Before Wu-Tang Clan, before Odd Future, and before any of today’s cage-rattling rap groups du jour, there was Public Enemy. Made up of Flavor Flav, Chuck D, Khari Winn, Professor Griff and DJ Lord, Public Enemy was a trailblazing hip-hop collective who became the radical mouthpiece for a generation of sociopolitically energized people eager to expose […]

Starting as a hardcore punk group in 1981, Michael “Mike D” Diamond, Adam “MCA” Yauch, and Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz of the group now known as The Beastie Boys infiltrated the hip-hop scene with their post-punk musical stylings. The three New York natives achieved local success and officially transitioned from hardcore punks into hip-hop with the release of their […]

Snoop Dogg (born Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr.) is a Long Beach, California rapper and actor who pioneered West Coast gangsta rap during the ’90s. After being discovered by Dr. Dre in 1992, Snoop was featured on Dre’s solo debut single “Deep Cover” and debut studio album The Chronic. The following year, Snoop dropped his debut album, Doggystyle, on Death Row Records, which debuted at […]

Iconic GRAMMY Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress and philanthropist, Mary J. Blige—a.k.a. the “Queen of R&B”—is a figure of inspiration, transformation, and empowerment, making her one of the defining voices of the contemporary music era. With 13 total albums including eight multi-platinum albums, nine GRAMMY Awards, Golden Globe nominations, and five American Music Awards, Blige is a global superstar. […]

Janet Jackson, widely regarded as the Queen of Pop, is one of the truest examples of a living legend there is. Her career as a singer, songwriter, dancer, actress and all-around artist has endured as long as a lifetime, and even after spending 44 of her 52 years on stages and in studios, Janet still […]

Bronx-by-way-of-London MC, Slick Rick or Richard Martin Lloyd Walters began his career after joining Doug E. Fresh’s Get Fresh Crew under the MC Ricky D. After being featured on the single “The Show” and its even more popular B-side, “La Di Da Di” he gained the attention of Russell Simmons’ Rush Artist Management and became the third artist […]

Dr. Dre, who was thrown into the spotlight as a founding member of influential gangsta rap group N.W.A, has become the most influential producer in hip-hop’s history. After starting his career in the World Class Wreckin’ Cru in the mid-’80s and finding success alongside N.W.A, he dropped his solo debut album The Chronic in 1993, which has […]

Aubrey “Drake” Graham is a Grammy-Award winning, Platinum-selling recording artist and multi-faceted entertainer. Drake has catapulted into stardom not only as an artist, but also as a cultural maven with October’s Very Own. Sharing the story of the thriving music scene in Toronto, Drake has built out OVO from a small-scale blog about his crew to […]

Tupac Amaru Shakur, better known as 2Pac, was more than just a rapper—he was undoubtedly one of the most influential artists of all time. Introducing the world to his truthful and gritty style on his debut album 2Pacalypse Now, Pac traded in party lyrics for the raw reality of the streets on songs like “Brenda’s Got a Baby.” […]

Much can be said about the late Amy Winehouse, one of the U.K.’s flagship vocalists during the 2000s. The British press and tabloids seemed to focus on her rowdy behavior, heavy consumption of alcohol, and tragic end, but fans and critics alike embraced her rugged charm, brash sense of humor, and distinctively soulful and jazzy vocals. […]

Since 1996, Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee and 21-time GRAMMY award-winner, Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter has been a dominant force in popular culture. In his own words, he’s more than a businessman, he’s a “business, man.” With multiple ventures under his belt and accolades across the recording industry, JAY-Z personifies the “American Dream.” A student of the game, JAY […]

Compton native Kendrick Lamar, who originally rapped as K. Dot, caught the attention of Top Dawg Entertainment during his teenage years. Lamar’s major label debut album, good kid, m.A.A.d city, was released in 2012 by TDE, Aftermath, and Interscope Records, and since then he’s won seven GRAMMYs over the years. It all started around 2010 when the […]