As one of the original members of the seminal '90s rap crew the Wu-Tang Clan, Ghostface Killah (aka Tony Starks) made an impact before he released his debut album, Ironman, late in 1996. Like all members of the Wu-Tang Clan, the rapper used the group as a launching pad for a solo career, which was assisted greatly by other members of the Clan, particularly producer RZA. Ghostface Killah had rapped on Wu-Tang's 1993 debut, Enter the Wu-Tang, but he didn't distinguish himself until 1995, when he was showcased on fellow Wu member Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. Ghostface received good reviews for his appearance on the record, and his contribution to the soundtracks for Sunset Park and Don't Be a Menace to South Central While You're Drinking Your Juice in the Hood also were well-received. All of these guest appearances and soundtrack contributions set the stage for Ghostface Killah's solo debut, Ironman, in late 1996. Like all Wu-Tang projects, it was produced by RZA and was quite successful in the large hip-hop/rap underground, debuting at number two on the pop charts upon its release. Ironman was also the first album to be released on Razor Sharp Records, RZA's record label on Epic Records. Work with the Wu-Tang and their various members kept Ghostface Killah busy until solo singles started appearing at the end of 1999 followed by his sophomore full-length, Supreme Clientele, in early 2000. Supreme Clientele was a success, but it was followed a year later by Bulletproof Wallets, an album that didn't sell well and had fans declaring the Ironman had gone soft. Once again it was back to the Wu for a couple years before the rapper would be appearing solo again. Epic issued the compilation Shaolin's Finest in April of 2003, and by the end of the year two new Ghostface tracks had started to appear on mixtapes. The chaotic "Run" with Jadakiss and the more commercial "Tush" with Missy Elliott raised the anticipation for the rapper's first album for Def Jam and his first under the simpler moniker Ghostface. The Pretty Toney Album hit the streets in April of 2004. The Top Ten hit Fishscale, along with More Fish, followed in 2006, but not before 718 -- an album from his Theodore Unit. Always prolific, the rapper put out The Big Doe Rehab -- whose release date had originally coincided with Wu-Tang's long-awaited fifth full-length, 8 Diagrams, which RZA agreed to push back a week so as to not coincide with Ghost's effort -- in early December 2007. Ghostface returned in 2008 with a pair of compilations: The Wallabee Champ (rarities and B-sides) and GhostDeini the Great (including remixes, alternate versions, and career highlights). Influenced by R&B and focused on the ladies, his 2009 album Ghostdini the Wizard of Poetry was a significant departure. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

Yonkers, NY native Sean D. Jacobs, better known as Sheek Louch, has been a significant presence in the rap game for decades. Sheek started rhyming at a young age under the influence of friend Jadakiss, and along with Styles P, the three went on to form The LOX. After being ‘discovered’ by the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige, the trio went on to sign with Sean Combs’s Bad Boy Records where they released their 1998 platinum record, Money, Power, & Respect. After contributing to hits like “It’s All About The Benjamins,” the group later parted ways with Bad Boy and went on to release 2000’s We Are The Streets through DMX’s Ruff Ryders Records. The trio also appeared on numerous hits including Mase's "24 Hrs. to Live" and Mariah Carey's "Honey." With his LOX partners, Sheek eventually began working on D-Block Records – a label founded by the three rappers with its own studio and its own agenda.

Analogous to mixtape kingpins 50 Cent and Papoose, Saigon rose to prominence within hip-hop's top ranks, particularly in New York, just on unofficial singles and mixtapes alone. Politically conscious and street-smart, the rapper became a formidable force as he was taken under the wings of Roc-A-Fella Records' high-in-demand producer Just Blaze, who shared his passion for early-'90s hip-hop. Born in Brooklyn but raised in Rockland County, NY, Saigon (aka Brian Carenard) developed his deft rhyming skills during his seven-year stint in prison, where he also earned the nickname "the Yardfather." Only a teenager, he spent much of his time delving into politics and black history, educating himself on topics like the Vietnam War and Toussaint L'Ouverture, but he identified the most with the history and background of Malcolm X. After his prison release in 2000, he established the company Abandoned Nation, which was partly a nonprofit foundation that provided support for the children of incarcerated parents, but it also helped him and associated artists to pursue their music careers. His first important musical contact was DJ/producer Mark Ronson, who gave him studio time and access to other valuable contacts. The rapper later left Ronson's company, on good terms, in order to explore better options. Saigon began producing mixtapes in 2002. It didn't take the raw lyricist much time to gain a sizable fan base with songs like the political "Shok TV," the street gang-focusing "The Color Purple," and the alliterating exercise of "The Letter P," one of his first tracks with Just Blaze. Blaze was looking for an atypical rapper with whom he could start his new Fort Knox imprint, and after hearing Saigon, he signed him almost immediately. To say Saigon became just a promising up-and-comer is an understatement. Saigon was listed in tons of "Artists to Watch" columns (including in Time magazine) and graced the covers of many hip-hop publications throughout the early to mid-2000s. His songs always found their way onto the mixtapes of various reputable DJs, like DJ Kay Slay, DJ Whookid, and DJ Drama, and his own mixtapes, including the Yardfather volumes and Warning Shots (2004), sold very well. By 2005, the MC was signed to Atlantic Records via Blaze's imprint and had landed a recurring role in the HBO hit series Entourage. However, his official Atlantic debut album was constantly delayed, causing his buzz in the industry to subside slightly, but still leaving many in anticipation. ~ Cyril Cordor, Rovi