Aesop Rock (born Ian Bavitz on June 5, 1976) is an alternative hip hop artist/producer from Northport, New York, United States. He has released six albums: "Music for Earthworms" (1997), "Float" (1999), "Labor Days" (2001), "Bazooka Tooth" (2003), "None Shall Pass" (2007 ) and "Skelethon" (2012). He is also a member of the groups Hail Mary Mallon, The Weathermen and Two of Every Animal.
In his official bio, Booth newcomer ScienZe explains that he adopted his stage name because, if “science is the study of all things,” then “(he is) the study of hip-hop.” That’s one lofty claim – does the Brooklynite truly personify the entire body of knowledge we call hip-hop? http://scienzeclass.com/
Wasalu Muhammad Jaco (born February 16, 1982 in Chicago, Illinois), better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco, is a Grammy Award-winning American hip-hop artist and producer. He first became known to the mainstream hip-hop community in 2005 when he appeared on Kanye West's album Late Registration on the track "Touch the Sky." In 2006 Lupe released his debut album, Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor on Atlantic Records, and in December 2007 he released his second full length album, Lupe Fiasco's The Cool.
Louis Logic started rapping at a young age but it wasn't until he attended Penn State in the mid/late 90s where he recorded his first release, "Logistics 101" which ended up being the B-side for his first 12 inch, "Planet Rock" featuring L-Fudge. Banking L-Fudge's popularity on Jedi Mind Trick's Superregular Records in 1998, Louis started gaining notoriety. He released a series of 12 inches "General Principal" featuring J-Treds (with the widely favored B-side, "Factotum")...
Nas & Damian Marley came together to record an album titled Distant Relatives (released May 18, 2010). Distant Relatives is a collaborative studio album by American rapper Nas and Jamaican reggae artist Damian Marley, released May 18, 2010, on Universal Republic and Def Jam Recordings. Production for the album took place during 2008 to 2010 and was handled primarily by Damian Marley and Stephen Marley. Fusing musical elements of hip hop and reggae, Distant Relatives features lyrical themes concerning ancestry, poverty, and the plight of Africa.
Marco Polo is a Hip-Hop producer from Toronto, Canada. Marco Polo was a huge fan of Hip Hop music for a very long time, when he got to a certain point in his life where strictly being a fan wasn't enough anymore. He hooked up with some people in New York and moved to the
Mr. Lif (born Jeffrey Haynes) is a Boston rapper who is currently signed to New York independent label Definitive Jux. Besides his solo career, Lif is also a member of the hip hop group The Perceptionists with long-time friends and collaborators Akrobatik and DJ Fakts One. Mr. Lif grew up in the neighbourhood of Brighton in Boston, MA. For two years he attended Colgate University, dropping out after becoming enamored with the hip hop music being produced at the time.
Homeboy Sandman grew up in Queens, New York City and attended boarding school at New Hampshire
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969 in Brooklyn, New York), is an american hip hop artist and former president and CEO of Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella Records. He is more commonly known as Jay-Z or by a variety of stage names including S. Carter, Jigga, Hova, Hov, and Young Hov. He is regarded as one of the most prolific and successful American rappers of the mid-90s and early 2000s and is known for his use of metaphors, freestyling abilities, word play, flow, and blending of street and popular hip hop.