His solo albums contained some of his most well-known releases that reached number-one spots on the US charts, including Gettin' Jiggy wit It.. Malik B and especially Black Thought continued to evolve as MCs, although they do sound a little more laid back on this release. However, the album was not as well-received as the duos first three, and it appeared more and more evident that the two were focusing on their TV careers more than on their music. Hear Bahamadia at her best on Kollage tracks such as Uknowhowwedu and 3 the Hard Way. Based off of some of his deeper, more introspective songs, it seemed as if there was a lot of pain in Viros life. Eve was born and raised in Philly, living in Germantown and graduating from the local Martin Luther King High School. What Does It Mean?, which the aforementioned Ice-T credits as being the direct influence for his 1986 smash 6 in the Mornin. One of the best modern rappers from Pennsylvania is Lil Uzi Vert. Reef the Lost Cauze has been a big name in rap since the late 90s. By Ivie Ani Photography by Camila Falquez March 10, 2020 "Can I rap for you?" A student yelled from the auditorium seats at John Bartram High School in South Philadelphia, his voice cutting. The more popular artists that have a combination of the most followers, streams, views, and most recent releases are near the top. Passion Of The Poetsis a soundtrack to the time we live in now, with clever and thought-provoking lyrics from Easy Lee and MexStep. Its clear where Jay Baltimores inspiration comes from this album wears influences by classics like RaekwonsOnly Built 4 Cuban Linxand NasIt Was Writtenthin on its sleeve. June Marx is a fine emcee, with a nice cadence and flow and with lyrics worth listening to. Spencer For Higher 3is another great installment in theSpencer For Higherseries by Chicago rapper Vic Spencer & UK producer/emcee SonnyJim. Theres a lot of genericness in todays oversaturated Hip Hop market, butThou Shall Not Killdefinitely is not one of those thirteen a dozen releases. But within a few months of releasing his mixtape, Samir's life was cut short. The video attempted to raise awareness for climate change and raise money for environmental charities. The album also saw Just Blaze and Kanye West receive their first widespread exposure as producers. Following their first collaboration in 2015 (the excellentDangerous GroundEP), British producer Giallo Point and Los Angels emcee D-Strong team up again, this time for a full-length:Suitcase Full Of Gunz. From new artists to some of the greatest hip hop artists of all time, here are the best rappers from Philadelphia. Tierra Whack follow on Instagram: @Tierra Whack and watch on Youtube: Tierra Whack 5. The Face Of Jasonis up there with the best albums of 2020,As Above, So Belowis not far behind. Walking with Lionsembodies head-nodder boom-bap infused with big sounding, lush soundscapes as Ras Kass & El Gant command the listeners attention speaking on subject matter ranging from school shootings to what life would be like with a nuke arriving in 38 minutes. His career quickly developed, being offered multiple record deals. Guerilla Dynasty is a collaborative project by underground emcee Recognize Ali & prolific producer Stu Bangas. PNB Rock follow on Instagram: @PNB Rock and watch on Youtube: PNB Rock 4. : The Album. Fans of the TV show Aqua Teen Hunger Force may also be familiar with Schoolly D's voice work, as he provides both the theme and periodic narration. From MF DOOM, Mos Def and Aesop Rock, to Kool Keith, El-P and Roc Marciano, here are the top 25 best underground rappers of all time. Lei Takanashi 22Gz Hometown: Flatbush, Brooklyn Twitter: @22Gz Notable Songs:. This is a deep, layered, and well-rounded album Hip Hop for thinking people. State Property dissolved in 2005, and in that same year, Sigel released his third solo album, perhaps the most celebrated of his career the commanding The B. #PHILLY2021 0% Check out some of their music below and let us know who we might've missed! Wrecking Crew is a collaboration of Philadelphia artists Curly Castro and PremRock (the duo that dropped the excellentShrapKnelalbum earlier this year) with Career Crooks Zilla Rocca and Small Professor. He writes musicals and works on fostering new Philadelphia talents. The groups beginnings trace back to 1987 at a Philadelphia high school, where Questlove and Black Thought were classmates. This self-titled full-length LP was created from scraps of other projects that were given new life once the group compiled unfinished songs and concepts. Tierra Whack's love of rhyming led her to rap, and her debut album Whack World grabbed Grammy nominations. His best-known song, What We Do, which featured Jay-Z and fellow Philadelphia rapper Beanie Sigel, was in heavy rotation in 2002 and 2003, especially on Philadelphia radio. He gained fame through these niches, releasing diss tracks back and forth with Meek Mill and battling Freeway. Also, in the early days, the Philadelphia hip hop scene it often consist of a duo of DJs and MCs (rap artist) paired and performing together as one whole hip-hop act, like the Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff or DJ Jazz and Robbie B. Her career began as a house DJ in Philadelphia before the artist Guru noticed her skill on her EP. In the 2000s, they released three albums, beginning with 2004s Jedi Mind Tricks Presents Outerspace. P.S.K. is widely credited as being the first gangsta rap song ever, and features tales about Ds adventures in the hood and pays homage to the Park Side Killers, a West Philly street gang The Hip Hop world had never heard anything on this level before, and a rapper not from New York or Los Angeles was, for the first time, gaining some national exposure. Who are the top Philadelphia rappers of all-time? There is an extensive history of hip hop in The City of Brotherly Love as Philly rappers have been known to pioneer gangster rap music and world leaders of battle rap. Only famous rappers who were born in or started their careers in Philadelphia. 2019 Philly Underground Rappers To Watch Out For! Top 20 Philly Rappers 1. Musically,Passion Of The Poetsoffers a potent blend of 90s-centric boom-bap, Southern Hip Hop, and Latin sounds. Recognize Ali is an excellent emcee whos got bars for days, and with this album, he solidifies his status as one of the MVPs in todays underground Hip Hop scene. *Unofficial Order. Their sophomore effort would gain them even more national exposure, and they quickly rose up through the underground with a growing fan base. Cassidy is one of the best Pennsylvania rappers for freestyle and rap battles. In later years, Schoolly D would step away from the mic and harness his musical talent. Ice-T credits Schoolly D as a prominent influence for his courage to explore gangsta rap. Lil Uzi Vert. Songs such as Heavenly Divine, Retaliation and Blood Runs Cold (featuring the late Sean Price) stood out on the album. JMT has released three solid albums since Servants in Heaven, including 2015s The Thief and the Fallen. Ive been working with Richie Souf straight hits, lucky to say that. While Freeway made his most dominant mainstream efforts on Philadelphia Freeway and 2007s Free at Last, he would go on to have a consistent career after his mainstream exposure. His music would begin to take an Afrocentric twist by his fourth album, and he was credited along KRS-One as being one of the first Afrocentric rappers. Aside from his work in groups, Doap Nixon's solo career has also had successes. When he isn't rapping, The Ambassador is an assistant professor of preaching and Bible studies at The College at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. By Eric Skelton , Jessica McKinney , Kemet High , Grant Rindner , Brad . Meek Mill follow on Instagram: @Meek Mill and watch on Youtube: Meek Mill 2. BABYpacks 16 tracks and runs for close to an hour, but its not a minute too long. BABYis a beautiful Hip Hop album filled with soulful boom-bap beats and meaningful lyrics. In 1985, he released the seminal single P.S.K. Sophisticated Weaponryis self-released and entirely self-produced, and another interesting release in a consistently strong catalog. Read More 61 Best Rock Bands of the 70sContinue, Your email address will not be published. He's also had involvement in other public controversies and legal battles. Lil Uzi Vert's rap is a mixture of styles, including emo and trap music elements. PnB Rock was one of the best Philadelphia rappers new to the scene. After a highly-publicized trial that was a huge story in the Philadelphia media, Sigel did a year in prison in 2004. This young artist was born in 1998 but has managed to have multiple songs break into the top spots of the charts, and his mixtape has gone platinum. Curly Castro is one of the most interesting Philly rappers out today. Vinnie got into the mainstream rapping and popular among the fans with his debut album, Season of the Assassin, in 2010. (Sim Santana, Jay Huff, BryGreatah, Leaf Ward) 9,992 views Aug 1, 2019 127 Dislike Share 88 Hunnit Tv 1.2K subscribers Tune In To See Some Of. Check out the spacey, piano-laden Kid U Not from Jerseys Finest and the excellently melodic hometown anthem The Streets from The Sharpest Blade. The delivery and cadence that you would hear from these artists from the city would have a non-Philly resident ask you, Yo, who is that?. Despite coming from the City of Brotherly Love, Beanie Sigel has had a few public disputes and diss tracks with fellow Philadelphia artist Meek Mill. She's known for the songs Uknowhowwedu, True Honey Buns, and Spontaneity.. Tierra Whack is a famous Philly rapper who started performing as Dizzle Dizz. He is able to lean into the sound of the producer he is working with, without losing his own signature style. Essentially, they wanted to create a jazz rap sound not through samples and turntablism, but through live musicianship, including drums, bass, keyboard and guitar. So here goes, in no particular order: the best 25 underground Hip Hop albums of 2020 (no EPs). He co-founded the musical group The Roots with fellow Philly musician Questlove. Philly churned out some landmark Hip Hop artists in the 1980s, but saw some of its most recognized success from the mid 1990s onwards. He is on everybodys album as a featured artist, and Recognitionis his third full-length release of the year following the solidDuelling Expertsproject (as Duelling Experts, with Verbal Kent), and the boom-bap bangerGuerilla Dynasty, the above-mentioned collaborative project with producer Stu Bangas. If you were listening to rap/Hip Hop radio in the United States around the year 2000, you simply could not go more than five minutes without hearing something out of Jay-Z. We can thank the city for the likes of Will Smith, Lady B, and Meek Mill. The chilled-out boom-bap beats crafted by LRYBRDBTZ and the well-placed cuts by DJiRATE fit Chokes lyrics to a T. This is a stylish and classy album that will be appreciated by 90s Hip Hop fans for sure, but thats up-to-date enough to not just appeal to old heads Nepotismis a project that will satisfy the tastebuds of all Hip Hop connoisseurs, and not just of the old heads. With lyrics about living in the ghetto, gangsta rapper Schoolly D is commonly regarded as the artist who helped Philly pop up in the hip hop world. Guilty Simpson and Leonard Charles make a formidable duo andLSDis a formidable album. One of his most famous music videos was for the song Earth, where countless celebrities made cameos. Even the cover art is done exactly right. Freeway is from North Philly, but he left the city to begin working with Jay-Z. Just look past that Married With Children album cover (even if there are thematic links to that TV-series in the album title and albums content), and give this project an attentive listen no doubt youll quickly addPow Bundyto your library. His name relates to street names close to where he grew up. Classic rap fans will appreciate one of Philadelphia's best rappers, Schoolly D. Schoolly D started his career in the mid-1980s and often wrote rap songs featured in films. This feud was perhaps the gold standard of Hip Hop beef until Jay-Z and Nas went at it later that year. She grew up in North Philadelphia and was a student at the prestigious Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush with a vocal major. Raw Poetic is a great emcee and Damu The Fudgemunk is one of the most underappreciated producers in the game, so the result is as could be expected when taking into account Raw Poetic and Damu The Fudgemunks skill-levels:Moment Of Changeis a totally fine project, with solid lyricism and dope melodic boom-bap beats. 1999s Things Fall Apart was most definitely the groups breakout album, as by then, The Roots were receiving a lot of attention. You should check out this project if youre into lyrical throwback Wu-Tang-style NYC Hip Hop. Everything is done right here from the razor-sharp lyricism to the flawless production to the sequencing of the songs to the cover-art the total package is dope as f. Starting with the booming RTJ-flavored album opener Belushi & Aykroyd straight through to the last track Lighters Up this album is FIRE. Visions of Gandhi followed the same general format as Violent by Design and featured an even more impressive guest lineup, including Canibus, Ras Kass, Kool G Rap, Ill Bill, Percee P and Tragedy Khadafi, among others. This is not an album that can be lumped together with all the other (kind of generic) retro boom-bap albums that drop these days, though. Jus Allah rejoined and re-left the group in this time period, and Stoupe also bowed out for their 2011 release, Violence Begets Violence. Since then, Young Chris has spent time freestyling and releasing solo projects. Includingboth solo artists, like Meek Mill and Lil Uzi Vert,andhip hop groups, like Army of the Pharaohs and The Roots, this list of the most popular Philadelphia rappers features rap artists who were born or raised in the Pennsylvania city. Lil Uzi Vert's rap is a mixture of styles, including emo and trap music elements. His family immigrated to Philly when he was a young kid, so he has citizenship in Italy and America. As the name Wrecking Crew, along with the album cover and title (referring to Juice 1992s cult movie hit) suggests, this project has some definite throwback vibes. Read also The 10 best Brooklyn drill rappers you should watch in 2021 8. One Be Lo has always been a fan of acronyms, evident here not just in the albums title but in the tracklist as well: all song titles are composed of the four letters inBABYtoo. Modern fans of Will Smith will think of the movie star, but Smith had a vibrant career as a rapper in the late 90s and early 2000s. Just based off of the albums title, it was clear that these guys were intelligent weirdos, and for most, this was an extremely good thing.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'hiphopgoldenage_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_4',178,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-hiphopgoldenage_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); The Psycho Social Album gave Hip Hop a breath of fresh air in the years where the genre was quickly becoming overly commercial. in early 1995. They put out an entirely new album later in 2004, titled Blood and Ashes. Vinnie Paz is the leader of both Jedi Mind Tricks and the Army of the Pharaoh rap groups. While Beanie was a great rapper, he also knew how to grab the worlds attention for more negative reasons. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. Some of the American rapper's top songs include You Got Me and The Seed.. The Best XXL Freshman Rappers of All Time, The Best Young Rappers And New School Rappers, The Best Rappers Who Started On SoundCloud, The Best Musical Artists From Pennsylvania, Celebrities We Want To See On Drop the Mic, The Greatest Women in Music, 1980s to Today, The Best Talk Show Hosts Of Daytime, Late Night, and All Time, A Complete Timeline Of Will Smith And Jada Pinkett Smith's Relationship, The Greatest Singers of the Past 30 Years. This is a well-rounded project, with dope beats and bars from start to finish, with guest appearances from RJ Payne, Blaze Gee, Young Briggs, Los, Nall, Fabeyon, Dtayls, Berto Bravo, and D Days. Check these underground trap artists out in 2020, some of the hardest beats and wildest lyrics these guys have been running the soundcloud scene. Reef the Lost Cauze grew up in Philly and started his career in rap battling and MCing. In 1998, the Army of the Pharaohs collective was founded by Vinnie Paz, and brought together a large collection of rappers from Philadelphia, Boston and New York. How To Produce Music Like A Pro It is an under-represented and often-overshadowed Hip Hop city, yet some of the genres most influential and most consistent artists come out of this great city.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'hiphopgoldenage_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_0',105,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-hiphopgoldenage_com-medrectangle-4-0'); Below is a list of the top 10 Hip Hop artists to ever come out of Philadelphia. We have seen acts like Beanie Sigel and Meek Mill keep the original Philly sound alive. This sound first manifested itself on the groups 1993 debut Organix. D-Cyphas 1st official albumThe Special Ingredient is one of the best producer-albums of the year. Released by celebrated indie Hip Hop label Babygrande Records, the album showcased the lyrical skills and raw intelligence of the two MCs, who had a knack for street-life tales mixed with extraterrestrial themes. J57 produced the whole album except for The 1st Time which was produced by legendary DJ Premier. Dice Raw's career started when he was young when a rap group spotted his talent in high school. Check outThou Shall Not Kill, you will not regret it. He also holds a Master's degree in Theology. Jay Bezel is a rapper with hard work and dedication who started his career by distributing CDs and mixtapes on Philadelphia's streets. She also makes a formidable appearance on Jedi Mind Tricks 2000 LP Violent by Design as a member of east coast Hip Hop collective Army of the Pharaohs.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'hiphopgoldenage_com-box-4','ezslot_1',114,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-hiphopgoldenage_com-box-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'hiphopgoldenage_com-box-4','ezslot_2',114,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-hiphopgoldenage_com-box-4-0_1');.box-4-multi-114{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:10px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:10px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;min-width:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. The project features every member of the Dont Sleep Records roster and offers over an hour of dope Hip Hop that thankfully hasnt been left unreleased. Top hits of his include the following: Lil Skies chose his rapper name as a play off his father, Dark Skies, who sparked his initial music interest. 25. Viro, who is one of the most well-respected rappers in the Philly underground circuit, gained international recognition on German-based production stalwarts Snowgoons' track "Starlight", released in 2008 on the critically-acclaimed Black Snow. WhileVAN Ghostremains Ankhlejohns best album, his 2020 run is impressive too. Their two newest albums have not received the same amount of acclaim as their previous efforts, but the fact that they are still making music, still touring and sitting in for Jimmy Fallon on a nightly basis is a testament to how influential and far-reaching their music and art is. Some of his hit songs are Definition of Rap Flow, Gotta Be Dope, and Golden Oldies. Here are some of the best 70s rock bands, listed alphabetically. Vocal contributions from Da$h, Al.Divino, Fly Anakin, Wifi Gawd, Pink Siifu, Wiki, and from Navy Blue himself add extra spice makingAs Above, So Belowa well-rounded album with lots of replay value. Three years after he released his proper solo full-length albumThe Research, Cee Gee Incorporated comes with his anticipated and long-delayed second production album,Classical Gifted. But as rap continues to get more stylistically diverse, there isnt a single aestheticthat ties all these new artiststogether. Fans of the 90s and early 2000s rap might be familiar with Eve. Well, if youre in the top echelon of artists, then the answer is unquestionably yes! Some of the richest singers diversify their income streams by starting business ventures, getting into real estate, or by becoming art collectors, but its safe to say their first million was earned the, Read More 15 Highest Paid Singers In The World 2023Continue, The 1990s were truly a golden era for all forms of media, including music. Another pioneer was Schoolly D, an artist that many credit for being the first hip hop artist to venture into gangster rap, while peaking throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. The strength of this album is its consistency and its cohesiveness, the haunting atmosphere is maintained from beginning to end thanks to the ominous beats crafted by Evil Ed and DJ Drinks and Cyrus Malachis distinctive voice and raw rhymes. At 55 minutesRecognitionis also Recognize Alis longest album of the year so far, refreshing in an era where a lot of artists are happy to release a string of barely 30-minute long projects and call them albums. Original Demos & Unreleased Tracks is one of the best compilations of the year, 100% pure Hip Hop. Camden, New Jersey rapper Jus Allah joined the group in 1999 and added another powerful voice with clever lyricism to most songs. Turned on to Hip Hop in the late 90's at the age of 11, and I've never looked back. Aside from her solo work, she's often collaborated with other famous artists, including Black Thought and Questlove in The Roots. Although he only released his first album, Voice Memos, in 2019, Quadeca has produced many hits. Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. 10. They would release one more album, 1993s Code Red, which also was viewed as a bit of a disappointment. Their debut created an incredible amount of buzz both in Philadelphia and nationwide, and they were invited to various jazz festivals and even Lollapalooza. Rock the House featured decent rhymes from The Fresh Prince, but Jazzy Jeff stole the show with his turntablism. While performing with The Roots, it was common to see Black Thought appear on Jimmy Fallon's night show. We have also covered the talents of Tierra Whack, who recently earned her first Hot 100 placement, Rico Nasty, Kash Doll, Rapsody Noname, Kamiayah , Hook, and many other women choosing a career in . Then get our free 5 Steps To Profitable Youtube Music Career' ebook emailed directly to you! We could argue all day about why Philly rappers don't receive a bigger spotlight in higher numbers, but I've theorized a couple simple factors: People within Philly generally aren't known for supporting one . Vote up the best hip hop artists from Philly reppin' The City of Brotherly Love. Another early Army of the Pharaohs member, Reef the Lost Cauze quickly became an important member of Philadelphias Hip Hop community in the early to mid-2000s. Cliff Clavin, Hi-Q & Elz Sinatra are Bowery Bruisers. Your email address will not be published. We were right about the best underground artists in 2020, and we'll be right about them again in 2023. Will Smith was part of a duo with fellow Philly artist DJ Jazzy Jeff. On top of his charisma, Sigel was a clever lyricist, and his subject matter often dealt with street life. In 2002, his long list of legal troubles began, as Sigel would get arrested and charged for weapons. As Hip Hop grew in popularity in the 1980s, few cities other than New York and Los Angeles had any sort of presence on the scene. The game has been pushing emcees to step it up a notch. The evolution of the Philly sound has changed much more recently than in years prior. Here are just, Read More 21 Best NBA Youngboy Hit SongsContinue, Tech N9ne is the stage name of Aaron Yates, a rapper known for his quick-rhyming chopper style of rap that is reminiscent of the TEC-9 semi-automatic handgun. Aside from his music, he also makes frequent appearances at freestyle competitions, placing high when he competes. Who are the top Philadelphia rappers of all-time? Best 25 Underground Hip Hop Albums Of 2020: [Underground Hip Hop is an umbrella term for Hip Hop music outside the general commercial canon. Dewey Saunders Demrick Dice Raw DonChristian E E-Dubble Eve (rapper) F Freeway (rapper) Fridayy G G. Love H Heavy Metal Kings Hezekiah (rapper) The High & Mighty J Ms. Jade Japhia Life Raheem Jarbo Jneiro Jarel DJ Jazzy Jeff Young Joshua Journalist (rapper) Jus Allah K Jamie Kennedy All cuts on this album were done by the indelible DJ TMB. How To Sing Better Without Lessons With so much exciting music coming from so many directions, the Complex Music team has put together a list of rising rappers worth paying attention to. MC Ikon the Verbal Hologram spun twisting verbal tales about topics way out of left-field, including extraterrestrial life forms and religious extremism. Glockstar Dimi is an Upstate New York native that is starting to buzz. Their biggest musical inspirations aren't rappers but alternative musicians like Marilyn Manson and Paramore. He was becoming well-known among major rap groups. Despite his reputation as a Christian rapper, Phanatik has recently denounced Christianity. Nothing you havent heard before onThe Baltimore Housing Project, but if 90s-type mafioso rap is your thing, this album is a must-listen. Great names of rap have come from Philly. Lyrically, Illadelph Halflife is perhaps The Roots strongest effort, as the two MCs display absolute prowess on the mic from start to finish. Required fields are marked *. By far the most well-known and influential Hip Hop act from the city, The Roots have transitioned from a humble group of street kids making smooth jazz-rap in the early 1990s, to one of the industrys most respected alternative Hip Hop groups around the turn of the century, to one of the best known and celebrated musical acts of all time in the 2010s so much so that theyre now the official band for the worlds most popular late-night TV show, The Tonight Show. Thou Shall Not Killis the debut solo release from Chicago artist Ray Swoope. Lil Uzi Vert follow on Instagram: @Lil Uzi Vert and watch on Youtube: Lil Uzi Vert 3. He's had a prominent personal career and worked in many rap groups, including JuJu Mob and Army of the Pharaohs. It was and still is one of Americas great cities, but unfortunately lives in the shadow of New York City and Washington, DC. Many people call Ice-T the father of gangsta rap, but Ice himself has acknowledged Philadelphia legend Schoolly D as the real creator of gangsta rap. (2005). The biggest hits from those albums include Let Me Blow Ya Mind and Gangsta Lovin'.Eve carved out an acting career for herself, as . He has a short docu-series based around his legal issues, which also gained the support of fellow musician Jay-Z. The star has been rapping since he was 12. In addition, they host the annual Roots Picnic each June in Philadelphia. One of the best modern rappers from Pennsylvania is Lil Uzi Vert. As Above, So Belowis produced in its entirety by Odd Future affiliated rapper/producer Navy Blue. The closely-affiliated Army of the Pharaohs, which was of course founded by Vinnie Paz, continues to do albums together. He started with Will Smith and had a few cameos on Smith's The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Songs that cemented his place as one of the most influential rappers include Who Ride Wit Us, We Can Freak It, and C Walk.. In 2016, it is one of the countys few growing urban centers, and is developing and expanding like no other city in the cold, desolate northern half of the country. Required fields are marked *. The group started as a trio, but quickly became a duo after their first album, consisting of Puerto Rican friends Planetary and Crypt the Warchild. Philadelphia is a vibrant city with plenty of history and culture. Tech established Strange Music, the largest independent hip-hop label in the world,, Read More 14 Best Tech N9ne SongsContinue, Do singers make a lot of money? He grew up in Northeast Philadelphia after being born in Germantown.