William Jonathan Drayton, Jr. (born March 16, 1959), better known by his stage name
Flavor Flav, is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rapper and television personality who rose to prominence as a member of the rap group Public Enemy. He is also known for popularizing the role of the
hype manA hype man in hip hop music and rapping is a “backup rapper/singer who is also responsible for increasing an audience's excitement with call-and-response chants” according to The Hilltop and author Grant Barrett....
and for yelling "Yeah boy!" and "Flavor Flav!" during performances.
After falling out of the public eye for a number of years, he reappeared as the star of several
VH1VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
reality series, including
The Surreal LifeThe Surreal Life is a reality television series that sets a select group of past-their-prime celebrities and records them as they live together in Glen Campbell's former mansion in the Hollywood Hills for two weeks...
,
Strange LoveStrange Love is a reality series featuring Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav that aired on VH1. Sparked by their on-screen romance in the third season of VH1's The Surreal Life, it is a spin-off that focused solely on Brigitte and Flav...
, and
Flavor of LoveFlavor of Love is an American reality television dating game show parody starring Flavor Flav of the rap group Public Enemy.While not a direct spin-off, the show was a result of Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav's failed relationship on Strange Love, as well as The Surreal Life...
.
Early life
Drayton grew up in Freeport, Long Island. His father owned a
greasy spoonGreasy spoon is a colloquial or slang term originating in the United States to mean a small, especially cheap, archetypal working class restaurant or diner. The term is now used in many English speaking countries to mean the same thing...
called the Soul Diner. Flav began playing the piano at age five; he claims to be self-taught. A musical prodigy, he sang in the youth choir at his church and mastered the piano, drums, and guitar at an early age. He eventually became proficient in 15 instruments. His childhood included legal trouble: he set a house on fire as a small child while playing with a lighter and, by the time he dropped out of school in the 11th grade, he had been in and out of jail for robbery and burglary.
He attended
Adelphi UniversityAdelphi University is a private, nonsectarian university located in Garden City, in Nassau County, New York, United States. It is the oldest institution of higher education on Long Island. For the sixth year, Adelphi University has been named a “Best Buy” in higher education by the Fiske Guide to...
in Long Island where he met Carlton Ridenhour, who would become known as
Chuck DCarlton Douglas Ridenhour , better known by his stage name, Chuck D, is an American rapper, author, and producer. He helped create politically and socially conscious rap music in the mid-1980s as the leader of the rap group Public Enemy.- Early life :Ridenhour was born in Queens, New York...
. Flavor Flav took his stage name after his graffiti tag. They first collaborated on Chuck D's hip-hop college radio show, then began rapping together. The two worked for Chuck D's father's delivery service.
Music
Flavor Flav came to prominence as a founding member of the rap group Public Enemy. In 1984, the group released a track, "Public Enemy #1", which brought them to the attention of Def Jam Records executive
Rick RubinFrederick Jay "Rick" Rubin is an American record producer and the co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, Rubin was the co-founder of Def Jam Records and also established American Recordings...
. Rubin initially did not understand Flav's role in the act and wanted to sign
Chuck DCarlton Douglas Ridenhour , better known by his stage name, Chuck D, is an American rapper, author, and producer. He helped create politically and socially conscious rap music in the mid-1980s as the leader of the rap group Public Enemy.- Early life :Ridenhour was born in Queens, New York...
as a solo act; however Chuck D insisted that Flav be signed with them and the two were signed to Def Jam in 1986. The group's first album,
Yo! Bum Rush the Show* Q magazine - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...a stunning opening...just the first, in retrospect almost shy, step on a remarkable journey...a hard, droning extension of the basic drum`n'scratch Def Jam template that had served LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys so well."* Melody Maker - Recommended - "It...
, was released in 1987. Flav served as the comic foil to Chuck D's serious, politically charged style. The group gained much wider fame with their following release, 1988's
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us BackIt Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back is the second studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released April 14, 1988, on Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions for the album took place at Chung King Studios, Greene Street Recording, and Sabella Studios in New York City...
, which went double platinum. By the time the political single "
Fight the Power"Fight the Power" is a single by American hip hop group Public Enemy. First released on the soundtrack for the film 1989 Do the Right Thing, a different version was released on the group's third studio album, Fear of a Black Planet . The single reached number one on Hot Rap Singles and number 20 on...
" was issued in 1989, the group had become mainstream superstars.
Along with Chuck D, the showman of the group and its promotional voice, Flav stood out among the members of Public Enemy as he often got the fans excited, appearing on stage and in public wearing big hats and glasses and a large clock dangling from his neck.
The first released track on which Flav rapped solo was "Life Of A Nigerian" on
Goat Ju JU, though the first hit on which he rapped solo would not come until the 1990s single "
911 Is a Joke"911 Is a Joke" is a 1990 song by American hip hop group Public Enemy, from their third album, Fear of a Black Planet. It was released as a single and became their first Top 40 hit in June 1990, reaching number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100....
". During Public Enemy's first years of existence, Flav dealt with tensions with group-mate
Professor GriffProfessor Griff is an American rapper and spoken word artist. He is a member of the hip hop group Public Enemy and head of the Security of the First World.-Early years in Public Enemy:...
, who never liked Flav's flamboyant stance in what Griff felt to be a serious, politically-challenging group. In 1990, after allegedly making anti-Semitic comments, Professor Griff left Public Enemy.
In 2006, Flav put out his first
solo albumHollywood is the second studio album by Australian indie rock band Little Birdy. The album was recorded in Los Angeles and by produced by John King and engineer Clif Norrell.The first single released from the album was "Come on Come on", which reached number 18 on its debut on the...
. It was released during the second season of
Flavor of LoveFlavor of Love is an American reality television dating game show parody starring Flavor Flav of the rap group Public Enemy.While not a direct spin-off, the show was a result of Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav's failed relationship on Strange Love, as well as The Surreal Life...
.
Television
After a hiatus from the music scene, Flavor Flav was invited to participate on
VH1VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
reality show
The Surreal LifeThe Surreal Life is a reality television series that sets a select group of past-their-prime celebrities and records them as they live together in Glen Campbell's former mansion in the Hollywood Hills for two weeks...
. During this show, he developed a relationship with
Brigitte NielsenBrigitte Nielsen is a Danish model, actress, musician and reality television personality who began her career modelling for Greg Gorman and Helmut Newton and several years later made appearances in the 1985 films Red Sonja and Rocky IV and is also known for her marriage to Sylvester Stallone...
.
Following the conclusion of
The Surreal Life, VH1 gave Flav and Brigitte a show titled
Strange LoveStrange Love is a reality series featuring Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav that aired on VH1. Sparked by their on-screen romance in the third season of VH1's The Surreal Life, it is a spin-off that focused solely on Brigitte and Flav...
, which detailed their globetrotting adventure in love. At the end of
Strange Love Brigitte decided to return to her fiancé, Mattia Dessi.
Flavor of LoveFlavor of Love is an American reality television dating game show parody starring Flavor Flav of the rap group Public Enemy.While not a direct spin-off, the show was a result of Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav's failed relationship on Strange Love, as well as The Surreal Life...
, which aired for three seasons, is a reality show where Flavor Flav looks for love. The show's success led to spin-offs titled
I Love New YorkI Love New York is a reality television series, which first aired on VH1. It features Tiffany Pollard in a quest to find her true love. The series is a spin off of another relationship competition series, Flavor of Love, which featured Pollard as a finalist in two consecutive seasons...
and
I Love MoneyI Love Money is an American reality television series airing on VH1, and is a spin-off of Flavor of Love, Charm School, I Love New York, Rock of Love, Real Chance of Love, For the Love of Ray J, Daisy of Love and Megan Wants a Millionaire. Former contestants on these shows compete in physical and...
. It was revealed in the third season reunion show that Flav met a woman, not from the show, after taping had concluded. He proposed to her on air during the special. The two have a son together.
The
Comedy CentralComedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
roastA roast is an event in which an individual is subjected to a public presentation of comedic insults, praise, outlandish true and untrue stories, and heartwarming tributes, the implication being that the roastee is able to take the jokes in good humor and not as serious criticism or insult, and...
of Flavor Flav aired on August 12, 2007. Guests appearing at the roast:
Snoop DoggCalvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
,
Brigitte NielsenBrigitte Nielsen is a Danish model, actress, musician and reality television personality who began her career modelling for Greg Gorman and Helmut Newton and several years later made appearances in the 1985 films Red Sonja and Rocky IV and is also known for her marriage to Sylvester Stallone...
,
Jimmy KimmelJames Christian "Jimmy" Kimmel is an American television host and comedian. He is the host of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, a late-night talk show that airs on ABC. Prior to that, Kimmel was best known as the co-host of Comedy Central's The Man Show and Win Ben Stein's Money...
,
Carrot TopScott Thompson , better known by his stage name Carrot Top, is an American comedian known for his bright red hair, prop comedy, and self-deprecating humor.-Early years:...
,
Lisa LampanelliLisa Lampanelli is an American stand-up comedian and insult comic. She is noted for her racy and raunchy style of comedy, which frequently includes taboo subjects such as race and homosexuality....
,
Ice TTracy Marrow , better known by his stage name Ice-T, is an American musician and actor.He was born in Newark, New Jersey and moved to the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles when he was in the 7th grade. After graduating from high school he served in the United States Army for four years...
, Jeff Ross,
Katt WilliamsMicah S. Katt Williams is a U.S. comedian, rapper, and actor. He is best known for his role as Money Mike in Friday After Next...
,
Patton OswaltPatton Oswalt is an American stand-up comedian, writer, actor and voice actor. He is best known for portraying Spencer Olchin in the popular sitcom The King of Queens, voicing Remy from the film Ratatouille and Thrasher from the Cartoon Network original series Robotomy.-Early life:Oswalt was born...
,
Greg GiraldoGreg Giraldo was an American stand-up comedian, television personality, and retired lawyer. Giraldo was best known for his appearances on Comedy Central's televised roast specials, and for his work on that network's television shows Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, Lewis Black's Root of All Evil, and...
, and
SommoreSommore is an actress and comedienne from Trenton, New Jersey. She is the half sister of actress Nia Long....
.
Flav played Calvester Hill on the
MyNetworkTVMyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
comedy
Under One RoofUnder One Roof is a sitcom starring musician and Flavor of Love star William "Flavor Flav" Drayton and comic actor Kelly Perine best known for his work on One on One. The series is written by Danielle Quarles...
starring alongside
Kelly PerineKelly Perine is an American television actor and a comedian. Perine attended Lake Forest Academy near Chicago, Illinois, where he studied stage acting. He spent his undergraduate years at Pomona College in Claremont, California. After graduating, he studied at the University of California,...
.
Restauranteur
In 2011, Flav partnered with Nick Cimino to open Flav’s Fried Chicken in Cimino's hometown of
Clinton, IowaClinton is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 26231as of 2010. Clinton, along with DeWitt, Iowa , was named in honor of the seventh governor of New York, DeWitt Clinton. Clinton is the principal city of the Clinton Micropolitan Statistical...
. Flav met Cimino through his brother Peter, who runs Mama Cimino's in
Las VegasThe Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
. After enjoying the rapper's homemade fried chicken, Peter Cimino began selling 99¢ chicken wings using Flav's recipe. The founders hope that Flav's Fried Chicken will be the first of a national restaurant franchise; like KFC, it uses a
secret recipeA trade secret is a formula, practice, process, design, instrument, pattern, or compilation of information which is not generally known or reasonably ascertainable, by which a business can obtain an economic advantage over competitors or customers...
.. However, a mix of squabbling owners and bad business decisions led to Flavor Flav's Chicken shut down 12 weeks after it opened.
Other TV and media appearances
In May 2005, Flav takes part in the UK reality show
The FarmThe Farm is Five's version of the international TV format The Farm, produced by Strix. It had a number of celebrities appearing on it.-Series one:Series one aired in 2004 and was presented and narrated by Ed Hall...
on Channel 5.
On June 14, 2006, Flav's participation, with WEVR-
MRCThe Medical Reserve Corps is a network in the U.S. of community-based units initiated and established by local organizations to meet the public health needs of their communities. It is sponsored by the Office of the Surgeon General of the United States...
, in the
Lisa Tolliver Show celebration of National Safety Month, earned kudos from
Surgeon General of the United StatesThe Surgeon General of the United States is the operational head of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and thus the leading spokesperson on matters of public health in the federal government...
Richard CarmonaRichard Henry Carmona is an American physician, public health administrator, and politician. He was a vice admiral in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and served as the seventeenth Surgeon General of the United States. Appointed by President George W. Bush in 2002, Carmona left office...
.
On November 18, 2009, Flavor Flav became a downloadable character in the PlayStation Network's video game
PAINPain is a 2007 video game for the PlayStation 3, developed by games studio Idol Minds. It was originally released as a downloadable title available from the PlayStation Store and was first released in North America on November 29, 2007 and in Europe on March 20, 2008 and became the most popular...
.
Flav stars in
Deon TaylorDeon Taylor is an American film director and screenwriter for horror films.-Early life:Deon Taylor was born in Chicago, Illinois and grew up in Gary, Indiana...
's horror anthology
Nite Tales and
Dark Christmas.
On May 10, 2010, Flavor Flav guest hosted the wrestling show
WWE RAWWWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
.
On August 14, 2011, Flavor Flav appeared as a host at the 12th annual
Gathering of the JuggalosThe Gathering of the Juggalos is an annual festival put on by Psychopathic Records, featuring performances by the entire label as well as numerous well-known musical groups and underground artists. It was founded by Robert Bruce, Insane Clown Posse , and their label in 2000...
.
Personal life
After leaving the clinic, Flav began dating Angie Parker, with whom he has three more children.
After leaving the clinic, he began dating Beverly Johnson, and by 2000, he lived in a small apartment in the Bronx with her and her two kids from a previous marriage while making extra cash
scalpingTicket resale is the act of reselling tickets for admission to events. Tickets are bought from licensed sellers and are then sold for a price determined by the individual or company in possession of the tickets. Tickets sold through secondary sources may be sold for less or more than their face...
baseball tickets.
Following his release from jail, Drayton broke up with Johnson and moved in with his mother on Long Island. Chuck D became concerned about his friend's well-being and, towards the end of 2003, suggested Flav move to
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. He moved into his friend Princess' apartment and within months met
Cris AbregoCris Abrego is an American television producer and writer.-Early life:Abrego grew up in El Monte, California. He was a wrestler at California State University, Fullerton before graduating and moving to Los Angeles to work on reality television shows....
and
Mark Cronin-Biography:Cronin graduated from Upper Darby High School and the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a degree in Chemical Engineering. He spent five years working as an engineer in research and marketing...
, the creators and executive producers of the reality television series
The Surreal LifeThe Surreal Life is a reality television series that sets a select group of past-their-prime celebrities and records them as they live together in Glen Campbell's former mansion in the Hollywood Hills for two weeks...
. The pair sought him as soon as they heard he had moved to Los Angeles. Seeing that he had indeed remained free from his previous addictions, they wanted to cast him. Initially Flav refused, feeling the show was for celebrities past their fame. He was eventually convinced to join by previous participant
MC HammerStanley Kirk Burrell , better known by his stage name MC Hammer , is an American rapper, entertainer, business entrepreneur, dancer and actor. He had his greatest commercial success and popularity from the late 1980s until the mid-1990s...
.
Family
Flav has eight children. Their names are Shaniq, Karen, Dazyna, Quanah, William, Jasmine, Kayla, and Karma. He also has two grandchildren, Brianna and Matthew. Both grandchildren belong to his daughter Shaniq. Three of his children were with ex-girlfriend Karen Ross, three children were with Angie Parker. His latest child, a boy named Karma, was born in January 2007 to his fiancée Liz. Flav was also once married to a woman named Beverly.
Substance abuse and legal issues
By the time he dropped out of school in the 11th grade, he had been in and out of jail for robbery and burglary.
In 1991, he pled guilty to assaulting his then-girlfriend Karen Ross and he served 30 days in jail, lost custody of his children, and sank deeper into addiction.
Two years later, he was charged with attempted murder and imprisoned for 90 days for shooting at his neighbor in 1993.
He was later charged with domestic violence, cocaine and marijuana charges; his family performed an
interventionAn intervention is an orchestrated attempt by one, or often many, people to get someone to seek professional help with an addiction or some kind of traumatic event or crisis, or other serious problem. The term intervention is most often used when the traumatic event involves addiction to drugs...
and he checked into the
Betty Ford CenterThe Betty Ford Center , is a non-profit, separately licensed residential chemical dependency recovery hospital in Rancho Mirage, California, that offers inpatient, outpatient, and day treatment for alcohol and other drug addictions as well as prevention and education programs for family and children...
for crack addiction.
After his father died of diabetes in 1997 he decided to re-enter rehabilitation, this time at the Long Island Center for Recovery. At one point, he broke both arms in a motorcycle crash.
In 2002, he spent nine weeks in
Rikers IslandRikers Island is New York City's main jail complex, as well as the name of the island on which it sits, in the East River between Queens and the mainland Bronx, adjacent to the runways of LaGuardia Airport. The island itself is part of the borough of the Bronx, though it is included as part of...
jail for driving with a suspended license, numerous parking tickets and showing up late for appointments with his probation officer.
On May 2, 2011, Flav was arrested on four outstanding misdemeanor warrants for various driving offenses. Police said the rapper had two outstanding arrest warrants for driving without a license, one for driving without insurance and one related to a parking citation. Flav has since been released, but it's unclear when he is due back in court.
In June, 2011, he told
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n radio show
The Kyle & Jackie O ShowThe Kyle & Jackie O Show is Australia’s most listened-to breakfast radio show hosted by Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O on 2DayFM, Sydney. Syndicated to over 78 stations nationwide, the show has been airing since 16 January 2005. The show is a 9-time winner and 36-time finalist of the Australian...
that when his drug problem was its worst, he would spend up to US$2,600 a day on
crack cocaineCrack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
.
Discography
With Public Enemy
- Yo! Bum Rush the Show
* Q magazine - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...a stunning opening...just the first, in retrospect almost shy, step on a remarkable journey...a hard, droning extension of the basic drum`n'scratch Def Jam template that had served LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys so well."* Melody Maker - Recommended - "It...
(1987)
- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back is the second studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released April 14, 1988, on Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions for the album took place at Chung King Studios, Greene Street Recording, and Sabella Studios in New York City...
(1988)
- Fight the Power...Live!
Fight the Power... Live! is a live video by Public Enemy released in 1989.There is no plan for a re-release on DVD of this VHS, but a low resolution version is available to watch for free on Public Enemy's website.-Track listing:...
(video and album, 1989)
- Fear of a Black Planet
Fear of a Black Planet is the third studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released April 10, 1990, on Def Jam Recordings and Columbia Records. Production for the album was handled by the group's production team The Bomb Squad, who expanded on the dense, sample-layered sound of the...
(1990)
- Apocalypse '91...The Enemy Strikes Black
Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black is the fourth studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released October 3, 1991 on Def Jam Recordings in the United States. It debuts production team Imperial Grand Ministers of Funk, which consisted of producers Stuart Robertz, Cerwin 'C-Dawg'...
(1991)
- Greatest Misses
Greatest Misses is Public Enemy's first compilation album released in 1992. It features new tracks and re-mixes of previously released songs .-Track listing:#"Tie Goes to the Runner"#"Hit Da Road Jack"#"Gett Off My Back"...
1986-1992 (1992)
- Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age
Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age is the fifth studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released August 23, 1994 on Def Jam Recordings in the United States. The album debuted at number 14 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 56,000 copies in its first week...
(1994)
- He Got Game
He Got Game is a 1998 American sports-drama film written and directed by Spike Lee. It stars Denzel Washington as Jake Shuttlesworth, a prison inmate convicted for killing his wife...
(1998)
- BTN 2000
BTN 2000 is an unreleased industrial remix album of Public Enemy tracks, following their 1998 He Got Game album. The group's attempt to make it available to fans online was blocked by their record distributor, PolyGram. This action resulted in the group's departure from that label and Def Jam,...
(online released mega-mix which initiated PE's leaving Def Jam Records) (1999)
- There's A Poison Goin On (1999)
- Revolverlution
Revolverlution is the eighth studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released July 23, 2002 on Koch Records in the United States. The album debuted at number 110 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart...
(2002)
- There's A Poison Goin On (worldwide re-release) (2004)
- Son of a Bush (EP) (released before the 2004 Presidential Election); contained the songs "Son of a Gun", "Get Your Dump Together" and the song featuring Fine Arts Militia (featuring Chuck D) entitled "Twisted Sense of God"
- New Whirl Odor
New Whirl Odor is the ninth studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released in the U.S. on November 1, 2005. The title name for the album is a pun for New World Order. The song "MKLVFKWR" features the artist Moby....
(2005)
- Rebirth of a Nation
Rebirth of a Nation is the tenth studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy and Paris, released on March 7, 2006. The album was Mixed and mastered at Data Stream Studio in San Francisco, Ca.-Album information:...
(featuring Paris, Guerrilla Funk Recordings) (2006)
- How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul?
How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul??? is the tenth studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released August 7, 2007 on Slam Jamz Recordings in the United States. Its release coincided with the 20th anniversary of their career...
(2007)
Solo albums
- Flavor Flav
Hollywood is the second studio album by Australian indie rock band Little Birdy. The album was recorded in Los Angeles and by produced by John King and engineer Clif Norrell.The first single released from the album was "Come on Come on", which reached number 18 on its debut on the...
(2006)
Guest appearances
- Anthrax
Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
, "Bring The Noise" (w/Chuck DCarlton Douglas Ridenhour , better known by his stage name, Chuck D, is an American rapper, author, and producer. He helped create politically and socially conscious rap music in the mid-1980s as the leader of the rap group Public Enemy.- Early life :Ridenhour was born in Queens, New York...
)
- Barshem, "Where's My $5 At?"
- Chad Muska
Chad Muska is an American professional skateboarder, musician and DJ.-Biography:Muska is a professional skateboarder and musician, known for his part in the 1998 skateboarding video, Shorty's Fulfill The Dream....
, "Flavor Man"
- Crime Mob
Crime Mob was a hip hop/crunk group consisting of six members, M.I.G., Cyco Black, Princess, Lil' Jay, Diamond, and Killa C....
, "I'll Beat Yo Azz"
- De La Soul
De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...
, "Come On Down"
- DJ Hurricane
DJ Hurricane is a hip hop DJ, producer and rapper. He is known for his work as the Beastie Boys' DJ...
, "Freeze The Frame" (w/Chuck D & Money MarkMark Ramos-Nishita aka Money Mark is a producer and musician who has collaborated with the Beastie Boys many times. He also appears on the first Banyan album in 1997 as the "Freeway Keyboardist".-Career:...
)
- DJ Tomekk, "1, 2, 3,...Rhymes Galore" (w/Grandmaster Flash
Joseph Saddler better known as King Grandmaster Flash, is an American hip hop musician and DJ; one of the pioneers of hip-hop DJing, cutting, and mixing....
, MC Rene & AfrobAfrob is an Afro-German rapper of Eritrean descent. He is easily recognizable due to his trademark afro, from which his pseudonym is derived.- Biography :...
)
- George Clinton
George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
, "Paint The White House Black" (w/Chuck D, Ice CubeO'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
, MC BreedEric Breed better known as MC Breed, was an American rapper best known for his singles "Ain't No Future in Yo Frontin", which peaked at #66 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Gotta Get Mine", featuring 2Pac, that made it to #6 on the Hot Rap Singles.-Biography:Born in Flint, Michigan, Breed is also...
, KamKam is an American political emcee known primarily among hip hop fans and music critics during the 1990s. Born in Los Angeles, he is considered an esteemed West Coast underground rapper. He is known for his Nation of Islam-influenced lyrics and membership, and affiliation with his cousin, fellow...
, Yo-YoThe yo-yo in its simplest form is an object consisting of an axle connected to two disks, and a length of twine looped around the axle, similar to a slender spool...
& Dr. DreAndre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
), "Tweakin" (w/Chuck D)
- Heavy D, "You Can't See What I Can See"
- Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
, "I'm Only Out For One Thang"
- Living Colour
Living Colour is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. Stylistically, the band's music is a creative fusion influenced by free jazz, funk, neo-psychedelia, hard rock, and heavy metal...
, "Funny Vibe" (w/Chuck D)
- Material
For the rock band of the same name, see The MaterialMaterial is a musical group formed in 1979 and led by bass guitarist Bill Laswell.-1978-82: The band:...
, "Burnin" (w/DXTGrand Mixer DXT is an American turntablist. He was formely known as Grand Mixer D.ST. "D.ST" is a reference to Manhattan, New York City's Delancey Street on the Lower East Side...
)
- Moby
Richard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his outspoken liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.Moby gained attention in the early...
, "MKLVFKWR" (w/Chuck D)
- Nigo
is a Japanese music producer, DJ and the creator of the urban clothing line A Bathing Ape, otherwise known as Bape.-Fashion background:Nigo's venture into fashion started in a small store selling a few Bape t-shirts and camouflage print hoodies, which became very popular among the teen demographic...
, "From New York To Tokyo"
- Paris
Oscar Jackson, Jr. , better known by his stage name Paris is an American rapper from San Francisco, California, known for his highly charged political and socially conscious lyrics...
, "Freedom (Remix)" (w/Chuck D & Dead PrezDead Prez stylized as dead prez is a hip hop duo from the United States, composed of stic.man and M-1, formed in 1996 in New York City, New York. They are known for their confrontational style, combined with socialist lyrics focused on both militant social justice and Pan-Africanism...
)
- Prince Akeem, "Only We Can Do This"
- Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
featuring Biz MarkieMarcel Theo Hall better known by his stage name, Biz Markie, is an American rapper, beatboxer, DJ, comedian, singer, reality television personality, and commercial spokesperson. He is best known for his single "Just a Friend", an American Top 10 hit in 1989...
and Slick RickRichard Walters , better known by his stage name Slick Rick is a Grammy-nominated English-American rapper...
. "So FreshSo Fresh is a compilation album currently produced and skewed by Sony Music Australia that is only available in Australia. It is released every three months and is usually focused with a mixture of tracks recorded by artists signed to Sony and Universal Music Australia...
" (Music Video)
- Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, "Bad Bitch"
- Various, "Self Destruction" (Public Enemy, Heavy D, Stetsasonic
Stetsasonic was an American hip hop group formed in 1979 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York. It is remembered as one of the first hip hop crews to use a live band, and the group's positive, uplifting lyrics made it forerunners of alternative hip hop and jazz hip...
, MC LyteMC Lyte is an American rapper who first gained fame in the late-1980s becoming the first solo female rapper to release a full album with 1988's critically acclaimed Lyte as a Rock.-Early life:...
, KRS-OneLawrence Krisna Parker , better known by his stage names KRS-One , and Teacha, is an American rapper...
, Kool Moe DeeMohandas Dewese , better known as Kool Moe Dee, is an American Hip Hop MC prominent in the late 1970s through the early 1990s. He was born in Manhattan, New York...
, and others)
- Wu-Tang Clan
The Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
, "Soul Power"
- P.Diddy, Music video for "P.E. 2000"
- Taking Back Sunday
Taking Back Sunday is a rock band from Long Island, NY, formed in 1999 by guitarist Eddie Reyes. Current members of the band are Adam Lazzara , John Nolan , Eddie Reyes , Shaun Cooper and Mark O'Connell ....
, Music video for "You're So Last Summer"
- Eric B & Rakim, music video for "I ain't no joke"
External links
- Artist profile at VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...