Born in Queens, New York, rapper and actor LL Cool J emerged in the 1980s with hits like Radio and Bigger and Deffer. Known for multi-platinum albums including Mama Said Knock You Out, he won Grammy Awards, received a Kennedy Center Honor, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Formed in Philadelphia by Black Thought and Questlove, the hip-hop band the Roots broke through with their 1995 album Do You Want More?!!!??! and earned a Grammy win for the hit You Got Me. Known for live instrumentation, they became the house band for Jimmy Fallon.
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 William Griffin Jr. in Long Island, rapper Rakim is widely regarded as one of the greatest MCs of all time. As one-half of Eric B. and Rakim in the 1980s and 1990s, he pioneered internal rhyme schemes and released the platinum debut album Paid in Full. He later released solo projects like The 18th Letter.
New Orleans rapper Juvenile emerged in the bounce scene before achieving nationwide fame as a solo artist and member of Hot Boys. He is best known for multi-platinum albums like 400 Degreez and hit singles including Back That Azz Up and Slow Motion.
Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, hip hop group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony signed with Eazy-E after auditioning for him. They achieved multi-platinum success with their album E. 1999 Eternal, featuring the number-one hit Tha Crossroads. Known for collaborations with 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G., and Akon.
Common is a Grammy-winning artist, actor, and activist with a three-decade career. He won an Academy Award and an Emmy for the song Glory, co-written and performed with John Legend for the film Selma. His releases include the two-part album A Beautiful Revolution.
Formed in New York by Cheryl Salt James, Sandra Pepa Denton, and DJ Spinderella, the trailblazing hip-hop duo originally named Super Nature gained fame after releasing their 1985 track The Showstopper, helping redefine women in rap.
Miami rapper Rick Ross is a nine-time Grammy-nominated, multiplatinum hip-hop artist known for the breakout single Hustlin and the album Port of Miami. Founder of Maybach Music Group, he’s scored multiple No. 1 albums and billions of streams.
London-born hip-hop storyteller Slick Rick rose to fame with his 1988 platinum debut, The Great Adventures of Slick Rick. Known for hits like Children's Story, the Def Jam artist released albums including Behind Bars and the gold-certified The Art of Storytelling, becoming one of history's most sampled rappers.
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!
Pioneering hip-hop artist and actress MC Lyte boasts a 30-year career. She is the first female rapper nominated for a Grammy, the first female artist to earn a gold single, and the first rap artist to perform at Carnegie Hall.
Ice-T (born Tracy Marrow in Newark, New Jersey) is a pioneering gangsta rapper known for blunt, political lyrics. His albums include Rhyme Pays, Power and O.G.: Original Gangster. He also fronts thrash metal band Body Count, famed for “Cop Killer.”
Method Man (Staten Island, Wu-Tang Clan) and Redman (Newark, Def Squad) are an iconic East Coast hip-hop duo known for their energetic style and clever lyrics. Their acclaimed collaborations include "How High" and "Da Rockwilder", featured on albums like "Blackout!". Method Man earned a Grammy, and Redman was named "Rap Artist of the Year". They are also recognized for their cult classic film "How High".
Savannah, GA rapper/producer: OutKast & Dungeon Family’s Big Boi—cool, witty rapid-fire flow; Grammy-winning Speakerboxxx; “Player’s Ball,” “Shutterbugg.”
Goodie Mob, an Atlanta-based hip-hop group, includes Big Gipp, Cee-Lo, Khujo, and T-Mo. Known for their impact in Southern rap, their 1995 debut, "Soul Food," is a classic.
Yonkers, New York native Jadakiss, born Jason Phillips, is an East Coast hip-hop icon known for his distinctive raspy voice and sharp, hardcore rhymes. A key member of The Lox, his solo career includes hit albums like "Kiss of Death" and "Ignatius" (2020), and the Grammy-nominated track "Why?". He frequently collaborates with artists such as Styles P and Mariah Carey.
Z-Trip is an award-winning DJ/producer, dubbed a pioneer of the Mashup Movement. Hip-hop rooted but genre-blending, he’s collaborated with Linkin Park and Public Enemy, toured over a decade with LL Cool J, and released Shifting Gears (4-star Rolling Stone).
