L.E.G.A.C.Y. is a

rapper Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...

from

Fort Bragg, North Carolina Fort Bragg is a military installation of the United States Army in North Carolina, and is one of the largest military installations in the world by population, with around 54,000 military personnel. The military reservation is located within Cum ...

, and former member of the

Justus League The Justus League was a hip hop collective from North Carolina founded in 1999. The collective consists of a total of 15 members (8 emcees, 5 producers, 1 DJ, and 1 consultant aka "Minister of Opinion". The emcees are: Cesar Comanche, Chaundon ...

collective.

Biography

L.E.G.A.C.Y. is an acronym for Life Ends Gradually and Changes You.Cordor, Cyril " L.E.G.A.C.Y. Biography, ''

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

'', Macrovision Corporation He was born on the military base

Fort Bragg Fort Bragg is a military installation of the United States Army in North Carolina, and is one of the largest military installations in the world by population, with around 54,000 military personnel. The military reservation is located within Cum ...

, and grew up in Fayetteville, before moving to

Goldsboro, North Carolina Goldsboro, originally Goldsborough, is a city and the county seat of Wayne County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 33,657 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of and is included in the Goldsboro, North Carolina Metropol ...

. His often dark lyrics are informed by his earlier experiences in life, and he cites

Rakim William Michael Griffin Jr. (born January 28, 1968), better known by his stage name Rakim Allah or simply Rakim (), is an American rapper and record producer. One half of golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, he is widely regarded as one of t ...

and

Big L Lamont Coleman (May 30, 1974February 15, 1999), known professionally as Big L, was an American rapper and record executive. Emerging from Harlem in New York City in 1992, Coleman became known among underground hip-hop fans for his freestyling ...

as influences, as well as rock musicians

Jim Morrison James Douglas Morrison (December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971) was an American singer, poet and songwriter who was the lead vocalist of the Rock music, rock band the Doors. Due to his wild personality, poetic lyrics, distinctive voice, unpredicta ...

and

Kurt Cobain Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – April 5, 1994) was an American musician who served as the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter of the rock band Nirvana. Through his angst-fueled songwriting and anti-establishment persona ...

. He joined the Justus League collective in 2001, having previously worked with its chief producer,

9th Wonder Patrick Denard Douthit (born January 15, 1975),
better known as 9th Wonder, is a Holiday Inn Holiday Inn is an American chain of hotels based in Atlanta, Georgia. and a brand of IHG Hotels & Resorts. The chain was founded in 1952 by Kemmons Wilson, who opened the first location in Memphis, Tennessee that year. The chain was a division ...

, neither knowing that the other was a rap musician at the time. Early collaborations with 9th Wonder appeared on the 2003 self-financed ''Legsclusives'' release. L.E.G.A.C.Y.'s debut album proper, ''Project Mayhem'' was released in 2005 odfn 6 Hole Records, including references to and samples from the film ''

Fight Club ''Fight Club'' is a 1999 American film directed by David Fincher and starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter. It is based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk. Norton plays the unnamed narrator, who is d ...

''. The album was produced by 9th Wonder and

Khrysis Christopher Frederick Tyson (born September 7, 1981), better known as Khrysis, is an American hip hop producer and half of the duo The Away Team. Khrysis' productions consist of samples of records with intricate melodies and diverse drum bea ...

, and features guest appearances from Phonte from Little Brother,

Chaundon Finian C. St. Omer II (born September 6, 1976), better known by Chaundon, is an American hip-hop artist from South Bronx, New York City. In 2008, he released his debut album ''Carnage'' and has become well known on the internet due to his website ...

, Median, Joe Scudda,

Percy Miracles Phonte Lyshod Coleman, known mononymously as Phonte (born December 28, 1978), is an American rapper, singer, and producer. He is currently of the North Carolina hip-hop trio/duo Little Brother (revived in 2019 without producer 9th Wonder) and ...

, and Keisha Shontell.The Life Of A Rock Star
, ''MVRemix'' The album was positively received, with ''Exclaim!'' calling the lyrics "raw and razor sharp". ''Project Mayhem'' was included in the three-disc box set ''National Mayhem'' in 2005. L.E.G.A.C.Y. has also contributed to several Justus League-related compilations, including the ''Soldiers of Fortune'' album. His collaboration with LUNATIC The Messiah, "No Regrets", was picked out by ''

Independent Weekly ''Indy Week'', formerly known as the ''Independent Weekly'' and originally the ''North Carolina Independent'', is a tabloid-format alternative weekly newspaper published in Durham, North Carolina, United States, and distributed throughout the Res ...

'' as one of the forty best songs from local artists of 2008. He relocated to

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

in 2007, breaking away from the Justus League.Tullis, Eric (2009)
Former Justus League rapper L.E.G.A.C.Y. lives in Baltimore now, but his attitude is big enough to touch from here: The ego and the damage done
, ''

'', June 24, 2009, retrieved 2011-02-06 His latest album, ''Suicide Music'', was released in June 2009.Diamond, Jay (2008)
Features:L.E.G.A.C.Y.
, BritishHipHop.co.uk, 12 January 2008 The album was produced by

Discography

Singles

*"Nice" (2003)

Hall of Justus The Justus League was a hip hop collective from North Carolina founded in 1999. The collective consists of a total of 15 members (8 emcees, 5 producers, 1 DJ, and 1 consultant aka "Minister of Opinion". The emcees are: Cesar Comanche, Chaundon ...

*"I'm a Star" (2005) 6 Hole *"Bang" (2008) *"The Greatest" (2009)

Albums

*''Legsclusives'' (2003) *''Project Mayhem'' (2005) 6 Hole *''Rawkus 50 Presents L.E.G.A.C.Y.'' (2007) *''Suicide Music'' (2009) Hall of Justus

References

External links

*Jones, Todd E. (2003)
L.E.G.A.C.Y. (from The Justus League) - "The Start Of A Hip-Hop Legacy"
, ''Hip Hop Elements'' *Chan, Nin

, ''RapReviews'' *Kennedy, John (2005)
L.E.G.A.C.Y. – ''Project Mayhem''
, ''Nobodysmiling'' *LaCroix, Mike (2005)
Project Mayhem
, ''ALARM'' magazine *Low Key (2005)
''Project Mayhem'' review
, ''MVRemix'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Legacy Southern hip hop musicians People from Goldsboro, North Carolina Rappers from North Carolina