Roots of Freddie Gibbs

Justin Lewis Scott, known professionally as Big K.R.I.T., is an American rapper and record producer. Born in Meridian, Mississippi, he began his musical career in 2005. He was signed to Def Jam Recordings by Sha Money XL in 2010, and first gained recognition following the release of his single "Country Shit" in September of that year. The following year, he guest appeared on T.I.'s promotional single "I'm Flexin'", which became Scott's first entry on the Billboard Hot 100.

Jay Wayne Jenkins, known by his stage name Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is credited, alongside fellow Georgia-based rappers T.I. and Gucci Mane, with pioneering the hip hop subgenre trap music for mainstream audiences. Jenkins began his career in 2001, releasing two independent albums until signing with Def Jam Recordings to release his major label debut, Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101 (2005). The album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200, sold 172,000 copies in its first week, and received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA); its lead single, "Soul Survivor", peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains his highest-charting song.

Joyce Wrice is an American singer and songwriter from San Diego, California. Known for her blend of R&B and neo soul, she gained recognition with her debut studio album, Overgrown (2021). In 2023, Wrice earned a nomination alongside music producer Kaytranada at the Juno Awards.

Patrick Owen Baril, known professionally as Statik Selektah, is an American DJ and record producer from Boston, Massachusetts. He is also the founder of Showoff Records. In 2010, he formed the hip hop group 1982, alongside American rapper Termanology. He has resided in New York City since 2004.

Edwin Kenneth Green Jr., professionally known as Kenny Mason, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer, known for his distinctive sound which consists of a fusion between grunge, hip-hop, and elements of shoegaze.

Injury Reserve was an American hip-hop group founded in Tempe, Arizona, in 2012. The group consisted of rappers Ritchie with a T and Stepa J. Groggs, alongside producer Parker Corey.

Bryan James Sledge, better known by his stage name BJ the Chicago Kid, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Chicago, Sledge is best known for frequently collaborating with Top Dawg Entertainment recording artists Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, Kendrick Lamar, and Jay Rock. He has also worked with several other prominent rappers, such as Freddie Gibbs, Warren G, Nekfeu, Chance the Rapper, Big K.R.I.T., GLC, Kanye West, Anderson .Paak, and Joey Badass, among numerous others.

Otis Lee Jackson Jr., known professionally as Madlib, is an American DJ, record producer, and rapper. Critically acclaimed for his eclectic, sample-heavy production style, he is regarded as one of the most influential producers in modern hip-hop. His frequent collaborators include MF Doom, J Dilla, Freddie Gibbs, Talib Kweli, and Erykah Badu.

Charles Jawanzaa Worth, known by his stage name Chip tha Ripper, is an American rapper from Cleveland, Ohio. He is best known for his guest appearance on fellow Cleveland rapper Kid Cudi's 2013 single "Just What I Am," and also was featured on "Hyyerr" from Kid Cudi’s album Man on the Moon: The End of Day, which received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Along with his association with Cudi, Worth has amassed numerous mixtapes tailored for the Cleveland area.

Antoine Amari Reed is an American rapper better known by his stage name Sir Michael Rocks. He started his music career in 2005 as a member of the hip hop duo The Cool Kids, and later joined the groups All City Chess Club, the "super group" P.O.C., and The Toothpick Clique. The Cool Kids released their debut album When Fish Ride Bicycles in 2011, which features production by The Neptunes and artists such as Ghostface Killah. The album peaked at No. 76 on the Billboard 200, and No. 9 on Top Rap Albums.

Ryan Dean Wisler, better known by his stage name Kno, is an American alternative hip-hop rapper, producer, and singer. He is a founding member of the hip-hop groups CunninLynguists and Built to Fade. Kno is currently signed to QN5 Music and APOS Music. In 2010, Kno was named "one of the top loop-miners east of the Mississippi" by URB.

British-American rapper and record producer Daniel Dumile, also known under several stage names, most notably MF Doom, released 6 studio albums, 2 live albums, 3 compilation albums, 10 instrumental albums, 7 collaborative albums, 22 singles, and 32 music videos in his career. The rapper died on October 31, 2020. The day is known as Doomsday.

Earl Simmons, known professionally as DMX, was an American rapper, songwriter, and actor. His accolades included an American Music Award, a Billboard Music Award, and six Grammy Award nominations. Regarded as an influential figure in the late 1990s and early 2000s and one of the greats of hip-hop, his music is characterized by his "aggressive" rapping style, with lyrical content varying from hardcore themes to personal themes such as trauma or childhood abuse.

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.