and release a major-label album. His 1980 gold single The Breaks and album Kurtis Blow helped bring rap mainstream.
West Philadelphia rapper Schoolly D, called "forefather of gangsta rap" by Ice-T, pioneered explicit gangsta rap with hits like "P.S.K." and "Signifying Rapper." Known for his raw style, he influenced artists like Eazy-E, collaborated with DJ Code Money, and scored the Aqua Teen Hunger Force theme.
Born in D.C., DJ Kool fused feel-good go-go with hip-hop. Known for "Let Me Clear My Throat," he revitalized old-school rap with live recordings and collaborations with Funkmaster Flex.
Lords of the Underground, from Newark, NJ, blend socially conscious rap with hard beats. Known for hits like "Chief Rocka," they won BET's Best Rap Group in 1993.
Queens, NY MC/DJ/producer; early ’90s East Coast hip-hop pillar. Shaped Main Source’s 1991 "Breaking Atoms"; produced Nas “Halftime” & “One Time 4 Your Mind.” Known for jazz-sample, boom-bap drums.
Brooklyn-born Masta Ace is a hip-hop luminary, known for his Juice Crew roots and classics like "The Symphony" and "Me and the Biz." His albums, from "Take a Look Around" to "Sittin' on Chrome," mixed East and West Coast sounds. He collaborated with Eminem and MF Doom and formed eMC.
