N.O.R.E
Noreaga
First making waves with his work as one half of duo Capone-N-Noreaga alongside fellow Queens rapper Capone, Noreaga (N.O.R.E.)'s career has been unrelenting since first hitting the charts in 1997. Shortly after the release of their massively successful debut album, The War Report, Capone landed himself back in prison and N.O.R.E. moved ahead as a solo act, finding further success with his first, self-titled album, N.O.R.E. Released in 1998, the album catapulted up the charts, peaking at #3 on the Billboard 200 and went on to be certified platinum by the RIAA. With features from fellow NYC MC's Nas, Kool G Rap, Big Pun and Busta Rhymes and featuring production from then-up-and-coming producers, The Neptunes and Swizz Beatz, N.O.R.E. was praised by critics for its modern, futuristic sound and helped to further cement N.O.R.E.'s spot as one of the most successful and memorable artists in Hip Hop. Thanks to the massive success of singles like, "Superthug", "N.O.R.E.", and legendary posse cut, "Banned from T.V.", N.O.R.E.'s debut album has continued to find success around the world and is without a doubt an undisputed classic amongst Hip Hop heads.