The Beastie Boys began as a hardcore punk group in 1979, first appearing on the compilation cassette New York Thrash with Riot Fight and Beastie, and later released their debut EP, Beastie Groove, in 1982. After achieving moderate local success with the 1983 release of experimental hip-hop 12 "Cooky Puss," they made the transition to hip-hop in 1984 and a... read full bio

Bell Biv DeVoe is an American R&B musical group that branched off of New Edition. It consists of three of New Edition's previous members, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe. Although the group peaked in popularity in 1991 with their debut album, Poison, they still continue to perform as a group today.... read full bio

Big Daddy Kane is a Brooklyn, New York MC who undisputedly defined the term lyricist in the world of hip hop. Along with the lyrical ingenuity he brought to the genre, he also introduced innovative live performances which consisted of theatrics, choreography and tailored costumes, proving that Big Daddy Kane was not only an MC, but a full entertainer. Kane... read full bio

The legendary Biz Markie brings 30 years of solid hip hop acumen, starting at age 14 when the Biz began his journey to musical anarchy, beat boxing his way into hip hop heads' hearts and delivering humorous, witty rhymes that made him lovable and admired by music fans all over. Biz Markie's best known single is the classic 1989 hit,... read full bio

Black Moon was an American hip hop group, consisting of members Buckshot, 5 ft and DJ Evil Dee. The group were most notable for their debut album Enta da Stage, and their affiliation with the Boot Camp Clik.... read full bio

One of the top R&B vocal groups of the '90s, Blackstreet was founded by singer, producer, and new jack swing pioneer Teddy Riley after the breakup of his seminal trio Guy. His itch to get back in the performing arena resulted in the formation of Blackstreet, which included singers Chauncey Black" Hannibal, Levi Little, and Joe Stonestreet in addition to... read full bio

Body Count was founded by Ice-T, best known for his contributions to the hip hop genre. Ice-T founded the group out of his interest in heavy metal, and took on the role of vocalist for the group, writing the lyrics for most of the group's songs, while the music was written by lead guitarist Ernie C. The group's self-titled debut... read full bio

Busta Rhymes is a rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George Buster" Rhymes. Early in his career, he was known for his wild style and fashion, and today is best known for his intricate rapping technique, which involves rapping at a fast rate with lots of internal... read full bio