east coast rap

Chino XL (born Derek Barbosa, April 8, 1971, in The Bronx, New York but raised in East Orange, New Jersey) is a rapper well respected among hip hop enthusiasts for his battling abilities. He is notorious for his usage of self-consciously over-the-top punchlines (which usually take the form of puns or similes) and for his exaggerated egotism. He is also well known to many for a brief feud with Tupac Shakur.

Gary Grice (born August 22, 1966), better known by his stage name GZA (pronounced /ˈdʒɪzə/) and The Genius, is an American hip hop artist best known as a founding member of the seminal hip hop group the Wu-Tang Clan and for his inclusion on their group albums, his group mates' solo releases and a successful solo career. When it comes to thought provoking, street-bred raw lyricism, the Wu-Tang Clan's fountain of wisdom, GZA takes his job very seriously. The way he crafts his double-edged rhyme flow mirrors the skill and precise technique of one who works with fine ceramics.

Jason Phillips (born May 27, 1975 in Yonkers, New York), better known by his stage name Jadakiss, is an American rapper currently signed to Roc-A-Fella Records. He is also a member of the rap group The LOX, which he formed in 1994 with friends Jamaal, Sheek Louch, and Styles P. He released his solo debut album Kiss Tha Game Goodbye in 2001, and followed this with 2004's Kiss of Death and his most recent album, 2009's The Last Kiss.