Reco Price born April 23, 1970, better known by his stage name Supernatural aka Super Nat or MC Supernatural is a rapper best known for his “on-the-spot” freestyle and battle rap abilities. He has been a regular performer and host of the Rock the Bells Music Festival since its beginning in 2004.
No More Mr. Nice Guy is the debut album by hip hop duo Gang Starr, released in June 5 1989 and re-released April 22, 2008. Although it was regarded as a critical success amid the first wave of alternative hip hop acts such as Jungle Brothers and De La Soul, No More Mr. Nice Guy remains somewhat overshadowed by the highly influential debut albums by the aforementioned artists. Like other hip hop records of the time, the album displays rap braggadocio and positive lyrics, along with references to the beliefs of the Nation of Gods and Earths. However, it also shows a mix of jazz-influenced beats, scratching techniques, and hardcore rap elements, which would become the group’s signature sound. No More Mr. Nice Guy peaked at #83 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. “Positivity” peaked at #19 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Singles chart. The latter, although released as a single and video, never appeared on any of the group’s greatest hits compilations.
Check Your Head is the third studio album by the Beastie Boys, released on April 21, 1992. Three years elapsed between the release of Paul’s Boutique “the band’s second album” and their recording of this album. Check Your Head was recorded at the G-Son Studios in Atwater Village, California in 1991. The album was re-released in 2009 in a number of formats and featured 16 b-sides and rarities as well as a commentary track.
The Pretty Toney Album is the fourth studio album by hip hop artist Ghostface, a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. It is the only album from the artist to be released solely under the title of “Ghostface” “Killah” is entirely omitted in any reference to his name on the packaging, but it is otherwise a normal Ghostface Killah release in line with the rest of his catalogue. The album has sold 228,000 copies as of November 2009. The album cover is a photograph taken from his performance of the song “Summertime” with Beyoncé at Jay-Z’s farewell concert at Madison Square Garden in November of 2003. The oversized jewelry he is seen wearing in the photograph was given to him prior to his performance by rapper Slick Rick, as seen in the film “Fade to Black.”
There are few artists in hip-hop who have ever truly matched their hype and 21 years ago today April 19, 1994, Nas did just that. He released his highly-anticipated debut album, Illmatic on Columbia Records. Nas recorded the album in 1992–1993 at Chung King Studios, D&D Recording, Battery Studios and Unique Recording Studios in New York City. The album debuted at #12 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 59,000 copies in its first week. However, its initial sales fell below expectations and its five singles failed to achieve significant chart success. Despite the album’s low initial sales, Illmatic received rave reviews from most music critics, who praised its lyrical content, production, and Nas’ lyricism. On January 17, 1996, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America and in 2001 it earned platinum certification after shipping one million copies in the US. Illmatic has been recognized by writers and music critics as a landmark album in East Coast hip hop.
Fred Scruggs born April 18, 1971, better known by his stage name Fredro Starr, is a rapper and actor, best known as a member of hardcore hip hop group Onyx. Fredro Starr released six albums with Onyx.
Reginald “Reggie” Noble born April 17, 1970, better known by his stage name Redman, is a MC, rapper, DJ, record producer and actor. He came to fame in the early 1990s as an artist on the Def Jam label. He is also well known for his collaborations with Method Man, as one-half of the rap duo Method Man & Redman, including their starring roles in films and sitcoms. He was also a member of the Def Squad in the late 1990s.
Clive Campbell was born April 16, 1955, also known as Kool Herc, DJ Kool Herc and Kool DJ Herc, is a DJ who is credited with originating hip hop music in the early 1970s in The Bronx, New York City. His playing of hard funk records of the sort typified by James Brown was an alternative both to the violent gang culture of the Bronx and to the nascent popularity of disco in the 1970s. Campbell began to isolate the instrumental portion of the record, which emphasized the drum beat—the “break”—and switch from one break to another.
“Hate Me Now” is a 1999 hip hop single by rapper Nas featuring Puff Daddy. The backbeat is inspired by, and contains some samples from, Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. It was ranked 119 on xxl’s best songs of the 90’s. The music video for the single, directed by Hype Williams and featuring Nas being crucified, was the subject of extreme controversy, as the original edit also featured Puff Daddy on the cross. A Catholic, Puffy had demanded that his crucifixion scene be excised from the broadcast edit of the video, but the wrong edit was sent to MTV and aired on April 15, 1999. Within minutes of the broadcast, Puffy had barged into the offices of Nas’ manager Steve Stoute with several bodyguards, and struck Stoute over the head with a champagne bottle. Stoute later sued Puffy, the suit was settled out of court.
Da Brat, born Shawntae Harris on April 14, 1974 in Joliet, Illinois is a Grammy-nominated rapper and actress. Her debut album, Funkdafied (1994), sold one million copies, making her the first female solo rap act to have a platinum-selling album.
Gangsta Harmony is the debut album by singer/producer, Mo B. Dick. It was released on April 13, 1999 through No Limit Records and was produced by Mo B. Dick himself and the other members of Beats By the Pound. Gangsta Harmony wasn’t much of a success, only peaking at #66 on the Billboard 200 and #16 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Never the less.
Ulpiano Sergio Reyes born April 12, 1967, Pinar del Río, Cuba, better known as Mellow Man Ace is a rapper. He is best known for his hit single “Mentirosa.
Friday is the soundtrack album for the 1995 comedy film, Friday. It was released on April 11, 1995, on CD and cassette through Priority Records and consisted of hip hop and R&B music. The soundtrack reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, where it held the position for two weeks, and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for six weeks. It also spawned the successful Dr. Dre single “Keep Their Heads Ringin’”, which made it to No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart. The album was certified 2x platinum on June 4, 1996, while the single, “Keep Their Heads Ringin’”, was certified gold on May 10, 1995.
Fear of a Black Planet is the third studio album by hip hop group Public Enemy, released on April 10, 1990, by Def Jam Recordings and Columbia Records. It was produced by the group’s production team The Bomb Squad, who sought to expand on the dense, sample-layered sound of Public Enemy’s previous album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back 1988. Having fulfilled their initial creative ambitions with that album, Public Enemy pursued a different direction and aspired to create what lead MC Chuck D specified as “a deep, complex album”. Their songwriting was partly inspired by the controversy with member Professor Griff and his dismissal from the group in 1989. Fear of a Black Planet contains themes concerning organization and empowerment within the African-American community, while presenting criticism of social issues affecting African Americans at the time of the album’s conception. Its criticism of institutional racism and White supremacy were inspired by Dr. Frances Cress Welsing’s views on color. In its first week, the album sold one million copies in the United States, where it charted at number 10 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Fear of a Black Planet was praised by music critics for its sonic quality, societal themes, and insightful lyrics, and was named one of the best albums in 1990. It has since been recognized as one of hip hop’s greatest and most important albums, as well as being musically and culturally significant. In 2003, it was ranked number 300 on Rolling Stone ’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, and in 2005, the Library of Congress added it to the National Recording Registry.