Following her departure from the Supremes in 1970, Ross embarked on a successful solo career with the release of her eponymous debut solo album. Between 1972 and 1980, Ross recorded four top ten albums with her most successful studio release being the album Diana. In a fifteen-year span, Ross recorded twelve top ten singles with six — "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "Touch Me in the Morning", "Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)", "Love Hangover", "Upside Down" and "Endless Love" — topping the Billboard Hot 100, making her the female solo act with the most number-one songs in the United States at the time. Ross achieved international success with later songs such as "I'm Coming Out", "Chain Reaction", "If We Hold on Together", and "When You Tell Me That You Love Me".

Ross has also achieved mainstream success and recognition as an actress. Her first role was her Golden Globe Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated portrayal of Billie Holiday in the film Lady Sings the Blues (1972), which made her the first African-American actress to receive an Academy Award nomination for a debut film performance. The film's soundtrack became her only solo album to reach number-one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. She also starred in two other feature films, Mahogany (1975) and The Wiz (1978), and later appeared in the television films Out of Darkness (1994), for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and Double Platinum (1999).

Ross was named the "Female Entertainer of the Century" by Billboard in 1976. Since her solo career began in 1970, Ross has sold over 100 million records worldwide.[3] Between 1964 and 1981, Ross sang on eighteen number one US singles. In 2021, Billboard ranked her the 30th greatest charting artist of all time on the Billboard Hot 100.[4][5] Her hits as a Supreme and a solo artist combined put Ross among the top-five artists on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart from 1955 to 2018.[6] She has scored a top 75 U.K. hit single for a record 33 consecutive years (1964–1996). In 1988, Ross was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Supremes, and is one of the rare performers to have two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She is the recipient of a Special Tony Award in 1977, the Kennedy Center Honors in 2007, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 and 2023 (becoming the first woman to win the award twice, the latter as a member of the Supremes), and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.

Vandross began his music career in the late 1960s performing at the Apollo Theater in New York City as part of a local musical ensemble. The group later appeared on the television show Sesame Street in the early 1970s. He eventually established himself as a sought-after backing vocalist, contributing to albums by Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway, Todd Rundgren, Evelyn "Champagne" King, Judy Collins, Chaka Khan, Bette Midler, Diana Ross, David Bowie, Ben E. King, Stevie Wonder, Laura Branigan, Donna Summer, and Roxy Music. In 1980, he served as the lead vocalist for the post-disco group Change on their Gold-certified album The Glow of Love, released on Warner/RFC Records.

After Vandross left the group, he was signed to Epic Records as a solo artist and released his debut solo album, Never Too Much, in 1981. In 1982, he was credited as the primary producer on Aretha Franklin's album Jump to it, which topped the Billboard R&B Albums chart. His hit songs include "Never Too Much", "Here and Now", "Any Love", "Power of Love/Love Power", "I Can Make It Better", and "For You to Love". He also recorded several covers of songs originally performed by other artists, including "A House Is Not a Home", "Since I Lost My Baby", "Superstar", "I (Who Have Nothing)", and "Always and Forever".

Vandross collaborated on several notable duets, including "The Closer I Get to You" with Beyoncé, "Endless Love" with Mariah Carey, and "The Best Things in Life Are Free" with Janet Jackson of which the latter two were hit songs in his career. The tribute album So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross was released shortly after his death. In 2024, Kendrick Lamar and SZA released the chart-topping single "Luther", paying homage to Vandross and sampling his rendition of "If This World Were Mine", a duet with Cheryl Lynn.[8] In January of that same year, he was the subject of the documentary Luther: Never Too Much, which chronicles his life, career, and legacy. In 2026, Vandross was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[9][10]

A protégé of fellow New York City-based rapper Jaz-O, Jay-Z began recording music in the late 1980s. He co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records in 1994 to release his first two studio albums, Reasonable Doubt (1996) and In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 (1997), both of which were critically acclaimed. His 11 subsequent albums, including The Blueprint (2001), The Black Album (2003), American Gangster (2007), and 4:44 (2017), have each debuted atop the Billboard 200. Jay-Z has a total of 14 number-one albums on the chart, the joint-third most in history. He topped the Billboard Hot 100 on four occasions: once as a lead artist with his 2009 single "Empire State of Mind" (with Alicia Keys), and three times with his guest performances on the singles "Heartbreaker" (1999) by Mariah Carey, "Crazy in Love" (2003) by Beyoncé, and "Umbrella" (2007) by Rihanna.[12]

Jay-Z served as president and chief executive officer of Def Jam Recordings from 2004 to 2007,[13] during which he helped launch the careers of successful artists including Kanye West, Rihanna, and Ne-Yo. He co-founded Rocawear, a clothing retailer, in 1999,[14] and founded the 40/40 Club, a luxury bar chain, in 2003. As both grew into multi-million-dollar businesses, he launched Roc Nation, a multi-disciplinary entertainment agency, in 2008. In 2015, he acquired the technology company Aspiro and led the expansion of its media streaming service Tidal.[15][16][17] Through his business ventures, Jay-Z became the first hip-hop billionaire in 2019.[18][19] After Block, Inc. (then Square, Inc.) acquired a majority stake in Tidal in March 2021, Jay-Z joined its board of directors.[20][21]

One of the best-selling music artists with 140 million records sold, Jay-Z has won 25 Grammy Awards, the eighth-most of all time and the second-most of any hip-hop artist.[22] He is the recipient of the NAACP's President's Award and three Emmy Awards (including two Primetime Emmy Awards), in addition to being nominated for a Tony Award. Ranked by Billboard as the highest-grossing American hip-hop touring act, Jay-Z was the first rapper to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame[23] and the first solo living rapper inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2013.[24]

Early life and education

Support the show

Edit This ...

His 2019 single, "Bandit" (with Juice Wrld), became his first song to reach the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100.[4] Released the following week, his commercial mixtape, AI YoungBoy 2 (2019), debuted atop the Billboard 200 and received 18 gold certifications by the RIAA for each of its tracks.[5] The release of its follow-up, 38 Baby 2 (2020), and his second studio album, Top (2020), made Gaulden the second hip hop act to peak the chart thrice within a single year.[a][6] His third album, Sincerely, Kentrell (2021), was released during an incarceration, and became the third project—behind Tupac Shakur's Me Against the World (1995) and Lil Wayne's I Am Not a Human Being (2010)—by an imprisoned artist to debut atop the Billboard 200.[7][8][9] His fourth album, The Last Slimeto (2022), peaked at number two on the chart and served as his final release with Atlantic.[10][11] Gaulden then signed with Motown to release his fifth and sixth albums: I Rest My Case[12] and Don't Try This at Home (both 2023),[13] both of which peaked within the top-ten of the Billboard 200 despite trailing critical reception. Gaulden's seventh studio album I Just Got a Lot on My Shoulders (2024), witnessed a steep commercial decline,[14] while his eighth and ninth albums, MASA (2025) and Slime Cry (2026), both peaked within the chart's top ten.[15]

Gaulden has sold over 109 million digital copies in the United States, ranking him among the highest certified artists in the United States. He has garnered 15 billion views on his YouTube channel, also ranking him among the highest-viewed rappers on the site.[16] He is the youngest artist in Billboard history to chart 100 singles on the Billboard Hot 100,[17] while also being the rapper with the most RIAA platinum certified albums from 2015 to 2025,[18] and the most certified rapper in RIAA history with 126 certified titles.[19] Gaulden has 34 albums that have charted on the Billboard 200 chart, the most of any rapper,[15] and has been nominated for three BET Hip Hop Awards and a Grammy Award while being the recipient of one ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Award and one BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Award. He founded the record label Never Broke Again in 2015, which has signed artists including NoCap and Quando Rondo.

Despite his success, Gaulden's career has been marked by a long history of legal issues that began in 2016. He has maintained a largely prolific output notwithstanding his incarcerations.[20] Gaulden has infamously spent several years on house arrest from 2021 to 2024. He was arrested in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 2020 alongside sixteen others on various federal charges, including distribution and manufacturing of drugs and possession of stolen firearms.[21] The following year, he was arrested in Los Angeles, California, by federal agents stemming from his 2020 arrest, resulting in an additional federal firearm charge.[22] From March to October 2021, Gaulden was in jail before being released on bond and placed on house arrest awaiting trial from October 2021 to March 2024.[23] Gaulden was found not guilty in the case in Los Angeles, but was found guilty in Baton Rouge and sentenced to 23 months in prison followed by 60 months of probation following his release.[24][25] After over three years in federal custody, including house arrest, Gaulden was officially released on probation in April 2025.[26] Upon his release, after spending almost two months on probation, Gaulden was granted a presidential pardon by Donald Trump.[27]

The band's debut album, The Hurting (1983), reached number one on the UK Albums Chart, and their first three hit singles – "Mad World", "Change", and "Pale Shelter" – all reached the top five in the UK Singles Chart. Their second album, Songs from the Big Chair (1985), reached number one on the US Billboard 200, achieving multi-platinum status in both the US and the UK.[9][10] The album contained two US Billboard Hot 100 number one hits: "Shout" and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"; both songs reached the top five in the UK, and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" won the Brit Award for Best British Single in 1986.[11] Their third album, The Seeds of Love (1989), entered the UK chart at number one and yielded the transatlantic top five hit "Sowing the Seeds of Love".

After touring The Seeds of Love in 1990, Orzabal and Smith had an acrimonious split. Orzabal retained the Tears for Fears name as a solo project, releasing the albums Elemental (1993) – which produced the international hit "Break It Down Again" – and Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995). Orzabal and Smith reconciled in 2000 and released an album of new material, Everybody Loves a Happy Ending, in 2004. The duo have toured on a semi-regular basis since then. After being in development for almost a decade, the band's seventh album, The Tipping Point, was released in 2022,[12] giving the band their sixth UK top five album and their highest chart peak in thirty years and reaching the Top 10 in numerous other countries, including the US.

In 2021, Orzabal and Smith were honoured with the Ivor Novello Award for 'Outstanding Song Collection' recognising their "era-defining Tears for Fears albums" and "critically acclaimed, innovative hit singles".[13]

Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982),[2] known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer and record producer. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip-hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all time.[3] Born and raised in New Orleans, he was discovered by hometown rapper Birdman in 1993 and signed with his record label, Cash Money Records, at age eleven.[4][5] He emerged as the label's flagship artist until his departure in 2018.[6]

Carter was first placed in a duo with Cash Money labelmate B.G. in 1994—known collectively as the B.G.'z—and they released the album True Story that year, although Carter (at the time known as Baby D) appeared on only three of its tracks.[7] Carter and B.G. then formed the Southern hip-hop group Hot Boys with labelmates Juvenile and Turk in 1997, and released their debut album, Get It How U Live! that year. The Hot Boys gained mainstream success after the release of their second album Guerrilla Warfare (1999) and their appearance on B.G.'s single, "Bling Bling."[8] The group briefly disbanded after the album due to each member (besides Carter) parting ways with the label, although one further album—Let 'Em Burn (2003)—was released.[9]

Carter's debut studio album, Tha Block Is Hot (1999), was his breakthrough as a solo artist, quickly achieving commercial success. It was followed by Lights Out (2000) and 500 Degreez (2003). Carter is credited with revolutionizing the mixtape scene with his innovative approach in the 2000s.[10][11][12] His fourth and fifth albums, Tha Carter (2004) and Tha Carter II (2005), both debuted within the top five of the Billboard 200 and received critical acclaim. His sixth album, Tha Carter III (2008), yielded the pinnacle of Wayne's career, with first-week sales of over one million units domestically. It won the Best Rap Album at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards and was supported by his first Billboard Hot 100-number one single "Lollipop" (featuring Static Major), and the top-ten singles "A Milli" and "Got Money" (featuring T-Pain).

Carter's seventh studio album, Rebirth (2010), experimented with rap rock and was released to generally negative critical reception. A month after its release, he began serving an 8-month jail sentence for criminal possession of a weapon stemming from an incident in 2007. His eighth album, I Am Not a Human Being (2010), was released during his incarceration, while his ninth album, Tha Carter IV (2011), followed months after his release from prison. Despite mixed reviews, Tha Carter IV sold 964,000 units in its first-week in the U.S.[13] His twelfth studio album, Tha Carter V (2018)—preceded by I Am Not a Human Being II (2013) and Free Weezy Album (2015)—was released following long-term delays and label disputes, and was met with 480,000 in first-week sales. His thirteenth album, Funeral (2020), became his fifth non-consecutive number one album. He released his fourteenth album, Tha Carter VI, in June 2025.[14]

Carter has sold over 120 million records worldwide, including over 25 million albums and 95 million digital tracks in the U.S, making him one of the world's best-selling music artists.[15][16][17] He has won five Grammy Awards, eleven BET Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards and eight NAACP Image Awards. On September 27, 2012, he became the first male artist to surpass Elvis Presley with the most entries on the Billboard Hot 100, with 109 songs.[18][19] Carter founded the record label Young Money Entertainment in 2005, which has signed artists including Drake, Tyga and Nicki Minaj.

Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, Rick James began his musical career in his teenage years. He was in various bands before entering the U.S. Naval Reserve to avoid being drafted into the Army. In 1964, James moved to Toronto, Canada, where he formed the rock band The Mynah Birds, who eventually signed a recording deal with Motown Records in 1966. James's career with the group halted after military authorities discovered his whereabouts and eventually convicted him of desertion related charges. He served several months in jail.

After being released, James moved back to Toronto for pull together a new version of the Mynah Birds, with whom he returned to Motown to record. When that lineup folded, he moved to California, where he took over an existing group of Toronto ex-pats, Merryweather, added a new bassist and changed the group's name to Salt and Pepper. After a strong start and some recording for the Atlantic label, the group split and Rick and the group's keyboardist returned to Toronto to form Heaven and Earth with local players. They later merged with a local horn group, Milestone, and continued under a new name, Great White Cane. That group went to Los Angeles, signed to MGM Records' Lion subsidiary. Their ensuing LP, released in 1972, was a minor rhythm and blues masterpiece but disappeared almost immediately.

After forming the locally popular Stone City Band in his hometown of Buffalo in 1977, James found success as a recording artist after signing with Motown's Gordy Records, releasing the album Come Get It! in 1978 which produced the hits "You and I" and "Mary Jane". In 1981, James released his most successful album, Street Songs, which included career-defining hits such as "Give It to Me Baby" and "Super Freak", the latter song becoming his biggest crossover single, mixing elements of funk, disco, rock, and new wave. James was also known for his soulful ballads such as "Fire & Desire" and "Ebony Eyes". He also had a successful career as a songwriter and producer for other artists, including Teena Marie, the Mary Jane Girls, The Temptations, Eddie Murphy, and Smokey Robinson.

James's mainstream success peaked by the release of his album Glow in 1985 and his appearance on the popular TV show, The A-Team. His subsequent album releases failed to sell as well as their predecessors. Rapper MC Hammer sampled "Super Freak" for his breakout 1990 hit, "U Can't Touch This", which won Best R&B Song at the 33rd Annual Grammy Awards in 1991. James received his only Grammy for composing the song.[1] By the early 1990s, James's career was hampered by his drug addiction, and he was embroiled in legal issues. In 1993, he was convicted of two separate instances of kidnapping and assaulting two different women while under the influence of crack cocaine, resulting in a three-year sentence at Folsom State Prison. He was released on parole in 1996. His health problems halted his career again after he had a mild stroke during a concert in 1998, and he announced a semi-retirement.

In 2004, James returned to pop culture notoriety after he appeared in an episode of Chappelle's Show. The segment involved a Charlie Murphy True Hollywood Stories-style sketch that satirized James's wild lifestyle in the 1980s. This resulted in renewed interest in his music, and that year he returned to perform on the road. He died later that year from heart failure at age 56.

Prince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016), known mononymously as Prince, was an American singer, songwriter, musician, dancer, actor, and filmmaker. Often being credited as one of the greatest musicians of his generation, he pioneered the Minneapolis sound and was influential in the evolution of various other genres.[7]

Prince was raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He signed a record deal with Warner Bros. Records at the age of 18, and released his first album, For You, two years later. He achieved critical success with his albums Dirty Mind in 1980, Controversy in 1981, and 1999 in 1982. In 1984, Prince became the first singer to simultaneously have a number-one film, album and single in the United States, with the film Purple Rain, the Purple Rain soundtrack, and the year's best-selling single, "When Doves Cry". The album, recorded with his new backing band the Revolution, spent 24 consecutive weeks atop the United States Billboard 200 chart[8] and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score. After disbanding the Revolution, Prince released his first solo double LP in 1987, Sign o' the Times, widely considered his greatest work and one of the greatest albums of all time.[9][10][11]

In 1993, in the midst of a contractual dispute with Warner Bros., Prince changed his stage name to the unpronounceable symbol Logo. Hollow circle above downward arrow crossed with a curlicued horn-shaped symbol and then a short bar, known to fans as the "Love Symbol". Prince was often referred to as the Artist Formerly Known as Prince (TAFKAP), or simply the Artist.[12] After signing a contract with Arista Records in 1999, Prince reverted to his original name in 2000 and continued releasing albums, including the double Grammy Award-winning Musicology in 2004. He released 39 albums during his life, while still having a vast array of unreleased material.[13] On April 21, 2016, at the age of 57, Prince died at his Paisley Park home and recording studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota, after accidentally overdosing on counterfeit hydrocodone/paracetamol pills which were laced with fentanyl.

Prince sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists. His awards include the Grammy President's Merit Award, the American Music Awards for Achievement and of Merit, the Billboard Icon Award, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2016, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2024, and twice into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame in 2022.

Early life
Prince Rogers Nelson was born at Mount Sinai Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota on June 7, 1958, to jazz singer Mattie Della (née Shaw) and pianist and songwriter John Lewis Nelson.[14][15] All four of Prince's grandparents were from Louisiana.[16] The jazz drummer Louis Hayes was his paternal cousin.[17]

After the death of Elijah Muhammad, his son Warith Deen Mohammed reorganized the original NOI into the orthodox Sunni Islamic group American Society of Muslims. Farrakhan began to rebuild the NOI as "Final Call". In 1981, he officially adopted the name "Nation of Islam", reviving the group and establishing its headquarters at Mosque Maryam. In October 1995, Farrakhan organized and led the Million Man March in Washington, D.C. Due to health issues, he reduced his responsibilities with the NOI in 2007.[5] However, Farrakhan has continued to deliver sermons[6] and speak at NOI events.[7] In 2015, he led the 20th Anniversary of the Million Man March: Justice or Else.

Farrakhan's antisemitic statements and views have been condemned by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL),[8][7] and other organizations.[9] Farrakhan has also been criticized for being homophobic and sexist.[10][11] He has denied assertions that he is antisemitic, racist, sexist, or anti-gay.[12][13][14][15] Farrakhan was banned from Facebook in 2019 along with other public figures Meta considered to be political or religious extremists,[16][17] and the official Nation of Islam YouTube channel was removed for "hate speech" in 2020.[18]

Early life and education
Farrakhan, who is Black,[19] was born Louis Eugene Walcott on May 11, 1933 in The Bronx, New York City.[1] He is the younger of two sons of Sarah Mae Manning (1900–1988) and Percival Clark, immigrants from the Anglo-Caribbean islands. His mother was born in Saint Kitts, while his father was Jamaican. The couple separated before their second son was born, and Walcott says he never knew his biological father.[20] Walcott was named after Louis Walcott, a man with whom his mother had a relationship after becoming separated from Percival Clark.[1] In a 1996 interview with Henry Louis Gates Jr., Walcott speculated that Percival Clark, "a light-skinned man with straight hair from Jamaica", may have been Jewish.[21][22]

After Walcott's stepfather died in 1936, the Walcott family moved to Boston, where they settled in the largely African-American neighborhood of Roxbury.[20]

Walcott received his first violin at the age of five. By the time he was 12 years old, he had been on tour with the Boston College Orchestra.[20][23] A year later, he participated in national competitions and won them. In 1946, he was one of the first black performers to appear on the Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour,[23] where he also won an award. Walcott and his family were active members of the Episcopal St. Cyprian's Church in Roxbury.[20]

Walcott attended the Boston Latin School, and later attended and graduated from the English High School.[24] He completed three years at Winston-Salem Teachers College, where he had a track scholarship.[23]

Khadijah and Louis Farrakhan, 1996
In 1953, Walcott married Betsy Ross (later known as Khadijah Farrakhan) while he was in college.[25] Due to complications from his new wife's first pregnancy, Walcott dropped out after completing his junior year of college to devote time to his wife and their child.[1][26]

In December 2014, New York City Police arrested Shmurda and charged him and several other members of GS9 with conspiracy to murder, weapons possession, and reckless endangerment.[8] In 2016, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to seven years in prison, which was reduced to five years after he received credit for the two years he served awaiting trial.[9] After over six years in prison, Shmurda was released from Clinton Correctional Facility in February 2021.[10] His release was celebrated in the hip-hop community.[11]

Early life
Ackquille Jean Pollard was born on August 4, 1994, in Miami, Florida.[2] His mother is Vincentian and his father is Jamaican.[12] He and his mother moved to East Flatbush, Brooklyn, after his father was incarcerated.[13] Pollard had run-ins with the law in Brooklyn, including 15 months spent in detention for probation violation and an arrest on gun charges that were later dropped. According to his 2014 indictment, Pollard was the ringleader of a criminal enterprise called "GS9" that regularly entered into disputes with criminal gangs, was responsible for murders and non-fatal shootings, and engaged in drug trafficking[14] along Kings Highway to East Flatbush.[15]

Career
The first song Pollard remixed was Crime Mob's "Knuck If You Buck",[13] but he received little attention until the 2014 release of his song "Hot Nigga".[1] The song uses the instrumental from Lloyd Banks's 2012 song "Jackpot".[16] The song and its accompanying video went viral shortly after being uploaded to YouTube in the spring of 2014.[13] Shmurda's signature "Shmoney dance", which he performs in the video, became an internet meme and featured in numerous popular Vines from the latter half of 2014;[17] Beyoncé and Jay-Z replicated it during their On the Run Tour[18] and Canadian rapper Drake did so while hosting the 2014 ESPY Awards.[19][20] Several rappers freestyled over its instrumental, including Juicy J,[21] French Montana,[22] Lil' Kim,[23] Gunplay,[24] and T.I.[25] Shmurda signed with Epic Records, which released "Hot Nigga" as his debut single.[26] The song topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart, and peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, eventually being certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The video had over 649 million views on YouTube as of July 2020.[27] The song's official remix—featuring guest vocals from Fabolous, Chris Brown, Jadakiss, Rowdy Rebel, Busta Rhymes, and Yo Gotti—was released on September 4, 2014.[17][28] Also in August 2014, a reggae remix of the song was released that featured Junior Reid, Mavado, Popcaan, and Jah X.[29] Shmurda also became known for his song "Bobby Bitch", which peaked at number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100. His debut EP, Shmurda She Wrote, was released on November 10, 2014.

His first album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was released in 2005. In 2007, T-Pain released his second album, Epiphany. It reached number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. His third album, Three Ringz, was released in 2008. The albums included a string of hit singles, including "I'm Sprung", "I'm 'n Luv (Wit a Stripper)", "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')", "Bartender", "Can't Believe It", "Chopped and Screwed" and "5 O'Clock". T-Pain has earned two Grammy Awards from 12 nominations, one with Kanye West for "Good Life" and the other with Jamie Foxx for "Blame It". He was the winner in season 1 of the Masked Singer as "Monster".

T-Pain is the founder of his record label Nappy Boy Entertainment, established in 2005. Throughout his career as a singer, T-Pain popularized the creative use of the Auto-Tune pitch correction effect, used with extreme parameter settings to create distinctive vocal sounds. From 2006 to 2010, T-Pain was featured on more than 50 chart topping singles. His most successful feature to date was on Flo Rida's first single "Low". The single has since been certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Migos' 2013 debut single, "Versace" spawned from their third mixtape Y.R.N. (Young Rich Niggas), which was released in June of that year. The song was remixed by Canadian rapper Drake, leading to its entry on the Billboard Hot 100; it was followed by "Fight Night" and "Look at My Dab", which were released in the following two years. Their 2016 single, "Bad and Boujee" (featuring Lil Uzi Vert) peaked atop the chart, while their 2017 single, "MotorSport" (with Nicki Minaj and Cardi B) and 2018 singles, "Stir Fry" and "Walk It Talk It" (featuring Drake) each peaked within the top ten.

Migos signed with Quality Control Music and 300 Entertainment to release their debut studio album Yung Rich Nation (2015), which was met with positive critical reception and peaked at number 17 on the Billboard 200. Their second album, Culture (2017), debuted atop the chart[7][8] and was supported by "Bad and Boujee". After departing 300 Entertainment in favor of a joint venture with Motown and Capitol Records in February 2017,[9] the trio saw their furthest commercial success with their third album, Culture II (2018), which became their second to peak the chart and sold an estimated 200,000 album-equivalent units in its first week.[10] Their fourth album, Culture III (2021), peaked at number two on the Billboard 200.

In 2016, the group portrayed fictionalized versions of themselves in the first season of the Donald Glover comedy-drama television series Atlanta. On November 1, 2022, Takeoff was fatally shot outside of a bowling alley in Houston,[11] effectively causing its two remaining members to disband the following year.[12][13][14]

Algernod Lanier Washington (born July 1, 1976), better known by his stage name Plies, is an American rapper. Born in Fort Myers, Florida, Plies was a wide receiver on the Miami University (Ohio) football team from 1995 to 1997. After a brief transfer to University of Central Florida, he dropped out and embarked on a musical career. He signed with the South Florida-based record label Slip-n-Slide Records in 2004; after four mixtapes, he signed a joint venture with Atlantic Records in 2006.

His 2007 single, "Shawty" (featuring T-Pain), peaked within the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 and served as his mainstream breakthrough. It received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and preceded his debut studio album, The Real Testament (2007), which spawned the top 15-single "Hypnotized" (featuring Akon) and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. His second album, Definition of Real (2008), matched its chart position and yielded his second top ten single, "Bust It Baby Pt. 2" (featuring Ne-Yo). His third and fourth albums, Da REAList (2008) and Goon Affiliated (2010), were both met with mixed critical reception; the latter served as his final major label release.

Early life
Plies was born Algernod Lanier Washington in Fort Myers, Florida, and grew up in the city's East Dunbar neighborhood.[2] While at Fort Myers Senior High School, he played wide receiver and defensive back on its football team, was crowned homecoming king, was the valedictorian of his high school class, and was named the "Best Dressed" student of his class.[3]

He attended Miami University under the name Nod Washington, and was a wide receiver on the Miami RedHawks football team from 1995 to 1997.[4] As a freshman in 1995, Washington had 9 receptions for 69 yards.[4] In 1996, his sophomore year, Washington had 25 receptions for 262 yards and 2 touchdowns. He had 5 receptions for 43 yards in his final season at Miami in 1997.[4] Washington then transferred to the University of Central Florida and subsequently dropped out.[3]

Music career
In the late 1990s, Plies became involved with music when his stepbrother, Ronnell Lawrence Lavatte, established the record label Big Gates Records. Although Plies initially refused to rap, after a demonstration for one of his artists, Lavatte decided to keep Plies' verse on the 2003 song "Tell Dem Krackers Dat". Lavatte and Plies promoted the single and traveled many times to Miami; this led to his acquaintance with local record executive Ted Lucas, founder of Slip-n-Slide Records.[2] After signing with the label in 2004, Plies released several mixtapes until his contract entered a distribution deal with Atlantic Records two years later.[3]

2007: The Real Testament
The Real Testament was released in August 2007. His debut single "Shawty" featuring T-Pain topped the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart and peaked at number 9 on the Hot 100. "Hypnotized", the second single, featured Akon, and peaked at number 3 on the Rap chart and 14 on the Hot 100.[5] The third single was "I Am the Club". On February 29, 2008, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the album Gold for having sold over 500,000 units; five days later the RIAA did the same for singles "Shawty" and "Hypnotized".[6] Plies made guest performances on DJ Khaled's "I'm So Hood", also featuring T-Pain, Trick Daddy and Rick Ross in 2007, which peaked at #19 on the Hot 100 and is included on Khaled second studio album We the Best, and Fat Joe's single "Ain't Sayin' Nothin'" from The Elephant in the Room in early 2008.

2008: Definition of Real and Da REAList
Definition of Real, his second album, was released in June 2008, 10 months after releasing his first album. The lead single was "Bust It Baby Pt. 2" featuring Ne-Yo, which peaked at number 2 on both the Hot Rap Tracks and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks charts and number 7 on the Hot 100.[5] The album debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200, selling over 214,000 copies its first week.[7] The next single was "Please Excuse My Hands", featuring Jamie Foxx and The-Dream.[5][8] RIAA certified Gold "Bust It Baby" on September 17 and Definition of Real October 14.[6]

That same year Plies released his third album, Da REAList, in December 2008, six months after the release of his second album. The first single off this album is "Put It on Ya", featuring Chris J. The album debuted at number 14 on the Billboard 200 with 114,000 copies sold in its first week.[9] The second single is "Want It, Need It", featuring Ashanti, and the third is "Plenty Money". He did a guest performance on Ludacris' single "Nasty Girl" from Ludacris' album Theater of the Mind. He also appeared on DJ Khaled's song "Out Here Grindin', also featuring Akon, Ross, Young Jeezy, Lil Boosie, Ace Hood and Trick Daddy, from Khaled's third album We Global, which peaked at #38 on the Hot 100.

Roscoe Dash guest appeared alongside Kanye West on Big Sean's 2011 single "Marvin & Chardonnay," which peaked at 32 on the Billboard Hot 100. His debut extended play (EP), J.U.I.C.E. (2011), was released in December of that year and lukewarmly entered the Billboard 200.[3]

Career
2002–2009: Career beginnings
Johnson started rapping at the age of 12, after his older brother introduced him to hip-hop.[4] While attending in Mill Creek High School, he, his brother, and two other rappers formed a rap group who went by the name Black Out Boiz, for which Johnson adopted the stage name "ATL". Though the group released one project to positive feedback, Johnson parted ways with the group in favor of pursuing solo work. His first project, My Turn, was resealed on MySpace.[5] In his basement, he continued recording mixtapes; this activity led him to connect with his cousin Torrey Hood, who was managing a local hip hop trio by the name of Travis Porter.[6]

Johnson began touring and recording with Travis Porter, and started negotiating a contract with their manager, Charlie Jabaley. On August 1, 2009, Porter's second mixtape, I'm a Differenter 2, was released, and an early version of Johnson's song, "All the Way Turnt Up", was part of the tracklist. Johnson, despite writing and performing the song, was credited as a guest performer under the name "ATL." According to Porter, this was a mistake.[7] Perhaps in spite of this, Johnson knew he had to create a solo identity to further his career.[8] He Googled names of comic book heroes, and came across the name "Roscoe Dash." Johnson says:

"I needed something more marketable. I needed something that would catch the ears and eyes of whoever was listening or reading the name Roscoe Dash and make them want to do research on Roscoe Dash."[9]

He then met local entrepreneur LA da Boomman in 2009, who then signed him to his production company, Making Moves Inc. (MMI).[10][11] Johnson later signed onto a joint venture with A&R representative Anthony Tate, and the Interscope Records-distributed label Zone 4, after Tate and Johnson spoke with music producer and the latter label's founder, Polow da Don.[10][11]

2010–2013: Ready Set Go! and J.U.I.C.E.
Shortly after its original release, Dash re-recorded "All the Way Turnt Up", and included a guest verse from fellow Atlanta-native Soulja Boy. After the version became a radio hit, Dash signed with Interscope Records before its commercial release on January 1, 2010. Dash then began recording for his debut studio album, titled Ready Set Go!, although it was leaked and shipped before the official release date. The following year, Dash guest featured on the single "No Hands" by fellow Atlanta native Waka Flocka Flame, alongside Washington D.C. rapper Wale. The song received diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned the "Club Banger of the Year" at the 2011's BET Hip Hop Awards; Johnson received a nomination at the ASCAP Music Awards in 2011.[12][13]

In December 2011, Johnson released his first extended play (EP), J.U.I.C.E.. Johnson also appeared on Big Sean's single single "Marvin & Chardonnay", which peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100.[14] In 2012, Johnson was featured on the cover of XXL magazine, as part of their annual "Top 10 Freshmen list", along with fellow rappers Iggy Azalea, Danny Brown, Kid Ink, Future, Hopsin, Macklemore, French Montana, Don Trip and Machine Gun Kelly.[15]

Boogie Down Productions (BDP) was an American hip-hop group formed in the Bronx, New York City, in 1986. It originally consisted of KRS-One, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock. DJ Scott La Rock was murdered on August 27, 1987. The name of the group, Boogie Down, derives from a nickname for the South Bronx.

The group pioneered the fusion of dancehall reggae and hip-hop music, and their debut LP Criminal Minded contains frank descriptions of life in the South Bronx during the late 1980s.

Members
BDP's membership changed throughout its existence, the only constant being KRS-One.[1] The group was founded by KRS-One and DJ Scott La Rock, with producer Lee Smith, who was essential in the production of the songs on Criminal Minded, being added as a member shortly after.[1]

From those beginnings, BDP members and collaborators included Ced Gee of Ultramagnetic MC's, Lee Smith, Scott La Rock, D-Nice, Henry Wilkerson PoppyDa, Kenny Parker (KRS-One's younger brother), Just-Ice, ICU, McBoo, Ms. Melodie, Heather B., Scottie Morris, Tony Rahsan, Willie D., RoboCop, Harmony, DJ Red Alert, Jay Kramer, D-Square, Rebekah Foster, Scott Whitehill, Scott King, Chris Tait and Sidney Mills.

BDP as a group essentially ended because KRS-One began recording and performing under his own name rather than the group name.[1] Lee Smith, who has co-producer credit on the original 12" "South Bronx" single, was the first to be jettisoned by KRS-One and the future new label after Scott's death.

In the liner notes on BDP's 1992 album Sex and Violence, KRS-One writes: "BDP in 1992 is KRS-One, Willie D, and Kenny Parker! BDP is not D-Nice, Jamal-Ski, Harmony, Ms. Melodie, and Scottie Morris. They are not down with BDP so stop frontin'." Steve "Flash" Juon of RapReviews.com claimed that this initiated the ultimate breakup of the group.[2]

Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph (born October 22, 1992), known professionally as 21 Savage, is a British-born rapper based in Atlanta, Georgia.[2] Born in London and raised in the US, he began his recording career in 2013 and released three independent mixtapes to regional acclaim. His breakout project—the collaborative extended play (EP) with record producer Metro Boomin titled Savage Mode (2016)—peaked at number 23 on the Billboard 200. Its lead singles, "X" (featuring Future) and "No Heart" both peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Later that year, he saw further recognition for his guest appearance on Drake's single "Sneakin'".[3][4][5] He then signed a recording contract with Epic Records in January 2017.[6]

Before fame
She has been rapping for a while, but didn't release any music officially until her feature with BIG PLUTO was released, with people posting videos of themselves dancing along to the song and singing along to her verses. Pluto credited her for helping to punch up the track's energy as a guest rapper on the track.

Trivia
One of her most popular posts is a dance video she made on TikTok to the song "Mad Again" by BunnaB, The video was watched over 3.5 million times.

Family life
Her real name is Shanice Cameron, and she lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Associated with
She posted a TikTok featuring the song "YAMS" by Bhad Bhabie on August 8, 2025.

He rose to prominence in 1992 through his collaborations with Dr. Dre, first on the single "Deep Cover" and later on The Chronic, including "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang". Produced by Dr. Dre, his debut album Doggystyle (1993) debuted atop the Billboard 200 with 806,000 copies sold in its first week. The album spawned the hit singles "What's My Name?" and "Gin and Juice", later receiving quadruple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His second album, Tha Doggfather (1996), also debuted at number one.

After leaving Death Row Records, Snoop Dogg signed with Master P's No Limit Records, and saw continued success with his albums Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told (1998), No Limit Top Dogg (1999), and Tha Last Meal (2000). His album R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece (2004) spawned the single "Drop It Like It's Hot" (featuring Pharrell), his first Billboard Hot 100 number one. In later years, he adopted the alias Snoop Lion, under which he released a reggae album, Reincarnated (2013), and a namesake documentary film about his experience in Jamaica. The album was followed by the Pharrell-produced Bush (2015) and the gospel album Bible of Love (2018).[10] In 2022, he acquired Death Row Records from MNRK Music Group and released BODR (2022).

Snoop Dogg has sold over 35 million records worldwide.[11][12] In 2022, he co-headlined the Super Bowl LVI halftime show, earning a Primetime Emmy Award. He has received several accolades including seventeen Grammy Award nominations, two Sports Emmy Awards and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[13] Outside of music, he has appeared in numerous films and media, including serving as a coach on The Voice.

The eighth child of the Jackson family, Jackson made his public debut at age six as the lead singer of the Jackson 5, one of Motown's most successful acts. He rose to solo stardom with the album Off the Wall (1979) and achieved unprecedented global success with Thriller (1982), the best-selling album in history. Its short film-style music videos for "Thriller", "Beat It", and "Billie Jean" redefined the medium as an art form. Jackson followed it with Bad (1987), the first album to produce five US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles: "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror", and "Dirty Diana". His albums Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995) spawned the respective US number-one singles "Black or White" and "You Are Not Alone"; the latter was the first song to debut atop the Hot 100. Jackson's final album, Invincible (2001), is the most expensive album ever made.

From the mid-1980s, Jackson came under public scrutiny due to changes in his appearance, relationships, behavior, and lifestyle. He was accused of sexually abusing the child of a family friend in 1993. In 2005, Jackson was tried and acquitted of further such allegations and other charges. In 2009, while preparing for This Is It, a series of comeback concerts, he died from an overdose of propofol administered by his personal physician Conrad Murray, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011. Jackson's death triggered global reactions, creating unprecedented surges of internet traffic and a spike in his music sales. His televised memorial service, held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, is estimated to have been viewed by more than 2.5 billion people.

Jackson is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated sales of over 500 million records as a solo artist.[nb 2] He is also—along with Paul McCartney and Phil Collins—one of three recording artists to have sold over 100 million records both as solo artists and separately as principal members of a band. He holds a joint-record for a male solo artist with 13 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles and is the only artist to have a top-ten single in six decades. One of the most-awarded music artists in history, Jackson received 13 Grammy Awards, the Grammy Legend Award, and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award; 26 American Music Awards; 12 World Music Awards; 8 MTV Video Music Awards; 6 Brit Awards; and 3 presidential honors. He was inducted into numerous halls of fame, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Dance Hall of Fame. Having donated an estimated $500 million, Jackson is credited with setting a standard for celebrity charity. In 2024, half of his music catalogue was sold to Sony for $600 million, the largest music acquisition for a single artist.

Born in Brooklyn and raised in Detroit, she first gained recognition at the age of 10, when she appeared on the television show Star Search and performed in concert alongside Gladys Knight. At the age of 12, Aaliyah signed with Jive Records and her uncle Barry Hankerson's Blackground Records. Hankerson introduced her to R. Kelly, who became her mentor, as well as lead songwriter and producer of her debut album, Age Ain't Nothing but a Number (1994). The album sold three million copies in the US and was certified double Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Her first single, "Back & Forth", rose to number five on the Billboard Hot 100. After allegations of an illegal marriage with Kelly, Aaliyah ended her contract with Jive and signed with Atlantic Records.

Aaliyah worked with record producers Timbaland and Missy Elliott for her second album, One in a Million (1996), which sold three million copies in the US and more than eight million copies worldwide. She made her acting debut in the action film Romeo Must Die. Its soundtrack was supported by her single "Try Again", the first song to top the Billboard Hot 100 solely through airplay. Aaliyah subsequently filmed her starring role in Queen of the Damned (2002; released posthumously) and released her third album, Aaliyah (2001), which topped the Billboard 200. The album spawned the singles "We Need a Resolution", "Rock the Boat", and "More Than a Woman".

On August 25, 2001, at the age of 22, Aaliyah was killed in a plane crash along with eight other people on board, when the overloaded aircraft she was traveling in crashed shortly after takeoff. The pilot was later found to have traces of cocaine and alcohol in his body and was not qualified to fly the aircraft designated for the flight. Aaliyah's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the aircraft's operator, which was settled out of court. After her death, Aaliyah's music has continued to achieve commercial success, aided by several posthumous releases, including the compilation albums I Care 4 U (2002) and Ultimate Aaliyah (2005). She has sold 8.1 million albums in the US and an estimated 24 to 32 million albums worldwide.

Born and raised in Oakland, California, Hammer served three years in the United States Navy before independently releasing his debut album Feel My Power in 1986. After signing a contract with Capitol Records, Hammer released his second album Let's Get It Started in 1988, which became his first multi-platinum hit. Hammer became the first hip hop artist to achieve diamond status with his next album Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em (1990), helping him become one of the most prominent media celebrities of the early 1990s.[8][9][10] After being labeled a sellout by the changing landscape of hip hop music which led to declining record sales for his fourth album, Too Legit To Quit (1991), Hammer unsuccessfully attempted to appeal to the rise of gangsta rap with his next album, The Funky Headhunter (1994).[11] However, due to commercial overexposure,[12] Hammer's popularity waned by the mid-1990s, which led to a highly publicized bankruptcy beginning in 1996.[13] He has since released seven more albums, in addition to multiple songs after 2010.

Along with a Mattel doll and other merchandise, Hammer starred in a Saturday-morning cartoon called Hammerman in 1991. He became an ordained preacher during the late 1990s and hosted MC Hammer and Friends, a Christian ministry program on TBN. Hammer was also a dance judge on Dance Fever in 2003, was the co-creator of the dance website DanceJam.com,[14][15] and was executive producer of his own reality show titled Hammertime (which aired on the A&E Network during the summer of 2009).[16][17]

Throughout his career, Hammer has managed his own recording business as a record label CEO. As a result, Hammer has created and produced his own acts/music including Ho Frat Hoo!,[18] Oaktown's 3.5.7, Special Generation, Analise, DRS, B Angie B,[19] Gentry Kozia[20][21] and Oakland Fight Club.[22] A part of additional record labels, he has associated, collaborated and recorded with Psy,[23] VMF,[24] Tupac Shakur, Teddy Riley, Felton Pilate, Tha Dogg Pound, The Whole 9,[25] The Hines Brother,[26] Deion Sanders, Big Daddy Kane, BeBe & CeCe Winans and Jon Gibson. Hammer signed with Suge Knight's Death Row Records in 1995.[27]

BET ranked Hammer as the No. 7 "Best Dancer of All Time".[28] Vibe's "The Best Rapper Ever Tournament" declared him the 17th favorite of all-time during the first round. He continues to perform concerts at music venues and appears in television advertisements,[29][30][31] along with participating in social media and ministry/outreach functions.[32][33] Hammer is also active in community and sports activities,[34][35] being interviewed locally and nationally.[36][37]

Blige signed to Uptown Records in 1988. Her debut album, What's the 411? (1992), is credited for introducing the mix of R&B and hip hop into mainstream pop culture. Its 1993 remix album became the first album by a singer to have a rapper on every song, popularizing rap as a featuring act.[6] Both What's the 411? and her 1994 album My Life ranked among Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.[7] Throughout her career, Blige has released 15 studio albums, four of which―Share My World (1997), Love & Live (2003), The Breakthrough (2005) and Growing Pains (2007)―have topped the Billboard 200 chart. Her biggest hits include "Real Love", "You Remind Me", "I'm Goin' Down", "Not Gon' Cry", "Everything", "No More Drama", "Be Without You", "One" (with U2), "Just Fine" and the Billboard Hot 100 number-one single "Family Affair".

Blige enhanced her popularity with an acting career. She was nominated for two Academy Awards for her supporting role as Florence Jackson in Mudbound (2017) and the film's song "Mighty River", becoming the first person nominated for acting and songwriting in the same year. Her other film roles include Prison Song (2001), Rock of Ages (2012), Betty and Coretta (2013), Black Nativity (2013), Trolls World Tour (2020), Body Cam (2020), The Violent Heart (2021), Respect (2021) and Rob Peace (2024). Her television work includes the series The Umbrella Academy (2019) and Power Book II: Ghost (2020–2024).

Blige received a Legends Award at the World Music Awards in 2006, the Voice of Music Award from ASCAP in 2007 and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2018. In 2010, Billboard ranked her as the most successful female R&B/Hip-Hop artist of the past 25 years.[8] In 2017, the magazine named "Be Without You" as the most successful R&B/hip-hop song of all time, as it spent a then-record 15 weeks atop the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and over 75 weeks on the chart overall.[9] Blige was featured in listicles such as VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time (2011), Time's 100 most influential people in the world (2022) and Rolling Stone's 200 Greatest Singers of All Time (2023). In 2024, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

He was born to a musician family, as his father, Luis F. Vega Sr., was a jazz saxophonist, and his uncle was singer Héctor Lavoe of the Fania All-Stars. Vega embarked on his music career as a disc jockey, spinning records at the age of 13.[2]

By 1985, Louie began playing house and block parties in his local Bronx. His first nightclub residency was at the Devil's Nest, in the Bronx, and later he moved to heartthrob (the old Funhouse), Roseland, Studio 54 and the Palladium in Manhattan.[3] During the 1990s, Vega was playing at one of the most influential nightclubs for house music, The Sound Factory Bar, at the Underground Network Parties with promoters Don Welch and Barbara Tucker (also singer). During this time, production team Masters at Work began a remixing team which consisted of young producers "Little Louie" Vega and partner Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez.[3]

Vega's uncle is salsa vocalist Héctor Lavoe, while Gonzalez's father, Hector Torres, also performs salsa.[4] Vega is also the cousin of Eric Vega, a popular event creator and promoter in New York City. Louie Vega is presently married to vocalist Ana Martins, also known as Anané Vega.

Louie Vega was ranked number 5 at the Top House Artists of 2020 by Traxsource.[5]

Louie Vega was ranked number 1 at the Top Artists of 2021 by Traxsource.
Albums
Elements of Life (2004)
Elements of Life Extensions (2005)
Elements of Life Eclipse (2013)
Louie Vega Starring...XXVIII (2016)
NYC Disco (2018)
Expansions In The NYC (2022)
Singles
Louie Vega/"Little" Louie Vega
1991 "Ride on the Rhythm", with Marc Anthony
1996 "Hip Hop Jazz EP", with Jeffrey Collins
2000 "Elements of Life", with Blaze
2000 "Life Goes On", with Arnold Jarvis
2002 "Diamond Life", with Jay 'Sinister' Sealee and Julie McKnight
2002 "Brand New Day", with Blaze
2003 "Cerca De Mi", with Raul Midon and Albert Menendez
2003 "Africa/Brasil"
2004 "Thousand Fingered Man"
2004 "Mozalounge", with Anané, Raul Midon and Albert Menendez
2004 "Journey's Prelude", with Ursula Rucker
2004 "Love is on the Way", with Blaze
2004 "Steel Congo", with House of Rhumba
2005 "V Gets Jazzy", with Mr. V
2006 "Joshua's Jam", with Blaze
2007 "Here to Stay", with Soni
2016 "A New Day", with Caron Wheeler and Jazzie B
Sole Fusion
1992 "We Can Make It"
1994 "Bass Tone"
1995 "The Chosen Path", with Kenny Dope
1997 "We Can Make It '97"
Freestyle Orchestra
1989 "Don't Tell Me", with Todd Terry
1990 "Keep on Pumpin' it up", with Todd Terry
1998 "I Don't Understand This", with Kenny Dope
1998 "Odyssey/I'm Ready", with Kenny Dope
Hardrive/Hardrive 2000
1992 "Sindae", with Kenny Dope
1993 "Deep Inside EP"
1993 "Hardrive EP", with Kenny Dope
1999 "2000 EP"
1999 "Never Forget", with Lynae
Other aliases
1989 "There's a Bat in my House", as Caped Crusaders, with Todd Terry
1990 "Afrika", as History, with Q-Tee
1994 "Love & Happiness", as River Ocean, with India
1994 "The Tribal EP", as River Ocean, with India
1994 "Curious", as Sun Sun Sun, with Lem Springsteen
1995 "Reach", as Lil Mo Yin Yang, with Erick Morillo
1995 "Freaky", as Lou², with Lil Louis
1996 "The Missile", as The Chameleon
1996 "Shout-n-Out", as Lood, with Mood II Swing
Production for other artists
1987 Erasure - songs "Victim of Love" (Little louie Vega mix) and "Hideaway" (Little Louie Vega mix) on the remix album The Two Ring Circus
1987 The Cover Girls - "Because of You", with Robert Clivilles
1988 Noel - "Like a Child", with Roman Ricardo
1990 Kimiesha Holmes - "Love me True"
1990 2 in a Room - "Take me Away", with Aldo Marin
1994 Barbara Tucker - "I Get Lifted"
1995 Barbara Tucker - "Stay Together"
1998 Donnell Rush - "Perfect Day for Company", with Lem Springsteen
2001 Gloria Estefan - "Y-Tu-Conga"
2003 Anané - "Nos Vida/Mon Amour"
2003 Ursula Rucker - "Release"
2004 Kenny Bobien - "Spread Love"
2005 Anané - "Amazing Love"
2005 Anané - "Let Me Love You", with Mr. V
2005 Anané - "Move, Bounce, Shake", with Mr. V
2007 Mr. V - "Put Your Drink Down"

Later, the club was renamed the Penguin Club and became infamous for stabbings and fights. The building was eventually torn down in 1989 and replaced by a 22-story Ramada Renaissance Hotel. 48th Street between Broadway and Seventh Avenue now bears the honorary name "Lou Walters Way."

Kane is known for his ability to syncopate over fast beats. Despite his asthma,[4] he is a pioneer of fast rhyming. His sense of style is renowned and set a number of late-1980s and early-1990s hip hop trends (high-top fades hairstyles, velour suits, and four-finger rings). The backronym "King Asiatic Nobody's Equal" is often applied to his moniker.

In 1988, Kane released his debut album, Long Live the Kane, which featured the hit "Ain't No Half Steppin'". In 1989, he released his second album and biggest hit to date, It's a Big Daddy Thing, which included 1970s sample throwbacks like "Smooth Operator" and the Teddy Riley-produced track "I Get the Job Done". He also had a verse on the Marley Marl-produced track "The Symphony" (1988), which included Juice Crew members Craig G, Masta Ace, and Kool G Rap.

Shakur was born in New York City to parents who were Black Panther Party members. Raised by his mother, Afeni Shakur, he relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1988. His debut album 2Pacalypse Now (1991) cemented him as a central figure in West Coast hip-hop for his political rap lyrics.[6][7] Shakur achieved further critical and commercial success with his subsequent albums Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... (1993) and Me Against the World (1995).[8] His Diamond-certified album All Eyez on Me (1996), the first hip-hop double album, abandoned introspective lyrics for volatile gangsta rap.[9] It yielded two Billboard Hot 100-number one singles, "California Love" and "How Do U Want It". Alongside his solo career, Shakur formed the group Thug Life and collaborated with artists like Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and the Outlawz. As an actor, Shakur starred in the films Juice (1992), Poetic Justice (1993), Above the Rim (1994), Bullet (1996), Gridlock'd (1997), and Gang Related (1997).

During his later career, Shakur was shot five times in the lobby of a New York recording studio and experienced legal troubles, including incarceration. He served eight months in prison on sexual abuse charges, but was released pending appeal in 1995.[10] Following his release, he signed to Marion "Suge" Knight's label Death Row Records and became embroiled in the East Coast–West Coast hip-hop rivalry,[11] which included a high-profile feud with his former friend the Notorious B.I.G. On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot four times by an unidentified assailant in a drive-by shooting in Paradise, Nevada; he died six days later. Rumors circulated suggesting that the Notorious B.I.G. was involved; he was murdered in another drive-by shooting six months later in March 1997, while visiting Los Angeles.[12][13]

Shakur's double-length posthumous album Greatest Hits (1998) is one of his two releases—and one of only nine hip-hop albums—to have been certified Diamond in the United States.[14] Five more albums have been released since Shakur's death, including the acclaimed The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (1996)[15] under the stage name Makaveli, all of which have been certified multi-platinum in the United States.[16] In 2002, Shakur was inducted into the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame.[17] In 2017, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.[18] Rolling Stone ranked Shakur among the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[19] In 2023, he was awarded a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[20] His influence in music, activism, songwriting, and other areas of culture has been the subject of academic studies.[21][22]

Keith Sweat (born July 22, 1961) is an American singer, producer and songwriter. An early figure in the new jack swing musical movement, he is known for his collection of hits including "I Want Her," "Make It Last Forever," "I'll Give All My Love to You," "Make You Sweat," "Get Up on It," "Twisted," "Nobody." He has released 13 solo albums (two as a part of the R&B supergroup LSG) and discovered the groups Silk and Kut Klose. Sweat's sound reportedly was influenced by Slave front man Steve Arrington and go-go music.[1]

Early life
Keith Sweat was born in Harlem, New York City to Juanita Thompson, a hairdresser, and Charles Sweat, a factory worker.[2]: 206 [3] After Charles Sweat's passing in 1973, Juanita raised their five children by herself.[4] As a youth, Sweat performed at the famous Apollo Theater, which was near his home.[5]

Before releasing his solo album, Sweat worked as a night stock worker at Macy's Department Store, and then a mail room clerk at Paine Webber, a brokerage firm. Additionally, he earned a degree in communications from City College of New York.[6] “I think everyone should have an alternative plan. In my case, I went to the City College of New York and got my degree in communications. So I had a backup plan so that I didn’t lose out on a decent future,” Sweat once said.[7]

Within just four years, he worked his way up to a lucrative brokerage assistant job on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.[8] Sweat also worked as a supervisor for the New York Mercantile Exchange.[ On November 24, 1987, Sweat released Make It Last Forever, which sold three million copies. He and Riley co-wrote six songs; and the biggest hit was "I Want Her"[13] (No. 1 R&B & No. 5 Pop), which was nominated for the 1989 Soul Train Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Song of the Year award, while the title track from the album hit No. 2 on the R&B charts.

1990-1991: I'll Give All My Love to You, and Keep It Comin
Sweat reached the charts again with his second album I'll Give All My Love to You (1990) which hit No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart. He released his third album, Keep It Comin' in 1991, which debuted in the Top 20 of the album chart. He produced soul singer Omar Chandler.

1992–2001: Get Up on It, Keith Sweat/LSG
In 1992, Sweat discovered the group Silk, and helped craft their debut album, Lose Control, which hit No. 7 on the Billboard 200 album chart.[14]

The album's single "Freak Me" hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on May 1, 1993. In 1993, Sweat discovered the Atlanta-based female R&B group Kut Klose. Sweat also produced the group's debut album Surrender, which produced their biggest hit single "I Like", peaking to No. 8 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.

In the fall of 1994, Sweat appeared in the group Black Men United (BMU) reuniting with Silk, Gerald Levert, Al B. Sure!, Brian McKnight, El DeBarge and others for the single "U Will Know", which was written by R&B musician D'Angelo for the soundtrack the film Jason's Lyric.

Sweat released his fourth album Get Up on It in the summer of 1994, and his self-titled fifth album in 1996. Both albums reached the top ten on the Billboard 200. The single co/produced and written by Eric McCaine "Twisted" featuring R&B group Kut Klose hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and "Nobody" hit No. 3, which made them Sweat's biggest hits to date. "Just A Touch" was a cover of the 1979 song "Just a Touch of Love" by Slave. He produced for R&B group Dru Hill in 1996.

In the fall of 1997, Sweat discovered the group Ol' Skool and helped with their self-titled debut. He was on their biggest single, "Am I Dreaming", which featured the R&B group Xscape. Sweat also formed the R&B supergroup LSG with Gerald Levert and Johnny Gill, and released their self-titled debut album Levert.Sweat.Gill was released that November.[15] That album featured "My Body", which became a hit single. The album was certified double platinum and reached No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard 200.

Sweat's sixth album, Still in the Game was released in 1998, hitting No. 6 on the Billboard 200, and No. 2 on the R&B/Hip Hop albums chart. It featured the singles "Come and Get With Me" (which featured rapper Snoop Dogg) (No. 12 Hot 100) and "I'm Not Ready" (No. 16 Hot 100). Sweat's success on the charts started to diminish in 2000, when he released the album Didn't See Me Coming. None of the singles from the album reached the top forty.Click here to watch a video of this episode.

Madonna Louise Ciccone[a] (/tʃɪˈkoʊni/ chih-KOH-nee; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Queen of Pop", she is known for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, and visual presentation. Her works incorporate social, political, sexual, and religious themes and have generated both controversy and critical acclaim. Madonna has had a significant socio-cultural impact across both the 20th and 21st centuries and is often deemed one of the greatest musicians of all time.

Madonna moved to New York City in 1978 to pursue a career in dance. After performing as a drummer, guitarist, and vocalist in the rock bands Breakfast Club and Emmy, she rose to solo stardom with her debut studio album, Madonna (1983). She has since earned eighteen multi-platinum albums globally, including Like a Virgin (1984), True Blue (1986), and The Immaculate Collection (1990)—some of the best-selling albums of all time—and Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005), her 21st-century bestseller. Like a Prayer (1989), Ray of Light (1998), and Music (2000) were ranked among Rolling Stone's greatest albums of all time. Madonna's top-charting singles include "Like a Virgin", "Material Girl", "La Isla Bonita", "Like a Prayer", "Vogue", "Take a Bow", "Frozen", "Music", "Hung Up", and "4 Minutes".

Madonna has starred in films such as Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Dick Tracy (1990), A League of Their Own (1992), and Evita (1996), with the lattermost winning her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. Many of her other films were not well-received. Her business endeavors encompass the entertainment company Maverick (1992–2009), which included Maverick Records—one of the most successful artist-run labels. Madonna has also pursued fashion brands, written works, health clubs, and filmmaking. She contributes to various charities, having founded the Ray of Light Foundation in 1998 and Raising Malawi in 2006, and advocates for gender equality and LGBT rights.

Madonna is the best-selling female music artist of all time and the first female performer to accumulate US$1 billion from her concerts. She is the most successful solo artist on the US Billboard Hot 100 and has twelve number-one singles on the chart. Her accolades include seven Grammy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, twenty MTV Video Music Awards, and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility. Madonna was the world's highest-paid female musician for a record eleven years across four decades (1980s–2010s). She has become the subject of various scholarly, literary, and artistic works, as well as a mini-academic sub-discipline called Madonna studies.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Hussle gained a regional following for his Bullets Ain't Got No Name mixtape series, as well as The Marathon, The Marathon Continues, and Crenshaw, the latter of which was purchased 100 times by American rapper Jay-Z for US$100 each. After multiple delays, his debut studio album Victory Lap (2018), peaked at number 2 on the Billboard 200, received critical acclaim, and was nominated for the Best Rap Album at the 61st Grammy Awards. His 2019 single, "Racks in the Middle" (featuring Roddy Ricch and Hit-Boy), and guest appearance alongside John Legend on DJ Khaled's song "Higher", won Best Rap Performance and Best Rap/Sung Performance, respectively at the 62nd Grammy Awards.[1]

Outside of music, Hussle inaugurated the Marathon Clothing store, which he founded along with partners Carless, the head of the agency, Karen Civil, and his brother Samiel Asghedom in 2017, and started a co-working environment which he named "Vector 90". On March 31, 2019, Hussle was fatally shot outside his store in South Central Los Angeles.[2] Eric Holder, a 29-year-old man who confronted Hussle earlier that day, was arrested and charged with murder two days later.[3] Holder was found guilty of first-degree murder on July 6, 2022.[4] On February 22, 2023, Holder was sentenced to 60 years to life in prison.[5]

Early life
Airmiess Joseph Asghedom[6][7] was born on August 15, 1985, and raised in the Crenshaw District of South Central Los Angeles[8] by his mother Angelique Smith (née Boutte), an African-American, and Dawit Asghedom, an Eritrean who came to Los Angeles in the 1970s.[9][10][11] He was raised with his brother Samiel,[11] also known as Blacc Sam, and his sister Samantha.[12] Asghedom attended Alexander Hamilton High School in the nearby Castle Heights neighborhood, and dropped out before graduating.[13]

At age 14, Asghedom left home and joined the local Rollin' 60s Neighborhood Crips, a sub-group of the larger Crips gang primarily based in his home neighborhood of Crenshaw.[14][15] In 2002, at the age of 17, Hussle joined Buttervision, a creative multimedia Digital Guerrilla movement led by Dexter Browne where he was part of the BV Boys Sampler, Beats & Babes Vol. 1 DVD, and Shades of Butter Vol. 1 DVD. During that time, he completed the recording for his debut mixtape Slauson Boy Volume 1, and adopted his stage name "Nipsey Hussle".[16]

His stage name, a play on the name of comedian and game show panelist Nipsey Russell, originated as a nickname given to Asghedom by a childhood acquaintance who respected his work ethic.[17] In 2004, when Asghedom was 19, his father took him and his brother Samiel on a three-month trip to Eritrea.[18] Asghedom credited the trip with inspiring him to become a community activist with an "entrepreneurial spirit".[9][19][20][14]

Mary Christine Brockert (March 5, 1956 – December 26, 2010), known professionally as Teena Marie, was an American soul and R&B singer, songwriter, and producer. She was known by her childhood nickname Tina[2] before taking the stage name Teena Marie and later acquired the nickname Lady T,[3] given to her by her collaborator and friend Rick James.

She was known for her distinctive and soulful soprano vocals,[4][5][6] which caused many listeners to believe she was black.[7] Her success in R&B and soul music, and loyalty to these genres earned her the title Ivory Queen of Soul. She played rhythm guitar, keyboards, and congas. Teena Marie was a four-time Grammy Award nominee, winning posthumously in 2023 for Best R&B Song for co-writing "Cuff It".

Early life
Mary Christine Brockert was born on March 5, 1956, in Santa Monica, California,[8] the daughter of construction worker Thomas Leslie Brockert and home renovator Mary Anne.[9][10] She spent her early childhood in Mission Hills, California. She said that her ethnic heritage was Belgian, Portuguese, Italian, Irish, and Native American.[11] In 2005, while visiting Louisiana, she discovered that her paternal ancestors once lived in New Orleans.[12][13][14] She took to singing naturally, performing Harry Belafonte's "Banana Boat Song" by age 2.

When she was eight years old, her parents began sending Tina on auditions which, among other things, netted her an acting role on The Beverly Hillbillies, in season 3 episode “Dr. Jed Clampett,” credited as Tina Marie Brockert.[citation needed] She later taught herself the guitar, bass, and congas. She formed a semi-professional R&B band with her younger brother Anthony and their cousin.

In the early 1970s, after the family moved to Venice, California, Brockert spent her adolescent years in the historically black Venice enclave of Oakwood, nicknamed "Venice Harlem". There, she acquired a strong spiritual influence from neighborhood matriarch Berthalynn Jackson, a black woman who became her godmother.[13][14][15]

While attending Venice High School, Brockert joined the Summer Dance Production and was the female lead in the school's production of The Music Man.[16] She also fronted a local Venice rock band "Truvair" in 1974–1975. The band's members were her high school classmates. Following graduation, Brockert juggled auditioning for record companies while studying English literature at Santa Monica College.

Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. He is credited, alongside fellow Georgia-based rappers T.I. and Gucci Mane, with pioneering the hip hop subgenre trap music for mainstream audiences.[2][3] Jenkins began his career in 2001, releasing two independent albums until signing with Def Jam Recordings to release his major label debut, Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101 (2005). The album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200, sold 172,000 copies in its first week, and received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA); its lead single, "Soul Survivor" (featuring Akon), peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains his highest-charting song.[4][5]

His second and third albums, Thug Motivation 102: The Inspiration (2006) and The Recession (2008) were met with continued success as both peaked atop the Billboard 200; the latter earned a Grammy Award nomination for its lead single, "Put On" (featuring Kanye West). After three follow-up albums, his ninth, Trap or Die 3 (2016) peaked the chart once more. His other platinum-certified singles include "I Luv It", "Go Getta" (featuring R. Kelly), "My President" (featuring Nas), "Lose My Mind" (featuring Plies), and "Leave You Alone" (featuring Ne-Yo), among others. In addition, Jenkins has guest featured on numerous R&B singles, including "Say I" by Christina Milian, "I'm So Paid" by Akon, "Hard" by Rihanna, and "Love in This Club" by Usher; the latter peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100 in 2008.

Along with his solo career, Jenkins is the de facto leader of the Southern hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America (U.S.D.A.), and a former member of the Bad Boy Records group Boyz n da Hood. His record label, CTE World was founded in 2001 and has signed artists including YG and Freddie Gibbs.

The album was considered groundbreaking for its time, presenting a tougher, more hardcore form of rap. The album's sparse beats and aggressive rhymes were in sharp contrast with the light, party-oriented sound that was popular in contemporary hip hop. With the album, Run-D.M.C. came to be regarded by music critics as pioneering the movement of new school hip hop of the mid-1980s.[1] Five singles were released in support of it: "It's Like That", "Hard Times", "Rock Box", "30 Days" and "Hollis Crew". The first single from the album, "It's Like That", released on August 10, 1983, expanded lyrical boundaries in rap with its tone of social protest (unemployment, inflation). "It's Like That" is considered by many to be the first hardcore hip hop song,[2][3] and the first new-school hip hop recording.[4] "Sucker M.C.'s" is one of the first diss tracks,[5] and "Rock Box" is the first song in the rap rock genre.[3]

Run-D.M.C. peaked at number 53 on the Billboard 200 chart and number 14 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. The album became the first rap album to achieve a Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) (December 17, 1984).[6][7][8] It was released to critical acclaim, and continues to be highly regarded as a seminal hip hop album. In 1989, it was ranked number 51 on Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Albums of the 1980s".[9] In 2003, the album was ranked number 240 on the same magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time", with the ranking changing to numbers 242 and 378 in the 2012 and 2020 updates of the list, respectively.[10] The album was reissued by Arista Records in 1999 and 2003. An expanded and remastered edition was released in 2005 and contained 4 previously unreleased songs.

Isis Naija Gaston (born January 1, 2000), known professionally as Ice Spice, is an American rapper and songwriter. Born and raised in the Bronx, New York City, she began her musical career during college in 2020, after meeting record producer RiotUSA. Her rapping style has been noted by music journalists, who have described her as a "breakout star".[3]

Ice Spice gained major recognition in late 2022 with her song "Munch (Feelin' U)", which went viral on TikTok. After signing with 10K Projects in a joint venture with Capitol Records, she released the singles "Bikini Bottom" and "In Ha Mood" to promote her debut extended play (EP), Like..? (2023). The EP spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top ten single "Princess Diana" (with Nicki Minaj), and peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200. She saw continued success with her collaborative singles released that same year: "Boy's a Liar Pt. 2" (with PinkPantheress), "Karma" (with Taylor Swift), and "Barbie World" (with Nicki Minaj and Aqua), all of which peaked within the top-ten of the Billboard Hot 100. This made Ice Spice the only rapper to release four songs that achieved top-ten status in 2023. Her 2024 single, "Think U the Shit (Fart)" preceded the release of her debut studio album, Y2K! (2024).

She is the recipient of several accolades, including the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist, the People's Choice Award for New Artist of the Year, and the Impact Award from the BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards. She has received four Grammy Award nominations, including Best New Artist. Outside of music, she had roles in the films Highest 2 Lowest and The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants (both 2025).

In 2004, Brown signed with Jive Records. The following year, he released his first album, Chris Brown, which reached double Platinum certification by the end of 2006.[16][17] Brown topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart with his debut single, "Run It!", making him the first male artist since 1995 to do so. His second album, Exclusive (2007), was commercially successful worldwide and spawned his second Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, "Kiss Kiss".[18]

In 2009, Brown faced significant controversy and media attention when he pleaded guilty to felony assault of his girlfriend, the singer Rihanna. He was sentenced to five years probation with six months community service.[19][20] The same year, he released his third album, Graffiti, which was considered to be a commercial failure.[21] He released his fourth album F.A.M.E. (2011), which was his first album to top the Billboard 200. The album contained three commercially successful singles—"Yeah 3x", Diamond certified "Look at Me Now" and "Beautiful People"—and earned him the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album.[22][23] His fifth album, Fortune, released in 2012, topped the Billboard 200.

Following the releases of X (2014) and Royalty (2015), both peaking in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200, his eighth album, Heartbreak on a Full Moon (2017), a double-disc LP consisting of 45 tracks, was certified Gold for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over 500,000 after one week, and later certified double Platinum. Brown's ninth album, Indigo (2019) found similar success, debuting atop the Billboard 200.[24] It included the single "No Guidance" which broke the record for longest-running number one on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.[25][26] Its chart success was outdone with the single "Go Crazy" released the following year, which broke Brown's own record for longest-running number one.[27][28][29] In 2022, his Indigo album spawned a sleeper hit with its song "Under the Influence", which was re-released as a single.[28][30]

Brown has sold over 140 million records worldwide, making him one of the world's best-selling music artists.[31] He has gained a cult following,[32] and is one of ...

"Diddy" redirects here. For other uses, see Diddy (disambiguation).
Sean Combs

Combs at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival
Born Sean John Combs
November 4, 1969 (age 56)
New York City, U.S.
Other names 
PuffyPuffPuff DaddyP. DiddyDiddyPDLoveBrother Love
Occupations 
Rappersongwriterrecord producerentrepreneurrecord executivetelevision produceractordancer
Years active 1989–2024[1]
Works 
Discographyfilmographyproduction
Criminal charges Transportation to engage in prostitution (2 counts)
Criminal penalty 50 months incarceration (with time served) and $500,000 fine
Criminal status Incarcerated at Federal Correctional Institution, Fort Dix
Partners 
Kimberly Porter (1994–2007)[2]
Jennifer Lopez (1999–2001)
Cassie Ventura (2007–2018)
Yung Miami (2021–2024)[3]
Children 7, including Quincy, Justin, and King Combs
Awards Full list
Musical career
Genres 
East Coast hip-hopR&B
Labels 
AristaAtlanticBad BoyBMGEpicInterscopeLoveMotownUniversalUptown
Member of The Hitmen
Formerly of Diddy – Dirty Money
Signature

Sean John Combs[4] (born November 4, 1969), also known professionally as Diddy (formerly Cx1DJs We Do Things Different Podcast Untold Stories of P Diddy hosted by DJButterrock     Puff Daddy and P. Diddy), is an American former rapper, record producer, record executive, and actor. Born in Harlem, Combs worked as a talent director at Uptown Records before founding his own record label, Bad Boy Records, in 1993. He is credited with the discovery and development of musical artists such as the Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, and Usher, among others.

Combs's debut studio album, No Way Out (1997), peaked atop the Billboard 200 and sold over 7 million copies in the US. Two of its singles, "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" (featuring Mase) and "I'll Be Missing You" (with Faith Evans featuring 112), topped the Billboard Hot 100—the latter was the first hip-hop song to debut atop the chart. With his guest appearance on "Mo Money Mo Problems", Combs became the first solo artist to replace himself atop the chart. His second and third albums, Forever (1999) and The Saga Continues... (2001), both peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. The collaborative singles "Bump, Bump, Bump" (2002) and "Shake Ya Tailfeather" (2003) made him the first rapper with five US number-one singles. Following the release of his US chart-topping fourth album Press Play (2006), Combs formed the musical trio Diddy – Dirty Money with R&B singers Kalenna Harper and Dawn Richard to release the collaborative album Last Train to Paris (2010) — supported by the single "Coming Home" (featuring Skylar Grey). His fifth album, The Love Album: Off the Grid (2023), was his first to be self-released.

One of the world's wealthiest musical artists, Combs topped Forbes annual hip-hop rich list in 2014 and 2017. His accolades include three Grammy Awards, three BET Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards. He has worked as a producer for other media, including the reality television series Making the Band, and he starred in the films Made, Monster's Ball (both 2001) and Get Him to the Greek (2010). Combs founded the clothing retailer Sean John in 1998, for which he won Menswear Designer of the Year from the Council of Fashion Designers of America in 2004, having previously been nominated in 2000. He served as brand ambassador for the liquor brand Cîroc from 2007 to 2023, and co-founded the digital television network Revolt in 2013. In 2008, Combs became the first male rapper to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In late 2023, Combs settled a high-profile sexual assault and abuse lawsuit filed by his former partner Cassie Ventura. Numerous lawsuits regarding sexual misconduct were filed in the following months, with several claimants alleging sexual assault and abuse by Combs between 1991 and 2009. In March 2024, several of Combs's properties were raided by the Department of Homeland Security, and that September he was charged with federal sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution, and racketeering. He pled not guilty and was denied bail three times. His trial began on May 5, 2025; on July 2, he was found guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution, but not guilty on racketeering and sex trafficking charges. As of October 2025, he is incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution, Fort Dix. On October 3, 2025, Combs was sentenced to 50 months in prison with credit for 12 months time serve

Lighty[3] was born in the Bronx, New York City, New York, and raised in the Bronx River Housing Projects.[4][1] His mother was single. He had five siblings, including a brother, Dave.[6] He attended Samuel Gompers High School, and did not attend college, and he stated that he "got [his] MBA in hell," in reference to growing up on the streets of a dangerous neighborhood.[5]

Career

Lighty began working in the music industry by carrying vinyl record crates for DJ Red Alert.[7] Later, Russell Simmons' company, Rush Artist Management, hired him.[1] After leaving Rush, Lighty co-founded Violator Management with Mona Scott-Young in 1996;[8] the company is named after the gang he belonged to in the Bronx. Violator was responsible for getting L.L. Cool J his first Gap commercial in 1997. Lighty developed endorsements for Sprite with A Tribe Called Quest, AT&T with Diggy Simmons, and for Mountain Dew with Busta Rhymes.

In 2002, Lighty and a DJ from Chicago, DJ Scrap Dirty, created The Violator Allstar DJs. "We wanted to build a situation for the DJs who might need more muscle," Lighty remarked.[7] He appeared in the September 2004 Electronic Arts video game Def Jam: Fight for NY as himself under the moniker "Baby Chris".

Lighty worked for Def Jam, Jive and Loud Records. He was chief executive of the Brand Asset Group. In 2004, Lighty brokered the largest brand endorsement deal in hip hop to date. He was the architect of what turned out to be one of the most lucrative deals in hip hop history: rapper 50 Cent's Vitamin Water pact. When Coca-Cola paid $4.1 billion for Vitamin Water's company Glaceau three years later, 50 Cent received $100 million,[1] and Lighty received an undisclosed sum.[9]

In 2011, Lighty launched the website pleaselistentomydemo.com, which allowed new artists to submit their music online and have top music executives listen to it for a US$10 fee.[10] (The site is no longer active.)

In 2011, Violator merged with another company, Primary Wave to form Primary Violator.[5]

Personal life

Lighty married his wife Veronica in 2003. Together they had two children, daughter Deja (born 1995) as well as a son (born 2007). He also had four other children from previous relationships including daughter Tiffany (born 1995). In 2011, Veronica filed for divorce but at the time of Lighty's death, she claimed to have retracted her original request.[1]

He had reportedly been under scrutiny for income tax issues for amounts up to US$5 million, but this was resolved with the sale of a Manhattan property of his; other sums were also owed.[1]

Death

On August 30, 2012, Lighty was found dead on the patio of his South Riverdale, Bronx[1] apartment from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.[5] The New York Daily News reported that "a gun shot was heard and Lighty was found lying face-up with a 9mm pistol next to his body".

During this time, Davis continued self-releasing releasing mixtapes and collaborative projects. He signed with Atlantic's sister label, Warner Bros. Records to release his sixth album and mainstream breakthrough, The State vs. Radric Davis (2009). Preceded by the double platinum-certified single "Lemonade", it peaked within the top ten of the Billboard 200, while the album's sequel, The Appeal: Georgia's Most Wanted (2010), peaked at number four. Following a two year incarceration between 2014 and 2016, he re-emerged with several commercial projects beginning with his ninth album, Everybody Looking (2016), which peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. He guest appeared on Rae Sremmurd's 2016 single "Black Beatles", which became his first song to peak atop the Billboard Hot 100.[6]

Gucci Mane has released sixteen studio albums and seventy-one mixtapes since 2001. He founded the Atlantic Records-distributed label imprint 1017 Records in 2007, which has signed artists including Young Thug, Waka Flocka Flame, Chief Keef, and Pooh Shiesty, among others. Throughout his career, he has worked with artists including the Weeknd, Drake, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, Selena Gomez, Mariah Carey, Usher, Bruno Mars, and Marilyn Manson. His influence has earned him the titles of "[an] avatar of East Atlanta," and "the most influential underground rapper of the 2000s". He was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2020.[7][8]

Her first studio album, Invasion of Privacy (2018), debuted atop the Billboard 200 with the largest female rap album streaming week of all time and became the best-selling and the highest-certified female rap album of the 21st century. Ranked by Rolling Stone as the best debut album of all time by a female rapper, it made Cardi B the first solo female artist in history to win the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. Its singles "Bodak Yellow" and "I Like It" both topped the Billboard Hot 100 and were certified diamond by the RIAA; the former made Cardi B the first female rapper to top the Hot 100 with a solo song in the 21st century and the first to achieve a diamond-certified song, while the latter made her the first with multiple number-one songs. Her third US number-one, the collaboration "Girls Like You" in 2018, made her the first female rapper to earn multiple RIAA diamond-certified songs.

Cardi B's second album, Am I the Drama? (2025), made her the only female rapper in history to have her first two albums debut atop the Billboard 200. It became the female rap album with the highest certification of the 2020s, the most weeks inside the top ten of the Billboard 200 in the 2020s, and the most charting songs (18) in Billboard Hot 100 history. Including the US top-ten song "Outside" and US number-ones "WAP" and "Up", it tied with her own Invasion of Privacy as the female rap album with the most Hot 100 number-ones (two each). "WAP" is the only female rap collaboration to debut atop the Hot 100 and had a large cultural impact.

Cardi B is the female rapper with the most number-one singles (five) on the Billboard Hot 100, the only female rapper to achieve multiple solo number-ones, and the only to earn number-one singles in two decades (2010s and 2020s). She further is the highest-certified female rapper of all time in US digital single sales (69 million), has three diamond-certified songs—with "Bodak Yellow" being the highest-certified female rap song of all time—and achieved an overall total of 100 million RIAA-certified units sold in the US. Additionally, Invasion of Privacy is the most-streamed female rap album on Apple Music and Spotify, and was the first album in history to have all of its tracks certified platinum or higher. Cardi B has won a Grammy Award, the most Billboard Music Awards (8), Guinness World Records (8), BET Hip Hop Awards (14), and ASCAP Songwriter of the Year awards (2) among female rappers, six American Music Awards and four MTV Video Music Awards. Time listed her as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2018, while Billboard named her Woman of the Year in 2020 and ranked Invasion of Privacy as the top female rap album of the 2010s.