About Sage Francis

Sage Francis is a forefather of the indie rap movement, the CEO of Strange Famous Records, and is widely considered one of our generation’s greatest lyricists. His career derives mainly from gifted wordplay which creates vivid narratives to instigate as well as inspire. There’s a lot more to it, but who has time for all that during times like these?

About R.A. The Rugged Man

R.A. The Rugged Man is one of the most fascinating figures in hip-hop history. His career spans decades, and defies simple narratives. The Rugged Man has been an up-and-coming star, an industry outcast banished and forgotten, an underground cult hero, an independent success story, and an influential master of the art form. He can obliterate rappers with ferocious battle rhymes, craft heartfelt personal songs fans can relate to, offend sensitive listeners with shocking vulgarity, challenge corrupt politicians and corporations, paint pictures with captivating storytelling, and deliver jaw-dropping flows that prove his lyrical skills are unmatched. He’s also worked with a staggering number of hip-hop’s most respected artists, including legends like The Notorious B.I.G., Wu-Tang, Tech N9ne, Rakim, Mobb Deep, Talib Kweli, Kool G Rap, Public Enemy, Brother Ali, and many more. And while others struggle to maintain a foothold in the ever-changing rap landscape, R.A. The Rugged Man is the rare artist who has become more relevant with time, with each new album more compelling than the last.

Originally from Long Island’s Suffolk County, R.A. was raised by his father, a Vietnam veteran whose exposure to Agent Orange left two of R.A.’s siblings with severe disabilities. After building a reputation as one of the most talented unsigned MCs on the scene, he sparked a bidding war between several major labels. R.A. eventually signed to Jive Records, but his outspoken defiance and reckless behavior spelled the end of that deal and left him banned from venues, labels, and recording studios. The Rugged Man re-emerged in the late 90s, pioneering the indie rap hustle by pressing up his own 12” singles and contributing to compilations from the celebrated Rawkus Records. He earned a Gold record for his work on the WWE Aggression album, and his music was featured on the video game Tony Hawk’s Underground, which sold millions of copies.

R.A. then unleashed his seminal independent album Die, Rugged Man, Die, along with the critically acclaimed compilation Legendary Classics. The latter included show-stealing collaborations and many of the storied tracks that fueled his rise, including the Jedi Mind Tricks song “Uncommon Valor”, on which the Rugged Man delivers what is widely recognized as one of the greatest verses in rap history. R.A. has also made his mark in journalism and film. He’s interviewed Academy Award winning filmmakers and world boxing champions for outlets like Complex and Vibe, and worked as a screenwriter and director, notably writing and producing the cult classic Bad Biology. By the time his last album Legends Never Die debuted at #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart, R.A. was thoroughly established as an independent hip-hop icon, playing sold-out shows across the world and drawing widespread praise for his undeniable contributions to the culture.

Now, R.A. The Rugged Man is back with All My Heroes Are Dead, a brand new album that stands as his best work to date. “So many of the greats are gone, and the legends who made it out alive are cast aside,” R.A. says. “Society left our heroes and their culture for dead. We have to dig that greatness out of its grave, and bring it back with an angry vengeance.” While Legends Never Die was dedicated to the memory of his father, All My Heroes Are Dead is R.A.’s first album since becoming a father of two himself. “When you have children, that’s a whole other level of joy and pain and emotion,” he describes. “It opens whole entire universes with the pen.” The music covers a wide range of moods, and transcends hip-hop cliches. “I didn’t want to make a whole album of just destroying rappers and rapping better than everyone.” the Rugged Man explains. “There’s a lot of places my albums take you, and there’s way more storytelling on this one. I love to bring listeners into different worlds.” Now available worldwide, All My Heroes Are Dead features an all-star cast of hip-hop heavyweights, including Chuck D, Slug of Atmosphere, Ghostface Killah, Immortal Technique, Vinnie Paz, Ice-T, M.O.P., Kool G Rap, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Onyx, Brand Nubian, Chris Rivers, Inspectah Deck, A-F-R-O, Masta Killa, and more. The highly-anticipated album showcases the full scope of R.A. The Rugged Man’s considerable talent, making it a powerful statement from an unforgettable artist.

About Kool Keith

After single-handedly redefining “warped” as the mind and mouth behind the Bronx-based Ultramagnetic MC’s, Keith Thornton — aka Kool Keith, Big Willie Smith, Dr. Octagon, Dr. Dooom, and Tashan Dorrsett, among other personas — headed for the outer reaches of the stratosphere with a variety of solo projects. Keith’s lyrical thematics remained as free-flowing here as they ever were with the N.Y.C. trio, connecting up complex meters with fierce, layers-deep metaphors and veiled criticisms of those who “water down the sound that comes from the ghetto.” His own debut single, “Earth People” by Dr. Octagon, was quietly released in late 1995 on the San Francisco-based Bulk Recordings, and the track spread like wildfire through the hip-hop underground, as did the subsequent self-titled full-length released the following year.

Dr. Octagonecologyst
Featuring internationally renowned DJ Q-Bert (of Invisibl Skratch Piklz) on turntables, as well as the Automator and DJ Shadow behind the boards, Dr. Octagon’s left-field fusion of sound collage, fierce turntable work, and bizarre, impressionistic rapping found audiences in the most unlikely of places, from hardcore hip-hop heads to jaded rock critics. Although a somewhat sophomoric preoccupation with body parts and scatology tended to dominate the album, Keith’s complex weave of associations and shifting references is quite often amazing in its intricacy. The record found its way to the U.K.-based abstract hip-hop imprint Mo’Wax (for whom Shadow also recorded) in mid-1996, and was licensed by the label for European release. Mo’Wax also released a DJ-friendly instrumental version of the album titled, appropriately, The Instrumentalyst.
First Come, First Served

The widespread popularity of the album eventually landed Keith at DreamWorks in 1997. The label gave Dr. Octagon (retitled Dr. Octagonecologyst) its third release mid-year, adding a number of bonus cuts. In early 1999, however, Keith’s alter ego Dr. Dooom unfortunately “killed off” Dr. Octagon on the opening track of First Come, First Served (released on Thornton’s own Funky Ass label). Kool Keith signed to Ruffhouse/MCA for his second album under that alias, 1999’s Black Elvis/Lost in Space. Records released as Kool Keith followed in 2000 (Matthew) and 2001 (Spankmaster), while the 2002 collaboration Gene appeared as KHM (Kool Keith plus H-Bomb and Marc Live). His next project was a four-rapper group named Thee Undatakerz with Keith taking on a new persona, Reverend Tom. Kool Keith Presents Thee Undatakerz hit the streets in May 2004. Keeping busy, Keith released Diesel Truckers in August of the same year with old friend/producer KutMasta Kurt.
Official Space Tape

As if 2004 hadn’t been filled with enough Kool Keith releases, some truly oddball ones started to appear that year. The Official Space Tape borrowed from previous releases to create the ultimate Keith mixtape; the R&B-leaning Personal Album was released in a limited edition of 500 and with a high price tag; plus the Real Talk label issued Dr. Octagon, Pt. 2, an unauthorized release that had little to do with the original and was quickly pulled from the shelves by court order. The next year was much calmer, with the Global Enlightenment, Pt. 1 DVD released at the beginning of the year, followed by Lost Masters, Vol. 2 in the summer. Nogatco Rd. from 2006 introduced a new character, Mr. Nogatco (“Octagon” backwards). The UFO-obsessed album was a collaboration with producer Iz-Real. The two-CD Collabs Tape compilation and The Return of Dr. Octagon followed soon after.
The Best Kept Secret

In early 2007, Keith was part of an Ultramagnetic MC’s reunion that yielded Best Kept Secret. Tashan Dorrsett, another concept-driven release from Keith, was released in 2009 with the remix album The Legend of Tashan Dorrsett following in 2011. His 2012 album, Love and Danger, hinted at retirement with songs like “Goodbye Rap,” but he was still in business in 2013, making a guest appearance on the Yeah Yeah Yeahs album Mosquito. In 2015 he collaborated with L’Orange and received co-billing with the producer on their album Time? Astonishing! He also collaborated with Ray West for an album titled A Couple of Slices, which was released as a standard LP as well as a limited deluxe edition packaged in a pizza box with a bonus 7″ and cassette. A third Tashan Dorrsett album, The Preacher, as well as Feature Magnetic, which featured guest appearances by MF Doom, Godfather Don, Sadat X, and others, arrived in 2016. Keith revived Dr. Octagon two years later with Moosebumps: An Exploration into Modern Day Horripilation.

About Mr. Dibbs

Brad Forste,better known as Mr. Dibbs, is a DJ and hip hop producer. The founder of the turntablist collective 1200 Hobos, he has also appeared on numerous underground hip hop records as producer or DJ as well as releasing a number of solo works.

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Forste was introduced to DJing around 1985, when he saw Grandmaster Flash performing on the syndicated light news/entertainment show PM Magazine, but “didn’t really understand what he did”.

After watching an MTV broadcast of Grand Mixer DXT performing with Herbie Hancock on the latter’s 1980 single “Rockit”, he learned the hand motions and began to learn scratching himself. He estimates that he spent six months “getting the hang of” scratching, subsequently spending two years “cutting and scratching to whatever was on TV” to practice.

Dibbs formed his own turntablist crew, the 1200 Hobos, in the early 1990s. The crew’s rotating line-up has included Buck 65, Adeem, Sixtoo, Doseone, Jel, DJ Abilities, Adverse, and DJ Signify among others, and at its largest numbered 23 members.

They have released two mixtapes.In addition to the 1200 Hobos, Mr. Dibbs has also been on-off touring DJ for Minneapolis hip hop group Atmosphere (though never an official member) and, with anticon.’s Doseone and Jel, a member of the group Presage, who released one album, Outer Perimeter, in 1998.

Mr. Dibbs’ “Turntable Hardcore” series of releases was notable for its genre-straddling approach, blending a wide variety of styles along with more usual hip hop turntablism.In 1996, Forste teamed up with graffiti magazine Scribble to put on the first Scribble Jam event as a promotion for the magazine’s launch.

The event has since become America’s largest hip hop festival, with separate competitions for rapping, DJing, graffiti, b-boying and beatboxing; its past participants and guests have included such names as Eminem, Big Daddy Kane, Masta Ace, Juice, Prince Paul, Hi-Tek, Rhymefest, Sage Francis, El-P, Cage, Doseone, Atmosphere, Buck 65 and Mr.

Dibbs himself.Mr. Dibbs is the founder and owner of his own label, Self Core Records.Mr. Dibbs is now the tour DJ for rapper El-P.