Legacy of Rakim

Rahkeim Calief Meyer, better known by his stage name Roc Marciano, is an American rapper and record producer. He is known for his intricate internal rhymes and wordplay detailing mafioso and pimp themes over sample based production. He has been called the "Godfather of the Underground" for pioneering the resurgence of gritty, lyrical rap and use of drumless sample loops in the early 2010s with his highly influential debut album Marcberg (2010).

Ali Douglas Newman, better known by his stage name Brother Ali, is an American rapper, community activist, and member of the Rhymesayers Entertainment hip-hop collective. He has released eleven albums, four EPs, and a number of singles and collaborations. Some of his best known works include The Undisputed Truth (2007), Us (2009), and Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color (2012), all of which charted on the US Billboard and were favorably received by critics.

Lorenzo Jerald Patterson, known professionally by his stage name MC Ren, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer from Compton, California. He is the founder and owner of the independent record label Villain Entertainment.

Daniel Dwayne "Diggy" Simmons III is an American rapper, singer and actor from Queens, New York City. The fourth child of Run-DMC's Joseph "Rev. Run" Simmons, he began his recording career in 2009 and signed with Atlantic Records the following year. In 2011, his single "Do It Like You" and guest appearance on Mindless Behavior's single "Mrs. Right" marked his first and only entries on the Billboard Hot 100. The former preceded the release of debut studio album, Unexpected Arrival (2012), which peaked at number 11 on the Billboard 200 and was met with positive critical reception. He was chosen as part of XXL magazine's 2011 Annual Freshman List, and joined Lupe Fiasco's short-lived rap collective, All City Chess Club as its youngest member that same year.

John R. Austin II, better known by his stage name Ras Kass, is an American rapper. He is a member of the hip hop supergroup The Hrsmn, along with Canibus, Killah Priest, and Kurupt in 2014. He is also a member of the group Golden State Warriors with Xzibit and Saafir. About.com ranked him No. 30 on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007), while Pitchfork Media called him "one of the best rappers of all time".

Eddie Collins, better known by his stage name Greydon Square, is an American rapper, producer and sound engineer from Compton, California. He is an Iraq War veteran, an outspoken atheist, and the owner/co-founder of Majestic Comics. He uses his creativity to encourage discussion of atheism, critical thinking and rational thought.

Kevin Danell Mann, known professionally as Brotha Lynch Hung, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer from Sacramento, California. Known for his explicitly graphic and violent lyrics which include vivid descriptions of cannibalism, murder, rape, infanticide, dismemberment, and necrophilia, he is a horrorcore artist. Due to the nature of his lyrics, his music is often compared to a slasher film. He is also a 24th Street Garden Blocc Crip gang member, which is a Crip-affiliated street gang based in Meadowview, Sacramento.

Rashia Tashan Fisher, known professionally as Rah Digga, is an American rapper and actress. She is best known as a longtime member of the Flipmode Squad, a hip hop group led by Busta Rhymes. Her debut album, Dirty Harriet (2000), peaked in the top-20 of the Billboard 200, and she released her second album, Classic, in 2010. She starred in the horror film Thirteen Ghosts (2001) as Maggie.

Jeffrey Michael Haynes, better known by his stage name Mr. Lif, is an American rapper from Boston, Massachusetts. While being praised because of his political lyrics, he has released two studio albums on Definitive Jux and one on Bloodbot Tactical Enterprises. Mr. Lif is also a member of the hip-hop group The Perceptionists with long-time friends and collaborators Akrobatik and DJ Fakts One.

Nigö is a Japanese fashion designer, disc jockey (DJ), record producer and entrepreneur. He is best known as the creator of the streetwear brand, A Bathing Ape (Bape), and currently serves as artistic director for Kenzo. Additionally, he is a member of the Japanese group Teriyaki Boyz, serving as their official in-house DJ since the group's 2005 debut.

Derek Keith Barbosa (April 8, 1974 – July 28, 2024), better known by his stage name Chino XL, was an American rapper and actor. He was known for his evocative wordplay and for warring with Tupac Shakur.

Panshak Henry Zamani better known as Ice Prince or Ice Prince Zamani, is a Nigerian rapper, singer and songwriter. He rose to fame after releasing "Oleku", one of Nigeria's most remixed songs of all time. He won the 2009 Hennessy Artistry Club Tour. His debut studio album Everybody Loves Ice Prince was released in 2011. It was supported by three singles: "Oleku", "Superstar" and "Juju". In 2013, Ice Prince released Fire of Zamani as his second studio album. The album contained the singles "Aboki", "More", "Gimme Dat" and "I Swear". On 1 July 2015, Ice Prince was announced as the vice president of Chocolate City. He held the position until leaving the label in 2016. He has collaborated with several African rappers, including Navio, Khaligraph Jones, AKA, and Sarkodie.

James Gutierrez, known professionally as A-F-R-O, All Flows Reach Out, or FRO Thizzle, is an American rapper, actor, record producer, and songwriter. He first gained widespread recognition in 2014 after he attracted the attention of rapper R.A. the Rugged Man, who introduced him to a broader audience.

Shawn Corey Carter, known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, businessman, and record executive. In 2023, Billboard and Vibe ranked him as the greatest rapper of all time. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, Jay-Z is known for his complex lyricism that often uses double entendres, wordplay, and braggadocio. His music is built on a rags to riches narrative. According to Forbes, he is the wealthiest music artist in history, worth an estimated US$2.8 billion as of 2026.

"Rap God" is a song by American rapper Eminem. The song premiered via YouTube on October 14, 2013, and was released in the United States on October 15, 2013, as the third single from Eminem's eighth studio album, The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (2013). It contains references to previous conflicts in Eminem's career, as well as to other rappers' conduct.

The Diary of Alicia Keys is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys. It was released on November 21, 2003, by J Records. Almost entirely written and produced by Keys, the album is a concept album functioning as her auditory diary, primarily dealing with relationship complexities. Musically, it is predominantly a soul, R&B, contemporary classical, and hip-hop record.

Enter the Wu-Tang , often referred to as simply 36 Chambers, is the debut studio album by the American hip-hop collective Wu-Tang Clan, released on November 9, 1993, by Wu-Tang Records, Loud Records, RCA Records, and Bertelsmann Music Group. The recording sessions took place during late 1992 to early 1993 at Firehouse Studio in New York City, and the album was produced by the group's de facto leader RZA. Its title originates from the martial arts films Enter the Dragon (1973) and The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978).