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Flavor Unit
The Flavor Unit is a crew of emcees and DJs from New York City and Northern New Jersey. It is now known as the Unit. The original version of the crew centered on producer the 45 King. It was Mark's connections to radio personalities DJ Red Alert and DJ Chuck Chillout that initially got the crew noticed, but the original members also all had formidable rhyme skills and wrote streetwise lyrics. The 45 King eventually fell into serious drug abuse and Queen Latifah took over the name; it became her umbrella organization. Flavor Unit Management is run by Latifah, one of the original members of the Flavor Unit, and Shakim Compere. Past management clients were Monica, Outkast, Faith Evans, Total, SWV, Almighty RSO (a group featuring Ray Dog, better known today as Benzino), Groove Theory, Monifah, Gina Thompson, LL Cool J, Zhané, Donell Jones, and Naughty By Nature. Members Names marked with an asterisk denote artists who were managed by Flavor Unit but were not part of the origin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Musical Collective
Musical collective is a phrase used to describe a group of musicians in which membership is flexible and creative control is shared.Liisa Ladouceur"Collegjthk ctive Souls" ''This Magazine'', November/December 2004. The concept is distinct from that of a traditional band in that musical collectives allow for flexibility in their rosters, and members are free to rotate in and out of the line-up. Collectives may exist in almost any genre of music, although they have been especially prominent in indie rock and hip hop. A musical collective is distinct from a musicians collective, such as the London Musicians Collective, which is an organization with more general aims and larger membership. Notable collectives * Acappella * Alaclair Ensemble * Ambiances Magnetiques * AMM * Amon Düül I *Amungus * Animal Collective *Anticon *Arcade Fire *Archive *Architecture in Helsinki *Army of the Pharaohs * Arrogant Sons of Bitches *ASAP Mob * The Band *Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution * ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, alongside fellow new school hip hop acts Beastie Boys and Run-DMC. Signed to Def Jam Recordings in 1984, LL Cool J's breakthrough came with his single "I Need a Beat" and his landmark debut album, ''Radio'' (1985). He achieved further commercial and critical success with the albums ''Bigger and Deffer'' (1987), ''Walking with a Panther'' (1989), ''Mama Said Knock You Out'' (1990), '' Mr. Smith'' (1995), and ''Phenomenon'' (1997). His twelfth album, ''Exit 13'' (2008), was his last in his long-tenured deal with Def Jam. LL Cool J has appeared in numerous films, including ''Halloween H20'', '' In Too Deep'', ''Any Given Sunday'', '' Deep Blue Sea'', ''S.W.A.T.'', ''Mindhunters'', ''Last Holiday'', and '' Edison''. He currently plays NCIS Spec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lord Alibaski
Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or are entitled to courtesy titles. The collective "Lords" can refer to a group or body of peers. Etymology According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, the etymology of the word can be traced back to the Old English word ''hlāford'' which originated from ''hlāfweard'' meaning "loaf-ward" or "bread-keeper", reflecting the Germanic tribal custom of a chieftain providing food for his followers. The appellation "lord" is primarily applied to men, while for women the appellation " lady" is used. This is no longer universal: the Lord of Mann, a title previously held by the Queen of the United Kingdom, and female Lords Mayor are examples of women who are styled as "Lord". Historical usage Feudalism Under the feudal system, "lord" had ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
DJ Cee Justice
A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music festival), mobile DJs (who are hired to work at public and private events such as weddings, parties, or festivals), and turntablists (who use record players, usually turntables, to manipulate sounds on phonograph records). Originally, the "disc" in "disc jockey" referred to shellac and later vinyl records, but nowadays DJ is used as an all-encompassing term to also describe persons who mix music from other recording media such as cassettes, CDs or digital audio files on a CDJ, controller, or even a laptop. DJs may adopt the title "DJ" in front of their real names, adopted pseudonyms, or stage names. DJs commonly use audio equipment that can play at least two sources of recorded music simultaneously. This enables them to blend tracks together to create t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lakim Shabazz
Larry Welsh, also known as Lakim Shabazz is a former hip-hop emcee artist who was one of the founding members of the original version of the Flavor Unit crew. His stage name refers to the so-called Lost Tribe of Shabazz, which is based on the teachings of Wallace Fard Muhammad. Career As an artist signed with Tuff City, Lakim first gained recognition when he provided vocals for the 45 King's "The 900 Number". Further collaboration with the 45 King was to follow with the EP titled ''The Red, The Black, the Green.'' Then later, in 1988, his debut album ''Pure Righteousness'' was released as an introduction-style album with a "the 45 King presents" moniker on the cover sleeve. This album was relatively well received, and has become an iconic release of the period in hip hop where the Nation of Gods and Earths style of the late 1980s/early 1990s is concerned. Shabazz released two albums, recorded for Aaron Fuchs's Tuff City Records, featuring production by The 45 King, and h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Freddie Foxxx
James Campbell (born March 27, 1969), better known by his stage names Freddie Foxxx and Bumpy Knuckles, is an American rapper and music producer from Long Island, New York. Biography Foxxx got his start rapping in the early 1980s. In 1986, he recorded "You Gotta Come Out Fresh / Handling Things" under the alias Freddie C. as a member of the Supreme Force (other members were Cool Cee and Easy E) on NIA Records. Later in 1986 he was slated to meet with producer Eric B. who was searching for an MC to pair up with; Foxxx missed the meeting, and Eric B. ended up pairing up with MC Rakim and forming the group Eric B. and Rakim. Despite this, Foxxx's first LP, ''Freddie Foxxx Is Here'', was produced entirely by Eric B. and Foxxx and was released in 1989 through MCA Records. He soon parted ways with the label and became a member of Queen Latifah's Flavor Unit establishment. In 1993, only promo copies of his second album, ''Crazy Like A Foxxx'', were circulated when Epic Records deci ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The 45 King
Mark Howard James (born October 16, 1961) professionally known as The 45 King (also known as DJ Mark the 45 King), is an American hip hop record producer and disc jockey (DJ) from The Bronx borough of New York City. James began DJing in The Bronx, in the mid-1980s. His pseudonym, the 45 King, came from his ability to make beats using obscure 45 RPM records. Career The 45 King first gained fame with his breakbeat track "The 900 Number" in 1987. The song featured a looping of a baritone sax solo from Marva Whitney's "Unwind Yourself" (1968). The 45 King signed with Tuff City Records that year and was given a production deal. "The 900 Number" remains his signature work, having been resampled by many artists. He was also featured on the ''1989-Hustlers Convention'' album on the UK label Music of Life, which is considered by many to be hip-hop's first-ever live album. Using his popularity from the previous release, the 45 King was able to help the other members of his crew, dubbed t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chill Rob G
Robert Frazier (born May 15), known professionally as Chill Rob G, is an American hip hop artist from Jersey City, New Jersey, United States. Career Chill Rob G's first hip hop collaboration was being part of the original version of the Flavor Unit collective, which included Lakim Shabazz, The 45 King, and Queen Latifah, among others. He signed with Stu Fine's Wild Pitch Records in 1987, and released one album, '' Ride the Rhythm'', on the label. ''Ride the Rhythm’s'' tracks alternated between a somewhat hardcore sound and an easygoing, conversational tone. It was chosen by ''The Source'' as one of the 100 Greatest Rap Albums. In 1989, the a cappella version of his song "Let the Words Flow" were sampled illegally and without permission by the German pop-dance group Snap! on their hit record " The Power". The song was a remix created by German producers Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti (under the pseudonyms Benito Benites and John "Virgo" Garrett III.) After the song g ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Channel Live
Channel Live is an American hip hop duo composed of Vincent "Tuffy" Morgan and Hakim Green, which recorded for Capitol Records and Flavor Unit Records. Discovered by KRS-One, the duo released its debut album, ''Station Identification'', in 1995. It spawned the group's biggest hit, "Mad Izm", which peaked at 54 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. After the album ran its course, the group continued to make appearances throughout the 1990s, including on KRS-One's self-titled album and on the soundtrack of the first Wesley Snipes ''Blade'' film. In 2000, the group released a second album titled '' Armaghetto'' on Flavor Unit – it featured Method Man, the now-late Black Rob, Ms. Toi, Malik Yusef, and the singer Carl Thomas. A third album, ''Secret Science Rap'', followed in 2006. Hakim Green of Channel Live has stayed active into 2021 and 2022, collaborating with Treach, Dres, Keith Murray, Thirstin Howl III, Sadat X, General Steele, and DoItAll Dupré, as well as with Carl Thomas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Black Sheep (hip Hop Group)
Black Sheep is an American hip hop duo from Queens, New York, United States, composed of Andres "Dres" Vargas Titus and William "Mista Lawnge" McLean. The duo was from New York but met as teenagers in Sanford, North Carolina, where both of their families relocated. The group was part of the Native Tongues collective, which included the Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest, and De La Soul. After getting together in 1989, Black Sheep debuted in 1991 with the hit song "Flavor of the Month" and later released its first album, '' A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing'', which gained them praise and recognition in the hip-hop community for the album's unique rhythms and intelligent, often humorous lyrics. After six years together, Black Sheep disbanded in 1995, citing creative differences. Biography Initial career and break up (1989–1995) Black Sheep was formed in 1989 by Andres "Dres" Vargas Titus and William "Mista Lawnge" McLean. While working as a DJ in New York, McLean met Mike Gee of th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Apache (rapper)
Anthony Peaks (December 26, 1964 – January 22, 2010), better known as Apache, was an American rapper. Apache emerged from New Jersey in the late 1980s as a front man for the Flavor Unit, a hip-hop group. He first appeared on the Flavor Unit album, ''The 45 King Presents The Flavor Unit'', in 1990. Apart from his individual records, he also featured on the albums of Naughty By Nature, Queen Latifah, 2Pac and Fat Joe. Apache signed with Tommy Boy/Warner Bros. Records and released his debut album, ''Apache Ain't Shit'' (1993), which peaked at number 69 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and No. 15 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Also featured on the album was the single "Gangsta Bitch", which peaked at number 67 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and 11 on the Hot Rap Singles. Apache released the single "Do Fa Self" in 1993. Apache died on January 22, 2010, of undisclosed causes. According to fellow Flavor Unit members Ali Ba-Ski and Lakim Shabazz Larry Welsh, also known as Lakim Sha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
