Lil Mama
Niatia Kirkland (born October 4, 1989 better known by her stage name Lil Mama, is a MTV Music Award-nominated American rapper currently signed to Jive Records. Lil Mama was born in Harlem and later moved to Brooklyn, New York where she attended Edward R. Murrow High School. Lil Mama has been featured in remixes of various singles including "Girlfriend" (Avril Lavigne), "Umbrella" (Rihanna), Beautiful Girls" (Sean Kingston), "Just Fine" (Mary J. Blige), and "Throw Momma from the Train".
Lil Mama was nominated for Monster Single of the Year for her song "Lip Gloss" at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards, but the award was given to Rihanna, for "Umbrella". She also appears as one of the judges on the MTV reality dance competition America's Best Dance Crew.Tara Kirkland, Lil' Mama's mother, died on December 15, 2007 after a four-year battle with cancer. Lil Mama received the news while on tour and had to rush back home. The music video of "Shawty Get Loose" featuring Chris Brown and T-Pain, was dedicated to her.
Her debut album, VYP (Voice of the Young People) was released in April 2008, and debuted at #25 in the Billboard charts.[8] Lil Mama was scheduled to be featured on a remix/skit version of Lil Wayne's "A Milli", but the song, ultimately, failed to make the final cut of Tha Carter III and may appear on Tha Carter III: The Rebirth. She is also featured on Vanessa Hudgens' song, "Amazed" from her 2008 album, Identified.

Birth name
Niatia Kirkland
Born
October 4, 1989 (1989-10-04) (age 19)Brooklyn, New York
Origin
Harlem, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Genre(s)
Hip hop, R&B, pop rap
Occupation(s)
Rapper, singer, dancer Songwriter
Years active
2007-present

Missy Elliott

Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott (born July 1, 1971) is a five-time Grammy Award-winning American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. With record sales of over seven million in the United States she is the only female rapper to have six albums certified platinum by the RIAA including one double platinum (Under Construction).Elliott is known for a series of hits and diverse music videos including "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)", "Hot Boyz", "Get Ur Freak On", "One Minute Man", "Work It", "Gossip Folks", "Pass That Dutch", "Lose Control" and "Ching-a-Ling". In addition, Elliott has worked extensively as a songwriter and producer for other artists, both alone and with her producer and childhood friend Timbaland. Elliott's songwriting and production credits include work for a number of other top female artists, among them Aaliyah, Tweet, Janet Jackson, Keshia Chante, Monica, Keyshia Cole, Mary J. Blige, Mýa, Danity Kane, Trina, Nicole Wray, Fantasia, Christina Aguilera, Lil' Mo, and Jazmine Sullivan.

In 2002, rumors of Elliott's sexual orientation began circulating after working with Tweet in her single "Oops (Oh My)", claiming that she liked girls, and Tweet was one of them. Elliott responded by saying, "When people see how strong I am, and there's not a man around, it's like, 'What is she doin'?' But I don't need a man to make me happy. I need to make myself happy first."Elliott has also said that she wants to start a family, but is afraid of labor. She states, "I don't know if I can take that kind of pain [of labor]. Maybe in the year 2020 you could just pop a baby out and it'd be fine. But right now I'd rather just adopt."

Kat DeLuna
Kathleen Emperatriz "Kat" DeLuna (born November 17, 1987[1] in The Bronx, New York) but grew up in the parts of Newark, New Jersey. Kat is an American singer of Dominican heritage. Her mother, born in the Dominican Republic, owns a bakery shop in downtown Newark. She is currently signed to Akon's label Konvict Muzik. Konvict originally announced its intention to re-release her debut album, 9 Lives but her recent announcement on myspace that she is back in the studio working on her second album, suggests that 9 Lives will not be re-released.

As a child, DeLuna moved to the Dominican Republic, where she spent her time listening to Aretha Franklin and became interested in becoming a singer. At the age of 12, Kat was invited by the 'Queen of Merengue', Milly Quezada, to sing with her on stage. In her freshman year of high school, she responded to an audition in The Village Voice and was accepted into an all-Latina, Hip Hop/R&B group called Swallower. In April 2004, she opened for J Records musician Cassidy as part of Swallower. Kat continued to pursue her dream of becoming a solo artist and at age of 15, she entered a Coca-Cola sponsored karaoke competition winning it. After the competition, Cuban salsa singer Rey Ruiz advised Kat to start writing her own music. Kat DeLuna signed a contract with the production label, Global Music Brand (GMB). According to a brief interview she granted on HaitiXchange.com, she stated that she first met Tyrone when she was 14 years old, who was then scouting for talent. Kat was finally picked up by Epic Records and she is currently under both labels. She is managed by Damon Degraff and Greg Maurice of Cape Town Management. Her debut album, 9 Lives, produced by hitmaker RedOne, and written by Grammy nominated songwriter Jane't Sewell-Ulepic, was released on August 7, 2007. Its peak position on the Billboard Top 200 Albums was #58 on August 25,2007.
In July 2008 Kat Deluna stated via a MySpace video that she is back in the studio working on her second studio album which is yet to be titled. She premiered a new song called "Calling You", specifying that it was only an exclusive single and not a single from her second album. She premiered the song on her MySpace page and her website . Dawn Richard, Danity Kane member, is confirmed to be writing for Kat DeLuna's upcoming album. Kat has filmed the video for her third worldwide single "In The End," which is only being released in Europe.
On September 11, 2008, Kat won two Flemish TMF Awards in the categories Best Urban and Best New Artist. She also recorded with Akon on the official released remix to his single "Right Now (Na Na Na)," which can be heard on her official Myspace profile. In 2008 Kat also recorded a duet with Swedish singer/songwriter Darin, the track "Breathing Your Love", produced by RedOne which appears on Darin's album "Flashback".In September 2008, Kat DeLuna and Epic Records decided to part ways. It is rumored that Kat is in talks to sign with Universal Music Group.

CIARA
Ciara Princess Harris (born October 25, 1985),commonly known as Ciara (pronounced "Sierra" a Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer, fashion model, music video director, actress and soon to be fashion designer. Born in Austin, Texas, Ciara made her debut in the summer of 2004 with the Billboard number-one single "Goodies". The album Goodies was released in the United States on September 28, 2004, and in the UK on January 24, 2005. It produced three top two singles on the Billboard Hot 100, selling three million in the U.S. and over five million worldwide and earned various awards and nominations.
Ciara's second album, Ciara: The Evolution, was released in December 2006. It has spawned the Billboard Hot 100 top ten hit "Get Up", and the R&B/Hip-Hop Charts top ten hits "Promise", "Like a Boy", and "Can't Leave 'em Alone". To date, the album, which went platinum only five weeks after its release, has sold more than two million copies in the U.S. and over three million worldwide, and earned various awards and nominations.
Ciara's third studio album, Fantasy Ride, is expected to be released in the United States in March 2009. A promo single, "Go Girl", was released on September 30, 2008. The album's new lead single "Never, Ever" is set to be released January 5th, 2009, in preparation for the album's release.

Albums
2004: Goodies
2006: Ciara: The Evolution
2009: Fantasy Ride

TUPAC

Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971 — September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. In addition to his status as a top-selling recording artist, Shakur was a successful film actor and a prominent social activist. Most of Shakur's songs are about growing up amid violence and hardship in ghettos, racism, problems in society and conflicts with other rappers. Shakur's work is known for advocating political, economic, social and racial equality, as well as his raw descriptions of violence, drug and alcohol abuse and conflicts with the law.
Shakur was initially a roadie and backup dancer for the alternative hip hop group Digital Underground.

Shakur's debut album, 2Pacalypse Now, gained critical recognition and backlash for its controversial lyrics. Shakur became the target of lawsuits and experienced other legal problems. He was later shot five times and robbed in the lobby of a recording studio in New York City. Following the event, Shakur grew suspicious that other figures in the rap industry had prior knowledge of the incident and did not warn him; the controversy helped spark the East Coast-West Coast hip hop rivalry.
Shakur was later convicted of sexual abuse. After serving eleven months of his sentence he was released from prison on an appeal financed by Marion "Suge" Knight, the CEO of Death Row Records. In exchange for Suge's assistance, Shakur agreed to release three albums under the Death Row label.
On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot four times in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, and died six days later of respiratory failure and cardiac arrest at the University Medical Center.
MTV ranked him at #2 on their list of The Greatest MCs of All Time. Because of his success and influence in music and poetry, he has become a cultural icon and is regarded by many of his peers, fans, and critics to be the greatest rapper of all-time.

On the afternoon of September 13, 1996, Shakur died of internal bleeding; doctors attempted to revive him but could not impede his hemorrhaging. His mother, Afeni, made the decision to tell the doctors to stop.[ He was pronounced dead at 4:03 p.m. (PDT) The official cause of death was noted as respiratory failure and cardiopulmonary arrest in connection with multiple gunshot wounds.Shakur's body was cremated. Some of his ashes were later mixed with marijuana and smoked by members of Outlawz.

SNOOP DOGG

Calvin “Snoop Dogg” Broadus is a rare exception in the turbulent world of Hip-Hop. In a genre where big names come and go just as fast as hit records, Snoop Dogg has managed to stay tremendously relevant throughout his 16-plus years in the game. From music to movies, video games to clothing lines and now his own hit TV show (E!’s reality series Snoop Dogg’s Father Hood), Snoop Dogg is an all-out pop culture icon and household name.

Cordozar Calvin Broadus, Jr. (born October 20, 1972), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg), is a Grammy Award-nominated American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as an MC in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of producer Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. He popularized the catch phrase suffix "-izzle," a slang term developed by Oakland, California rap group 3X Krazy in the mid-1990s and used by Bay Area rapper E-40.
His mother nicknamed him "Snoopy" as a child because of the way he dressed and because of his love of the cartoon Peanuts. When he began recording, he took the stage name Snoop Doggy Dogg. He shortened his name to Snoop Dogg in 1998 when he left his original record label Death Row Records and signed with No Limit Records.

Camillionaire



Hakeem Seriki (born November 28, 1979), better known by his stage name Chamillionaire , a portmanteau of "chameleon" and "millionaire") is an American rapper, CEO, singer and musician from Houston, Texas and the CEO of Chamillitary Entertainment.He stated that his aim is to prove that the South can produce quality lyricists. He is also a hook writer and usually sings and harmonizes with himself (using multi-tracked vocals) on his own hooks. Chamillionaire is a founder and original member of The Color Changin' Click. In 2007, he won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for his number-one single "Ridin'", a number-one hit in the United States for two weeks in 2006. He is a former artist on Michael 5000 Watts' Swishahouse label.

Seriki was born in Washington, D.C. to an immigrant father from Oyo State, Nigeria and a Christian mother. He moved to Houston, Texas at the age of four. Before becoming a rapper he held numerous jobs, including stocking trucks and transporting blood and urine for a medical lab.In a January 2006 interview with The Austin Chronicle, Chamillionaire stated that at first lived in a section of Houston zoned to Eisenhower High School and that his parents moved to the Jersey Village High School attendance zone so he could play in its more advanced basketball program.

FLO RIDA


Tramar Dillard (born December 16, 1979), better known by his stage name Flo Rida, is a two-time Grammy nominated American rapper. As a teenager, he toured with local rap group 2 Live Crew. Later, he appeared in numerous popular rap mixtapes, most notably in We the Best by DJ Khaled in 2006. Mail on Sunday was Flo Rida's solo debut album; its lead single "Low" was a number-one hit for ten weeks in early 2008.
Discovering new talent is often a daunting task; however, when the formula is complete, all parts, synergetic, the sky is the limit. With a noted machine behind him, coupled with his distinct originality, Flo Rida has captured the attention of many while simultaneously making a significant impact early in the game.
Flo Rida has already garnered more accolades than most artists see in their entire career. Months before his Poe Boy/Atlantic Records debut, “MAIL ON SUNDAY,” is even released, his explosive first single, “Low,” has shot to the top of nearly every chart—Top 40 radio, Billboard’s Hot 100 chart and Hot RingMasters chart, Soundscan’s Digital Song chart, iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody, MySpace, MTV’s TRL, BET’s 106 & Park. And this is only the beginning!

AKON

Aliaune Thiam (born April 16, 1973), better known by his stage name Akon is a Wolof Senegalese-American hip hop and R&B singer-songwriter,and record producer. Akon rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of his single "Locked Up" from his debut album Trouble. His second album, Konvicted, earned him a Grammy Award nomination for the single "Smack That." He is the founder of two record labels, Konvict Muzik and Kon Live Distribution. He is well known for singing hooks and has over 155 guest appearances and 23 Billboard Hot 100 songs to his credit. He is the first artist to ever accomplish the feat of holding both the number one and two spots simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 charts twice.

As the son of famed jazz musician Mor Thiam, Akon was raised in a musical setting and taught to play several instruments. At the age of 7, he moved to New Jersey. During Akon’s alleged time in jail, he began to understand his music abilities and developed an appreciation for his musical background. When he was released he immediately began recording his music and sending out demo tapes. Akon's unique blend of West African-style vocals and hip-hop lyricism eventually caught the ears of executives at Universal Records.

T - Pain
Faheem Rasheed Najm (born September 30, 1985), better known by his stage name T-Pain, is an American hip hop, R&B singer-songwriter and producer known for his auto-tune style. He began his career as a rapper in the group Nappy Headz. In 2005, his debut album Rappa Ternt Sanga was released and spawned the hits "I'm Sprung" and "I'm N Luv". Since the release of that album, T-Pain has produced numerous hits of his own and for other rappers and R&B singers. T-Pain has also had over 10 top ten singles on Billboard Hot 100.In 2008, he won a Grammy with rapper Kanye West for the single "Good Life".

T-Pain was born Faheem Rasheed Najm on September 30, 1985 in Tallahassee, Florida.At the age of ten, Najm reworked his bedroom into a small studio with a keyboard, beat machine and four-track recorder, and began composing music. He graduated from Amos P. Godby High School in Tallahassee Fl. Najm also attended , Kate Sullivan Elementary , and Augusta Raa Middle School.T-Pain explained to the Herald Sun that his stage name is short for "Tallahassee Pain" because of the hardships he felt while living there. He is a Muslim.

BOW WOW
Shad Gregory Moss (born March 9, 1987), better known by his stage name Bow Wow (formerly Lil' Bow Wow), is an American rapper, actor, and music producer. He released his debut album Beware of Dog at age 13, then under the stage name Lil' Bow Wow, which he carried until his 2003 album Unleashed, under simply Bow Wow. Two more albums followed, Wanted in 2005 and The Price of Fame in 2006. In 2007, he released the collaboration album Face Off with Omarion.

Bow Wow was born in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, the son of Teresa Caldwell and Alfonso Moss. His mother worked three jobs to care for him after Alfonso left the family. Teresa later married Rodney Caldwell, and Bow Wow has two half-sisters, Erica and Jasarah. Bow Wow was raised, and attended school, in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, a small city in the Columbus metropolitan area, until his rap career took off.
At age five, he started his career in rap using the moniker "Kid Gangsta". One year later, in 1993, he performed at a Chronic tour in Columbus, and was noted by rapper Snoop Dogg and rapper Dr. Dre, who subsequently gave him a stage name, "Lil' Bow Wow". Dr. Dre later hired him as an opening act, officially gaining him a spot on the Death Row Records roster. Lil' Bow Wow then appeared on a skit on Snoop's debut Doggystyle, and on his music video of "Gin and Juice". In 1998, at the age of eleven, Bow Wow was introduced to record producer Jermaine Dupri, who helped shape his career

EMINEM


Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known by his primary stage name Eminem, or by his alter-ego Slim Shady, is an Academy Award- and Grammy Award-winning American rapper, record producer and actor.
Eminem quickly gained popularity in 1999 with his major-label debut album The Slim Shady LP. The following album, The Marshall Mathers LP, became the fastest-selling hip hop album in history followed by an increasing amount of popularity, critical praise, as well as controversy. While Eminem has won many Grammy Awards, been praised for having "verbal energy", high quality of lyricism and been ranked at #9 on MTV's list of The Greatest MCs of All Time,#13 on the MTV's "22 Greatest Voices in Music" and #82 on Rolling Stone's "The Immortals" he has often been infamous for the controversy surrounding many of these lyrics, including allegations of glorifying homophobia, misogyny, and violence. In 2008,the readers of Vibe Magazine voted him "The Best Rapper Alive".

Birth name
Marshall Bruce Mathers III
Also known as
M&MSlim Shady
Born
October 17, 1972 (1972-10-17) (age 36)St. Joseph, Missouri, United States
Origin
Detroit, Michigan, United States
Genre(s)
Hip Hop, Rap Rock
Occupation(s)
Rapper, producer, actor, musician, songwriter
Years active
1995–present

USHER

Usher Raymond IV (born October 14, 1978), known simply as Usher, is an American R&B-pop singer-songwriter and actor. He rose to fame in the 1990s, releasing the multi-platinum album My Way and 8701. His success continued with the release of his breakthrough album, Confessions, which sold over a million copies in the United States in its debut. To date, he has sold approximately 35 million albums worldwide and has won five Grammy Awards.In 2008, Usher has been ranked into the All time Hot 100 Artist by Billboard magazine.He is one of the few artists of his generation to be mentioned. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Usher has sold over 20.5 million copies of album in the United States.Aside from recording, Usher ventured in to other business. He had established his own record label, US Records, and is a part owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise. He has also been appearing in films, debuting in the 1998 The Faculty. Usher is married to Tameka Foster and has two sons.

Birth name
Usher Raymond IV
Born
October 14, 1978 (1978-10-14) (age 30)Dallas, Texas, United States
Origin
Chattanooga, Tennessee, United StatesAtlanta, Georgia, United States
Occupation(s)
Singer, songwriter, record executive, actor
Years active
1994–present (singing)1998–present (acting)