About me:
a fortunate & blessed son, I am thankful to Adonai JAH Ras TafarI that he has given me a chance to esape the west and exodus to the East, the land where I and I foreparents was born, Indonesia. My journey is still long and Mount Zion is a tough road to trod…so the struggle continue *check out Ras Muhamad Tunes on SoundClick http://www.soundclick.com/rasmuhamad

Who I’d like to meet:
…Ras berarti Bung/Tuan/Saudara. Ras berarti RastafarIan. Ras disingkat dari kata RasTaman, Ras TafarIan. Ras berarti seorang anak putra Ras TafarI, Kaisar Haile Selassie-I. Ras gelar bangsawan kerajaan Sulaiman/Solomon di Etiopia yang berarti Tuan/Kepala/Pemimpin. Ras BUKAN berarti RASIS,KAUM,GOLONGAN,KETURUNAN,BANGSA,UMAT. Saya, Reggae Ambassador Ras Muhamad TIDAK berjuang untuk khusus satu umat. Ras Muhamad berjuang untuk SEMUA UMAT MANUSIA. ONE GOD, ONE AIM, ONE DESTINY!

General:

the KnowledgeBorn of RastafarI and Rasta Livity, Music, Writing, Films

Music:

street-hop, reggae( and all the sub-genres of this genre), metal, psychedelic ,traditional roots, world music ” Duta Reggae Pertama untuk Indonesia. Mengapa ? Karena Indonesia butuh seorang Duta Besar untuk mewakili negara ini di komunitas Reggae seluruh dunia. Reggae musik bukan sekedar Genre musik saja tetapi kultur, budaya &; sejarah. Reggae Musik terus berkembang sehabis Bob Marley wafat 25 tahun yang lalu, tanyalah pada diri sendiri…siapakah sensasi terbaru di Musik Reggae di jaman sekarang ?… gak ada jawaban ? No worry, bahagialah bahwa sang duta bertanggung jawab untk meluaskan wawasan semua di tanah air. jadi saat ini… Mari MAJU ! “ - Ras Muhamad

Movies:

hate(la haine), pulp fiction, reservoir dogs, se7en, snatch, full metal jacket, the professional,amelie, clockwork orange, life is beautiful

Books:

The Old &; New Testament, Al-Qur’an, The Kebra Nagast, the Rule of the Bone, Catch a Fire, Lahirnya Pancasila, A Revolutionary Life…any books by or about CHE Guevara &; Sukarno

Heroes:

H.I.M.Qadamawi Hayle Selahse-I in’e Negusa Nagast ze Etyopia, Bung Karno (President Soekarno), My Mother&;Father, My Grandfather (PTA/Pembela Tanah Air), Bung Hatta, Minister El-Malik El-Hajj Shabazz, The Honor Rebel Robert Nesta Marley O.M., RasulAllah Muhammad, Tjoet Nya Dien, Pangeran Diponegoro, Bruce Lee, Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Ernesto Guevara, Mumia Abu-Jamal and many, many more…

Band Members:

I n I alone… jangan salah faham.

Influences:

Garnett Silk,Luciano, Sizzla,Capleton,Anthony B, Ras Shiloh, KRS-One, Nas, Gza/Genius, Dennis Brown, Agustus Pablo, Peter Tosh, Rakim Allah, Mobb Deep, Burning Spear, Abyssinians, IyahKub Miller,Bimbo… & many,many more. not just musicians & lyricists that i draw inspiration from… thinkers,revolutionaries of past/present & those who take true action. adapting thoughts from Karl Marx,Guevara,Sukarno,Haile Selassie,Gandhi will come a “new” artist… the “Social Compositioner”

Record Label:

JAH Star

Type of Label:

Indie

nas

Despite his flair for dramatic overreaching, or perhaps because of it, Nas became New York’s favorite rapper in the mid-’90s and remained near the top for over a decade. Rivals and time challenged his stay at the top of the New York rap scene — one of the more notable challenges being his bout with Jay-Z in the early 2000s — yet Nas soldiered on, continually changing his style and stepping up his game. Over the years, Nas went from being a young street hustler (Nasty Nas) to a boastful gangsta (Nas Escobar) to a self-proclaimed poet/prophet (Nastradamus) to a re-born encapsulation of himself (the “Stillmatic” Nas). In addition, he worked with countless legendary producers — DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Dr. Dre, Trackmasters, Timbaland — and put Queensbridge back on the map. Keep in mind, however, that Nas attracted a sizable share of critics as well, many of whom called him out for bluffing. After all, Nas often showcased a flair for dramatic overreaching, his ego knowing no limits. For better or worse, Nas was more his own rhetorical construction than a reality, precisely the reason why he was as criticized by his rivals as he was celebrated by his following. Born Nasir Jones, son of jazz musician Olu Dara, Nas dropped out of school in the eighth grade, trading classrooms for the streets of the rough Queensbridge projects, where he learned “street mathematics” and began emulating rappers like Big Daddy Kane, , and Kool G Rap. When he wasn’t hustling to survive, he was reading books on African culture, Western civilization, lessons from the Five Percent Nation, scriptures from the Qu’ran, and chapters from the Bible. He eventually hooked up with Main Source in 1991 and laid down a verse on the group’s song “Live at the Barbeque.” The song became a New York favorite thanks to Nas’ blazing rhymes and soon everyone began wondering who he was. A year later, MC Serch of 3rd Bass approached him about contributing a track to the Zebrahead soundtrack. Serch was the soundtrack’s executive producer and, like much of New York, had been impressed by “Live at the Barbeque.” Nas submitted “Halftime” and the song proved so stunning that Serch made it the soundtrack’s lead-off track. Suddenly, everyone began talking about Nas.

Columbia signed him to a major-label contract and all of New York’s finest producers wanted to work with him. For the next two years, everyone waited as rumors began to swell. When word hit the street that he was working with DJ Premier, Large Professor, and Pete Rock— New York’s top producers in the early ’90s — anticipation grew exponentially. Finally, Illmatic hit the streets in April 1994 and didn’t disappoint. With only ten tracks, the album wasn’t overly long and had virtually no lackluster moments — a flawless album. Nas handled nearly every rhyme and never seemed short on lyrics. Years later, Illmatic is still seen as featuring some of the best lyrics hip-hop ever produced. To call Nas a street poet wasn’t an overstatement, but rather a matter of fact. Even if the album didn’t storm up the Billboard charts, it garnered the respect of every hip-hop devotee in New York and that was quite an accomplishment, particularly for someone just having reached his twenties. Following up Illmatic wouldn’t be an easy task and rather than try and top that album, Nas expanded his approach for It Was Written. Released two years later in 1996, it no doubt had become one of the most anticipated hip-hop albums ever. Here, Nas once again delivered an album illed to the brim with street knowledge, but this time opted to go with different producers — Havoc, Trackmasters, Dr. Dre, L.E.S.— and some radio-friendly pop hooks. The calculated moments worked: “If I Ruled the World” and “Street Dreams” became national hits and expanded Nas’ reach outside of New York. With It Was Written, he retained the hip-hop devotees who had championed Illmatic and had won a mass audience at the same time, a rare feat that he would struggle to duplicate in the future. The first sign of Nas’ critical downfall came when he joined forces with Dr. Dre to create the Firm , an ambitious supergroup that looked invincible on paper; behind the production boards were Dre and the Trackmasters with Nas, Foxy Brown, Nature, and AZ on the mic.

Surprisingly, the much-heralded album flopped. Listening to the album, it’s fairly apparent why. Not only is it an incredibly conceited and brash album, it’s also horribly calculated. Following the first setback of his career, Nas took some much-needed time off before returning in 1999 with two albums released only months apart: I Am…The Autobiography and Nastradamus . With these two similar albums, Nas moved further away from the heartfelt and lyrically driven approach of Illmatic in favor of the pop hooks that had made “If I Ruled the World” and “Street Dreams” crossover hits. The second single, “Hate Me Now,” bitterly addressed his growing legion of critics. More troubling though, the song featured Puff Daddy, symbolic of the pop-rap style Nas had aligned himself with.

Neither I Am nor Nastradamus proved successful for Nas. Both albums sold
well and produced some impressive hit singles, but these singles — “Hate Me Now,” “You Owe Me,” “Nas Is Like,” and “Nastradamus” — were blatantly targeted at the mass market with their pop-rap tendencies and further alienated Nas’ more loyal fan base. Suddenly, Nas was no longer viewed as the prodigy he had been five years earlier and was now seen as a rather generic New York MC. This became perhaps most apparent when he resurfaced in 2001 with the QB Finest album, which sold few copies and generated only one substantial hit, the X-rated club track “Oochie Wally.” Even so, Nas had begun to take his career in a new direction with QB Finest, establishing both his own label, Ill Will, and his new posse, Bravehearts. Moreover, he was no longer collaborating with the likes of Timbaland and Puff Daddy; he had returned to the streets to Queensbridge, where he began. One event accelerated Nas’ new direction: a cutting dis by Jay-Z on the song “Takeover,” which became the most talked about song in New York seemingly overnight. Jay-Z called out Nas for not having put out a “hot” album since Illmatic and also made comments about having sex with Nas’ woman. And it didn’t help that Jay-Z had indeed claimed the title of New York’s favorite MC at the time, giving him ample justification to call out Nas, who had admittedly been slacking since the mid-’90s. Several months after the dis, in December 2001, Nas released the album Stillmatic, the title a reference to his one undeniable masterpiece, Illmatic, which had been released nearly a decade earlier. Stillmatic opened with the song “Ether,” a very direct shot at Jay-Z (featuring the chants “f*** Jay-Z “and “I will not lose”), followed by
Nas’ most aggressive single ever, “Get Ur Self A…” (produced by ewcomer
Megahertz,one of New York’s hottest producers at the time). Both “Ether” and “Get Ur Self A….” re-established Nas’ pride among the stickle hip-hop crowd and drove Stillmatic up the Billboard album chart to number five, where it hovered for weeks. In addition, Nas furthered his highly publicized return with dramatic videos for “Get Ur Self A….” and “One Mic” — both of which juxtaposed with “cash, money, hoes” videos of the time, featuring a church rather than a club, for instance — and toured the States, first a headlining tour and then an opening tour for pop-rapper Usher. During summer 2002, Nas infiltrated the pop market, dueting with Brandy and Jennifer Lopez. Ironically, while Nas reclaimed his popularity in 2002, Jay-Z s popularity waned in the wake of the much-discussed bout (though partly because Jay-Z flooded the market with low-quality product). To only further fuel the much-publicized bout between the two rivals, unreleased comebacks circulated as MP3s via file-sharing networks such as Audio Galaxy during 2002: a Nas track called “H to the Omo,” which had him questioning Jay-Z s sexuality; and a Jay-Z track called “Super Ugly,” which had Jay-Z rapping over the track to “Get Ur Self A…” for the first verse, Dr. Dre’s “Bad Intentions” for the second, and also had Jay-Z singing the hook “I got myself a gun.”

God’s Son, rated a 4 mic album by “The Source”, has established that Nas is on the streets for good! Critics went as far enough to say that it picked up where Illmatic left off. God’s Son shows the painful side of Nas through song’s like, “Dance” and “Heaven”, dedicated to his deceased mother, Ann Jones. He takes it further to the streets with “Made You Look” the album’s lead single, produced by Salaam Remi. Agressive and new yet with an old school vibe it makes the perfect lead single. He also has something for the kids! Instead of having a gangsta or playa cliche type song for the second single, the much inspiring, I Can, teaches kids, adolcents, and adults lessons on how to live a succesful life. Nas also declares his relationship with, Pop/R&B artist, Kelis in songs like “Hey Nas” and “Mastermind”. All around God’s Son is a commercial classic! Though it lacks the street grime of Illmatic it is an exqusite follow up album to Stillmatic! - Leo Batista Mulattieri

Thanks to cnngangstasht@hotmail.com for submitting the biography.

Pharrell Williams (born April 5, 1973) is an American producer, singer, rapper, and songwriter. He is one half of the production duo The Neptunes, where, along with Chad Hugo, he produces hip-hop and R&B music. He is also the lead singer and drummer of the funk-rock band, N*E*R*D. He released his debut single “Frontin’” in 2003 and followed up with his debut album In My Mind in 2006.

As part of The Neptunes, Pharrell has produced numerous hit singles for various music stars. He plays the drums, keyboard, and sings in a falsetto voice. Pharrell’s work in The Neptunes has earned them three Grammy Awards amongst ten nominations. He is also the co-founder of the clothing brand Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream Footwear.

Early life

Pharrell was born one Phillip Williams in Virginia Beach, VA. He has two brothers, Pharoah Williams III and David Williams and two half brothers, Cato Williams, a professional skateboarder, and Solomon Williams.[1]

Pharrell and Hugo met at a junior high school band camp where Williams was a drummer and Hugo played tenor saxophone.[2] They were also both members of a marching band, where Pharrell played the snare drum, and with Chad as a student conductor. In the 1990s, Hugo and Pharrell formed a 4-piece “R&B type” group along with friends Shay and Mike Etheridge, which they named The Neptunes. They later entered a high school talent show where they were discovered by Teddy Riley, whose studio was close to Pharrell’s school Princess Anne High School.[3] After graduating from high school, they signed with Riley as a group.[4]

[edit] Career

Through working with Teddy Riley, Pharrell went on to write Riley’s verse for Wreckx-N-Effect’s 1992 hit “Rump Shaker” (#2 Billboard Hot 100, 2x Platinum). In 1994, Hugo and Williams had established themselves formally as a production duo under the previously used name “The Neptunes”, and produced “Tonight’s The Night” from BLACKstreet’s self-titled debut (Riley being a member of BLACKstreet). Over the next three years they continued to produce occasionally. Some of the production had little resemblance to the trademark Neptunes sound present today, including some of the productions for SWV (1996). However, some like Mase’s 1998 No.8 (Billboard Hot 100) hit “Lookin’ At Me” (from the Harlem World album, and the most definite beginning of the distinctive ‘Neptunes Sound’, came with N.O.R.E.’s “Superthug” in 1998, reaching #36 on the Billboard Hot 100, and gaining them widespread attention for the first time. The duo then went on to work heavily with Kelis (producing her first album Kaleidoscope in its entirety) and Ol’ Dirty Bastard (Nigga Please), followed by Mystikal’s hit single, “Shake Ya Ass”.

In 2001, The Neptunes produced Britney Spears’ single, “I’m a Slave 4 U” gaining their first world-wide #1.[citation needed]. The same year, Pharrell, Hugo and Haley released their first album as N*E*R*D In Search Of…) in Europe, where the first Kelis album was better received. The album sounded very much like their previous production work; the group decided that they should make their work as N*E*R*D sound different, and re-recorded the album, with the funk-rock band Spymob. The Neptunes also signed The Clipse, a rap duo from Virginia Beach that Pharrell had met back in 1993, to Arista Records through his recently established Star Trak Entertainment imprint.

In 2002 their re-produced album was released worldwide, and The Neptunes reached #1 in the U.S. with Nelly’s single, “Hot in Herre”. In August of the same year, The Neptunes were named “Producers of the Year” at both The Source Awards and the Billboard Music Awards. Clipse released their commercial debut album, Lord Willin’ on August 20, 2002. The album opened at #1 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-hop Album chart and #4 on the Billboard Hot 200, fueled by the strength of its first two singles, “Grindin’” and “When the Last Time,” which peaked at #34 and #19 respectively on the Billboard Hot 100.

2003 saw The Neptunes release a self-credited album called The Neptunes Present… Clones, featuring songs and remixes from various artists. This album topped the US Billboard 200 Albums Chart. The Neptunes and Pharrell specifically were also kept in public eye largely due to ties with Jay-Z, producing several hit singles for him and landing two tracks on his album The Black Album. “Frontin’” was a big summer hit (the 34th biggest single of 2003 according to Billboard Magazine). A survey in August 2003 found the Neptunes produced almost 20% of songs played on British radio at the time, a survey in the US had them at 43%.[2]

N*E*R*D’s second funk/rock-oriented album, Fly or Die, released in March 2004. Williams’ rock credentials were further bolstered by his appearance at the 2004 Grammy Awards, performing The Beatles’ “I Saw Her Standing There” on drums along with Sting, Dave Matthews, and Vince Gill. Pharrell went home with two Grammy Awards that night, one for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical, and another for Best Pop Vocal Album for his work on Justin Timberlake’s No.2 Billboard hit Justified. They also gained their first UK #1, again with Nelly, and Flap Your Wings.

On September 9 2005, Pharrell performed the opening single from his debut solo album “In My Mind”, “Can I Have It Like That”, featuring Gwen Stefani. The single did poorly in the US, reaching only #48. However, it fared better in the UK, reaching #3. Between then and the release of “In My Mind” (on July 25, 2006), he released “Angel” (Europe only), and later Number 1 with fellow producer/rapper Kanye West. Several songs leaked to the internet before the album’s released, most notably “Mamacita” featuring Daddy Yankee, which was subsequently cut from the final version. “That Girl” featuring Snoop Dogg was the final single.

On May 16, 2007, for seven days only, the first of two expected collaborations with Madonna, entitled “Hey You,” was made available for free download from MSN.com. MSN, in conjunction with Madonna, donated 25 cents for each of the first 1 million downloads to the Alliance for Climate Protection, in support of Live Earth. [5] N*E*R*D also performed two songs at the Concert for Diana on July 1, 2007 On July 7, 2007 he peformed at the Brazilian leg of Live Earth at Rio de Janeiro.

He drives an Enzo Ferrari[6][7][8] and a Mercedes SLR McLaren, often wears a trucker hat,[9] was voted the “Best Dressed Man in the World” in 2005 by Esquire.[10] He is a fan of the science fiction series Star Trek,[11] as indicated by his consistent use of the Vulcan salute and choice of label name. He also enjoys the works of the late astronomer and science popularizer Carl Sagan, whom he calls “a genius”.[12] Williams has a half-pipe inside his home,[13] and is one of few rappers who skateboards.

[edit] Discography

Main articles: Pharrell Williams discography and The Neptunes discography

[edit] Studio albums

* 2006: In My Mind
* 2007: Out of My Mind

[edit] Solo singles

* 2003: “Frontin’” (featuring Jay-Z)
* 2005: “Can I Have It Like That” (featuring Gwen Stefani)
* 2006: “[[Angel](Pharrell Williams song)|Angel]]”
* 2006: “Number One” (featuring Kanye West)
* 2006: “That Girl” (featuring Snoop Dogg)

[edit] Awards

Further information: List of The Neptunes awards

Grammy Awards
Year Category Genre Title Result
2004 Producer of the Year (with Chad Hugo) N/A N/A Won
Best Pop Vocal Album Pop Justified Won
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Rap “Frontin’” (with Jay-Z) Nominated
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Rap “Beautiful” (with Snoop Dogg) Nominated
Best Rap Song Rap “Beautiful” (with Snoop Dogg) Nominated
Best Rap Song Rap “Excuse Me Miss” (with Jay-Z) Nominated
2005 Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group Rap “Drop It Like It’s Hot” (with Snoop Dogg) Nominated
Best Rap Song Rap “Drop It Like It’s Hot” (with Snoop Dogg) Nominated
2007 Best Rap Song Rap “Money Maker” (with Ludacris) Won
Best Rap Album Rap In My Mind Nominated

kanye west

Chicago-bred, soul sampling, producer wunderkind, Kanye West’s music is inarguably the most exciting thing going on in hip-hop right now. He is the man that helped make Jay-Z’s The Blueprint the soul-drenched nostalgic masterpiece that it was. He has produced a consistent array of chart-topping inspirational beats for artists as diverse as Ludacris (”Stand Up”), Scarface (”In Cold Blood”), and Talib Kweli (”Get By”); and, did I mention that the man raps like there’s no tomorrow? Given the fact that he has a resume this dazzling, and is seemingly overflowing with potential, when word came that he had decided to put out a solo record, The College Dropout, it evoked little surprise, and a whole lot of anticipation. It also served as an incredibly unorthodox, and taboo-stricken move for a “heralded” producer of his stature, that only seemed to highlight his incredible ambitions and fans’ adoration. The only thing is, The College Dropout was supposed to come out months ago; first, in August, then October, then January, and now, the fine folks at Roc-A-Fella are saying February (let’s keep our fingers crossed). So, as the collective patience of avid hip-hop aficionados across the globe grows thinner and thinner, anticipation for Kanye’s alleged-masterpiece debut is reaching a fever pitch.

In a typically savvy marketing move (like only those folks in hip-hop know how) serving to add only more fuel to the collective fire, a couple of Kanye West mix-tapes have been circulating around that not only showcase a collection of his finest chart-topping production moments from his previous work, but also preview a number of new selections from off of The College Dropout. Now, while in the surprisingly stringent circles of music criticism reviewing a mix-tape greets about the same level of enthusiasm as the release of a Backstreet Boy solo record, the two mix-tapes in question, Get Well Soon (released shortly after Kanye’s much-publicized, near-fatal car accident), and I’m Good, prove to be among the best new hip-hop music released in 2003. However, in a level of irony seemingly only reserved for this delightful mess called the music business, since these releases are mix-tapes and not traditional albums (whatever that means these days), don’t expect them to be making an appearance on many “best of” lists this year. In light of this fiasco, your trusty review has taken it upon himself to shine some much-deserved light on these enigmatic jewels, because given Roc-A-Fella’s inconsistencies these tapes might be the closest we ever get to witnessing Kanye’s abundant solo genius.

While both mixes serve as a well-represented document featuring a mish-mash of snippets from Kanye’s earlier work, on both Get Well Soon and I’m Good Kanye’s new material undoubtedly steals the show. The best of these new tracks is the unrelentingly rousing modern-day hip-hop epic, “2 Words”, which features guest appearances from Mos Def, Freeway, and the Harlem Boys’ Choir. Over the rolling thump of a thunderous drum kit, harpsichord lines tumble into butter-smooth electric guitar licks, while frenetic soulful wails provide the perfect canvas for Mos’, Kanye’s, and Freeway’s relentless rhymes. However, this is all before Kanye breaks the song down for a stirring a cappela section from the Harlem Boys’ Choir, which gives way to a frenzied stutter-step hip-hop hoe-down featuring a turbulent violin solo to close (that’s right, I did say violin solo!).

The most amazing aspect of the track, though, is that it marks Kanye’s characteristic mastery of balancing an “underground” hip-hop aesthetic, with elements from the mainstream. Kanye has infamously labeled himself the “self-proclaimed first nigga with Benz and a backpack”, but it is rightly the consistent merging of these two diametric worlds in Kanye’s music, which makes his sound so unabashedly unique. Tracks like “Heavy Hitters”, which imparts a bouncing electro-funk bass riff straight out of the Timbaland handbook and joins it with a debonair classical piano motif, and the soulful ode to girl-trouble “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly”, which cloaks Consequence’s and Kanye’s playerific verses in a dusty sample-heavy instrumental, perfectly reconcile Kanye’s aesthetic contradictions.

However, while there may be little doubt left in anybody’s mind if Kanye’s beats are inspired, the real question that these two mix-tapes come to resolve is that if Kanye can handle himself on the mic. Thankfully, the answer is unresoundingly yes. Kanye has always attested to the fact that he was an emcee before he got into producing, and it was only his startling success as a beat-maker that took him away from first love of rhyming. This fact is abundantly clear on these mixes, as Kanye imparts a charmingly laconic vocal delivery, equal parts Mos Def and Snoop Dogg that is brimming with radiant wit, and agile word play. On The College Dropout’s alleged first single, “Through the Wire” (an earnest recounting of the emotional toll of his horrific car accident), over a rolling motivational Chaka Kahn sample, Kanye cleverly attests, “In the same hospital where BIG and Tupac died, the Doctor said I had a blood clot, but I ain’t Jamaican man, story on MTV, but I ain’t trying to make a band.” While over the old-school soul of “Home”, Kanye personifies his relationship with his hometown of Chicago in the vain of Common’s ode to hip-hop “I Used to Love Her”, and through a wildly sincere monologue recounts their lengthy turbulent history; Kanye’s cleverly rhymes, “I guess that’s why last winter she got so cold on me, she said ‘Ye keep making that platinum and gold for me.”

On the closing track off Get Well Soon, the bitter-sweetly nostalgic, “My Way”, a speed up vocal sample reflects, “I’ve lived a life that’s full, I’ve traveled each and every highway, and what’s more than this, I did it my way.” The track serves as the perfect summation of every aspect that makes Kanye West such a rarity amongst the excess-laden caricatures that seem to dominate the hip-hop world; over a lush instrumental of sweeping syrupy string melodies, West earnestly recounts his hip-hop typical ambitions of making a dollar. However, when he states, “I’m not a Kennedy, but I’m good rich,” it feels like a miracle. Finally a rapper who is equal parts ambitious and humble, aggressive and empathetic, and witty while still being genuine. He’s Kanye West, and he’s just put out the best hip-hop album of next year… his own way.

jay z
AT millennium’s end, the hottest rapper in pop music is Jay-Z. Since the release of his quadruple-platinum Vol. II … Hard Knock Life, Jay-Z has had an incredible string of urban radio hits: “Can I Get a …,” “Hard Knock Life,” “Jigga What, Jigga Who,” “Money, Cash” … the list goes on and on. And unlike many of today’s most popular rap artists, he built an extensive catalog of hits before making his mark on the charts and enjoys underground respectability as well as mainstream acceptance.

Longtime rap fans may remember Jay-Z as an associate of the Jaz, who had a minor hit in 1988 with “Hawaiian Sophie.” Before that, he was Shawn Carter, a young man from Brooklyn’s Marcy Projects. Though Carter was a promising student, his wild behavior led him to a vocational high school in Brooklyn, where he met future stars Christopher Wallace (the Notorious B.I.G.) and Trevor Smith (Busta Rhymes).

As a young MC, Jay-Z appeared on several underground mix tapes, and his work with the Jaz appeared promising. But with bills to pay, Jay-Z increasingly found himself mired in the criminal underworld, a life he had known since the age of 16. It wasn’t until 1992 that he found the courage to leave the life of a drug dealer behind him.

After his retirement from crime, Jay-Z began to look for a record deal as a solo artist, but only had a guest appearance on long-forgotten rap group Original Flavor’s 1993 single “Can I Get Open” to show for his efforts. It wasn’t until a friend, Roc-A-Fella CEO Damon Dash, convinced him to form a record company with him that Jay-Z’s career finally got off the ground. Jay-Z released his first single through Roc-A-Fella in 1995, “In My Lifetime.” It proved to be a hit in New York’s fickle hip-hop scene, and helped Dash and Jay-Z secure a distribution deal for Jay-Z’s debut, Reasonable Doubt.

Though it wasn’t a huge seller, Reasonable Doubt confirmed Jay-Z’s status as one of the most promising lyricists in years, a rapper who vividly portrayed the highs and lows of being a black gangster. It yielded two hits, “Can’t Knock the Hustle” (with Mary J. Blige), and “Feelin’ It.” More importantly, it earned the admiration of veteran rap stars as varied as Ice Cube and the Notorious B.I.G., who joined Jay-Z on “Brooklyn’s Finest,” a vicious response to 2Pac’s “Hit ‘Em Up” single. A third hit, “Ain’t No N****” (with Foxy Brown) found its way onto The Nutty Professor soundtrack.

The next year, Jay-Z and Dash negotiated a new distribution deal with Def Jam Records for Roc-A-Fella. The ascendant rapper had promised that Reasonable Doubt would be his only album, but he followed it up in 1997 with In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, a somber effort partly influenced by the murder of the Notorious B.I.G. Despite mixed reviews, the album entered the charts at No. 3, went platinum, and spawned two singles, “The City Is Mine” and “Sunshine” (with Babyface and Foxy Brown).

“I think 85 percent of it is solid,” Jay-Z told Vibe magazine. “And that 85 percent was better than everybody else’s album at the time.”

That winter, Jay-Z was one of several opening acts on Puff Daddy’s 1997 “No Way Out” tour. But conflicts with the tour’s promoters led him to abandon ship soon after it began; instead, he decided to focus his energy on the fledgling Roc-A-Fella label and a straight-to-video film, Streets Is Watching. A short film about a group of hustlers in Brooklyn, Streets also served as a showcase for Roc-A-Fella artists like rapper Memphis Bleek, R&B duo Christion, and mix-tape star DJ Clue.

In the spring, Jay-Z and his growing stable of artists mounted a nationwide tour. Growing commercial and critical acclaim, coupled with the mainstream acceptance of hardcore rappers like DMX and Master P, made the summer of 1998 an excellent time for Jay-Z to achieve crossover success. The buzz began with a guest appearance on Jermaine Dupri’s hit single “Money Ain’t a Thing.” Then, with help from former Cash Money Click member Ja Rule and Amil from Major Coinz, Jay-Z released the bouncy, upbeat “Can I Get a …” which went platinum-plus and made Jay-Z a major star. (It eventually appeared on the Rush Hour soundtrack.) And in the fall, he released his third LP, Vol. II … Hard Knock Life. It opened at the top of the Billboard charts and stayed there for five weeks.

“This whole thing, me reaching the zenith of my fame on my third album, it seems backward to other people, but this is how it’s always been,” Jay-Z reflected in Vibe. “People are looking for the sensational, and I’m just not that [person].” Despite his modesty, Jay-Z’s Hard Knock Life dominated the winter charts, spawning several singles — the aforementioned “Can I Get a …” the platinum-selling title track, “Jigga What, Jigga Who,” and “Money, Cash, Hoes.” His vocals also graced other hit albums of the season such as DJ Clue’s The Professional (”Gangsta S—”), Foxy Brown’s Chyna Doll (”Bonnie and Clyde Pt. II”), and Timbaland’s My Bio (”Lobster and Scrimp”).

In 1999, Jay-Z joined his fellow Def Jam cohorts DMX, Method Man, Redman, and DJ Clue on the “Hard Knock Life” tour. He also drew some attention for threatening a boycott of the 1999 Grammy Awards (he was nominated for three). “I am boycotting the Grammy Awards because too many major rap artists continue to be overlooked,” he told the Associated Press. Despite the comments, Jay-Z did accept his Grammy for Best Rap Album. Throughout the year, Jay-Z has continued to make news, whether donating the proceeds from a Denver performance to the families involved in the Columbine, Colo., tragedy; making guest appearances on several of the year’s top rap hits (Ja Rule, Memphis Bleek, Ruff Ryders); or launching a fashion line, Rocawear.

The latter half of the year is shaping up to be a busy one for the former Mr. Carter. He sings the lead track “Girl’s Best Friend” on the Blue Streak soundtrack (a film starring Martin Lawrence, who makes a cameo appearance in the song’s video). Fans can also catch him on new releases by Puff Daddy and Mariah Carey. In September he’s in the running for three MTV Video Awards — Best Rap Video, Viewer’s Choice, and Best Video From a Film. Finally, the follow-up to Hard Knock Life, with the working title of Vol. III, is scheduled for a December release.

— Mosi Reeves

rihana

Since the turn of the century, every American summer has seemed to produce one or two Caribbean-styled dance-pop hit sensations, and the summer of 2005 was no different, as the relentless dancehall-lite booming rhythms of
Rihanna\’s \”Pon de Replay\” seemed as omnipresent as sunshine. Like Daddy Yankee (\”Gasolina\”) and Sean Paul (\”Get Busy\”) in summers prior, Rihanna emerged initially as an unknown superstar, known far more for her song than for herself. Unlike Daddy Yankee and Sean Paul, however, she is a woman — a young and beautiful green-eyed one, to be more specific. Born Robyn Rihanna Fenty in the St. Michael parish of Barbados a brief 17 years before she reached the Top Two of Billboard\’s Hot 100 chart (held back from the number one spot by the undisputed song of the summer, Mariah Carey\’s \”We Belong Together\”), Rihanna always exhibited a special quality, winning beauty and talent contests as a schoolchild. But because she lived on the fairly remote island of Barbados in the West Indies, she never foresaw the sort of stardom that would later befall her.
That stardom came courtesy of a fateful meeting with a man named Evan Rogers. The New Yorker was vacationing in Barbados with his wife, a native of the island, when someone turned him on to Rihanna. Since Rogers had spent years producing pop artists — including superstars like *NSYNC, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, Kelly Clarkson, Laura Pausini, and Rod Stewart — he offered her the opportunity to record some music after he recognized her talent and potential. Along with Rogers\’ production partner, Carl Sturken (the other half of Syndicated Rhythm Productions), Rihanna recorded some demos that sparked the interest of the Carter Administration — that is, Def Jam president Shawn \”Jay-Z\” Carter. This led to an audition and, in turn, an on-the-spot offer to sign with Def Jam, which Rihanna indeed inked on the spot.
Come summer 2005, Def Jam rolled out \”Pon de Replay,\” the lead single of Music of the Sun, which was produced almost entirely by Rogers and Sturken and which synthesized Caribbean rhythms and beats with urban-pop songwriting. \”Pon de Replay\” caught fire almost immediately, challenging \”We Belong Together\”\’s half-summer reign atop the Billboard chart before Music of the Sun even saw release. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide

Ask Beyonce what she wants people to hear when they listen to Dangerously In Love, her debut solo album, and the multi-platinum-selling pop/urban recording artist answers, “My range. I want them to hear all of the musical influences from hip-hop to rock to jazz, there’s even a Shuggie Otis sample. I want them to really hearthe talent. I know that folks love me as a pop star. Now I want them to understand me as an artist.”

That they will. Musically challenging and lyrically honest, Dangerously In Love is more than just a solo CD from a superstar. It is everything you’d expect from Beyonce and more than you could have hoped for. Another side of someone we’ve loved for years, Dangerously In Love is equally divided between seductive mid-tempos, lush ballads and fiery club bangers, providing a sharp focus on who Beyonce is right now: as a performer, as a woman, and as a creative force to be reckoned with. The vibe is more mature, more playful, more deeply passionate and sexually aggressive. Dangerously In Love is the sound of a grown woman clearly staking her claim in the world and, in the process, redefining expectations of who she is.

A 21-year-old Houston native, Beyonce Knowles is a founding member and chief songwriter of Destiny’s Child, one of the biggest selling female acts of all time. With many of the group’s hit songs co-written and co-produced by Beyonce, Destiny’s Child has sold more than 33 million records worldwide. When Beyonce won the 2001 ASCAP Pop Songwriter Of The Year Award, she became the first African-American woman — and the second woman ever — to receive that honor.

Led by founding members Beyonce Knowles and Kelly Rowland, Destiny’s Child burst on the scene in 1997 with their multi-platinum single, “No, No, No,” from their self-titled album. That success was dwarfed when Destiny’s Child’s The Writing’s On The Wall was released in 1999. The album would go on to sell more than 10 million copies worldwide, driven in part by three Top 10 hits: “Jumpin, Jumpin,” “Say My Name” and “Bills, Bills, Bills,” which spent 9 weeks at #1 on the Billboard RandB singles chart.

A year after Michelle Williams joined Destiny’s Child in 2000, the group recorded Survivor, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Survivor was certified double platinum four weeks after its release and has gone on to sell more than nine million copies worldwide. In 2001 Destiny’s Child took home two Grammy awards: Best RandB song (”Say My Name”) and Best RandB performance by a Duo or Group (”Say My Name”). Destiny’s Child has won numerous other awards, among them Billboard Artist of the year, NAACP Image Awards, American Music Awards, Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice and The Sammy Davis Jr. Award for Entertainer of the Year at the Soul Train Awards. The group has toured worldwide and performed at many high profile events including The Michael Jackson 30th Anniversary Concert Special and the Concert For New York City.

Given the fact that the general public is so familiar with chart-topping songs such as “Say My Name,” “Independent Woman, Part I” and “Survivor,” it’s fair to enquire how Dangerously In Love differs from a Destiny’s Child project. “Naturally the songs on my album are going to share some similarities,” Beyonce admits. “But this time because I only had to write for myself, my songs are much more personal. I also wanted beats that were harder and to be able to collaborate with other people. Basically this record was a chance for me to grow as a writer and a singer. There are more ballads. The vocals aren’t as precisely produced and because it’s just me, there aren’t as many harmonies. The experience was very liberating and therapeutic. I felt free, because I could go into the studio and talk about whatever I wanted, but in many ways it was actually harder to be on my own creatively. I depend so much on Destiny’s Child (Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams) to tell me if they like something or not. I’m so critical of myself that it’s scary to have to depend on your own instincts.”

Helping Beyonce trust those instincts are an impressive array of musical collaborators, among them Missy Elliot, Jay-Z, Sean Paul, Mark Batson, Mario Winans, D-Roy and Mr. B, OutKast’s Big Boi, Rich Harrison, Fanatic, Scott Storch, and the legendary Luther Vandross on “The Closer I Get To You.” Beyonce shares co-executive producer credits on Dangerously In Love with her father and manager Mathew Knowles. She took an active role in all aspects of the album: from writing and choosing material to producing, mastering and mixing the tracks. Beyonce pays tribute to her father on the hidden bonus track, “Daddy,” which was produced by Beyonce and Mark Batson.

The sexy first single, “Crazy In Love,” featuring Jay-Z, was co-produced by Beyonce and Rich Harrison. Jay-Z returns the favor for Beyonce’s part on his hit “Bonnie and Clyde 03.” With a beat that Beyonce says is “so hard it makes your heart hurt!,” “Crazy In Love” is about that moment when you realize you’re falling into love and looking crazy but you simply don’t care. The abandon continues on “Speechless,” produced by Fanatic. “As soon as I heard the track it inspired me,” she admits. “It’s very sexy, very sensual. The sort of ballad that I’ve never done before. This song is definitely a population increaser!”

Laced with an Arabic ambience, fused with a ghetto-fied edge and encompassing a sample from Donna Summer’s “Love to Love You Baby,” “Naughty Girl” is uptempo and party perfect: a sexy fantasy about having that one night where you lose all your inhibitions, head to theclub and work it like a naughty girl. “Many of the songs on the album examine aspects of relationships, and this is one element.”

Also sexy is the dancehall-Arabic flavored “Baby Boy,” featuring the red hot Sean Paul. “I knew Sean had to be on my album because I love his approach,” she says. “‘Baby Boy’ is another song about a fantasy and it’s one of my favorites.”

Such unabashed and upfront emotions might come as a surprise to long time fans but make no mistake, Dangerously In Love isn’t a rejection of DC’s sound. “I love Destiny’s Child and I am a member of the group, “she asserts. “We haven’t broken up. We’re going to continue to tour and record and be a group. We’ve recorded a song, ‘I Know,’ for “The Fighting Temptations” soundtrack. We all decided a long time back to explore solo projects and I’m the third member of the group to release my own record. Things like working apart keep the fire going and keep the fans eager for you. I’m not trying to get away from DC or the legacy we have. I just wanted to show a different approach and the growth I’ve experienced. “

That growth is evident in Beyonce’s burgeoning acting career. In 2001 she starred in MTV’s “Carmen.” In 2002 she appeared as Foxy Cleopatra in “Austin Powers in Goldmember.” This year she will co-star with Cuba Gooding Jr. in “The Fighting Temptations.” She has two more features currently in production and can also be seen on the small screen in a series of Spike Lee-directed commercials for Pepsi-Cola. She is also the spokesperson for L’Oreal.