Legacy of DJ Green Lantern
Artists and genres DJ Green Lantern directly influenced — one hop forward on the family tree of music.
dead prezartistDead Prez is an American hip hop duo composed of M-1 and stic.man, formed in 1996 in New York City. They are known for their confrontational style, combined with lyrics focused on both militant social justice, self-determination, and Pan-Africanism. The duo maintains an ethical stance against corporate control over the media, especially hip hop record labels.
Shady Recordsartist
Ja Ruleartist
LudacrisartistChristopher Brian Bridges, known professionally as Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludacris moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he first began rapping. Starting out with a brief stint as a DJ, he formed the record label Disturbing tha Peace in the late 1990s to release his debut studio album Incognegro (1999). After its single, "What's Your Fantasy", became a top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, the album was re-released by Def Jam Recordings as his major label debut, Back for the First Time (2000). The latter album peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and spawned his second top 40 single, "Southern Hospitality".
Immortal Techniqueartist
Royce da 5'9"artistRyan Daniel Montgomery, known professionally as Royce da 5'9", is an American rapper. Best known for his association with fellow Detroit rapper Eminem, the two met in 1997 and formed the hip hop duo Bad Meets Evil the following year. Their 2011 single, "Lighters", peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and preceded the release of their debut extended play (EP), Hell: The Sequel (2011). The song and EP—which debuted atop the Billboard 200—have both yielded Montgomery's furthest commercial success.
Westside GunnartistAlvin Lamar Worthy, known professionally as Westside Gunn, is an American rapper, fashion designer and professional wrestling promoter. He co-founded the hip-hop record label Griselda Records in 2012 with his half-brother Conway the Machine and their cousin Benny the Butcher.
Grafhartist
CassidyartistBarry Adrian Reese, better known by his stage name Cassidy, is an American rapper. He first garnered attention for his freestyles and competitions as a battle rapper in the late 1990s, and formed the Philadelphia-based hip hop collective Larsiny by the end of the decade. American record producer Swizz Beatz discovered the group in 2000 and signed Cassidy to his newly-established Full Surface Records, in a joint venture with J Records. He adopted a commercially-oriented approach for his 2003 debut single "Hotel" and its follow-up, "Get No Better" ; the former peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 while both preceded the release of his debut studio album, Split Personality (2004).
Charles Hamiltonartist
Nasartist
Wiz KhalifaartistCameron Jibril Thomaz, known professionally as Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, and actor. Raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he signed with the local independent label Rostrum Records to release his debut studio album, Show and Prove (2006). His contract entered a short-lived joint venture with Warner Bros. Records the following year. His Eurodance-influenced 2008 single "Say Yeah" received urban radio airplay and entered both the Rhythmic Top 40 and Hot Rap Songs charts, becoming his first minor hit.
N.O.R.E.artist
Uncle Murdaartist
¡Mayday!artist
DJ Khaledartist
DJ Kay SlayartistKeith Grayson, known professionally as DJ Kay Slay, was an American disc jockey (DJ) from Manhattan, New York. He is referred to by The New York Times as "Hip Hop's One-Man Ministry of Insults". He released four studio albums: The Streetsweeper, Vol. 1 (2003), The Streetsweeper, Vol. 2 (2004), The Champions: North Meets South, and More Than Just a DJ (2010). Known for extensive curation of prominent figures in East Coast hip-hop, his albums were met with success in the regional market; his first two were released by Columbia Records. Grayson died from COVID-19 in 2022.
Ghostface Killahartist