Lil' Kim/Governor/Shelene Thomas/Full Force 
Biography of Full Force
During the late '80s, Full Force was the dominant production, compositional and performing ensemble in rap, though they were never hardcore rappers. The three George brothers -- B-Fine, Paul Anthony and "Bowlegged" Lou -- teamed with cousins Gerry "Baby" Charles, Junior "Shy Shy" Clark and "Curt-T-T" Bedeau. Besides writing and producing hits for Lisa Lisa And Cult Jam, UTFO, Cheryl "Pepsi" Riley and many others, the group issued three albums on its own. But none of them came close to equaling the success they earned producing other acts. After appearing in both Hudlin brothers' films House Party and House Party 2, things cooled considerably for the Brooklyn combine. ~ Ron Wynn Biography of Full Force
During the late '80s, Full Force was the dominant production, compositional and performing ensemble in rap, though they were never hardcore rappers. The three George brothers -- B-Fine, Paul Anthony and "Bowlegged" Lou -- teamed with cousins Gerry "Baby" Charles, Junior "Shy Shy" Clark and "Curt-T-T" Bedeau. Besides writing and producing hits for Lisa Lisa And Cult Jam, UTFO, Cheryl "Pepsi" Riley and many others, the group issued three albums on its own. But none of them came close to equaling the success they earned producing other acts. After appearing in both Hudlin brothers' films House Party and House Party 2, things cooled considerably for the Brooklyn combine. ~ Ron Wynn Biography of Lil' Kim
After making her presence known on Junior M.A.F.I.A.'s debut album, Conspiracy, Lil' Kim launched a solo career in 1996 with the release of her first record, Hard Core. As the album's title implies, Kim was a rarity among female rappers -- one who not only concentrated on edgy hardcore rap but also explicit sexuality, two territories that had long been the province of male rappers. Of course, Kim's near-pornographic sexuality and hard-edged rhythms made her an anomaly within hip-hop, but Hard Core proved that she was no novelty, as it garnered positive reviews and strong sales.A native of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, Lil' Kim was raised by her parents until they split up when she was nine years old. Following their separation, she lived with her father, yet he threw her out of the house when she was a teenager. As a teen, she lived with her friends and, occasionally, on the streets. Eventually, she and her rhyming skills came to the attention of Biggie Smalls, who helped her cultivate her career. Smalls helped her become a member of Junior M.A.F.I.A., and Kim was a key part of the group's hit debut single, "Player's Anthem." Kim also made a big impression on the remainder of Junior M.A.F.I.A.'s 1995 debut album, Conspiracy.Following the release of Conspiracy, Kim appeared on records by Mona Lisa, the Isley Brothers, Total, and Skin Deep. For her debut album, she worked with a variety of producers, including Sean "Puffy" Combs, High Class, Jermaine Dupri, and Ski. The result, entitled Hard Core, was released in late 1996. Kim's marketing campaign for the album was quite provocative -- she was dressed in a skimpy bikini and furs in the advertisements, as well as the album covers -- but instead of resulting in a backlash, the album became a hit, debuting at number 11 on the pop charts. The first single from the album, "No Time," a duet with Sean "Puffy" Combs, became a number one rap single. The long-awaited Notorious K.I.M. followed in 2000, and then came La Bella Mafia in 2003. Two years later Kim was in court defending herself against a perjury charge. She was eventually convicted of lying to a federal grand jury about her knowledge of a 2001 shooting outside of New York's influential radio station Hot 97 FM. Kim had claimed she wasn't aware that her manager and a friend were present, but surveillance cameras proved the two were there. In September of that year, the new album The Naked Truth appeared while its "Lighters Up" single was dominating urban radio. Documenting the rapper's preparations for incarceration, the BET reality show Lil' Kim: Countdown to Lockdown first aired in March 2006 and became the most watched series debut in the network's history. On July 3, 2006, she was released on good behavior after serving ten months of her 12-month sentence. Kim exited the prison in a silver Rolls Royce. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine Biography of Lil' Kim
After making her presence known on Junior M.A.F.I.A.'s debut album, Conspiracy, Lil' Kim launched a solo career in 1996 with the release of her first record, Hard Core. As the album's title implies, Kim was a rarity among female rappers -- one who not only concentrated on edgy hardcore rap but also explicit sexuality, two territories that had long been the province of male rappers. Of course, Kim's near-pornographic sexuality and hard-edged rhythms made her an anomaly within hip-hop, but Hard Core proved that she was no novelty, as it garnered positive reviews and strong sales.A native of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, Lil' Kim was raised by her parents until they split up when she was nine years old. Following their separation, she lived with her father, yet he threw her out of the house when she was a teenager. As a teen, she lived with her friends and, occasionally, on the streets. Eventually, she and her rhyming skills came to the attention of Biggie Smalls, who helped her cultivate her career. Smalls helped her become a member of Junior M.A.F.I.A., and Kim was a key part of the group's hit debut single, "Player's Anthem." Kim also made a big impression on the remainder of Junior M.A.F.I.A.'s 1995 debut album, Conspiracy.Following the release of Conspiracy, Kim appeared on records by Mona Lisa, the Isley Brothers, Total, and Skin Deep. For her debut album, she worked with a variety of producers, including Sean "Puffy" Combs, High Class, Jermaine Dupri, and Ski. The result, entitled Hard Core, was released in late 1996. Kim's marketing campaign for the album was quite provocative -- she was dressed in a skimpy bikini and furs in the advertisements, as well as the album covers -- but instead of resulting in a backlash, the album became a hit, debuting at number 11 on the pop charts. The first single from the album, "No Time," a duet with Sean "Puffy" Combs, became a number one rap single. The long-awaited Notorious K.I.M. followed in 2000, and then came La Bella Mafia in 2003. Two years later Kim was in court defending herself against a perjury charge. She was eventually convicted of lying to a federal grand jury about her knowledge of a 2001 shooting outside of New York's influential radio station Hot 97 FM. Kim had claimed she wasn't aware that her manager and a friend were present, but surveillance cameras proved the two were there. In September of that year, the new album The Naked Truth appeared while its "Lighters Up" single was dominating urban radio. Documenting the rapper's preparations for incarceration, the BET reality show Lil' Kim: Countdown to Lockdown first aired in March 2006 and became the most watched series debut in the network's history. On July 3, 2006, she was released on good behavior after serving ten months of her 12-month sentence. Kim exited the prison in a silver Rolls Royce. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine Biography of Governor
Most of R&B singer Governor's career is characterized by promising opportunities gone awry. This son of a Virginia preacher saw a number of his projects -- some with top-name artists like Dr. Dre -- shelved permanently. It was not until he signed to Atlantic recording artist T.I.'s imprint Grand Hustle Entertainment before he received the major-label backing needed to jump-start his career. Governor (full name Governor Washington, Jr.) embarked on his journey to become an R&B star once he graduated from high school in 1990. He turned down his acceptance to the prestigious Berklee College of Music in order to form an R&B group named Case Closed and left Virginia for New York. When his group's plans proved fruitless, they disbanded, prompting Governor to pursue the solo route. He earned a deal through the independent Warlock Records for his debut, Another State of Mind, in 2000. After that album's release, Governor continued to find himself around some of the industry's finest, working with hit-making producers Trackmasters, Wyclef Jean, and West Coast legend Dr. Dre. The stint with Trackmasters generated numerous tracks with 50 Cent (before his ascendance to superstardom); however, most of those collaborations went unreleased and Governor parted ways. When Jean got Governor signed to Atlantic Records, Dr. Dre wanted to work with the new artist after hearing his music. The two created about a dozen tracks, but those songs also found their way into obscurity. Jean did involve Governor in some of his projects, but the latter still found himself looking for a new avenue to put out his music. Through a mutual contact, Atlantic A&R Craig Kallman, Governor was introduced to T.I., and the rapper eagerly signed him. Led by the bluesy, pain-evoking single "Blood, Sweat, and Tears," his Grand Hustle/Atlantic debut, Son of Pain, was released in September 2006. ~ Cyril Cordor Biography of Governor
Most of R&B singer Governor's career is characterized by promising opportunities gone awry. This son of a Virginia preacher saw a number of his projects -- some with top-name artists like Dr. Dre -- shelved permanently. It was not until he signed to Atlantic recording artist T.I.'s imprint Grand Hustle Entertainment before he received the major-label backing needed to jump-start his career. Governor (full name Governor Washington, Jr.) embarked on his journey to become an R&B star once he graduated from high school in 1990. He turned down his acceptance to the prestigious Berklee College of Music in order to form an R&B group named Case Closed and left Virginia for New York. When his group's plans proved fruitless, they disbanded, prompting Governor to pursue the solo route. He earned a deal through the independent Warlock Records for his debut, Another State of Mind, in 2000. After that album's release, Governor continued to find himself around some of the industry's finest, working with hit-making producers Trackmasters, Wyclef Jean, and West Coast legend Dr. Dre. The stint with Trackmasters generated numerous tracks with 50 Cent (before his ascendance to superstardom); however, most of those collaborations went unreleased and Governor parted ways. When Jean got Governor signed to Atlantic Records, Dr. Dre wanted to work with the new artist after hearing his music. The two created about a dozen tracks, but those songs also found their way into obscurity. Jean did involve Governor in some of his projects, but the latter still found himself looking for a new avenue to put out his music. Through a mutual contact, Atlantic A&R Craig Kallman, Governor was introduced to T.I., and the rapper eagerly signed him. Led by the bluesy, pain-evoking single "Blood, Sweat, and Tears," his Grand Hustle/Atlantic debut, Son of Pain, was released in September 2006. ~ Cyril Cordor Biography of Shelene Thomas
No biography available Biography of Shelene Thomas
No biography available |
