So let’s take a look at Guru’s life and remember some of his work.

GURU

Keith Edward Elam (July 17, 1961[1] – April 19, 2010), better known by his stage name Guru, was an American emcee and member of the hip-hop duo Gang Starr, along with DJ Premier. He was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts. The name Guru is a backronym that stands for Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal and the less-often used God is Universal; he is the Ruler Universal, which are both references to the teachings of the Nation of Gods and Earths. He was also known for lending his voice for 8-Ball in Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.

Biography

- Early years

Keith Elam was born in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. His father, Harry, was a judge and his mother, Barbara, was the co-director of libraries in the Boston public school system. He attended Cohasset High School in Cohasset, Massachusetts for high school.[5] Elam graduated with a degree in business administration from Morehouse College in Atlanta and took graduate classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan. He later dropped out to pursue a hip hop career. Elam worked briefly in social services.

- Musical career

Keith Elam began his rap career under the pseudonym MC Keithy E but later changed name to Guru. He founded Gang Starr in 1987. The group initially released three records, produced by DJ Mark the 45 King, on the Wild Pitch Records record label, but these records received little attention. After a change in line-up, the group consisted of rapper Elam and beat maker DJ Premier. Gang Starr released its first LP No More Mr. Nice Guy on Wild Pitch Records; the group achieved a sizable following and released six critically acclaimed and influential albums from 1989 to 2003.[5] Two albums, Moment of Truth (1998) and compilation Full Clip: A Decade of Gang Starr (1999) were certified gold in the United States by the RIAA.[5] Gang Starr made archetypal East Coast hip hop with Guru’s rhyming described as sharp-eyed but anti-ostentatious.

In 1993, Elam released the first in a series of four solo albums while still a member of Gang Starr. Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1 featured collaborations with Donald Byrd, N’Dea Davenport, MC Solaar, and Roy Ayers and received positive reviews.[8] His second solo LP, Jazzmatazz, Vol. 2: The New Reality, featured Chaka Khan, Ramsey Lewis, Branford Marsalis, and Jamiroquai. The third installment was released in 2000, but it received less positive reviews.

In 1994, Guru appeared on the Red Hot Organization’s compilation album Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool. The album, meant to raise awareness and funds in support of the AIDS epidemic in relation to the African American community, was heralded as the album of the year by Time Magazine.

In reference to the above mentioned Jazzmatazz project, Elam told Pete Lewis of Blues & Soul: “Back around ’93—when I first came up with the Jazzmatazz concept—I was noticing how a lot of cats were digging in the crates and sampling jazz breaks to make hip hop records. But while I thought that was cool, I wanted to take it to the next level and actually create a new genre by getting the actual dudes we were sampling into the studio to jam over hip hop beats with some of the top voclaists of the time. You know, the whole thing was experimental, but I knew it was an idea that would spawn some historic music.”

Elam’s first solo album not a part the Jazzmatazz series, Baldhead Slick & da Click, was released in 2001 to poor reviews. The album reached #22 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop album charts. The seventh chapter in the book of Guru, Version 7.0: The Street Scriptures, was released in 2005 on Elam’s own record label, 7 Grand Records. The album was produced entirely by labelmate Solar. It reached #54 on the Billboard R&B albums charts and received mixed reviews.

Elam’s final releases were the fourth installment in the Jazzmatazz series, released in June 2007; and Guru 8.0: Lost And Found, released May 19, 2009 (also in collaboration with Solar). A Gang Starr reunion album was planned but will never be released because of Guru’s death.

In the “The Harder They Fall” episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Will Smith mentions Guru and groups such as A Tribe Called Quest.

Death

On February 28, 2010, Guru went into cardiac arrest and, following surgery, fell into a coma. It was claimed that Guru had briefly awakened from his coma but died on April 19, 2010, at the age of 48, from cancer. Keith Elam (Guru) was survived by his parents, three siblings, and a son named Keith Casim.

Solar claimed that Guru had awakened from his coma, although DJ Premier and members of the emcee’s family stated that he never regained consciousness. Guru’s family claimed that Solar prevented them from contact with Guru during the latter’s final illness. The validity of the death-bed letter was challenged by Guru’s family. In an interview on Conspiracy Worldwide Radio, Solar claimed that everything he had said was true and all he ever did was protect Guru. This interview was met by extreme emotion from the hip hop community and did little to clear the controversy surrounding his actions.

DJ Premier produced a tribute mix to Guru and has released a public letter along with Guru’s sister Patricia Elam. Harry J. Elam, Guru’s older brother, wrote a personal memoir in remembrance published in The Boston Globe on April 23, 2010. The Elam family had a Guru Tribute Web Site set up where visitors were able to view tributes and sign a memorial page. Guru’s nephew Justin Nicholas-Elam Ruff made a 16-minute documentary in which he narrated the story of his late uncle. The video can be seen at DJPremierBlog.com, gurutributes.com, and http://thexlabel.wordpress.com/

He was not mentioned in the annual retrospective of musicians who died at the 2011 Grammy Awards.

—-

Discography

Guru’s Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1

Released: May 18, 1993
Billboard 200 chart position: #94
UK chart position: #58
R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #15
Singles: “Trust Me”, “Loungin’”, “No Time To Play” & “Le Bien, Le Mal”

Guru Presents Ill Kid Records

Released: 1995
Billboard 200 chart position: -
R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
Singles: -

Guru’s Jazzmatazz, Vol. 2: The New Reality

Released: July 18, 1995
Billboard 200 chart position: #71
UK chart position: #12
R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #16
Singles: “Watch What You Say” & “Livin’ In This World”

Guru’s Jazzmatazz, Vol. 3: Streetsoul

Released: September 26, 2000
Billboard 200 chart position: #32
UK chart position: #74
R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #8
UK chart position: #74
Singles: “Keep Your Worries”, “Lift Your Fist”, “Certified” & “Supa Love”

Baldhead Slick & da Click

Released: September 25, 2001
Billboard 200 chart position: #122
R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #22
Singles: “Where’s Our Money?!/In Here” & “Cry/Pimp Shit”

Version 7.0: The Street Scriptures

Released: May 10, 2005
Billboard 200 chart position: -
R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #54
Singles: “Cave In”, “Step In The Arena 2″ & “Hood Dreamin”

Guru’s Jazzmatazz, Vol. 4: The Hip Hop Jazz Messenger: Back to the Future

Released: June 5, 2007
Billboard 200 chart position: N/A
R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #45
Singles: “State Of Clarity

The Timebomb: Back To The Future Mixtape

Released: July 31, 2007
Billboard 200 chart position: -
R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
Singles: -

The Best of Guru’s Jazzmatazz

Released: February 12, 2008
Billboard 200 chart position: -
R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
Singles: -

Guru 8.0: Lost and Found

Released: May 19, 2009
Billboard 200 chart position: -
R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: -
Singles: “Divine Rule”, “Fastlane”, “Ride”, “After Time & “No Gimmick Sh*t”

Filmography

Main Source music video “Watch Roger Do His Thing” (1990) (Cameo)
Who’s the Man? (1993) as Martin Lorenzo
The Substitute 2: School’s Out (1998) as Little B.
Train Ride (2000) as Jay
Grand Theft Auto III (2001) as 8-Ball[29]
3 A.M. (2001) as Hook-Off
Urban Massacre (2002) as Cereal Killah
Kung Faux (2003) as Voice Over/Various
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (2005) as 8-Ball

Guru Tribute site
Reference

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Biography, Music Career

Born on 7th February, 1974 – 26th February, 2010, Jun-Seba (real name, ‘Nujabes’ is the stage name he took which is made from his own name reversed in Japanese order) was known for producing beats which were mainly influenced through a cool jazz flow, every now and then taking samples from artists like Miles Davis and Yusef Lateef (the latter most notably recognised in listening to “The Final View”). He was also owner of the Shibuya record stores, T Records and Guinness Records and founder of the independent label Hydeout Productions. Within them, Nujabes collaborated with various styles of artists from different nations of the world. Along with the Japanese talents such as Shing02, MINMI and Uyama Hiroto, Nujabes also worked with underground artists from the US such as Cise Starr, CYNE (who Cise Starr was apart of also), Apani B-Fly, Five Deez, Substantial/Substant, Fat Jon, CL Smooth and Terry Callier. Along with US acts, British rapper Funky DL also jumped on a track with Nujabes, showing just how well his beats stretched afar in the world filled with Hip Hop heads. Its hard really to tell what type of person Nujabes was, other than the fact that he was very humble, kind, and open to experimentation in Hip Hop. Very few people that he closely worked with were able to really have the privilege of truly knowing who Nujabes really was, yet they would most likely say the same things as what we could imagine as well as more details.

He released two albums in Japan, “Metaphorical Music” in 2003, and then “Modal Soul” in 2005, both enfusing a very a calm jazz-like flow with Hip Hop related beats. The track “Feathers”, which is found in “Modal Soul”, was the track which grabbed many attention from underground Hip Hop artists. He was also a member of the production duo Urbanforest, an experimental collaboration with Nao Tokui.

However; Nujabes is really known to many fans for his prolific work on making the background music and soundtrack in general to the 2004-2005 anime brilliance “Samurai Champloo”, a show that blended a feudal Japan setting with modern anachronisms, especially in regard to hip hop culture. Creating the albums “Impression” and “Departure”, the show itself was more recognized for the music played throughout its 26 episodes than it was for the story itself.

Death

On the 17th March, 2010, it was announced on the Hyde-Out Productions website that Nujabes passed away on February 26, 2010 at the age of 36 after being involved in a serious car accident on the Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway. He was promptly transported to the hospital, where attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. An English announcement was made on 18th March by friend and collaborator Shing02 on the Empire22 website:

We deeply regret the loss of a unique talent and a close friend. Through his soulful music, Nujabes has touched so many people around the world, even beyond his dreams. He was a mysterious character to most as he avoided the public limelight, rarely conducted interviews, so only a few got to know the man behind the signature production. Yet it continued to amaze me how young listeners of all backgrounds learned of his enigmatic name, and expressed support for his music.

Talking from a personal view, Nujabes and his music has helped me get through the tough times of life which we can all experience. The soft, yet inspiring sounds that he made were always and still forever to this day be something I cherish in listening and even me myself speak my lyrics over his great beats. It was heartbreaking to know he passed away, and now every time I listen and think just how heavy of an impact he’s put on to many fans including myself, its pretty emotional. Hip Hop lost a chunk of life with Nujabes gone, even if not a lot of people may have known of his work, for secretly there would be no replacement of his kind.

Fortunately, the Heavens are now experiencing the warming gift of what we miss. One year on Nujabes, you’re forever remembered here in the heart of Epic Network and to many fans across the globe. Forever the friend we never got to shake hands with, may you R.I.P.

Discography

Albums

- Good Music Cuisine – Ristorante Nujabes
(Cass, Mixed) Hyde Out Recordings 2002
- Metaphorical Music
(CD, Album) Dimid Recordings 2003
- Samurai Champloo Music Record – Impression (Feat. Force Of Nature & Fat Jon)
Victor Entertainment Japan 2004
Samurai Champloo Music Record – Impression (CD) Victor Entertainment Japan 2004
- Nujabes – Samurai Champloo Music Record – Departure (Feat. Fat Jon)
Victor Entertainment Japan 2004
Samurai Champloo Music Record – Departure (CD) Victor Entertainment Japan 2004
- Modal Soul
(2 versions) Libyus Music 2005
Modal Soul (CD, Album) Libyus Music 2005
Modal Soul (CD, Album) Hyde Out Recordings 2005

Singles & EPs

- Peoples Don’t Stray
(12″) Hyde Out Recordings 1999
- Nujabes & L Universe – Ain’t No Mystery Remixes (12″, Ltd)
Hyde Out Recordings 2001
- Dimension Ball Tracks Volume 1
(12″, Ltd) Hyde Out Recordings 2001
- Shing02 + Nujabes – Luv(sic.) (12″)
Hyde Out Recordings 2001
- Nujabes & L Universe – Ain’t No Mystery (12″)
Hyde Out Recordings 2001
- Blessing It / The Final View
(12″) Hyde Out Recordings 2002
- Shing02 + Nujabes – Luv(sic.) Part 2 (12″)
Hyde Out Recordings 2002
- Flowers / After Hanabi
(7″, Ltd) Hyde Out Recordings 2003
- Next View / Beyond
(7″, Ltd) Hyde Out Recordings 2003
- Still Talking To You / Steadfast
(7″, Ltd) Handcuts Records 2003
- Nujabes Featuring Cise Starr* – Lady Brown (12″)
Hyde Out Recordings 2003
- Nujabes + Shing02 – F.I.L.O (First In Last Out) (12″)
Hyde Out Recordings 2003
- D.T.F.N
(12″) Hyde Out Recordings 2005
- Blessing It Remix / Highs To Lows Remix
(12″) Hyde Out Recordings 2005
- Nujabes Feat. Apani B* – Thank You (12″, Ltd)
Hyde Out Recordings 2007
- Uyama Hiroto / Nujabes – Homeward Journey (12″, Ltd)
Hyde Out Recordings 2010
- Reflection Eternal
(12″, Ltd)

There is no question about Jay-Z being considered Hip Hop Hall of Fame worthy. Below is his full biography courtesy of Wikipedia. Also purchase his new autobiography “Decoded” to find out more.

———-

Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper and businessman. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America having had a net worth of over $450 million in 2010. He has sold approximately 50 million albums worldwide, while receiving ten Grammy Awards for his musical work, and numerous additional nominations.

Jay-Z co-owns The 40/40 Club, is part-owner of the NBA’s New Jersey Nets and is also the creator of the clothing line Rocawear. He is the former CEO of Def Jam Recordings, one of the three founders of Roc-A-Fella Records, and the founder of Roc Nation. As an artist, he holds the record for most number one albums by a solo artist on the Billboard 200. Jay-Z also has had four number ones on the Billboard Hot 100, one as lead artist.

Along with his financial and musical success, Jay-Z is known for quarreling with other artists in the rap industry, the most famous feud being between him and fellow New York rapper Nas, which was eventually settled in 2005. He married American R&B superstar Beyoncé Knowles on April 4, 2008. On December 11, 2009, Jay-Z was ranked as the 10th most successful artist of the 2000–2009 decade by Billboard Magazine and ranking as the 5th top solo male artist and as the 4th top rapper behind Eminem, Nelly, and 50 Cent.

EARLY LIFE

Originally from Marcy Houses housing project in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City, Jay-Z was abandoned by his father and, at age 12, he shot his brother in the shoulder for stealing his jewelry. Jay-Z attended Eli Whitney High School in Brooklyn, along with rapper AZ, until it was closed down. After that he attended George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School in Downtown Brooklyn, which fellow rappers The Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes also attended, and Trenton Central High School in Trenton, New Jersey, but did not graduate. In his music he refers to having been involved in selling crack cocaine.

According to his mother, Gloria Carter, a young Jay-Z used to wake his siblings up at night banging out drum patterns on the kitchen table. Eventually, she bought him a boom box for his birthday, sparking his interest in music. He began freestyling, writing lyrics, and followed the music of many artists popular at the time. In his neighborhood, Carter was known as “Jazzy”, a nickname that eventually developed into his stage name, “Jay-Z”. The moniker is also an homage to his musical mentor, Jaz-O, as well as to the J/Z subway lines that have a stop at Marcy Avenue in Brooklyn.

Jay-Z can briefly be heard on several of Jaz-O’s early recordings in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including “The Originators” and “Hawaiian Sophie”. Jay-Z was also involved in and won several battles with rapper LL Cool J in the early 90′s as part of a plan to get a sought-after record deal. He first became known to a wide audience by being featured on the posse cut “Show and Prove” on the 1994 Big Daddy Kane album Daddy’s Home. Jay-Z has been referred to as Big Daddy Kane’s hype man during this period, though Kane explains that he didn’t fill the traditional hype man role, instead Jay-Z “basically made cameo appearances on stage. When I would leave the stage to go change outfits, I would bring out Jay-Z and Positive K and let them freestyle until I came back to the stage”. He made an appearance on a popular song by Big L, “Da Graveyard”, and on Mic Geronimo’s “Time to Build”, which also featured early appearances by DMX, and Ja Rule in 1995. His first official rap single was called “I Can’t Get With That”, for which he released a music video.

MUSIC CAREER

1996–97: Reasonable Doubt and In My Lifetime, Vol. 1

From the beginning of his professional recording career, when no major label gave him a record deal, Jay-Z, Damon Dash, and Kareem Biggs created Roc-A-Fella Records as their own independent label. After striking a deal with Priority to distribute his material, Jay-Z released his 1996 debut album Reasonable Doubt with beats from acclaimed producers such as DJ Premier and Super DJ Clark Kent and a notable appearance by The Notorious B.I.G.. Despite reaching only number 23 on the Billboard 200, the album was well-received by critics. This album would later be included in Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” as #248 and would later reach platinum status.

After reaching a new distribution deal with Def Jam in 1997, Jay-Z released his follow-up In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. Executively produced by Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs, it sold better than his previous effort. Jay-Z later explained that the album was made during one of the worst periods of his life. He was reeling from the death of his close friend The Notorious B.I.G. The album was a personal revelation for Jay-Z as he spun the tale of his hard knock upbringing. The album’s glossy production stood as a contrast to his first release, and some dedicated fans felt he had “sold out”. However, the album did feature some beats from producers who had worked with him on Reasonable Doubt, namely DJ Premier and Ski. Like its predecessor, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 earned Platinum status in the United States.

1998–2000: Vol. 2… Criminal charges and mainstream success

In 1998, Jay-Z released Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life which spawned the biggest hit of his career at the time, “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)”. He relied more on flow and wordplay, and he continued with his penchant for mining beats from the popular producers of the day such as Swizz Beatz, an upstart in-house producer for Ruff Ryders, and Timbaland. Other producers include: DJ Premier, Erick Sermon, The 45 King, and Kid Capri. Charting hits from this album included “Can I Get A…”, featuring Ja Rule and Amil, and “Nigga What, Nigga Who”, which featured Amil too. Vol. 2 would eventually become Jay-Z’s most commercially successful album; it was certified 5× Platinum in the United States and has to date sold over five million copies. The album went on to win a Grammy Award, although Jay-Z boycotted the ceremony protesting DMX’s failure to garner a Grammy nomination. In 1999,Jay-Z duetted with Mariah Carey on Heartbreaker , a song from her seventh album,Rainbow In 1999, Jay-Z released Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter, the album proved to be successful and sold over 3 million records. Vol. 3′s most successful single was “Big Pimpin’”, featuring UGK. Around the same time, Jay-Z was accused of stabbing record executive Lance “Un” Rivera for what Jay-Z perceived was Rivera’s bootlegging of Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter. The stabbing allegedly occurred at the record release party for Q-Tip’s debut solo album Amplified at the Kit Kat Klub, a now defunct night club in Times Square, New York City, on December 9. Jay-Z’s associates at the party were accused of causing a commotion within the club, which Jay-Z allegedly used as cover when he supposedly stabbed Rivera in the stomach with a five-inch (127 mm) blade.

Jay-Z initially denied the incident and pleaded not guilty when a grand jury returned the indictment. Jay-Z and his lawyers contended he was nowhere around Rivera during the incident and they had witnesses and videotape evidence from the club that showed Jay-Z’s whereabouts during the disturbance. Nevertheless, he later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge that resulted in a sentence of three years probation. In 2000, Jay-Z released The Dynasty: Roc La Familia, which was originally intended to become a compilation album for Roc-A-Fella artists but somehow turned into another Jay-Z album. The album helped to introduce newcomer producers The Neptunes, Just Blaze, Kanye West and Bink!, which have all gone on to achieve notable success. This is also the first album where Jay-Z utilizes a more soulful sound than his previous albums. The Dynasty: Roc La Familia sold over two million units in the U.S. alone.

2001–02: Feud with Nas, The Blueprint and The Blueprint2

In 2001, Jay-Z spoke out against Prodigy after he took an issue with a Jay-Z line from “Money, Cash, Hoes” that he felt were subliminal shots at Mobb Deep and referenced Mobb Deep’s beef with Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, and Death Row Records. He later performed a song “Takeover”, at Summer Jam 2001, which initially attacked Prodigy and revealed photos of Prodigy dressed like Michael Jackson. A line at the end of “Takeover” referenced Nas, who criticized him on “We Will Survive”. Nas responded with a diss track called “Ether” and almost instantly, Jay-Z added a verse to “Takeover” which dissed Nas and would start a feud between the two rappers. Jay-Z later released his sixth studio album The Blueprint which was later considered by many to be one of hip hop’s “classic” albums, receiving the coveted 5 mic review from The Source magazine. Released during the wake of September 11 attacks, the album managed to debut at number one on the Billboard 200, selling more than 427,000 units; the album’s success was overshadowed by the tragic event. The Blueprint has been certified 3x Platinum in the United States. The Blueprint was applauded for its production and the balance of “mainstream” and “hardcore” rap, receiving recognition from both audiences. The Blueprint was written in only two days. Eminem was the only guest rapper on the album, producing and rapping on the song “Renegade”. Four of the thirteen tracks on the album were produced by Kanye West and represents one of West’s first major breaks in the industry.The Blueprint includes the popular songs “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)”, “Girls, Girls, Girls, Jigga That Nigga and Song Cry.

Jay-Z’s next solo album was 2002′s 3 million (U.S. only) selling The Blueprint2: The Gift & the Curse, a double-album. The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at number one, selling over 545,000 units and surpassing The Blueprint. It was later reissued in a single-disc version, The Blueprint 2.1, which retained half of the tracks from the original. The album spawned two massive hit singles, “Excuse Me Miss” and “Bonnie & Clyde” featuring Jay-Z’s girlfriend of four years Beyoncé Knowles. “Guns & Roses”, a track featuring rock musician Lenny Kravitz, and “Hovi Baby” were two successful radio singles as well. The album features the tracks “A Dream”, featuring Faith Evans and a recording of the late The Notorious B.I.G.; and “The Bounce”, featuring Kanye West. The Blueprint 2.1 features tracks that do not appear on The Blueprint2: The Gift & the Curse, such as “Stop”, “La La La (Excuse Me Again)”, “What They Gonna Do, Part II” and “Beware” produced by and featuring Panjabi MC.

2003–05: The Black Album and Collision Course

After returning from a trip in the south of France, Jay-Z announced work on his 8th studio album The Black Album at the opening of the first 40/40 Club. He worked with several producers including Just Blaze, The Neptunes, Kanye West, Timbaland, Eminem, DJ Quik, 9th Wonder and Rick Rubin. Notable songs on the album included “What More Can I Say”, “Dirt Off Your Shoulder”, “Change Clothes”, and “99 Problems”. The Black Album has sold 3 million copies in the US.

On November 25, 2003, Jay-Z held a concert at Madison Square Garden, which would later be the focus of his film Fade to Black. This concert was his “retirement party”. All proceeds went to charity. Other performers included collaborators like The Roots (in the form of his backing band), Missy Elliott, Memphis Bleek, Beanie Siegel, Freeway, Mary J. Blige, Beyoncé, Twista, Ghostface Killah, Foxy Brown, Pharrell and R. Kelly with special appearances by Voletta Wallace and Afeni Shakur, the mothers of The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur respectively. While Jay-Z had attested to a retirement from making new studio albums, various side projects and appearances soon followed. Included in these were a greatest hits record, mash-up projects and concert appearances with R. Kelly and Linkin Park.

In 2004 Jay-Z collaborated with rock group Linkin Park. The project was named Collision Course, and contained a six track EP, as well as a making of DVD. Some of the mash ups tracks were entitled “Dirt Off Your Shoulder/Lying From You”, “Jigga What/Faint”, and “Numb/Encore”. “Numb/Encore” went on to win a Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, and was performed with Linkin Park live at the Grammys, with a special appearance by Paul McCartney, who added verses from the song Yesterday. The EP sold over 1 million copies in the US alone. Jay-Z was the executive producer of Fort Minor’s debut album The Rising Tied. Mike Shinoda got together with Jay-Z and Linkin Park bandmate Brad Delson to discuss what tracks should make the album.

Later in 2004, Jay-Z was named president of Def Jam Records, which led to Jay-Z, Dash and Biggs selling their remaining interests in Roc-A-Fella Records and Jay-Z taking control of both of the companies. Reportedly this major industry move was prompted by disagreements between Jay-Z and Dash as to what direction Roc-A-Fella could undertake. The publicized split between Jay-Z, Dash and Biggs led to the former partners sending jabs at each other in interviews.

2005–07: “I Declare War”, Kingdom Come and American Gangster

On October 27, 2005, Jay-Z headlined New York’s Power 105.1 annual concert, Powerhouse. The concert was entitled the “I Declare War” concert leading to intense speculation in the weeks preceding the event on whom exactly Jay-Z would declare war. As he had previously “declared war” on other artists taking lyrical shots at him at other events, many believed that the Powerhouse show would represent an all-out assault by Jay-Z upon his rivals. The theme of the concert was Jay-Z’s position as President and CEO of Def Jam, complete with an on-stage mock-up of the Oval Office. Many artists made appearances such as the old roster of Roc-A-Fella records artists, as well as Ne-Yo, Teairra Mari, T.I., Young Jeezy, Akon, Kanye West, Paul Wall, The LOX, and Diddy.

At the conclusion of the concert, Jay-Z put many arguments to rest to the surprise of hip hop fans. The most significant development in this show was closure to the infamous hip hop rivalry between Jay-Z and Nas. The two former rivals shook hands and shared the stage together to perform Jay-Z’s “Dead Presidents” blended with Nas’s song “The World is Yours”.

Jay-Z returned with his comeback album on November 21, 2006 titled Kingdom Come. Jay-Z’s comeback single, “Show Me What You Got”, was leaked on the Internet in early October 2006, scheduled to be released later on that month, received heavy air-play after its leak, causing the FBI to step in and investigate. Jay-Z worked with video director Hype Williams, and the single’s video was directed by F. Gary Gray (Friday, The Italian Job). The album features producers such as Just Blaze, Pharrell, Kanye West, Dr. Dre and Coldplay’s Chris Martin (single entitled “Beach Chair”). The first week saw 680,000 sales of the CD, which Entertainment Weekly said was “the highest single-week total in Jay’s decade long career”. This album has sold 2 million copies in the U.S. alone.

Jay-Z released his tenth album entitled American Gangster on November 6, 2007. After viewing the Ridley Scott film of the same name, he was heavily inspired to create a new “concept” album that depicts his experiences as a street-hustler. The album is not the film’s official soundtrack, although it was distributed by Def Jam. Jay-Z’s American Gangster depicts his life in correlation to the movie American Gangster. At the start of the album’s first single, “Blue Magic”, Jay-Z offers a dealer’s manifesto while making references to political figures of the late 1980s with the lyric: “Blame Reagan for making me to into a monster, blame Oliver North and Iran-Contra, I ran contraband that they sponsored, before this rhymin’ stuff we was in concert.” Also notable about the “Blue Magic” music video was Jay-Z flashing 500 euro notes, in what Harvard Business School professor Rawi Abdelal has called a “turning point in American pop culture’s response to globalization.” The album has sold 1 million copies in the US. On December 24, 2007, Jay-Z stated that he would not remain at Def Jam as the company’s President, and vacated the position effective of January 1, 2008.

2008–09: Glastonbury, new record deal and The Blueprint 3

It was controversially announced on February 2, 2008 that Jay-Z would headline the 2008 Glastonbury Festival, becoming the first major hip hop artist to headline the British festival.[50][51] Tickets initially failed to sell out – with 100,000 being sold out of a possible 137,500. As the festival sold out in 2 hours the previous year critics blamed the choice of a hip hop artist as opposed to a rock band as the main problem, although another possible cause is the preceding run of terrible weather and flooding that in 2007 made life at the festival very difficult. Tickets eventually sold out in the final day before the festival. One of the more outspoken critics of his selection was Noel Gallagher of Oasis fame, who criticized the organizers of the festival for scheduling Jay-Z as a headliner for the traditionally guitar-driven, stating “I’m sorry, but Jay-Z? No chance. Glastonbury has a tradition of guitar music and even when they throw the odd curve ball in on a Sunday night you go ‘Kylie Minogue?’ I don’t know about it. But I’m not having hip hop at Glastonbury. It’s wrong.”

Controversy ensued in the months leading up to the event with artists, promoters and fans weighing in both for and against. Jay-Z responded to this saying, “We don’t play guitars, Noel, but hip hop has put in its work like any other form of music. This headline show is just a natural progression. Rap music is still evolving. We have to respect each other’s genre of music and move forward.” In response to Gallagher’s criticism, Jay-Z opened his Glastonbury set with a tongue-in-cheek cover of Oasis’s iconic song “Wonderwall”. His Glastonbury performance was heralded as a successful response to pre-festival criticism.

He also headlined many other summer festivals in 2008, including Roskilde Festival in Denmark, Hove Festival in Norway and O2 Wireless Festival in London. During Kanye West’s August 6, 2008 concert at Madison Square Garden, Jay-Z came out to perform a new song and he and Kanye proclaimed that it was to be on The Blueprint 3. On May 21, 2009, Jay-Z announced he would be parting ways with Def Jam, and had struck a multi-million dollar deal to sign with Live Nation, with whom he would start his Roc Nation imprint which would serve as a record label, talent/management agency, and music publishing company and also partnered up with production team Stargate to start a record label called StarRoc. Jay-Z’s 11th studio album The Blueprint 3 was originally to be released on September 11, 2009 but was instead released in North America on September 8, 2009 due to increasing anticipation. Its international release followed on September 14. It is his 11th album to reach #1 on the Billboard 200 and has surpassed Elvis Presley’s previous record, making him the current record holder.

On October 9, 2009, Jay-Z kicked off his tour for The Blueprint 3, during which he will support his new album in North America. In a Shave Magazine review of his performance at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Jake Tomlinson expressed that “It was the type of smooth performance you would expect from the hip-hop superstar.” The review gave this performance 4 stars. His North American tour is scheduled to continue until November 22, 2009. At his concert on November 8, 2009 at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion, Rihanna joined him on stage and performed “Hard” for the very first time, then performed “Run This Town” with Jay. Enjoying their performances were Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel, Nicole Richie and Samantha Ronson, James Blunt, and Jamie Foxx. Among his success, Jay-Z has ventured into producing Broadway shows. Along with Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith, Jay-Z helped produced the play Fela!, a musical celebrating the work of the late Nigerian star Fela Kuti. Jay-Z said he was inspired by the power of Kuti’s work and his life story, which resulted in his interest to help produce the musical. Fela! is a story about an African pioneer and political activist who made his first moves on the scene during the 1970s.

2010-present: Watch the Throne

On January 23, 2010, Jay-Z released a track, “Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)”, with Rihanna, and U2′s Bono and The Edge, as well as performing it at the Hope For Haiti Now telethon. In June 2010, Eminem and Jay-Z announced they would perform together in a pair of concerts in Detroit and New York. The event was dubbed The Home & Home Tour. The first two concerts rapidly sold out, prompting the scheduling of an additional show at each venue. In August 2010, it was revealed that Jay-Z and Kanye West will be collaborating on a five track EP entitled, Watch the Throne. The first single released for the project is a remix to “Power”, which features Swizz Beatz. The second single is titled “Monster”, and features Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, and Bon Iver.[74] Jay-Z will be the support act for U2 on the Australian and New Zealand leg of their U2 360° Tour, beginning in Auckland, New Zealand in November 2010, followed by Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth in December.

On September 23, 2010, Q-Tip confirmed working on Jay-Z’s follow up album to The Blueprint 3, saying the album should hit stores by the upcoming spring.

MUSICAL STYLE

Rapping technique
Royce da 5’9″ and Fredro Starr of Onyx both describe Jay-Z’s emphasis on flow in the book How to Rap – Starr says that Jay-Z is “a master of the flow—he can flow fast, he can flow slow”. The book describes how Jay-Z uses ‘rests’ to provide structure to a verse and how he uses ‘partial linking’ to add more rhymes to a verse. Jay-Z’s early style is described by Vibe as “a distinctly Das EFX-type, stiggety style” on his 12″ single “Can’t Get With That”, referring to the fast rhythms and vocal delivery of the group Das EFX. He is also known to write lyrics in his head, as described by Pusha T of Clipse in How to Rap, a style popular with many MCs such as Notorious B.I.G., Everlast, Bobby Creekwater and Guerilla Black. Shock G of Digital Underground describes Jay-Z’s performance style, saying he “rarely breaks a sweat, and instead uses smoothness and clever wordplay to keep the audience interested and entertained”.

BUSINESS VENTURES

Jay-Z has also established himself as an entrepreneur like his fellow hip hop moguls and friends, Russell Simmons, Dr. Dre and Sean “Diddy” Combs, who also have business holdings such as record companies and clothing lines. In an interview, he stated that “my brands are an extension of me. They’re close to me. It’s not like running GM, where there’s no emotional attachment.” He is the founder of the urban clothing brand Rocawear along with Damon Dash. Rocawear has clothing lines and accessories for men, women and children. The line was taken over by Jay-Z in early 2006 following a falling out with Dash. In March 2007, Jay-Z sold the rights to the Rocawear brand to Iconix Brand Group, for $204 million. Jay-Z will retain his stake in the company and will continue to oversee the marketing, licensing and product development. He also co-owns The 40/40 Club, an upscale sports bar that started in New York City and has since expanded to Atlantic City and Chicago. In 2008, the 40/40 club in Las Vegas was closed down and bought back by the hotel after attendance steadily declined. Future plans will see 40/40 Clubs in Tokyo and Singapore. In 2005, Jay-Z became an investor in Carol’s Daughter, a line of beauty products, including products for hair, skin, and hands, as well as fragrances.

Jay-Z serves as co-brand director for Budweiser Select and collaborates with the company on strategic marketing programs and creative ad development. He provides direction on brand programs and ads that appear on TV, radio, print, and high-profile events. He is a part-owner of the New Jersey Nets NBA team paying a reported $4.5 million for his share. He is interested in relocating the team to Brooklyn. In October 2005, he was reported in English media as considering buying a stake of Arsenal F.C., an English soccer team. He has also invested in a real estate development venture called J Hotels which recently acquired a $66 million mid-block parcel in Chelsea, New York. Jay-Z and his partners are contemplating constructing a high-end hotel or an art gallery building on the newly acquired site which has the potential to go up about twelve stories. Through his company Gain Global Investments Network LLC, had an interest estimated between 2 and 7% in the Aqueduct Entertainment Group (AEG) consortium which in January 2010 was awarded a contract to operate a 4,500 slot machine racino at the Aqueduct Race Track. Jay-Z became interested in the project after New York Governor David Paterson who awarded the contract said there had to be an affirmative action component to the ownership. Jay-Z initially approached Steve Wynn who was also bidding on the contract. On March 9, 2010, Jay-Z and Flake withdrew from the project and Paterson recused himself from further involvement.

PERSONAL LIFE

Relationship with Beyoncé

Jay-Z’s most public relationship has been with American R&B superstar Beyoncé Knowles, the former lead singer of Destiny’s Child. In 2002, Jay-Z and Beyoncé collaborated for the song “’03 Bonnie & Clyde”. Jay-Z also appeared on Knowles’ hit single “Crazy In Love” and as well as “That’s How You Like It” from her debut Dangerously in Love. On her second album, B’Day, he made appearances on the 2006 hits, “Déjà Vu” and “Upgrade U”. In the video for the latter song, she comically imitates his appearance. The couple generally avoid discussing their relationship. Beyoncé has stated that she believes that not publicly discussing their relationship has helped them. Jay-Z said in a People article, “We don’t play with our relationship.” They keep a low public profile despite being photographed at New Jersey Nets home games and while on vacation in Cannes in 2007. On April 4, 2008, it was reported by People that Knowles and Jay-Z had been married at a private ceremony in New York City. It became a matter of public record on April 22, 2008, but Knowles did not publicly debut her $5 million Lorraine Schwartz-designed wedding ring until the Fashion Rocks concert on September 5, 2008 in New York City.

Philanthropy

During his retirement, Jay-Z also became involved in philanthropic activity. On August 9, 2006, he met with United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan at the organization’s headquarters in New York City. The rapper pledged to use his upcoming world tour to raise awareness of and combat global water shortage. Already on the look-out for a way to, in his own words, “become helpful”, he had been made aware of this issue during a visit to Africa. The effort took place in partnership with the UN, as well as MTV, which produced a documentary entitled Diary of Jay-Z: Water for Life, first airing in November 2006. Along with Sean “Diddy” Combs, Jay-Z pledged $1 million to the American Red Cross’ relief effort after Hurricane Katrina. Jay-Z stated his support for Kanye West after the latter’s outburst against President Bush during a live Katrina charity telethon. He also addressed the issue of the Katrina disaster, and the government’s response, in his song “Minority Report”.

Politics

Jay-Z got actively involved in politics during the 2008 presidential campaign, where he supported increased voter participation and helped send voters to polling stations. He was an early supporter for the candidacy of Illinois senator and subsequent US president Barack Obama, performing for free in voter-drive concerts financed by the Democrats’ campaign. In the process, he’s become personally acquainted with Obama himself, who stated “Every time I talk to Jay-Z, who is a brilliant talent and a good guy, I enjoy how he thinks. That’s somebody who is going to start branching out and can help shape attitudes in a real positive way.” During the 2010 mid-term elections’ campaign, Jay-Z appeared, along with other artists, in an ad prepared by the HeadCount organization, urging voters, and especially younger ones, to register and vote.

DISCOGRAPHY

* Reasonable Doubt (1996)
* In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 (1997)
* Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life (1998)
* Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter (1999)
* The Dynasty: Roc La Familia (2000)
* The Blueprint (2001)
* The Blueprint2: The Gift & The Curse (2002)
* The Black Album (2003)
* Kingdom Come (2006)
* American Gangster (2007)
* The Blueprint 3 (2009)
* Watch the Throne (2011) [with Kanye West]

FILMOGRAPHY

* Wild Style (1983)
* Streets Is Watching (1998)
* Backstage (2000)
* State Property (2002)
* Paper Soldiers (2003)
* Fade to Black (2004)

———-

BIG L

Lamont Coleman (May 30, 1974–February 15, 1999), also known by his stage name Big L, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the greatest and most lyrical rappers to ever live. He was a significant participant in and contributor to the New York hip-hop scene in the mid- to late 1990s. Big L was a member of the hip hop collective D.I.T.C. He released his debut solo album, Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous. In February 1999, while working on his second album, Big L was shot and killed. The Big Picture, an album of songs he had recorded and acappella recordings completed by producers and guest MCs, was released posthumously in August 2000.

Big L – Flamboyant

BIOGRAPHY

Lamont Coleman was born to Gilda Terry in 1974 in Harlem New York. Growing up Lamont was known as a nice and funny kid by friends teachers and family.While Big L was still in high school at Julia Richman High School, he caught the attention of Lord Finesse at a record store, Diamond D and Showbiz of the Diggin’ in the Crates Crew (DITC). L’s first recorded appearance came on the B-side of “Party Over Here” by Lord Finesse in 1992, the song was the remix of “Yes, You May”. Soon after this Big L made appearances on the debut albums by Diamond D and Showbiz & A.G. which were both released in 1992. Soon L officially became a part of the DITC crew and signed with Columbia Records in 1992. He regularly appeared on the fellow DITC members albums, and also contributed to the works of Success – N – Effect. He appeared with the group regularly, notably on their single “Dignified Soldiers” and their later self-titled LP release, sometimes known as Worldwide

Big L – Put It On

Big L’s debut solo album, Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous, was released in March 1995. The album featured guest appearances from a number of artists, notably Kid Capri, Lord Finesse, and at the time, an unknown Cam’ron, and Jay-Z. Two singles, “M.V.P” and “Put It On”, were released from the album, both of which reached the top twenty-five of Billboard’s Hot Rap Tracks. The album itself also reached the Billboard 200. From 1997 to 1999, Big L worked on his second album The Big Picture. The album featured cameos from Fat Joe, Kool G Rap, Tupac Shakur, and Big Daddy Kane among others. Jay-Z has said that Big L was set to sign with his Roc-A-Fella label, but died the week before. The Big Picture would be his last recorded album, released posthumously in August 2000. It was put together by his manager and partner in Flamboyant Entertainment, Rich King. It contains songs that L had recorded and a cappella recordings that were never used, completed by producers and guest MCs that Big L respected or had worked with previously. The album was certified gold a month later.

Big L – 98 Freestyle

DEATH

Big L was shot and killed in Harlem on the night of February 15, 1999. Big L was murdered in the doorway of 45 West 139th Street in Harlem. Big L was shot 9 times, twice in the face. Gerard Woodley one of Big L’s childhood friends, was arrested in May for the crime. At the time of his death, L had two brothers in prison. “It’s a good possibility it was retaliation for something [Big L's] brother did, or [Woodley] believed he had done,” said a spokesperson for the NYPD. Woodley was later released and the murder case remains unsolved.

Gang Starr has made a tribute to Big L on their Sirius/XM satellite radio show and a song entitled “Full clip”.

Info from Wikipedia

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ROYCE DA 59

I am inducting Royce first just because he has been through so much in the hip hop game, he’s been grinding for years, and only now is he being more and more recognized thanks to the slaughterhouse movement.

BIOGRAPHY

Ryan Montgomery, born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, moved to Oak Park, Michigan when he was 10 years old, later acquiring the nickname “Royce” during highschool after wearing a Turkish link chain with an R pendant resembling the Rolls Royce symbol. Royce and his best friend Jah Da 5’9” (also known as June or June Bug) began rapping at 18, and were the two shortest players on the basketball team, both standing at 5 foot and 9 inches tall.

Royce signed his first deal in 1998 with Tommy Boy Records, who was to release his much anticipated debut album Rock City. Royce left Tommy Boy Records, citing creative differences. He signed with Game Recordings, an independent label who helped him to negotiate a deal with Columbia Records. Columbia repeatedly delayed the release of Rock City, which was subsequently heavily bootlegged. Despite this, Columbia released Rock City, which quickly went out of print once Royce left the label. After leaving Columbia, Rock City was edited and re-released through Koch / Game Recordings as Rock City (Version 2.0). The album credits Eminem as executive producer, though his vocals were only featured on the title track “Rock City”, both in the chorus and ad libbing. Before the release of Version 2.0, Royce built hype with his successful underground hit “Boom”, produced by DJ Premier.

A helpful boost to his career came when Rockstar Games hired the Game Recordings label on for the rap music radio station “Game FM” in Grand Theft Auto III. Several artists from the Label, including Agallah, Sean Price, Pretty Ugly, JoJo Pellegrino and Black Rob as well as Royce Da 5’9” were featured on “Game FM”, a radio station inside the game itself. Royce himself contributed three singles: “We’re Live (Danger)”, “Spit Game”, and “I’m The King”, the latter of which was edited specifically for the game.

Royce formed a crew in the late 1990s called D-Elite which included himself, Tre’ Little, Billy Nix, Jah Da 5’9” (now known as June), Cut Throat/Cutty Mack, and Cha Cha, who is the only female of the group and is said to be Royce’s little sister. The group appeared together on the original version of the album Rock City on a song titled “D-Elite Part 2”. This was the groups only commercial release as a whole.

1.1 Bad Meets Evil

Royce Da 5’9” benefited from his association with fellow Detroit MC, Eminem, which existed prior to Eminem signing his deal with Interscope/Aftermath Entertainment. Royce was introduced to Eminem by his manager, Kino Childrey at an Usher concert, where Eminem was selling copies of his Slim Shady EP. The two formed a duo called Bad Meets Evil (with Royce occupying the ‘Bad’ half, and Eminem the ‘Evil’ half). Bad Meets Evil produced a number of tracks including “Scary Movies”, “Nuttin’ to Do”, “She’s the One”, “Renegades” [Original Version] and “See You In Hell”, which appeared on Eminem’s album The Slim Shady LP, titled “Bad Meets Evil”. Communication between the pair deteriorated as Eminem’s career enjoyed increased success and a series of circumstances led to the emergence of conflict.

Royce and Eminem were mutual friends with Proof, of Eminem’s six-man clique, D12. Royce gives Proof a shout- out on “Nickel Nine Is…”, from Rock City. However, Royce and another D12 member, Bizarre had beef originating from a freestyle battle with Royce’s brother. With the break down of communication, this beef developed to include all the members of D12.

2 Today

After the release of his 2005 album Independent’s Day, Royce has kept a low profile even though he had promised a second album in December of that year, produced by Nottz. Royce recently went on tour with Mobb Deep, and ghostwrote the song “Tell Me” ft. Christina Aguilera for P Diddy’s new album, Press Play. He also does touring rounds to promote his new crew the M.I.C. (Make It Count), and is scheduled to make an appearance on Canibus’ next album.

M.I.C. is also the name of his independent record label. The M.I.C. members are as follows: Royce, Kid Vishis (Royce’s younger brother), June, Haus Dooley, and Sucka Free.

In a September 2006 interview with Elemental Magazine, Royce stated that, contrary to rumors, DJ Premier will not be producing the entirety of his upcoming album, but will be overseeing the project as Executive Producer, handpicking all of the beats. The Premier-produced track “Ding Ding” will be included, as well as four more beats from the producer.

Nas has stated that he would like to sign Royce to his new recording label, The Jones Experience, through Def Jam.[1]

2.1 Jail

Royce Da 5’9” was sentenced to jail on September 21, 2006, for violation of his parole. He went to court for a driving under the influence (DUI) offense which resulted in failing his parole terms. The Oakland County judge subsequently sentenced Royce to one year imprisonment in Oakland County Jail, Pontiac, Michigan. Royce may be able to place an appeal within 30 days of his incarceration. He was in the process of making a new album with DJ Premier at the time of the arrest.[2]

3 Technique

Royce Da 5’9” has been noted for his structure — often two or more of his lines will rhyme exactly, beginning to end. He also has been known to move from one set of rhymes to another, then come back to the first set later in his verse. Phrasing is also a big part of his style, appearing to avoid putting things in simple or common terms.

4 Disputes

4.1 Dr. Dre

Circa 1998 Eminem called Royce to the studio to participate in Dr Dre’s 2001 project as a ghostwriter. He contributed tracks including “The Message” and the original version of “Xxplosive” titled “The Way I Be Pimpin”. The latter featured verses rapped by Dr. Dre about pimping and getting money, with Royce singing the hook. While working with Dr Dre, Royce recorded tracks presumably for his own project, including “The Throne is Mine” and “Stay in Your Place”. This led to speculation that Royce was to be signed to Aftermath Entertainment. However, Royce’s association with Dr Dre ended when Royce’s manager, Kino Childrey mentioned to a reporter about his ghostwriting efforts. When Royce refused to dismiss Kino, who was a long-time friend, his ties with Dre were severed and “Xxplosive” was retouched to its current state. Despite “The Message” being released on 2001, Royce was never paid for his efforts. He references this in “What I Know”, from Death is Certain: “Who could raise me / after I been amazed by Dre / — and N.W.A. — / and you couldn’t pay me / to back the staff for free. / I will believe it ain’t nothin’ Shady in the Aftermath.”

4.2 Shady Records

In 2002, Royce would call Eminem and ask to be signed to Shady Records. Busy with his movie 8 Mile at the time, Eminem refused, but about a week later signed 50 Cent. Royce took this in stride, agreeing to do the Anger Management Tour with his crew D-Elite. While on tour, D12 took offense to a line Royce had written for the tour: “Fuck Anger Management, I need someone to manage my anger.”

They took the line to Eminem, and from there a series of misunderstandings escalated the beef. A barfight between D12 and D-Elite culminated in Eminem and Royce not speaking, and a rekindled beef between Royce and all of D12, including Proof.

Detroit’s radio stations were alive with the controversy, playing diss tracks back and forth which included “Smack Down” [D12 minus Eminem over 50 Cent’s “Back Down” beat]. The track opens with an audio clip from an interview where Royce disses D12, calling them “the worst rap group ever”. It attacks Royce’s street credibility and alleges that D12 made his career possible. Proof recorded “Many Men” [Over 50 Cent’s “Many Men” beat], which addressed false rumours that Royce had ordered a hit on Proof.

Royce released a slew of diss tracks including “Shit On You” [Over D12’s, Shit On You beat], which was mostly aimed at Bizarre. This track riticules Bizarre’s limited ability as a rapper and his suffering from a speech impediment. Royce also recorded, “We Ridin’” and “Death Day” [Over 50 Cent’s “In Da Club” beat]. Of these, the most hard hitting was “Malcom X” [Over Capone-N-Noreaga’s “Bang Bang” beat], featuring Tre Little of D- Elite.

While Royce and Eminem never directly dissed each other, the rap world focused on their relationship, mostly overlooking the friction between Royce and Proof, who had been even closer friends. That beef continued for two years, during which Royce suffered from severe depression and a drinking problem, but released some of his most recognized material. For instance, his dark sophomore LP Death Is Certain, which garnered favorable reviews from many publications and critics. (See links section for reference).

In 2003, his conflict with Proof finally boiled over in a confrontation on the streets of Detroit. The two rappers’ entourages gathered around them, as they spoke heatedly and brandished guns. The police arrested them, and they spent the night in neighboring cells, working out their differences. The two have since ended their beef and have been in the studio. This situation is addressed in Beef 2, the second in a series of documentaries about beef in the rap industry.

4.3 Other

Royce had a small dispute with Ruff Ryders over the line “Royce, Reef, Double R” on a song, and 1970s disco band Rose Royce, wherein they accused him of stealing their name. He had a problem with popular producer Kanye West over an unreleased song, “Heartbeat”, the beat to which Kanye produced. Kanye maintains that Royce never paid for the beat but recorded to it and released it; hearing the song, the original customers decided not to buy it from West. After the disagreement, West vowed to never work with Royce again.[3]

5 Trivia

- Royce Da 5’9” lived off Pierson Street and W. Seven Mile Road in Detroit, but moved to Oak Park, Michigan when he was 10 years old.
- He had a short verse on pop singer Willa Ford’s hit single “I Wanna Be Bad”.
- He is married and has a son named Royce.
- Eminem gave Royce a shout out on “Girls”, a diss track directed at Limp Bizkit and DJ Lethal from D12’s 2001 album Devil’s Night.
- Royce is mentioned in Pace Won’s diss track to Eminem, “Rap Music”. On this track, Pace Won criticises Eminem for abandoning those who collaborated with him in the formative stages of his career.
- Many Detroit inner-city residents believe that Royce Da 5’9” is a better freestyle MC than Eminem, but also that Proof was the best ever to come out of the city.
- On Royce’s song ‘Meeting of the Bosses’ on Independents Day he gives a shout out to the HBO show ‘The Wire’ with the lyrics “Of an empire, coming to the floor, Through The Wire like Avon and String” referring to Avon Barksdale and Stringer Bell, the two main gangsters in the show. The lyric is commonly misquoted as him saying “Of an empire, coming to the floor,Through the wire like eight on a string”

sources:
Last FM / Wikipedia