Russell Tyrone Jones (November 15, 1968 – November 13, 2004) was an American rapper and occasional producer, who went by the stage name Ol' Dirty Bastard, ODB, Ason Unique, Osirus, Rainman, and Big Baby Jesus. He was one of the founding members of the Wu-Tang Clan, a rap group primarily from Staten Island, New York that first rose to mainstream prominence with their 1993 debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).

After establishing the Wu-Tang Clan, Ol' Dirty Bastard went on to pursue a successful solo career. However, his professional success was hampered by frequent legal troubles, includingincarceration. He died in late 2004 of a drug overdose, two days before his 36th birthday. Prior to his death, Ol' Dirty Bastard managed to record his third solo album, which has been repeatedly delayed and as of 2012 has not been released.

Jones was often noted for his trademark microphone techniques and his "outrageously profane, free-associative rhymes delivered in a distinctive half-rapped, half-sung style". His stage name was derived from a childhood nickname given by RZA, the relevance of which was articulated by Method Man's statement that there was "no father to his style". read more →

"Nine is the stage name of Derrick Keyes (born September 19, 1969), an American rapper from The Bronx, New York City, New York. He also been known as 9MM or Nine Double M. Known for his harsh, gravelly flow and distinctive voice, Keyes got his break in late 1993 as a featured guest on Funkmaster Flex and the Ghetto Celebs' "Six Million Ways to Die".

Keyes originally recorded under the moniker 9MM (or Nine Double M) before changing his name to simply Nine. He stated, "I didn't want to be just be named after the gun (9mm)." His stage name refers to his date of birth (9/19/1969), his shoe size, and his lucky number.

Nine's debut album, Nine Livez, was released by the now-defunct record label Profile Records. Produced by Rob Lewis and Tony Stoute, the album produced the singles "Whutcha Want?" and "Any Emcee" (which samples Eric B. & Rakim).

Portions of Nine's "Whutcha Want?" were featured in advertisements by US automobile manufacturer Jeep. The ads used the song "Steady Bounce" by KRS-One from his album Strickly For Da Breakdancers & Emceez, which also used a sample from Nine’s "Whutcha Want?". According to an interview conducted with HalftimeOnline.com, Jeep never sought permission to use the sample, and Nine pursued legal action.

Nas referred to 9 Double M on the track "Where are They Now?" from his album Hip Hop Is Dead. He is also referred to on the track "Twinz (Deep Cover ’98)" from Big Pun's debut album Capital Punishment, where Fat Joe says "Boogie Down major like Nine" referring to Nine's lyric in his song "Whutcha Want?" where Nine describes himself as a "Boogie Down Bronx major".

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Ol’ Dirty Bastard (* 15. November 1968 in Brooklyn, New York; † 13. November 2004 in New York City, bürgerlich Russell Tyrone Jones) war ein US-amerikanischer Rapper und Mitglied des Wu-Tang Clans.

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Mobb Deep are an American Hip hop duo from Queensbridge, Queens, New York, U.S., that consisted of Havoc and Prodigy. The duo is "one of the most critically acclaimed hardcore East Coast Hip-Hop groups".The group is best known for its dark, hardcore delivery as exemplified by the single "Shook Ones Pt. II".Mobb Deep have become one of the most successful rap duos in Hip Hop having sold over three million records.The majority of their albums have been critically acclaimed, in particular The Infamous, which is considered to be classic among avid Hip-Hop listeners and general fans.They are partially credited for the resurgence of East Coast rap in the early to mid-'90s. Havoc and Prodigy were also judges for the 7th Annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers and breakthroughs.

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