

They received the Founders Award at the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Awards.Ī Tribe Called Quest is thought to have inspired artists such as D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, and Lauryn Hill and have been credited for helping launch the careers of Busta Rhymes, J Dilla, and Consequence. The group was commercially extremely successful, and all the albums were certified either gold or platinum. Lyrically, the group addressed many social issues and even criticized the hip hop industry. That's due to their unique approach to rap music, which blends jazz influences and Afro-centric rhymes with hip hop. The group is considered to be the pioneer of alternative hip hop music and responsible for the popularity of the new genre that dominated the East Coast sound in the early 90s. The group was formed in 1985 by Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Jarobi White. became popular, Jackson decided to get a degree because he didn't believe that they would achieve success with their rapping.ĮXCLUSIVE: You may be interested in 6 Steps to Become a Famous Rapper and Launch Your Career too.Ī Tribe Called Quest was a hip hop group from New York. INTERESTING FACT: Ice Cube has a degree in architectural drafting. With over 3 million copies sold in the US, this album was commercially the most successful album he's done. This was followed by The Predator (1992), which was the first album of his to debut at No. His first two solo albums, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (1990) and Death Certificate (1991) consist of political rap, and they were critically acclaimed. Ice Cube wrote most of Eazy's lyrics for the album Straight Outta Compton, which went on to shape the identity of West Coast rap. Dre and Eazy-E, he contributed significantly to gangsta rap's popularity. With his gangsta rap group, N.W.A., formed with Dr. Jackson then started using this name, and it caught on. His brother threatened to slam him into a freezer and pull him out when he would be an ice cube. Jackson's artist name was inspired by an incident from his life. , known as Ice Cube, is a rapper, actor, and filmmaker. Tupac bought Biggie his first Rolex, which shows how close they once were. INTERESTING FACT: Before the rap feud started, Tupac and Biggie used to be good friends. With two more albums released after his death, over 28 million copies were sold in the US. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and was Diamond certified. The second album, Life After Death, was released soon after that and achieved No. However, he was also murdered in a drive-by shooting less than a year later. After Tupac Shakur was killed in a drive-by shooting, Wallace was considered to be the main suspect. This album also made him an important part of East Coast hip hop.ĭuring the time when Wallace was recording his second album, he became heavily involved in the East Coast-West Coast hip hop feud. He was signed to Sean Combs' label in 1993, and his debut album Ready to Die (1994) included the hit songs "Juicy" and "Big Poppa," and was met with widespread critical acclaim. He became recognized in the gangsta rap scene for music that talked about criminality, debauchery, and hardships. He is regarded as one of the most outstanding rappers in history.

or Biggie Smalls, was a rapper and songwriter. Latore Wallace, known as the Notorious B.I.G. His mother was in prison on more than 150 charges of "Conspiracy against the United States government and New York landmarks" but was released right before giving birth to Tupac.Ĭheck out our article on 25+ Top Chirstian Singers for more information. INTERESTING FACT: When Tupac was born, both of his parents were active members of New York's Black Panther Party during the 60s and 70s. Rolling Stone added Shakur to its list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, and we think that spot was rightfully earned. With over 75 million records sold worldwide, Shakur is one of the best-selling music artists in history. Unfortunately, Shakur was shot in 1996 and consequently passed away. His last album All Eyez on Me (1996) was certified Diamond. He was also involved in the East Coast-West Coast hip hop rivalry between 19. Shakur achieved commercial and critical recognition with his next albums, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. Shakur had already established a notable presence in the West Coast hip hop scene by the time his debut album, 2Pacalypse Now (1991), was released.
This made him a famous symbol of resistance against inequality in the eyes of many.
His music was significant for many people because he talked about social problems in inner cities. He is considered to be one of the most influential rappers in history.
