Before They Were Famous

Over the span of nearly two decades, Linkin Park would release 7-studio albums, 5-live albums, 2-compilations, 2-remix albums, 3-soundtracks, and 10-Eps, moving a combined total of 100 million units. So yeah, Linkin Park was most definitely a force in the music industry. Despite having accomplished so much, vocalist-and-rhythm guitarist Mike Shinoda, lead guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave Farrell, DJ Joe Hahn, and drummer Rob Bourdon would find themselves without their friend and front-man, Chester Bennington, after he took his own life in 2017. Everyone was devastated over his loss and for the next four years, the band would enter a hiatus that they’re only just emerging from now. Want to learn what the future holds for Linkin Park? Then keep watching Where Are They Now!

If Facebook likes are as good as currency, then rapper, songwriter, producer, and musician extraordinaire, Mike Shinoda, aka the man behind some of your favorite bands like Linkin Park and Fort Minor, is one of the most popular rappers in the world thanks to his 62 Million likes combined across three different profiles. Sure, most of those are thanks to Linkin Park, but true fans of Shinoda’s music are equally intrigued by his side-project, Fort Minor. Spear-headed by Shinoda, Fort Minor began in 2004, but would only see one album released over the next 17-years. So, is Mike Shinoda planning on reviving “Fort Minor” anytime soon, or are we all in for a major disappointment?

One of the better ones of recent memory is the rap supergroup known as SlaughterHouse, comprised of its members Joe Budden, Royce Da 59, Joell Ortiz, and Crooked I. The group was formed at the end of the 2000s when they signed to shady records, where they gave us 2 mixtapes and EP and 2 albums. The group is unique for a number of reasons, one of them being that all four Emcees were established rappers before forming this group as you see a lot of artists start off in a group and typically break out into their own solo careers, see Beyonce and Justin Timberlake for reference. But this is hip hop and there was a lot of anticipation for Slaughterhouse's third studio album Glasshouse that never really materialized and probably never will because, well there is a lot of reasons, it also may depend on who you ask but the group did officially disband on April 26th, 2018. So what went wrong here? Some will just outright point the finger directly at Joe Budden, some say it was the Shady Records management. Why did we see a group of 4 world-class lyricists who were backed by one of the greatest and most successful artists of all time give us a limited amount of releases? If you want to find out then stay tuned as we take a look at the recent history of Slaughterhouse on this brand new edition of Where Are They Now?

Yelawolf is a man who got his start as an underground rapper from a small town in the Southern United States and eventually found major-label success after signing to Eminem’s Shady Records and dropping his 2011 banger of an album, “Radioactive”. Back then, Yelawolf would draw on inspiration from his humble rural beginnings to explore the new possibilities of a hip-hop sound fused with a little good old fashioned Southern-charm. But after a career that has spanned nearly two decades, Yelawolf is ready to say goodbye to hip-hop and hello to a new phase of his career.

For those of you who haven’t heard of him yet, Adam Calhoun is an up-and-coming American “hick-hop” star who combines the classical stylings of American Country music with the lyrical gymnastics of a first-class rapper. As someone who’s extremely vocal about his political beliefs, Adam has quickly amassed quite the audience for himself on social media and has recently dropped hints that he has plans to run for the top office in America come 2024. Will the US be swearing in Adam Calhoun as their 47th President, in just three short years? Well, before we get too far ahead of ourselves, why don’t we take a look at where he came from first in our newest episode of Before They Were Famous?

Dennis Odunwo a.k.a. Tion Wayne has been chasing his dreams for over a decade now. This relentless rap artist from the UK refused to give up until he had accomplished his goal of earning a living as a verified rap God, something he’s finally managed to accomplish after a breakthrough couple of years. But as exciting as it is to know that Tion has finally made it, his journey to the top of the UK hip-hop scene has been equally exciting, if not more so. No stranger to sound stages or jail cells, Tion was only 15-years-old when the desire to no longer be broke motivated him to pursue his passion for music. Today you’re going to find out how Tion went from rags to riches in our newest episode of Before They Were Famous.

Brittany Renner has become a social media superstar thanks to some unbelievably hot content creation and a love-life that the entire world wants to know every little sordid detail about. After some early consideration to become a professional soccer player, Brittany would pivot into the pursuit of fame after an ex-boyfriend suggested she market herself to the world. A few years later that lucky guy now gets to read headlines about Brittany’s many messy relationships. Heck, even when she finally thought she had found “love” with NBA star PJ Washington, it wouldn’t last.

In a ranking of “All-Time Great One Hit Wonders”, South Korean pop sensation, PSY has got to be right up there with the best of the best – but did you know that despite “Gangnam Style” becoming an International Hit all around the globe, that it was far from his first hit song? It was actually the 18th single of his career and was a part of his 6th studio album. Today, it’s been nearly nine years since that song first dropped, and while Psy isn’t quite the international sensation he once was, he’s still something of a major deal in his home country where he’s used his Millions of dollars to create his very own K-Pop label.

In and around the year 2006, R&B crooner, Akon, was inescapable. Singles like “I Wanna Love You” and “Don’t Matter” would go three-times-platinum, turning him into one of the most bankable artists in the industry. And yet, the last thing Akon wanted was for his music to be the legacy he left behind. So, over the course of the last decade, Akon has more or less left the world of music, carving out an identity for himself as a tech entrepreneur in Africa where he’s created his own solar-power company and a cryptocurrency as well. But Akon’s biggest venture is the $6 Billion smart cities he’s laying the foundation for in Senegal as we speak. The city’s name? Akon City, of course. After raising that much money for its construction, did you really think he’d call it anything else?

It’s been nearly a decade since Frank Ocean dropped his debut studio album, “Channel ORANGE”, which would push the R&B genre to new experimental heights. But after achieving near-universal acclaim from both critics and audiences as well as picking up a Grammy for Best New artist in 2013 -- it became apparent that Frank Ocean wasn’t all that interested in taking the traditional path towards fame. In the last several years, his music output has dried up and he’s released only a handful of singles. He’s even canceled an entire record. So, why the lack of urgency? Well, as we’ve recently learned, Frank has been putting together his very own luxury company called “Homer” -- the first collection of which will be an extensive diamond-encrusted jewelry catalog that fans can only pick up at his brand-new storefront. Want to learn more about the enigmatic present-day of Frank Ocean? Then keep watching Where Are They Now!