Before They Were Famous

Vanilla Ice rocketed to superstardom in the early 1990’s and for a split-second there, it really seemed like he might become one of the biggest artists on the planet. After all, his breakthrough hit, “Ice Ice Baby” would become the first hip-hop song to EVER reach the top of the Billboard charts. The only problem was, almost as quickly as people were willing to embrace this energetic track, they turned their backs on it as well. And while Ice could have gotten sour over how things turned out and shunned this side of his life forever, instead, he was able to parlay all that fame and money into kickstarting a different business venture that very well might have kept him as flush with cash as if he were still a pop-sensation. Ever wonder what rappers like 2Pac and Nipsey Hussle thought of Vanilla Ice? Or the story of Suge Knight holding him by the ankles over a building? Well then stay tuned to our newest episode of Where Are They Now for all that and more.

In recent years, Drill has gained insane popularity among rap music lovers.
There is an opinion that because of this genre, criminal activity has increased. Chicago at the dawn of drill music was considered the most dangerous city in the US and earned its infamous nickname as Chiraq. And the British government removed over a hundred music videos of Drill artists And New York City Hall is trying to ban the genre itself. Today I will tell you the history of this genre, and what the difference is between Chicago, New York, and British Drill music.

When Bubba Sparxxx emerged practically out of nowhere in late 2001, his large-set and white-skin dumbfounded the hip-hop market. And yet, some truly well-respected artists like Timbaland and Big Boi were eager to work with him. Following the phenomenal success that was Uglu, Bubba would drop Ms. New Booty in 2005, which would quickly rise all the way to the top 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100 charts. In fact, that one song was enough of a success that Bubba decided to jump-ship and form his own hip-hop label. But shortly thereafter, we’d stop hearing about Bubba Sparxxx altogether. How come? Well, at the time, Bubba was battling a private opiate addiction – and it became a war that he very nearly lost. How did he manage to overcome it? Well, you are gonna have to keep watching to find out in our latest edition of Where Are They Now?

Slick Rick is just about the epitome of notorious. First, there’s his reputation as one of the very best emcees to ever emerge out of hip-hop’s Golden Age. Then there’s his trademarked eyepatch, concealing a mysterious childhood injury. But most importantly of all, Slick Rick is regarded as one of rap music’s foremost and greatest storytellers. His effortless charisma and lyrical prowess distinguished him as one of the most important figures in rap’s historical development. But when legal problems cropped up in the middle of Slick’s run, it threatened to throw his entire career out the window. What happened to Slick Rick and why was he almost deported from the United States of America not once, but multiple times?? If you already know the answer then fill others in down below. Otherwise, keep watching our newest episode of Where Are They Now to find out all about the recent history of hip-hop’s own, Slick Rick.

One of Hip-Hop’s most influential Latino superstars, Fat Joe would emerge out of the Bronx during the 90s and forge a reputation for himself one gangsta album at a time. After discovering the massive talent of Big Pun, Joe would form Terror Squad -- and while the group didn’t stick around all that long, it left a big impression before it was through. In the early 2000s, Fat Joe would continue to climb the charts, but this time he did it largely by moving further into pop music than ever before. And while Joe’s productivity has dropped off over the past decade, he’s shifted into mentor gear and has become one of the most impactful and influential voices for a new generation of upcoming artists. Whether he’s rapping beside Remy Ma or Cool & Dre, if Fat Joe lends his voice to a track, people tend to listen. Think you know how Fat Joe once saved Common’s life? Then drop the story in the comments down below before we get to it. Otherwise, sit back and enjoy our newest episode of Where Are They Now!

At the end of the 20th Century, hip-hop group Terror Squad was poised to become one of the most promising crews in rap-music history. Headed by Fat Joe and featuring a ton of Latino emcees from the Bronx like Cuban Link, Armageddon, Prospect, and Triple Seis – the roster of this talented bunch would fluctuate over the years but the crown-jewel was most definitely Big Pun -- short for Big Punisher – the first Latino artist to ever go platinum with his debut solo album “Capital Punishment”. Unfortunately, not long after the release of the group’s debut album, Big Pun, well, he’d pass away as a result of poor health. This would throw the future of Terror Squad into upheaval. After years of in-fighting between its other members, particularly Fat Joe and Cuban Link, Terror Squad simply disappeared into the ether as its members began to focus on their solo careers. But how did Cuban Link end up with a knife-slash to the face and what did Fat Joe have to do with it? If you know what happened, fill us in down below. Everyone else, keep watching our newest episode of Where Are They Now!

I don’t know what you guys were doing in the 4Th Grade, but at that early point in his life, up-and-coming rapper SoFaygo was already recording his first rap song. When he wasn’t even yet an adolescent, SoFayGo would begin spending each and every afternoon teaching himself how to record, mix, and master in GarageBand. Today, SoFayGo is barely twenty-years-old -- only two-years out of high school -- and he’s already an accomplished artist with multiple mixtapes and EPs to his name, all of which have managed to elevate him from SoundCloud obscurity to one of the most promising rap acts around. Think you know SoFayGo’s original rap moniker? If so, drop it down below before we get to the answer in the story. Everyone else, pull up a seat and enjoy the come-up of SoFayGo, here on Before They Were Famous.

Right around 2004 the hip-hop scene saw a major influx of rappers from Texas with names like Nelly and Paul Wall – and yet none of them peaked higher than Chamillionaire who hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for two straight weeks in summer 2006 with his hit single, “Ridin’”. Then, as so often happens with the music industry, sounds change and new stars emerge. Chamillionaire found himself lost in the shuffle as a rap artist. But sometimes the closing of one door leads to the opening of another and by turning his attention away from rap to focus on investing his money Chamillionaire found success like never before. His music might have pigeon-holed him as a one-hit wonder, but his business profile is as diverse and booming as it comes. Already know some his biggest investments? Then name-drop them down below! As for the rest of you, keep watching our newest episode of Where Are They Now!

NWA mastermind Eazy-E plucked Bone Thugs-N-Harmony out of obscurity as they were wasting away in Cleveland, Ohio, in desperate need of discovery. This now-legendary group has consisted of five key members over the years, Flesh-N-Bone, Layzie Bone, Wish Bone, Krayzie Bone, and Bizzy Bone, all of whom hit the big time when their tribute song to Eazy-E, “Tha Crossroads” would go onto win the Grammy for Best Rap Performance. But only a handful of years afterward problems would emerge as each member attended to their solo careers at the expense of the group. The group would reunite in the new millennium but their roster continued to rotate in and out thanks to personal disagreements and even prison time. Ever wonder what really happened to one of the most legendary hip-hop groups of all time? Then check out this episode of Where Are They Now!

When YNW Melly dropped “Murder on My Mind” back in 2017, his career absolutely exploded and left all of us asking ourselves, is this maybe the most remorseless, unapologetic rapper alive? After all, rapping about leaving blood-riddled crime scenes and grief-stricken families behind in his wake is glamorizing murder in a way that’s a bit much, even by typical rap music standards. So, when he was arrested just two short years later and charged with a double homicide, I’m not sure anyone was particularly shocked. What was surprising however is the fact that Melly wasn’t charged with some random murder – instead, he was arrested and charged with the murder of two of his closest associates. Did YNW Melly really turn on his nearest and dearest? And is there any hope that he’s innocent? Find out those answers and more on our latest edition of Where Are They Now!