Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969 in NY, NY) is a record producer and entertainment mogul who presides over a media empire that includes the record label Bad Boy Entertainment, the clothing lines Sean John and Sean by Sean Combs, a movie production company, and a restaurant chain. He has taken the roles of recording executive, producer, writer, arranger, clothing designer, actor, singer and rapper.
Lord Finesse is a Hip Hop artist and producer, hailing from The Bronx, New York. In 1989, Finesse, and his former partner DJ Mike Smooth, signed to Wild Pitch Records, home to other popular Hip Hop artists like Gang Starr, Main Source, Chill Rob G, Percee P, and O.C.. In 1990, the duo released their debut album Funky Technician. He was hailed for his strong lyrical ability and clever punchline delivery. The album featured production from future star beat-makers DJ Premier, Diamond D and Showbiz. Finesse became the leader of the popular New York underground crew D.
Cory McKay (born 1970 in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn) , better known as Cormega or "MC Cor", is an American emcee best known for his vivid and poignant narratives about inner-city life. Cormega came up as part of the early-'90s Queensbridge, Queens, New York scene that also fostered such name acts as Nas and Mobb Deep, among many others (not to mention the preceding generation of artists affiliated with Marley Marl and the Juice Crew).
Jason Hunter, (born July 6, 1971) better known as Inspectah Deck (aka Rebel INS), is an American rapper, producer, and actor. A member of the Wu-Tang Clan, known for his lyricism, he has not achieved the same level of commercial success in his solo career as some of his counterparts (such as Ghostface Killah or Method Man) though he continues to be respected and actively releases material. Hunter routinely mentions the Park Hill Projects in Clifton, Staten Island, NY, where he grew up, going to school with the future Ghostface Killah, Raekwon and Method Man.
Biz Markie is an East Coast hip hop artist, DJ and world-renowned Human Beat Boxer, best known for humorous singles like "Just a Friend" and "Pickin' Boogers." and his pre-MTV hit "Vapors". He has been labeled The Clown Prince of Hip-Hop. His career began in the 1980s. In 1992, Biz recorded a song called "Alone Again," but Gilbert O'Sullivan claimed the track featured an unauthorized sample of his hit "Alone Again (Naturally)," and served Biz papers. His career was quite damaged from the lawsuit, and Biz ducked out of the harshest glare of the limelight for the remainder of the 1990s.
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
Bossman, born Travis Holifield, is a rapper from Baltimore, MD. In Early August 2007, Bossman left Virgin Records right after their deal with Capital Records, Bossman signed a $2.5 million-plus deal with Sony Records under the Sony Urban Music label, later after he signed, Bossman announced that his long awaited major debut album version of this 2004 Baltimore Underground album "Law & Order" will be officially released in Mid December 2007. While He's got his fans getting ready for his album, he released a Pre-album CD entitled End Of Discussion which is only found in Baltimore stores only.
Members Kool Keith, Ced Gee, TR Love and Moe Love released their debut album Critical Beatdown, produced by Paul C., in 1988 and inspired the world of hip hop with their original sound of unorthodox sampling, polysyllabic rhymes, and bizarre lyrical imagery. Kool Keith went on to work with many other groups and solo projects including The Cenobites, Dr Octagon, Masters Of Illusion and Dr. Dooom Their work has been often sampled, most notably in The Prodigy song "Smack My Bitch Up"
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.