DMX

DMX

Biography

Earl Simmons (born December 18, 1970 in Baltimore, Maryland), better known by his stage name DMX (Dark Man X), is an American rapper and actor signed to Ruff Ryders Entertainment. In 1998 he released his debut solo album, It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot, and has since released 1998’s Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood, 1999’s …And Then There Was X, 2001’s The Great Depression, 2003’s Grand Champ and 2006’s Year of the Dog…Again. He has plans to release two more albums, Walk with Me Now and the gospel inspired You’ll Fly with Me Later, but his incarceration on drug possession charges had prevented him from doing so until early 2010.

Following the deaths of Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G., DMX took over as the reigning, undisputed king of hardcore rap. He was that rare commodity: a commercial powerhouse with artistic and street credibility to spare. His rapid ascent to stardom was actually almost a decade in the making, which gave him a chance to develop the theatrical image that made him one of rap’s most distinctive personalities during his heyday. Everything about DMX was unremittingly intense, from his muscular, tattooed physique to his gruff, barking delivery, which made a perfect match for his trademark lyrical obsession with dogs. Plus, there was substance behind the style; much of his work was tied together by a fascination with the split between the sacred and the profane. He could move from spiritual anguish one minute to a narrative about the sins of the streets the next, yet keep it all part of the same complex character, sort of like a hip-hop Johnny Cash. The results were compelling enough to make DMX the first artist ever to have his first five albums enter the charts at number one.

Biography

Earl Simmons was the second of three children of a single mother, and was born in Mount Vernon, New York Simmons ended up growing up in the School Street housing projects of Yonkers, New York. He began rapping around the age of 13, amusing crowds of children with rhymes that relied on spelled-out words, a style he called “spellbound.” A local rapper eventually asked the young Earl to beatbox for him, and Simmons agreed, adopting the stage name DMX, which stands for “Dark Man of the Unknown,” X being an algebraic expression for unknown. But at the time, stood for a drum system that delivered amazing beats. Eventually he decided to try his hand at serious rapping, and honed his skills during a stint at a group home. He also got into fights and frequently was on the run from police. During this period, he also began doing shows and battling other rappers (Once battling and defeating Jay-Z), making a name for himself in the New York area. He released his first album called “DMX: Unleashed and Unreleased” which was an instant hit on the streets of Yonkers. He was also featured in the Unsigned Hype section of The Source in 1988.

He stated he wanted to be a preacher when he retires from his rapping career as he stated in his reality TV Show DMX: Soul Of A Man.

DMX is a fan of the Pit Bull type dogs (American Pit Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers). He has a tattoo of one of his deceased dogs, on his back, which reads “One Love Boomer”. He later contributed over $1 million to the United Negro Association for unfortunate black children in New York City.



Recording career

In and out of jail, DMX decided to focus solely on his rap career. He began seriously looking for a deal and linked up with Pete McCormick Schaub, an A&R for Small Island at the time. Eventually, he signed a management deal with Ruff Ryders. They negotiated deals with both Bad Boy and Death Row Records, but he eventually landed at Def Jam. He is currently at Sony BMG, set to release his first of three albums on August 1st 2006. Rumors also arose that DMX had signed for 50 Cent’s G-Unit Records, but were dismissed in a public news conference.

It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot

Before It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot, DMX released the single “Born Loser” which was banned on MTV due to the video’s graphic images. DMX’s debut single was “Get At Me Dog”, which was an instant hit. His critically-acclaimed debut album, It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot, is often credited with revitalizing Hardcore Rap in the mainstream scene, after the death of Tupac Shakur, and after Puff Daddy and Bad Boy Entertainment briefly dominated the charts with their pop-oriented and sample-reliant tunes.

In 1997, DMX earned a second major-label shot with Def Jam, and made a successful guest appearance on LL Cool J’s “4, 3, 2, 1.” Additional guest spots on Ma$e’s “24 Hours to Live” and fellow Yonkers MCs the The LOX’s “Money, Power, & Respect” created an even stronger buzz, and in early 1998, he released his debut Def Jam single, “Get At Me Dog.” The song went gold and was a hit on the rap and dance charts. The single paved the way for DMX to release his classic first full-length album, It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot, which debuted as number one on the pop charts.

Produced mostly by Damon “Dame Grease” Blackman, (Swizz Beatz produced the “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem”, paving the way for future projects between the two). It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot earned DMX numerous comparisons to Tupac Shakur for his booming and aggressive presence on the mic. The album went on to sell over four million copies and earned him credit for revitalizing Hardcore Rap after the deaths of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. Shortly after the album’s release in May 1998, DMX was accused of raping a stripper in the Bronx, but was later cleared by DNA evidence. He made his film debut together with Nas and Method Man in Hype Williams’ mildly successful film Belly. Although not a critical success, the film found a strong following with hip hop audiences.

Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood

DMX completed his second album before the end of 1998, and a pending buyout of Def Jam pushed the record into stores December 15. Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood entered the charts at number one and eventually went triple platinum. This number one hit made DMX the first rapper to have two number one albums in the same year. The cover photo of the rapper covered in pig’s blood caused some controversy. The single “Slippin’” became his first chart hit in the UK. DMX hit the road with Jay-Z and the Method Man/Redman team on the blockbuster Hard Knock Life tour the following year. He had a song called “Jack Moves” with the legendary rap group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, but the song did not appear on the album.

A warrant for his arrest was issued in connection with a stabbing during a tour stop in Denver, of which he was later cleared. He was accused of assaulting a Yonkers man who’d allegedly harassed his wife in May (the charges were once again dropped). More serious charges were brought that summer, when DMX’s uncle/manager was accidentally shot in the foot at a New Jersey hotel. DMX’s home was raided by police, and they filed animal cruelty, weapons, and drug possession charges against the rapper and his wife. He eventually reached a plea bargain, receiving only fines, probation and community service.

…And Then There Was X

DMX released his third album on December 21, 1999, …And Then There Was X, which was his third straight album to debut at number one. Party Up was his biggest single since “Get at Me Dog” which became his first Top Ten hit on the R&B charts. His next singles off the album, “What’s My Name” & “What These Bitches Want” feat. Sisqó were also popular. …And Then There Was X is the rapper’s best-selling album to date, going 6x platinum and 9x platinum worldwide, & one of the fastest made by DMX : Def Jam urged him to realise the tracks within a month, while DMX used to take a year to write songs.

The Great Depression

After resolving his legal problems, DMX returned to the studio and completed his fourth album, The Great Depression. Released October 3, 2001, it was DMX’s fourth straight album to debut at number one. The album demonstrated his still strong allegiance with the Ruff Ryders. The Great Depression went platinum quickly, but lacked the staying power of his previous releases.

Grand Champ

Released in 2003, Grand Champ was DMX’s fifth straight album to debut at number one, extending DMX’s position as the only artist in history to have 5 albums (his entire album catalog at that point) debut at #1. Fans and critics claimed disappointment with the album, most stating that it felt formulaic. After its release, DMX informed the public that he planned on retiring from the rap game and that Grand Champ would be his final album. He later ended his brief retirement and announced his plans to record the album Year of the Dog…Again. It debuted with approximately 125,000 albums sold, but failed to give DMX a sixth consecutive #1 album. The album is his lowest selling to date, and has yet to reach Gold in the U.S.

Year of the Dog…Again

Released August 1st 2006, Year of the Dog…Again had numerous problems due to DMX switching record labels, as well as numerous delays. The album’s five predeccesors debuted at #1, while this album missed the top spot by only a few thousand sales. In March, 2006 it was announced that the album had been renamed to “Year of the Dog, Again,” from “Here We Go, Again.” When DMX switched to Sony, Def Jam allowed him to keep all of the tracks he had created for the album. It was reported that most of the tracks were being reworked, with updated production, however the reworked album has also been leaked. DMX has also appeared on Busta Rhymes’ “Touch It (The Remix)”. He has also released his new singles “Lord Give Me A Sign”, and “We In Here” feat. Swizz Beatz, which are included in “Year of the Dog…Again”.

Untitled

Coming 2007…




Criminal history

DMX has a criminal history originating with an arrest in 1999 in Teaneck, New Jersey, when police found a pistol, crack pipes, and 13 pit bulls (dog fighting) on the premises of his home. He pleaded guilty to charges of animal cruelty, disorderly conduct and possession of drug paraphernalia and was sentenced to make public service announcements for the Humane Society.

In June of 2003, he was arrested for swearing during a concert before a crowd of about 3,000 in St Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean. The country’s Information Minister alleged that a contract signed before the concert stipulated there would be no indecent language on stage. DMX was released on bail. ($376)

In June of 2004, DMX and a friend were arrested in the parking lot of Kennedy Airport in New York for allegedly attempting to steal a car and impersonating a federal agent. Police questioned Simmons, who claimed to be a “special agent.” However, agents were aware of his status as an entertainer and not an agent. DMX was taken to central lockup in Queens and held on charges of attempted robbery, criminal impersonation and criminal mischief. He pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment in December and was sentenced to a conditional discharge. His driver’s license was suspended for the incident and he had to forfeit his 1998 Ford Expedition.

In April of 2005, DMX was arrested in The Bronx for driving with a suspended license after his car crashed into a police cruiser.

In October of 2005, DMX was sentenced to 60 days in prison after pleading guilty to two traffic violations while his license was suspended, one being the incident in April and the other involving driving his car at 104 miles per hour near his Westchester home on Interstate 684.

In May of 2006, DMX was arrested at a London airport for causing a disturbance after he refused to put on a seat belt and became abusive on a flight from New York to London. He was released with a “caution,” a British law term for basically saying he has accepted responsibility and a record will be made of the incident.

On September 4, 2006 Bobby Brown, DMX, and Busta Rhymes were all arrested for possession drugs for personal use.

DMX mentions his criminal attorney, Murray Richman, also known as “Don’t Worry Murray”, in E.A.R.L.: The Autobiography of DMX.

As of December 31, 2008, DMX has pleaded guilty to charges of drug possession, theft and animal cruelty and was sentenced to 90 days.[19][20] On Feb 22, 2009, while serving his sentence, Simmons was re-booked for aggravated assault after allegedly throwing a dinner tray at a corrections officer and refusing to attend work assignments.If he is convicted of the assault, his probation may be revoked and he could face a longer sentence.


Rivalries

DMX has had several outstanding issues with other artists in his career, some low-profile and some played out with help from the media and radio.

* K-Solo, of Erick Sermon’s Def Squad, was a rapper DMX battled in jail. When Solo was released, he had a respectable hit song wherein he used the “spellbound” style DMX claims to have invented. DMX responded in 1998, on It’s Dark and Hell is Hot. Solo did not reply until 2001. However, in a recent interview, DMX challenged the rapper (who is also a smalltime boxer) to a fight.

A scene in the documentry Beef had K-Solo taking a polygraph test answering questions about the “spellbound” style, but the results were not in favor of either of the two.

* Kurupt, of the Dogg Pound, accused DMX of sleeping with Foxy Brown. The beef was squashed at the encouragement of Snoop Dogg.

* Eminem and DMX were rumored to have sent subliminals at each other on a freestyle and DMX’s 1999 hit “Party Up (Up in Here)” respectively. The two rappers later teamed up to record a track belittling Ja Rule called Go To Sleep with Obie Trice included on the Cradle 2 the Grave soundtrack.

* The LOX and DMX allegedly had some problems stemming from their time living in Yonkers that was talked out in 2004. It is rumored a line on the song “Trina Moe”, from The Great Depression, was aimed at the trio. However in the same “recent interview” which saw DMX reigniting the beef with K-Solo, the artist also gave a shout out to LOX and suggested that they collaborate on future work. Leaked versions of the upcoming DMX album are noted for featuring at least two tracks with prominent D-Block artists Jadakiss and Styles P.

* Contrary to popular belief, DMX and Jay-Z were never on the Murder Inc. record label. Murder Inc. was originally supposed to be a band, rather than a label, with Jay-Z, DMX, and Ja Rule as members. DMX accused former cohort Ja Rule of getting rich from his style, teaming up with Eminem, 50 Cent, and others to diss the label. There’s been recent rumors that DMX has ended his beef with Ja Rule as an interview with allhiphop.com has said.

* DMX and Jay-Z have began to form a feud after X left Def Jam for Sony/Columbia at which point DMX says that they are both too big and that he can’t work under him. This also caused a small feud between X & Rihanna. When DMX was asked why he made the sudden change, he said “I can’t work under him (speaking of Jay-Z) anymore. I have nothing against the label itself, I just can’t work under him.” DMX has also accused Jay-Z of being a poor Def Jam President and has thrown a shot at Jay-Z “We In Here.” He has shown support to Cam’Ron in his feud with Jay-Z on Funkmaster Flex’s radio show on Hot 97. Which has caused Jay to throw a line aimed at X in his album Kingdome Come.

Fat Joe

Fat Joe

Biography

Fat Joe (born Joseph Cartagena on August 19, 1970) is a American rapper of Puerto Rican and Cuban heritage. Born and brought up in the Bronx, Joe was popular in the large underground hip hop scene during the early and mid-1990s. During this period, Joe was affiliated with KRS-One — there are pictures online at KRS-One’s Temple of Hiphop site showing the pair drawing graffiti (“bombing”) together. He is also the most widely known member of the D.I.T.C. Crew (the “Digging in the Crates Crew”), along with smaller hip-hoppers such as Diamond D, Lord Finesse, O.C., A.G., Buckwild, occasional member Big L (deceased), and Big Pun (deceased). The title of the group refers to DJs who “dig in the crates” of used record stores to find rare or novel records with “breaks” that they could use as fat beats for production or in performances. Fat Joe has flirted with gaining mass recognition in the mainstream American music scene, most prominently in his massive cameos on songs by artists such as Jennifer Lopez.

Fat Joe’s first single off his eleventh album is, “Another Round,” a collaboration with Chris Brown. The Another Round Songfacts reports that it was his first Hot 100 hit for four years.

Fat Joe has also had major beef with his ex TS Crew member Cuban Linkz who was a part of Fat Joe TS Crew until they had a disagreement about money royalties and the pair had a fight and Fat Joe knifed Cuban Linkz on the side of his face. The beef has quiet down now but they are no longer friends and nor do they speak to each other.

Hollywood Undead

Hollywood Undead

Biography

Hollywood Undead is an American rap rock band from Los Angeles, California. They released their debut album, Swan Songs, on September 2, 2008, and their live CD/DVD Desperate Measures, on November 10, 2009. The band consists of Charlie Scene, Da Kurlzz, Funny Man, J-Dog, and Johnny 3 Tears. The band members use pseudonyms and wear masks to display a creative side, not to hide their identities as first assumed. They perform live without the masks on.

The band originated in 2005 from a song titled “The Kids” that Aron Erlichman (Deuce) and Jorel Decker (J-Dog) posted on the band’s MySpace profile to positive reviews, leading them to form the group Hollywood Undead with their friends “Shady” Jeff Philips, George Ragan (Johnny 3 Tears), Jordon Terrell (Charlie Scene), Dylan Alvarez (Funny Man), and Matthew St. Claire (Da Kurlzz). In an interview with Shave magazine, J-Dog explained that when forming the band “Whoever was in the room at the time and played an instrument was in the band.”

The band only took one year working on their debut album, Swan Songs. The other two years were spent looking for a company that wouldn’t try to censor the album. They first signed a record contract with MySpace Records in 2005 but they left the label after the label tried to censor their first album. They then signed a contract with A&M/Octone Records and their first album, Swan Songs was released on September 2, 2008 and reached #22 on the Billboard 200 in its first week of release, selling 21,000 copies; which was later on released in the United Kingdom on May 18, 2009 with two bonus tracks. On June 23, 2009, Hollywood Undead released Swan Songs B-Sides EP through iTunes. After 64 weeks, the album fell off of the Billboard Top 200, but returned four weeks later at #174. Since then, it has gone in and out of the top 200, and is currently charting at #199. On July 28, 2009, it was certified gold by the RIAA.

The band released a CD/DVD set entitled Desperate Measures on November 10, 2009. The set includes a CD of six new songs, three of which being cover songs, as well as a previously unreleased remix of “Everywhere I Go”, and six live recordings of songs from Swan Songs, and a DVD of a full live performance by the band.The album debuted at #29 on the Billboard 200, #10 on Top Rock Albums, and #15 on Top Digital Albums.

In early 2010, Deuce (Tha Produca) left the band. The reason for this is said to be either a feud between him and J3T which is what Deuces ‘Story of a snitch’ song suggest or he just wants to move on. He is now part of 9Lives.

2Pac

Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971–September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names, Makaveli and 2Pac, was an American hip-hop artist, poet and actor. He is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the best-selling rap/hip-hop artist ever, having sold over 75 million albums worldwide, including 44.5 million sales in the United States alone. He has had 17 top ten singles in the United States.

Biography

Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971–September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names, Makaveli and 2Pac, was an American hip-hop artist, poet and actor. He is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the best-selling rap/hip-hop artist ever, having sold over 75 million albums worldwide, including 44.5 million sales in the United States alone. He has had 17 top ten singles in the United States.

Born in East Harlem section of Manhattan in New York City, Tupac frequently found his family changing place of residence. In 1988, his family moved and brought Tupac and his half-sister Sekyiwa to live with a family friend in Marin City, California (In the Bay Area). He loved the state of California and decided thats where he would continue to reside for the rest of his life. Shakur soon moved in with a neighbor and started selling drugs and hustling on the street, but he also became interested in rap music. With Ray Luv and DJ Dize, he started a rap group called Strictly Dope. Their recordings were later released in 2001 under the name Tupac Shakur: The Lost Tapes. Their neighborhood performances brought Tupac enough acclaim to land an audition with Shock G of Digital Underground.

In 1990 he was hired as a back-up dancer for the alternative rap group Digital Underground. Tupac’s debut album, 2Pacalypse Now, gained critical recognition and a ranged amount of backlash for its controversial criticism of the police force. Shakur soon began to experience various law suits and legal troubles—most notably, he was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman in 1993. The day before the guilty verdict was issued, Shakur was shot five times in a recording studio lobby in Manhattan. Following the incident, Shakur grew suspicious that other rappers were involved in his shooting; the controversy would help spark the later East Coast-West Coast feud. After serving 8 months of his sentence for the assault, Shakur was bailed from prison by Marion “Suge” Knight, the CEO of Death Row Records. In exchange, Shakur would release three records under the label, with his fifth, being the double disc album All Eyez on Me counting as two albums. On September 7, 1996, Tupac was shot four times in a drive by shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada. On September 13, 1996, six days after the shooting, Tupac died of respiratory failure and cardiac arrest in a Las Vegas local hospital. Many posthumous albums have been released under Shakur’s name.

Tupac’s music addresses such topics as the hardships of growing up around violence in United States ghettos, poverty, racism, and his feuds with fellow rappers. He is known for the messages of political, economic, and racial equality that pervade his work as well as the “thug life” that he raps about living in. His music has attracted a large amount of controversy and was showcased in the media a number of times. He has gained a large amount of publicity for being one of the main figures in the East Coast vs. West Coast feud between his Death Row Records label and Bad Boy Records. During his lifetime, Tupac released five albums and played roles in several films.

Collaborations

2pac has done songs with many artists, especially L.A. and the Bay Area. Tupac was influenced by many artists in the Bay since he kicked it in Oakland, Ca and used to live in Marin City. The artists he hooked up with include; E-40, Richie Rich, Spice 1, Mac Mall, Ray Luv, Young Lay, Too Short, MC Breed, Assassin, Scarface, Dru Down, Funky Aztecs, B-Legit, Rappin 4-Tay, Method Man, Shock G, Money B, Dramacydal, Ice-T, Ice Cube, Snoop Dog, Dr. Dre, Treach (of Naughty By Nature), Kc & JoJo, C-Bo, Kurupt, Nate Dogg, Daz Dillinger, Bonethugs-N-Harmony, Redman and many more.

Early life

Tupac Amaru Shakur was born in the Harlem section of Manhattan in New York City. He was named after Túpac Amaru II, an Incan revolutionary who led a Peruvian uprising against Spain and was subsequently sentenced to death. His last name Shakur comes from the Arabic word thankful (to God). Fearing someone might hurt her son, Afeni put the name Parish Lesane Crooks on his birth certificate but changed it a year later. Shakur’s mother Afeni was an active member of the Black Panther Party in New York in the late 1960s and early 1970s; Shakur was born just one month after his mother’s acquittal on more than 100 charges of “conspiracy against the United States government and New York landmarks” in the “New York Panther 21” court case.

Shakur’s godfather, Elmer “Geronimo” Pratt, was convicted of murdering a schoolteacher during a 1968 robbery. His stepfather, Mutulu Shakur, spent four years at large on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list beginning in 1982, when Tupac was a pre-teen. Mutulu was wanted in part for having aided his sister Assata Shakur, Tupac’s godmother, to escape from prison in New Jersey, where she had been incarcerated for the murder and wounding of two state troopers in 1973. Mutulu was caught in 1986 and imprisoned after being found guilty of the attempted robbery of a Brinks armored car in which two police officers and a guard were killed. Tupac has a half-sister, Sekyiwa, two years his junior, and an older step-brother, Mopreme “Komani” Shakur, who appeared on many of his recordings.

At age 12, Shakur was enrolled in Harlem’s famous “127th Street Ensemble”. His first major role with this acting troupe was as Travis in the play A Raisin in the Sun. In 1984, his family relocated to the Roland Park section of Baltimore. In that neighborhood he was not liked and was a social outcast because of his lack of trendy fashion, his name and looks. However, he had one friend there Dana “Mouse” Smith. In his sophomore year he transferred from Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School to the Baltimore School for the Arts, where he befriended a young Jada Pinkett. The two developed a close friendship. In the documentary Tupac: Resurrection, Shakur says, “Jada is my heart. She will be my friend for my whole life.” Also in this documentary, Smith calls Shakur “one of my best friends. He was like a brother. It was beyond friendship for us. The type of relationship we had, you only get that once in a lifetime.” In Tupac’s book, The Rose That Grew From Concrete, there is a poem written by Shakur titled “Jada” including another one titled “The Tears in Cupid’s Eyes” which is dedicated to her. The two remained close friends until Shakur’s death in 1996. At the School for the Arts, he studied ballet, poetry, jazz, and acting, performing in Shakespearean plays and landing the role of the Mouse King in The Nutcracker.

In June 1988, he and his family moved once again, this time to Marin City, California, where Shakur continued to pursue his career in entertainment. At the age of 17, he moved out of his mother’s house to seek his music career. In 1990 he was hired as a back-up dancer and roadie for up-and-coming rap group Digital Underground. His professional entertainment career began in early 1991, when he debuted his rap skills on the single “Same Song” from the group’s album This is an EP Release. Also in 1991, he appeared in the music video for “Same Song” and made a brief appearance as himself in the movie Nothing But Trouble.

Rise to fame

In late 1991, after his rap debut, Tupac Shakur performed with Digital Underground again on the album Sons Of The P. Later that year, he released his first solo album, 2Pacalypse Now. Initially he had trouble marketing his solo debut, but Interscope Records executives Ted Field and Tom Whalley eventually agreed to distribute the record.

Shakur claimed his first album was aimed at the problems facing young black males, but it was publicly criticized for its graphic language and images of violence by and against police. In one incident, a young man claimed his killing of a Texas trooper was inspired by the album. Former Vice President Dan Quayle publicly denounced the album as having “no place in our society”. 2Pacalypse Now did not do as well on the charts as future albums, spawning no top ten hits, and only being certified gold nearly 4 years later. His second album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., was released in 1993. Heavily produced by Stretch and the Live Squad, the album generated two hits, Keep Ya Head Up and I Get Around, the latter featuring guest appearances by other members of the Digital Underground crew.

In addition to rapping, Shakur began acting in films. His first starring role was in the 1991 movie Juice, in which he was hailed by Rolling Stone’s Peter Travers as “the film’s most magnetic figure.” He went on to star in Poetic Justice (with Janet Jackson), Above the Rim, Gridlock’d (with Tim Roth), Bullet, and Gang Related. He had also been slated to star in the Hughes brothers’ Menace II Society but was replaced by Larenz Tate after assaulting the directors. Director John Singleton claimed that he wrote the film Baby Boy with Shakur in mind for the leading role. It was eventually filmed with Tyrese Gibson in his place and released in 2001, five years after Shakur’s death. The movie features a mural of Shakur in the protagonist’s bedroom as well as featuring one of his songs.

In late 1993, Shakur formed the group Thug Life with a few of his friends, including Big Syke, Macadoshis, his step-brother Mopreme, and Rated R. The group released their first and only album Thug Life: Thug Life Vol. 1 on Interscope in 1994 which went on to be certified as a gold record.

Legal issues

Even as he garnered fame as a rapper and actor, Shakur gained notoriety for his conflicts with the law. On October of 1991 he filed a $10 million lawsuit against the Oakland Police Department, alleging they brutally beat him over a jaywalking incident. The suit was later settled for $42,000.

In October 1993, in Atlanta, Shakur shot two off-duty police officers (one in the leg, one in the buttocks) that were harassing a black motorist. Charges against Shakur were dismissed when it was discovered that both officers were intoxicated and were in possession of stolen weapons from an evidence locker during the incident.

In December 1993, however, Shakur was charged with sexually abusing a woman in his hotel room. According to the complaint, Shakur sodomized the woman and then encouraged his friends to sexually abuse her. Shakur vehemently denied the charges. Tupac had prior relations days earlier with the woman who was pressing the charges against him. She had performed oral sex on him on a club dance floor and the two had later had sex in his hotel room. The allegations were made after she revisited his hotel room for the second time where she engaged in sexual activity with his friends and claimed Tupac’s entourage had gang-raped her, saying to him while leaving, “How could you do this to me?” Tupac states he had fallen asleep shortly after she arrived and later awoke to her accusations and legal threats. He later said he felt guilty for letting anything occur in the first place, and did not want anyone else to go to jail, but at the same time did not want to go to jail for a crime he didn’t commit. On February 7, 1995, he was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for sexual assault; specifically, the conviction offense was for “sexual abuse (forcibly touching the buttocks).”

In 1994, he was convicted of attacking a former employer while on a music video set. He was sentenced to 15 days in jail with additional days on a highway work crew, community service, and a $2000 fine. In 1995, a wrongful death lawsuit was brought against Shakur in the 1992 shooting of 6-year old Qa’id Walker-Teal of Marin City, CA. The child had been the victim of a stray bullet in a shootout between Tupac’s entourage and a rival group, though the bullet was not from Tupac’s gun. Criminal charges were not sought, and Shakur settled with the family for an amount estimated between $300,000 and $500,000. After serving part of his sentence on the sexual abuse conviction, he was released on bail pending his appeal. On April 5, 1996, a judge sentenced him to serve 120 days in jail for violating terms of probation.

The November 30, 1994 Shooting

On the night of November 30, 1994, the day before the verdict in his sexual abuse trial was to be announced, Shakur was shot five times in the lobby of the Quad Recording Studios in Manhattan by two black men in an apparent robbery attempt. He would later accuse Puff Daddy (now Diddy) and Notorious B.I.G. whom he saw after the shooting of setting him up. Shakur believed that Biggie and Puffy knew about the plans of the shooting beforehand but had not warned Shakur ahead of time. According to the doctors at Bellevue Hospital, where he was admitted immediately following the incident, Shakur was shot 5 times. He checked out of the hospital, against doctor’s orders, three hours after surgery. The day following the incident, December 1, 1994, Shakur entered the courthouse in a wheelchair and was found guilty of forcibly touching her buttocks.

Prison sentence

Shakur began serving his prison sentence at Clinton Correctional Facility in February 1995. Shortly afterwards, he released his multi-platinum album Me Against the World. Shakur is the only artist ever to have an album at number one on the charts while serving a prison sentence. He married his long-time girlfriend, Keisha Morris, while serving his sentence. This marriage was later annulled. He also spent time reading the works of Niccolò Machiavelli (which inspired his later use of the name “Makaveli”), Sun Tzu’s The Art of War and other works of political philosophy and strategy. He also wrote a screenplay titled Live 2 Tell while incarcerated.

In September 1995, Shakur was released on bail after serving 11 months of his 4 year sentence, due in large part to the help and influence of Marion “Suge” Knight, CEO of Death Row Records. Knight posted $1.4 million bail pending appeal of the conviction, in exchange for which Shakur was obligated to release three albums for the Death Row label.

Post-prison/Death Row Records

After his release from prison, Shakur immediately went back to work recording. He began a new group, Tha Outlawz, and with them released the notorious diss track “Hit ‘Em Up”, a scathing lyrical attack on the Notorious B.I.G (Christopher Wallace) and others associated with him. In the track, Shakur claims to have had sex with Faith Evans, Wallace’s wife at the time, and attacks his street cred. Though there is no hard evidence suggesting that they did, Tupac was convinced that Wallace and Sean “Puffy” Combs had known about the shooting beforehand based on their behavior that night and what his sources told him. He also believed that the lyrics in Biggie’s track “Who Shot Ya” were disrespectful and shouldn’t have been released at such a time.

Shakur aligned himself with Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight, who was already bitter toward Combs and his successful Bad Boy label; this added fuel to the building East-West feud. Wallace and Shakur would remain bitter enemies until Shakur’s death.

In February 1996, Shakur released his fourth solo album, All Eyez on Me. This double album was the first and second of his three-album commitment to Death Row Records. It sold over 9 million copies. The album was a general departure from the introspective subject matter of Me Against the World, being more oriented toward a thug and gangsta mentality. Shakur continued his recordings despite increasing problems at the Death Row label. Dr. Dre left his post as house producer to form his own label, Aftermath. CEO Suge Knight was under investigation for illegal and unethical activities and business practices. Despite these problems, Shakur produced hundreds of tracks during his time at Death Row, most of which would be released on posthumous albums such as Better Dayz and Until the End of Time. He also began the process of recording an album with the Boot Camp Clik and their label Duck Down Records, both New York-based, entitled One Nation. The goal of this project was to bring closure to the East Coast-West Coast feud by bringing together what Shakur thought were the best rappers from both coasts. This project remains unreleased, though some of Tupac’s contributions to the album have been used in various other posthumous releases.

By the end of his life, Tupac was in the middle of starting his film production company Euphanasia, and was going to start writing and directing films. Tupac wanted to host concerts that would be free for students who get a C or above, and wanted to build community centers and start baseball and football leagues for inner-city children. Tupac and Johnny “J” were starting up 24/7 Productions and Tupac was starting up Non-Stop Productions. Thug Passion was a drink that Tupac was planning on bottling and selling; the song “Thug Passion” was made to be a theme song for the drink. Tupac was going to step back from rapping by releasing albums every five years or so on his new record label, Makaveli Records, which would have been distributed by Death Row Records. Tupac and Suge Knight were in the process of expanding Death Row to the East, establishing a Death Row East. Tupac died before this could be fulfilled.

The Fatal September 7, 1996 shooting

On September 7, 1996, Shakur attended the Mike Tyson-Bruce Seldon boxing match at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV. After the boxing match, Shakur spotted 21 year-old Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, a member of the Southside Crips in the MGM Grand lobby. Shakur rushed him and knocked Anderson down, and Shakur’s entourage beat him. The incident was captured on the hotel’s video surveillance. Anderson had allegedly beaten up one of Shakur’s bodyguards in a shopping mall a few weeks earlier, precipitating Shakur’s attack. After the fight with Anderson, Shakur met up with Suge Knight to go to Death Row-owned Club 662 (now known as restaurant/club Seven). Shakur rode with Knight in Knight’s 1996 black BMW 750i sedan, as part of a larger convoy of cars including some of Shakur’s friends, tha Outlawz, and bodyguards.

At 11:14 P.M., while stopped at the intersection of East Flamingo Road and Koval Lane, Shakur was shot in a drive-by shooting. Shakur was hit four times, twice in the chest, and once each in his arm and thigh, while Knight was scratched in the head by a piece of flying glass.

At the time of the shooting, Shakur was riding alongside with Suge Knight, with his bodyguard following behind in a vehicle belonging to Kidada Jones, Shakur’s then-girlfriend. The bodyguard, Frank Alexander, stated that while he was about to ride along with the rapper in Suge Knight’s car, Shakur asked him to drive Kidada Jones’ car in case they were too drunk and needed additional vehicles from Club 662 back to the hotel. Shortly after the shootings, the bodyguard reported in his documentary, Before I Wake, that one of the convoy’s car drove off after the assailant but he never heard back from the occupants.

After arriving on the scene, police and paramedics took Shakur and Knight to the University Medical Center. Shakur was placed on life support until his death six days later, on September 13, 1996, at 4:03 PM. He was 25 years old. The official cause of death was respiratory failure and cardiac arrest. After his death, Shakur’s body was cremated. Family and friends reportedly spread his ashes over the Pacific Ocean near Los Angeles, CA.

Theories of the crime

Although no one has ever been formally charged, nor publicly identified by the police as a suspect, police sources have indicated they believe that Anderson (who has since been murdered himself) and his fellow Southside Crips were behind the shooting. Officers in the Compton, CA Police Department Gang Unit claimed the Crips were bragging about the killing soon after Anderson returned from Las Vegas. Officers further indicated they were disappointed with the lack of initiative shown by the Las Vegas Police Department in pursuing Shakur’s killer(s).

Due largely to the perceived lack of progress on the case by law enforcement, many independent investigations and theories of the crime have emerged. Because of the acrimony between Christopher Wallace (aka The Notorious B.I.G.) and Shakur, there was speculation about the possibility of Wallace’s involvement in the murder from the outset. Wallace vehemently denied involvement. However, in a notable 2002 investigation by the Los Angeles Times, writer Chuck Phillips claimed to have uncovered evidence implicating Wallace in the murder. In the article, Phillips quoted unnamed gang-member sources who claimed Wallace had ties to the Crips, often hiring them for security during West Coast appearances. Phillips’ informants also state that Wallace gave the gang members one of his own guns for use in the attack on Shakur, and that he put out a $1 million contract on Tupac’s life. By the time Phillips’ specific allegations were published, however, Wallace himself had been murdered.

Wallace’s family and associates have vehemently denied Wallace’s involvement in Shakur’s death. In support of their claims, Wallace’s family submitted documentation to MTV indicating that Wallace was working in a New York recording studio the night of Shakur’s murder. Wallace’s manager Wayne Barrow and rapper James “Lil’ Cease” Lloyd made public announcements denying Wallace’s involvement in the murder and claiming further that they were both with Wallace in the recording studio the night of the shooting.

The high profile nature of the killing and ensuing gang violence caught the attention of British filmmaker Nick Broomfield who made the documentary Biggie & Tupac, which examines the lack of progress in the case by speaking to those close to Wallace, Shakur, and the investigation. Shakur’s close childhood friend and member of the Outlawz, Yafeu “Yaki Kadafi” Fula, was in the convoy when the shooting happened and indicated to police that he might be able to identify the assailants. He was killed shortly thereafter in a housing project in Irvington, New Jersey.

It was believed by many listeners that in the first few seconds of the album The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, one could hear a voice saying “Suge shot me,” or “Suge shot ‘em”, closer listening indicates that the words are “Should’a shot me” (You should have shot me), directed towards his enemies at the time. This, along with reports of Knight’s strong-arm tactics with artists and other illegal/unethical business tactics gave rise to a theory that Knight was implicit in Shakur’s murder, as it was reported that Suge Knight owed Tupac up to seventeen million dollars in back royalties, but no evidence has been provided to support this theory.

Other theories have been put forth, including a theory that Shakur is alive and well, but in hiding. Many supporters of these theories point to the symbolism in Shakur’s The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory album and in the video for the single “I Ain’t Mad at Cha”.

Style and influences

Shakur’s first album, 2Pacalypse Now, revealed the socially conscious side of Tupac. On this album Shakur attacked social injustice, poverty and police brutality on songs like “Brenda’s Got a Baby”, “Trapped” and “Part Time Mutha”. His style on this album was heavily influenced by the social consciousness and Afrocentrism pervading hip-hop in the late 1980s and early 1990s. On this initial release, Shakur helped extend the legacy of rap groups like Boogie Down Productions, Public Enemy, X-Clan, and even Grandmaster Flash, as he became one of the first major socially conscious rappers from the West Coast.

On his second album, Shakur continued to rap about the social ills facing African-Americans, with songs like “The Streetz R Death Row” and “Last Wordz”. He also showed his compassionate side with the inspirational anthem “Keep Ya Head Up”, while simultaneously putting his legendary aggressiveness on display with the title track from the album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. He even added a salute to his former group Digital Underground by including them on the playful track “I Get Around.” Throughout his career, an increasingly aggressive attitude can be seen pervading Shakur’s subsequent albums.

The contradictory themes of social inequality and injustice, unbridled aggression, compassion, playfulness, and hope all continued to shape Shakur’s work, as witnessed with the release of his incendiary 1995 album Me Against the World. Few albums represent the perfect storm of street wisdom, intelligence and the sea of conflicting emotions that is Tupac Shakur better than his 1996 release, the critically acclaimed All Eyez on Me. With several tracks considered classics, including “I Ain’t Mad At Cha”, “California Love (Remix)” and “Picture Me Rollin’”, many critics consider this album to be not only Shakur’s best, but one of the crown jewels of 1990’s rap.

The album The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, released under Tupac’s pseudonym “Makaveli”, presents a stark contrast to previous works. In 7 Day Theory, Tupac continued focusing on the themes of pain and aggression, making this album one of the emotionally darker works of his career. Tupac wrote and recorded all the lyrics in only 3 days and the production took another 4 days a total of 7 days to complete the album. Tupac had complete creative input on the album from the name of the album to the cover which Tupac chose to symbolize how the media has crucified him.

Shakur’s work has influenced many modern rap artists. Artists like Eminem and 50 Cent freely admit his influence on their work. Still others, like DMX, have been compared to Shakur based on their style and public persona.

Legacy

To preserve Shakur’s legacy, his mother founded the Shakur Family Foundation (later re-named the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation or TASF) in 1997. The TASF’s stated mission is to “provide training and support for students who aspire to enhance their creative talents.” The TASF sponsors essay contests, charity events, a performing arts day camp for teenagers and undergraduate scholarships. The Foundation officially opened the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts (TASCA) in Stone Mountain, Georgia on June 11, 2005.

On November 14, 2003, a documentary about Shakur entitled Tupac: Resurrection, was released under the supervision of his mother and narrated entirely in his voice. The movie was nominated for “Best Documentary” in the 2005 Academy Awards. Proceeds will go to a charity set up by Afeni Shakur.

On April 17, 2003, Harvard University co-sponsored an academic symposium entitled “All Eyez on Me: Tupac Shakur and the Search for the Modern Folk Hero.” The speakers discussed a wide range of topics dealing with Shakur’s impact on everything from entertainment to sociology.

Many of the speakers discussed Shakur’s status and public persona, including State University of New York English professor Mark Anthony Neal, who gave the talk “Thug Nigga Intellectual: Tupac as Celebrity Gramscian” in which he argued that Shakur was an example of the “organic intellectual” expressing the concerns of a larger group. Professor Neal has also indicated in his writings that the death of Shakur has left a “leadership void amongst hip-hop artists.” Neal further describes Tupac as a “walking contradiction”, a status that allowed him to “make being an intellectual accessible to ordinary people.”

Professor of Communications Murray Forman, of Northeastern University, spoke of the mythical status surrounding Shakur’s life and death. He addressed the symbolism and mythology surrounding Shakur’s death in his talk entitled “Tupac Shakur: O.G. (Ostensibly Gone)”. Among his findings were that Shakur’s fans have “succeeded in resurrecting Tupac as an ethereal life force.”

In “From Thug Life to Legend: Realization of a Black Folk Hero”, Professor of Music at Northeastern University, Emmett Price, compared Shakur’s public image to that of the trickster-figures of African-American folklore which gave rise to the urban “bad-man” persona of the post-slavery period. He ultimately described Shakur as a “prolific artist” who was “driven by a terrible sense of urgency” in a quest to “unify mind, body, and spirit.”

Michael Dyson, University of Pennsylvania Avalon Professor of Humanities and African American Studies and author of the book Holler If You Hear Me: Searching for Tupac Shakur, indicated that Shakur “spoke with brilliance and insight as someone who bears witness to the pain of those who would never have his platform. He told the truth, even as he struggled with the fragments of his identity.”

Other academics at the Harvard Conference spoke of Shakur’s impact on entertainment, race relations, politics and the “hero/martyr” status to which he was elevated by fans after his death.

The University of California, Berkeley introduced a new course in 1998 called “History ‘98: Poetry and History of Tupac Shakur…”

Edited by HairMetalAddict on 27 Oct 2009, 21:49

Snoop Dogg

Biography

Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971 in Long Beach, California, United States), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is a Grammy award nominated rapper, producer and actor. Snoop is best known as a famous MC in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of producer Dr. Dre’s most notable protégés. He made his rap debut in 1992 on Dre’s debut album The Chronic, and then released his debut album, Doggystyle, to much critical and public acclaim. His mother nicknamed him “Snoopy” as a child, and he took the stage name Snoop Doggy Dogg when he began recording. He changed his name to Snoop Dogg in 1996 when he left his original record label, Death Row Records, and signed with No Limit Records.

He has been affiliated with the Crips, a U.S. street gang. Several of his cousins, including RBX, Nate Dogg, Daz Dillinger, and Warren G are also hip hop artists and often collaborate with Snoop. In 2000, Snoop (as “Michael J. Corleone”) directed Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle, a pornographic film produced by Hustler. This film, combining hip-hop with X-rated material, was a huge success and won “Top Selling Release of the Year” at the 2002 AVN Awards. Driven by this success, Snoop directed Snoop Dogg’s Hustlaz: Diary of a Pimp in 2002 (this time using the nickname “Snoop Scorsese”).

As a rapper, he is perhaps best known for his “lazy drawl” — a slurred, distinctively calm, laid-back, and rhythmically-complex lyrical delivery. His lyrics have often been criticized for their glorification of misogyny, violence and gangsterism; however, he is often credited for accurately portraying street slang and attitudes.

Edited by IRONICtypo on 28 Mar 2011, 18:50

Jay-Z

Birth Name:Shawn Corey Carter Born:December 04, 1969 in Brooklyn, NY GenreHip Hop/Rap Years Active:'80s, '90s, '00s, '10s

Selalu ada cara yang dilakukan oleh Penyanyi ternama untuk memuaskan hati para penonton saat melihat penampilannya. Sama seperti halnya yang dilakukan oleh sang rapper, Jay Z yang akan tampil di festival musik South by Southwest (SXSW). Suami dari Beyonce ini secara live akan menayangkan penampilannya tersebut secara online via situs Youtube. Tersiar kabar juga, Jay Z akan mengajak Eminem untuk tampil bersama.
Festival musik tersebut akan disiarkan secara langsung oleh Austin City Limits pada 12 Maret depan. Sedangkan untuk tayangan ulangnya dapat disaksikan pada tanggal 13-19 Maret. Hal yang menarik dari tayangan langsung ini adalah para fans Jay Z bisa ikut menentukan lagu yang akan dibawakan oleh Jay disana.
Permintaan lagu fans itu bisa ditulis di akun Twitter yang sudah ditetapkan oleh penyelenggara. “Daftarkan lagu permintaanmu di #JAYZSyncShow dan #Song when you Tweet. Jika lagumu termasuk yang banyak di-request, dia akan menyanyikannya secara langsung dari Austin,” tulis penyelenggara.
Festival musik SXSW sendiri akan dimulai tanggal 9 Maret depan hingga 18 Maret di Austin, Texas, Amerika. Selain Jay, beberapa penyanyi lain juga tampil sebagai bintang tamu seperti The Ting Tings, Bruce Springsteen, John Mayer dan lainnya.

 

 

Phish with Jay-Z A youtube video of Jay-Z playing with Phish on June 18, 2004, rapping on 99 Problems and Big Pimpin' video found in Phish

Jay-Z jamming with Phish A youtube video featuring Jay-Z dropping in to play 99 Problems and Big Pimpin' with Phish on June 18, 2004. video found in Jay-Z

The Beatles & Jay-Z: "Encore" DJ Danger Mouse's mashup of The Beatles' "The White Album" & Jay-Z's "The Black Album" is taken a further step away from legality (copyright-wise) with this experimental music video. Pretty awesome. video found in Music Videos

Jay-Z doesn't like the competition Hip Hop's elite have co-signed Royce Da 5'9". Jay-Z doesn't seem to want to acknowledge his competition. link found in Jay-Z

"The Best of Me" (Mya featuring Jay-Z) The official music video for Mya's follow-up to her track "The Best of Me" by the same name, this time featuring Jay-Z. video found in Music Videos

"Umbrella" (Rihanna featuring Jay-Z) The official music video for Rihanna's 2007 single with Jay-Z, "Umbrella". video found in Music Videos

Phish & Jay-Z, 99 Problems and Big Pimpin'(06-18-2004) Check out Trey's ultra cheesy smile...seems like they are having a blast w/ Jay-Z. video found in Live Music

jay z ft ugk big pimpin jay z ft ugk big pimpin jay z volume 3 defjam video found in Rap and Hip-Hop

Jay Z and Linkin Park Numb Encore FULL Jay Z and Linkin Park Numb Encore FULL video found in PatrickOnline

Jay-Z - Blue Magic Official music video for "Blue Magic" by Jay-Z (2007) video found in Music Videos

 

The Black Eyed Peas

In an era of an ever-changing music industry that's defined by diminishing expectation, where a "successful" career means having one, maybe two hit records; The Black Eyed Peas are a glorious exception. They have become one of the best selling, most popular and most innovative groups for over a decade. They have transformed themselves from a beloved backpack rap troop from the West Coast Underground into fully-fledged, massive global superstars whose music can be heard in any country around the world.

They've done this the right way: creating albums that are more innovative than the last; which has translated into each new album being more popular than the last. And in following this pattern, The Black Eyed Peas – will.i.am, Fergie, Taboo and apl.de.ap – are releasing their sixth full-length album, The Beginning.

The Beginning follows on the heels of 2009's The E.N.D., BEP's most popular and most creative album to date – and the album that reaffirmed their singular status as global music icons. The E.N.D sold more than 11 million copies worldwide; it entered the Billboard Top 200 Chart at #1 outperforming their previous cd, Monkey Business– an unheard of feat in this day and age. It yielded 5 Top 10 singles (the first album to do so in 20 years), spent an entire year in the Billboard Top 200 Chart, and earned the group 3 new Grammy Awards, for a total of six Grammy Awards they've won. In all, they've sold 29 million records worldwide (plus over 30-million digital tracks). They've sold over 3-million tickets and headlined over 300 different tour dates in 29 different countries. Simply put, there doesn't exist another contemporary artist or group who can come close to their sustained success.

It's how The Black Eyed Peas have achieved that success that is the most rewarding part of their story: through constant innovation. The Peas never follow contemporary trends in music, but rather create their own – soundtracking everyday emotions with new musical styles.  They seem to always be one-step ahead of everyone else, but still remain effortlessly accessible to anyone who likes to nod their head. The E.N.D., was a perfect example of that. Invigorated by the energy of the underground club scene, the Peas found a way to mix hip-hop with the rhythms and beats of house, electro and techno music – and turn it into pop music. It's a sound no one had created before, and quick scan of the dozens of R&B and pop singles on the radio today will reveal just how much of an impact the Peas made on pop music.

Now, however, comes The Beginning to up the ante. The Beginning does not signal a new start for the group, will not provoke talk of a rebirth. In fact, musically, The Beginning taps very much into the dance-club energy perfected on The E.N.D., albeit with a more sophisticated pop and electronic music palette. The Beginning, rather, is a reference to the world at large, right here at this very moment in time – new methods of communicating, new methods of broadcasting are connecting the world in ways never before imaginable. It's created an exciting time – for making music, for creating – and it's invigorated the group.

"The Beginning is symbolic of adopting new technologies, such as augmented reality, 3D and 360 video," explains will.i.am. "It's also about being experimental, taking songs we've liked from the past and playing around with sick, crazy beats. It's an amazing time to be creative right now and I think people are open to that."

The Black Eyed Peas have always been considered innovators ever since emerging out of the West Coast underground rap scene in the 1990s. In 2002, they welcomed Fergie into the group (for their third album, Elephunk), and it transformed them from beloved backpack rap stalwarts into one of the most popular groups in the world. It was on The E.N.D., though, that the Peas truly made their musical mark, tapping into the infinite energy and communal experience of worldwide club music. The sound they created on that album is now the blueprint for contemporary pop and R&B music; a fact that any quick scan of the radio dial can confirm.

The Beginning is an evolution of that sound, this time harnessing a more seductive electro vibe in addition to big house grooves. The song, "The Time (Dirty Bit)," is the first single from The Beginning, and it features an interpolation of the theme song from the 1987 film, Dirty Dancing.

It went straight to #1 on iTunes in 11 countries within the first 24 hours. "That song is a celebration of this amazing time in our lives,” says vocalist Fergie. “We’ve been on tour all over the world, and looking out at stadiums full of people who came out to see us — that’s as big as it gets. After the shows, we go out to the clubs and meet the fans; those are moments that we have to remember.” “Plus the fact that we get to experience it with each other,” adds vocalist apl.de.ap, “that’s the best feeling ever.”

“You never know what’s going to happen, so you want to make the best of every day,” says will.i.am. “We wanted to capture that feeling and release a song that celebrates with the fans because it wouldn’t have happened without them.” This album is the beginning of a new era of Pea world domination -- fasten your seat belts pea-ple enjoy the ride, declares Taboo.

Along with the first single, other songs from The Beginning, like, "Love You Long Time," "Do It Like This," and "The Best One Yet" are evidence that perhaps no other group in the world can craft an anthem quite like The Black Eyed Peas. It's balanced out on the album with songs like the electro ballad, "Just Can't Get Enough," which highlights the physical and emotional range of Fergie's voice. These are all the type of songs that tap into everyday feelings of everyday folks; they evoke the anxious moments before a great night out; the memories of best times spent with friends; or the butterflies of ambition.

Much of The Beginning was conceived during The Black Eyed Peas most recent worldwide headlining tour, where they visited more than 20 countries and played to more than a million people. Drawing from a long playlist of hits from their catalog and a vibrant, multimedia stage show (which the “New York Times” described as a gripping pop "sci-fi spectacle," the Peas are one of the biggest attractions in the world right now.

"When you have that interaction with the fans (at a live show), there's no other greater inspiration in the world," says will.i.am. "You see them rapping the lyrics back to you or dancing to your joints, it's energizing. And at the after parties, when we DJ, you can experiment with different sounds and see how people react, it's not a pretentious environment in the clubs and they embrace you with an open mind. It becomes like a laboratory. And so that whole experience of being on tour and that interaction, all of it just drives us to want to make the best and most creative music we can."