Vibe magazine

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2 P A Cc Lauryn

Hill QUEEN ERYKAH BADU

Contents Lauryn Hill 4-7 2 Pac 8-15 Erkah Badu 16-19

L A U R Y N H I L L

Instead of heading to Hollywood, in 1993, Hill enrolled at Columbia University, where she studied for a year before pursuing a performance career.

That same year, the Fugees released their first album, Blunted on Reality, which met with mixed reviews.

Three years later, the group released a hugely successful second project, The Score (1996).

Featuring the hit single “Killing Me Softly,” which highlighted Hill’s bold and soulful vocals, the album sold 17 million copies—making The Fugees the highest-selling rap group of all time—and garnered two Grammy Awards (best rap album and best R&B performance by a duo or group).

She broke barriers for black female artists. “Miseducation” lifted boundaries for female artists. Though she wasn’t the first person to play with both genres, Hill’s songs resonated with the masses when she married hip-hop with R&B. Her debut album sold more than 420,000 copies it’s first week surpassing Madonna’s record, and has sold more than 17 million copies worldwide to date. “What Lauryn is doing is opening doors for female artists who aren’t materialistic and flashing their titties,” Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA told MTV in 1998.

Following the release of her full-length debut, The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill, the former Fugees member broke from the ranks of her East Coast rap group to become a superstar in her own right. Hill’s enormous success as part of the South Orange, N.J., trio, followed by her stunning solo album, made her one of hip hop’s most distinguished figures toward the end of the 20th century. To put her stature into perspective, Time had only placed 17 black figures on its cover throughout the 1990s (out of 525 covers). Only five — including Bill Cosby, Bill T. Jones, Toni Morrison, and Oprah Winfrey — worked in arts and entertainment. Lauryn Hill was the only musician.

2 P A C

The son of Black Panther activists, Shakur was raised by his mother Afeni Shakur. She was actually in jail on bombing charges during her pregnancy with Tupac.

She was later acquitted in the case.

According to The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, Shakur was originally named Lesane Parish Crooks, but his moniker was soon changed to Tupac Amaru Shakur.

“Tupac Amaru” means “shining serpent.”

He had a difficult childhood, moving frequently around in the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and the Bronx.

Shakur received an education in radical politics from his mother, but he also saw some of life’s hardships through her struggles with substance abuse. In his youth, he explored acting by becoming a member of the 127th Street Ensemble, a Harlem-based theater company.

Around this time, Shakur made his film debut in the 1992 urban crime drama Juice with Omar Epps, Samuel L. Jackson and Queen Latifah. He showed his softer side in Poetic Justice (1993), which was billed as “A Street Romance.� Shakur starred opposite Janet Jackson in the film. The following year, he played a drug dealer in the basketball drama Above the Rim. He appeared to be living up to his aggressive gangster rap persona with several arrests for violent offenses in the 1990s. In 1994, he spent several days in jail for assaulting director Allen Hughes and was later convicted of sexual assault in another case.

Shakur himself fell victim to violence, getting shot five times in the lobby of a recording studio during a mugging.

In 1991, Shakur emerged as a solo artist—using the name 2Pac—with his debut album 2Pacalypse Now. The track “Brenda’s Got a Baby” reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart. His second album, Strictly 4 My N. I. G. G. A. Z., crossed over to the pop charts, with singles “I Get Around” and “Keep Ya Head

Shakur has sold more than 75 million albums worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world.

Most of Tupac’s songs are about growing up amid violence and hardship in ghettos, racism, other social problems and conflicts with other rappers during the East Coast-West Coast hip hop rivalry.

Shakur was shot and killed in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1996.

Shakur has become a legend in hip-hop and rap circles for his talent, his violent behavior, and his brutal death.

He appeared to be living up to his aggressive gangster rap persona with several arrests for violent offenses in the 1990s.

In 1994, he spent several days in jail for assaulting director Allen Hughes and was later convicted of sexual assault in another case.

Shakur himself fell victim to violence, getting shot five times in the lobby of a recording studio during a mugging.

The next year, after recovering from his injuries, Shakur was sentenced to four and a half years in prison in the sexual assault case.

His third solo album, Me Against the World (1995), started out in the number one spot on the album charts.

Many critics praised the work, noting that tracks like “Dear Mama” showed a more genuine, reflective side to the rapper. The possibility of an early death runs through several songs on this recordings something that many have seen as a chilling moment of foretelling.

After serving eight months in prison, Shakur returned to music with the album All Eyez on Me (1996).

He was reportedly released after Death Row Records CEO Marion “Suge” Knight paid a bond of more than $1 million as part of Shakur’s parole.

It appeared to be a golden time for Shakur.

After serving eight months in prison, Shakur returned to music with the album All Eyez on Me (1996). He was reportedly released after Death Row Records CEO Marion “Suge” Knight paid a bond of more than $1 million as part of Shakur’s parole.

In his latest project, Shakur as the defiant street thug was back in full force on this recording.

The song “California Love” featured a guest appearance by famed rapper-producer Dr. Dre and made a strong showing on the pop charts.

“How Do You Want It” also was another smash

E R Y K A H

BADU

Erykah Badu was exposed to the arts early on, and eventually began to perform in shows at the local Dallas Theater Center. In 1996, Badu’s demo caught the attention of music producer Kedar Massenburg, who signed her and paired her with D’Angelo to record the song “Your Precious Love”.

Today Badu is best known for her soulful music style, which is showcased on albums such as the Grammy Award-winning Baduizm and 1997’s Live. (She would later choose the moniker Erykah Badu—”kah” is an Egyptian term for one’s “inner self,” and “badu” is her favorite jazz-riff scat sound.) Raised by her actress mother, Kolleen Maria Gipson, Badu was exposed to the arts early on.

She danced and sang for her mother from a very young age, and eventually began to perform in shows at the local Dallas Theater Center. When it came time for Badu to attend high school, she chose Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. She flourished at the arts magnet school, focusing on singing and dance In 1996, Badu’s demo caught the attention of music producer Kedar Massenburg, who signed her and paired her with D’Angelo to record the song “Your Precious Love.” Kedar Entertainment, then a small start-up label, later merged with Universal Motown.

In 1999, Badu collaborated with the distinguished hip-hop group the Roots to create the song “You Got Me.” Badu struck Grammy gold yet again with the song, taking home the trophy for best rap performance by a duo or group. That same year, she made her big screen debut, portraying the heartbreaking, tortured character Rose Rose in The Cider House Rules.

Badu released her fourth studio album New Amerykah Part One: 4th World War in 2008.

Rolling Stone named the album one of the year’s best. In 2009, Badu and Jay Electronica announced the birth of their daughter, Mars Merkaba.

Badu’s fifth studio album, New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh, emerged in 2010 with a softer tone than its predecessor.

Music Review Top 20 2 Wale is a key player in Rick Ross’ Maybach Music Group, adding his unique go-go infused approach to the mix. He was discovered by producer Mark Ronson.

8 His debut major label studio album good kid, m.A.A.d city was dubbed a potential classic before it was even released, and whether or not it’s held up to that title, it’s sold more than a million copies since its release on October 22, 2012, and has been universally acclaimed.

As most of you know, he’s a quarter of TDE supergroup Black Hippy, alongside ScHoolboy Q, Ab-Soul and Jay Rock.nossin

Most recently, his latest album Born Sinner was 6 certified Gold, and he may or may not have gotten engaged to his high-school sweetheart. He’s currently on the on the international “What Dreams May Come Tour” with Wale, and is slated to perform at VH1’s Super Bowl XLVIII Blitz in Manhattan alongside Janelle Monae,Fall Out Boy, TLC, the Goo Goo Dolls and Gavin DeGraw.

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Since entering the rap game at the tender age of nine, he’s become of the most successful emcees to ever do it, being the male artist with the most entries on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, period (having recently surpassed Elvis Presley).

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She’s appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 chart forty-four times (more than any other female rapper), and has received s even BET Awards as well as four American Music Awards. To date, she’s sold five million albums worldwide.

10

He’s also the second artist to have his first two top ten hits in the same week, those being “Best I Ever Had” and “Every Girl”, and his recent single “Hold On, We’re Going Home” has already been certified twice platinum. nossin

The Weeknd is an R&B voice for a 14 younger, debauched generation, forgoing traditional love ballads for intoxicated reflections on the effects of directionless hedonism.

Since gaining attention after uploading several tracks to YouTube in 2010

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She is without doubt one of the most celebrated and influential R&B artists of all time, both locally and internationally not to mention she and husband Jay Z topped Forbes’ high-earning celebrity couples list in 2013. The 17-time GRAMMY award winner

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Not only is he one of the most respected rappers in the game, he’s also among the most successful, worth approximately $500 million - and he did it all without ever putting his lyrics to paper (some of which have prompted a response from the White House.) Not only that, he’s married and has a child

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The 21-time GRAMY award winning Chicago native is arguably the most visible and influential artist to ever step foot in the rap game, to the point that a textbook on his cultural impact is in the works.

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Top of being one of the most successful recording artists of all time, she’s also one of the most lusted after (something she seems to revel in more than anything). On top of her six GRAMMY awards, eight American Music Awards, 22 Billboard Music Awards and surreal amount of international record

1) Nas 2) Wale 3) Jay-Z 4) NeYo 5) Jill Scott 6) J Cole 7) Lil Wayne 8) Kendrick Lamar 9) Nicki Minaj 10) Drake 11) Kanye West 12) Beyonce 13) Rianna 14) The Weekend 15) Sade 16) Trey Songs 17) Meek Mill 18) T.I 19) Tyga 20) Miguel