KRS-One
KRS-One performing in Ghent, Belgium, 2006. Ghent (ˈɡɛnt Gent ʝɛnt in Dutch, Gand in French, and formerly Gaunt in English) is a City and a The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those
Background information
Birth name	Lawrence Parker
Also known as	KRS-1, Kris Parker, The Blastmaster, The Teacha, The Philosopher
Born	August 20, 1965 (1965-08-20) (age 42)
Origin	South Bronx, New York City, United States
Genre(s)	Hip hop
Years active	1983 – present
Label(s)	Duck Down
Associated acts	Boogie Down Productions, Marley Marl, DJ Premier

Lawrence Krisna Parker (born August 20, 1965), better known by his stage name KRS-One, is an American Grammy-nominated rapper. Events 636 - Battle of Yarmouk: Arab forces led by Khalid ibn al-Walid take control of Syria and Palestine Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. The South Bronx is a region of the New York City Borough of The Bronx. The City of New York The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Hip hop music, also referred to as rap music, is a Music genre typically consisting of a rhythmic vocal style called rap which is accompanied with In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Duck Down Records is a hip hop Record label, famous as the home of Hip Hop collective Boot Camp Clik. Boogie Down Productions was a hip hop group originally comprised of KRS-One, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock. Marlon Williams (born 1962 in Queens, New York City) better known as Marley Marl, is considered one of the most important and influential hip-hop Christopher Edward Martin (born March 21, 1966) better known as DJ Premier is an American Record producer and DJ, and Events 636 - Battle of Yarmouk: Arab forces led by Khalid ibn al-Walid take control of Syria and Palestine Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Rapping (also known as emceeing, MCing, spitting, or just rhyming) is the Rhythmic spoken delivery of Rhymes wordplay and Over his career, he has been known by several pseudonyms including "Kris Parker", "The Blastmaster", "The Teacha", and "The Philosopher". A pseudonym is a fictitious alternative to a person's legal name (see Alias) KRS-One is a significant figure in the hip hop community and is often credited by critics and other hip hop artists as epitomizing the "essence" of an MC and for being one of the greatest rappers to hold the mic. Hip hop is a cultural movement which developed in New York City in the 1970s primarily among African Americans and Latinos. ^[1]

Contents 1 Life and career 1.1 Early life 1.2 Boogie Down Productions 1.3 Solo career 1.4 September 11 comments 1.5 Stepson's death 2 Discography 3 Collaborations 4 Filmography 5 References 6 External links

Life and career

Early life

Parker grew up in Soundview and Mott Haven (Millbrook Housing projects being directly reffered to in his lyrics) neighborhoods of the South Bronx section of New York City to parents of Jamaican descent. Soundview is a low income residential neighborhood geographically located in the south central section of the borough of The Bronx in New York City. Mott Haven is a Low income neighborhood in the southern tip of The Bronx, New York City. The South Bronx is a region of the New York City Borough of The Bronx. The City of New York Jamaica (ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə} is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. In his teenage years, he frequently accompanied the Hare Krishnas and was subsequently nicknamed "Krisna", hence "Kris". The International Society for Krishna Consciousness ( ISKCON) also known as 'the Hare Krishna ' movement is one of several Vaishnava groups "KRS-One" was originally Parker's graffiti tag, short for "Kris Number One". Graffiti (singular graffito; the plural is used as a Mass noun) is the name for images or lettering scratched scrawled painted or marked in any manner on property He began using it as his stage name and later devised a backronym for the name: "Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone. A stage name, also called a screen name, is a Pseudonym used by Performers and Entertainers such as A backronym (or bacronym) is a Phrase that is constructed "after the fact" from a previously existing word or Abbreviation, the abbreviation "

Boogie Down Productions

KRS-One began his recording career as one half of the hip hop group Boogie Down Productions alongside DJ Scott La Rock. Boogie Down Productions was a hip hop group originally comprised of KRS-One, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock. A disc jockey (also known as DJ or deejay) is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience Scott "La Rock" Sterling ( March 2, 1962 – August 27, 1987) was the original DJ for the hip hop group Boogie They met during a stay KRS-One had at the Bronx's Franklin Armory Shelter. La Rock (real name Scott Sterling) worked as a social worker there. The duo would begin to create music. After being rejected by radio DJs Mr. Magic and Marley Marl, KRS-One would go on to diss the two and those associated with them, sparking what would later be known as The Bridge Wars. Mr Magic is a hip hop DJ and radio host He released his first single "Rappin' With Mr Magic" in 1979 Marlon Williams (born 1962 in Queens, New York City) better known as Marley Marl, is considered one of the most important and influential hip-hop The Bridge Wars was a hip hop rivalry during the mid-to-late 1980s and early 1990s that arose from a dispute over the true birthplace of Hip hop music and retaliation over the Additionally, KRS had taken offense to "The Bridge", a song by Marley Marl's protege MC Shan (later on, KRS One produced an album with Marley Marl in 2007); the song could be interpreted as a claim that Queensbridge was the birthplace of hip hop, which KRS vehemently contested with the BDP record "South Bronx"; a second round of volleys would ensue with Shan's "Kill That Noise" and BDP's "The Bridge Is Over". Shawn Moltke (born September 9, 1965) is an American rapper who uses the stage name MC Shan. Queensbridge Houses is the largest Public housing development in North America. KRS-One, demonstrating his nickname "The Blastmaster", gave a live performance that devastated MC Shan, and many conceded he had won the battle.

Parker and Sterling decided to form a rap group together, initially calling themselves "Scott La Rock and the Celebrity Three". That was short-lived, however, as the two peripheral members quit, leaving Parker (now calling himself KRS-One) and Sterling. They then decided to call themselves "Boogie Down Productions". "Success is the Word", a 12-inch single produced by David Kenneth Eng and Kenny Beck was released on indie Fresh/Sleeping Bag Records (under the group name "12:41") but did not enjoy commercial success. Boogie Down Productions released their debut album Criminal Minded in 1987. Criminal Minded by Boogie Down Productions is a highly influential hip hop album While KRS-One "The Teacha" was equally known for his furiously political and socially conscious raps, the album, whose cover pictured BDP draped in ammunition and brandishing guns, is often credited with setting the template for the burgeoning genres of hardcore and gangsta rap. Hardcore hip hop is a form of Hip hop music that developed in the late 1980s For the Ice T album see Gangsta Rap (album. Gangsta rap is a term originated by the mainstream media to describe a certain subgenre Scott La Rock was killed in a shooting later that year, after attempting to mediate a dispute between teenager and BDP member Derrick "D-Nice" Jones and local hoodlums. D-Nice is the Stage name of beatboxer, rapper, producer and photographer Derrick Jones (born June 19,

KRS-One also gained acclaim as one of the first MC's to incorporate Jamaican style into hip-hop. Using the Zungazung melody, originally made famous by Yellowman in Jamaican dance halls earlier in the decade. Yellowman (born Winston Foster in Negril, Jamaica in 1959 is a Jamaican Reggae (rub-a-dub and Dancehall Deejay, widely ^[2] While KRS-One used Zunguzung styles in a more powerful and controversial manner, especially in his song titled, "Remix for P is Free", he can still be credited as one of the more influential figures to bridge the gap between Jamaican music and American hip-hop.

KRS would be determined to continue Boogie Down Productions through the tragedy, and was joined by beatboxer D-Nice, rapper Ramona "Ms. Melodie" Parker (whose marriage to Kris would last from 1988 to 1992), and Kris's younger brother DJ Kenny Parker, among others. Ms Melodie (real name Ramona Parker born in Flatbush Brooklyn) was a emcee married to KRS-One in 1988 and was associated with his group Boogie A disc jockey (also known as DJ or deejay) is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience However Boogie Down Productions would remain Kris's show, and their content would become increasingly political. KRS-One was the primary initiator behind the H. E. A. L. compilation and the Stop the Violence Movement; for the latter he would attract many prominent MCs to appear on the 12-inch single "Self Destruction". The Stop the Violence Movement was formed by Rapper KRS-One in 1988/1989 in response to violence in the Hip hop and black communities As Parker adopted this "humanist", less violent approach, he turned away from his "Blastmaster" persona and towards that of "The Teacha. "

Solo career

After four largely solo albums under the name "Boogie Down Productions," KRS-One decided to strike out on his own. On his first solo album, 1993's Return of the Boom Bap, Parker worked together with producers DJ Premier, Kid Capri and Showbiz, the latter providing the catchy-yet-hardcore track "Sound of da Police". Return of the Boom Bap was KRS-One 's first official solo album released in 1993 on the Jive Records label Christopher Edward Martin (born March 21, 1966) better known as DJ Premier is an American Record producer and DJ, and Kid Capri (born January 1, 1970) is an Afro-Italian American Musician. His second album, 1995's KRS-One, featured Channel Live on "Free Mumia", a protest song about the persecution of hip hop by C. Delores Tucker among others. KRS-One is the second solo album by hip hop artist KRS-One. Track listing Album Station Identification is the debut album by Channel Live, a Hip hop group organized by KRS-One. A protest song is a Song which Protests against perceived problems in Society. C DeLores Tucker (née Cynthia DeLores Nottage) ( October 4, 1927 - October 12, 2005) was a U Other prominent guest stars on KRS One included Mad Lion, Busta Rhymes, Das EFX and Fat Joe. Oswald Priest, known as Mad Lion, is a Dancehall musician and Rapper. Trevor George Smith Jr, (born May 20 1972 better known as Busta Rhymes, is an American actor and Musician of Jamaican descent Das EFX is an American hip-hop group It consists of emceess Skoob (also known as Books, born William "Willie" Hines Joseph Cartagena, better known by his Stage name Fat Joe, is an American Rapper of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent and

In 1995, KRS organized a group called Channel Live, whose album Station Identification he produced most of, along with Rheji Burrell and Salaam Remi. Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Station Identification is the debut album by Channel Live, a Hip hop group organized by KRS-One. Station Identification is the debut album by Channel Live, a Hip hop group organized by KRS-One. Rheji Burrell is an American Dance musician and Music producer. Salaam Gibbs, better known as Salaam Remi, is a hip hop producer and keyboard player known for his association with Nas and his Reggae

In 1997, Parker surprised many with his release of the album I Got Next. I Got Next is emcee KRS-One 's third official solo album It remains his best-selling album to date receiving the RIAA certification for Gold-level sales The album's lead single "Step into a World (Rapture's Delight)", containing a sample of punk and New Wave group Blondie, was accompanied by a remix featuring commercial rap icon Puff Daddy; another track was essentially a rock song. New Wave is a Rock music genre that existed during the late 1970s and the 1980s Blondie is an American rock band that first gained fame in the late 1970s and has so far sold over 60 million records Sean John Combs (born November 4 1969 known by his Stage names Puff Daddy, P While the record would be his best-selling solo album (reaching #3 on the Billboard 200), such collaborations with notably mainstream artists and prominent, easily recognizable samples took many fans and observers of the vehemently anti-mainstream KRS-One by surprise. The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard However, in August 1997, Parker appeared on Tim Westwood's BBC Radio 1 show and vociferously denounced the DJ and the radio station more generally, accusing them of ignoring his style of hip hop in favor of commercial artists such as Puff Daddy. Tim Westwood (born 3 October 1957 is an English DJ and Presenter of Radio and Television. Although having not been in the UK since 1991, due to the fact he does not fly, he claimed "to be in touch with the people", and said that "they weren't feeling Westwood, he's a sell out and has sold his soul to the dark side. " This sparked controversy in the UK since Radio One was one of the main supporters of the single "Step Into My World" and caused the album to be his best selling.

In 1999, there were tentative plans to release an album called Maximum Strength; a lead single, "5 Boroughs", was released on The Corruptor movie soundtrack. The Corruptor is a 1999 American action - crime drama Film directed by James Foley, and starring Chow However, Parker apparently decided to abort the album's planned release, just as he had secured a position as a Vice-President of A&R at Reprise Records ("Maximum Strength" is currently planning to be released May 27th 2008). Artists and Repertoire ( A&R) is the division of a Record label that is responsible for talent scouting and artist development Reprise Records is an American Record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra, which is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated He moved to southern California, and stayed there for two years, ending his relationship with Jive Records with A Retrospective in 2000. Jive Records is a British record label based in New York City, owned by Sony Music Entertainment, and operates as a quarter of the Zomba Label A Retrospective is a Compilation album by rapper KRS-One. It features many songs that were originally released under the Boogie Down Productions title

Parker resigned from his A&R position at Reprise in 2001, and returned to recording with a string of albums, beginning with 2001's The Sneak Attack on Koch Records. The Sneak Attack is rapper KRS-One 's fourth solo hip hop album Koch Records, the primary subsidiary of Koch Entertainment LP is the largest Independent record label in the United States. In 2002, he released a gospel-rap album, Spiritual Minded, surprising many longtime fans; Parker had once denounced Christianity as a "slavemaster religion" which African-Americans should not follow. Gospel music is Music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life as well as (in terms of the varying music styles to Spiritual Minded is rapper KRS-One 's fifth official album It was released in January 2002 Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another During this period, KRS founded the Temple of Hiphop, an organization to preserve and promote "Hiphop Kulture". The Temple of Hiphop is a Ministry Archive School and Society (M Hip hop is a Subculture, which is said to have begun with the work of DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, and Afrika Bambaattaa Other releases have since included 2003's Kristyles and D. Kristyles is rapper KRS-One 's seventh album It was released in April 2003 I. G. I. T. A. L. , 2004's Keep Right, and 2006's Life. Keep Right is a hip hop album released by KRS-One in the summer of 2004 Life is a hip hop album released by KRS-One in 2006 Track listing Instrumental

The only latter-day KRS-One album to gain any significant attention has been Hip-Hop Lives, his 2007 collaboration with fellow hip hop veteran Marley Marl, due in large part to the pair's legendary beef, but also the title's apparent response to Nas' 2007 release Hip-Hop Is Dead. Hip Hop Lives is the collaborative album from MC KRS-One and producer Marley Marl. Marlon Williams (born 1962 in Queens, New York City) better known as Marley Marl, is considered one of the most important and influential hip-hop The Bridge Wars was a hip hop rivalry during the mid-to-late 1980s and early 1990s that arose from a dispute over the true birthplace of Hip hop music and retaliation over the Nasir Jones, nɑːˈsiər (born September 14 1973 better known by his Stage name Nas, nɑːz formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper While many critics have commented they would have been a lot more excited had this collaboration occurred twenty years earlier, the album has been met with positive reviews.

September 11 comments

In 2004, KRS engendered a controversy when he was quoted in a panel discussion hosted by The New Yorker magazine as saying that "we cheered when 9/11 happened". The New Yorker is an American Magazine that publishes reportage commentary criticism essays fiction satire cartoons and poetry The comment drew criticism from many sources, including a pointed barb by the New York Daily News that called Parker an "anarchist" and said that "If Osama bin Laden ever buys a rap album, he'll probably start with a CD by KRS-One. The Daily News of New York City is the fifth most-widely circulated daily Newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 703137 Anarchy (from αναρχία anarchía, "without ruler " may refer to any of the following "Absence of government a state of lawlessness Osama bin Laden, with some spelling variations is the name used in English to refer to (أسامة بن محمد بن عوض بن لادن born 10 March "^[3]

Parker responded to the furor surrounding his comments with an editorial written for AllHipHop. com, stating:

I was asked about why hiphop has not engaged the current situation more (meaning 9/11), my response was "because it does not affect us, or at least we don’t perceive that it affects us, 9/11 happened to them". I went on to say that "I am speaking for the culture now; I am not speaking my personal opinion. " I continued to say; "9/11 affected them down the block; the rich, the powerful those that are oppressing us as a culture. Sony, RCA or BMG, Universal, the radio stations, Clear Channel, Viacom with BET and MTV, those are our oppressors, those are the people that we're trying to overcome in hiphop everyday, this is a daily thing. is a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's largest Media conglomerates with RCA Corporation, founded as Radio Corporation of America, was an electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986 Universal Music Group (UMG is the largest Business group and family of Record labels in the Recording industry. Clear Channel Communications is a media conglomerate company based in the United States. Viacom ( ( short for " Vi deo & A udio Com munications" is an American Media conglomerate with various worldwide interests MTV ( Music Television) is an American Cable television network based in New York City. We cheered when 9/11 happened in New York and say that proudly here. Because when we were down at the trade center we were getting hit over the head by cops, told that we can’t come in this building, hustled down to the train station because of the way we dressed and talked, and so on, we were racially profiled. The World Trade Center in New York City, United States (sometimes informally the WTC or Twin Towers) was a complex of seven buildings in Lower Manhattan Racial profiling is the inclusion of racial or ethnic characteristics in determining whether a person is considered likely to commit a particular type of crime or So, when the planes hit the building we were like, "mmmm, justice. " And just as I began to say "now of course a lot of our friends and family were lost there as well" I was interrupted. . .

On April 29, 2007, KRS-One was once again forced to defend his statements on the September 11 attacks during an appearance on Hannity's America on the FOX News network to discuss, amongst other things, the Don Imus scandal and the use of profanity in hip-hop. Events 1429 - Joan of Arc arrives to relieve the Siege of Orleans. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. John Donald Imus Jr (born July 23 1940) known simply as Don Imus, is an American radio host, Shock jock, Humorist

In late 2005, KRS was featured alongside Public Enemy's Chuck D on the remix of the song "Bin Laden" by Immortal Technique and DJ Green Lantern, which blames American conservatives, the Reagan Doctrine and U. Public Enemy, also known as PE, is an influential hip hop group from Long Island New York, known for its politically charged Lyrics, criticism Carlton Douglas Ridenhour (born August 1 1960 in Roosevelt New York) better known by his stage name Chuck D, is an American rapper author and producer " Bin Laden " is a hip hop song by MC Immortal Technique, Mos Def and DJ Green Lantern. Felipe Coronel, better known as Immortal Technique, is a Hip hop MC and political activist James D'Agostino, better known as DJ Green Lantern, is an American DJ and Hip hop musician He was born in Rochester, New York Conservatism in the United States includes a variety of political ideologies including Fiscal conservatism, Supply-side economics, Social conservatism The Reagan Doctrine was a strategy orchestrated and implemented by the United States to oppose the global influence of the Soviet Union during the S. President George W. Bush for the World Trade Center attacks, and indicates a parallel to the devaluation, destruction, and violence of urban housing project communities. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States.

Stepson's death

Randy Hubbard Parker, stepson of KRS-One, was found dead in his Atlanta, Georgia apartment on Friday, July 6, 2007 in an apparent suicide; he was 23. Simone Parker, KRS-One's wife and Randy's mother, released a statement on Tuesday, July 10 that stated her son's death was related to his continuous battle with "severe depression. " The Fulton County Medical Examiner's office stated that Parker died of a gunshot wound to the head, and listed the cause of death as suicide. ^[4] Parker was a graphic designer and fashion entrepreneur. A private memorial service was held on July 18, which would have been his 24th birthday. ^[5]

Discography

Main article: KRS-One discography

• Return of the Boom Bap (1993)
• KRS-One (1995)
• I Got Next (1997)
• A Retrospective (2000)
• The Sneak Attack (2001)
• Spiritual Minded (2002)
• The Mix Tape (2002)
• Kristyles (2003)
• D.I.G.I.T.A.L. (2003)
• Keep Right (2004)
• Life (2006)
• Hip Hop Lives (2007) with Marley Marl
• Adventures In Emceeing (2008)
• Conflosation (2008) with Buckshot

Collaborations

• Radio Song (1991), R.E.M (Out Of Time)

Filmography

• I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988), KRS-One and BDP walk behind Jack Spade performing his theme song, "Jack of Spades"
• Who's the Man? (1993), Rashid
• SUBWAYstories: Tales from the Underground (1997), Vendor
• Rhyme & Reason (1997), himself
• Boriqua's Bond (200)
• The Freshest Kids (2002), himself
• 2Pac 4 Ever (2003), narrator
• Beef (2003), himself
• Hip-Hop Babylon 2 (2003), himself
• Soundz of Spirit (2003)
• 5 Sides of a Coin (2003), himself
• War on Wax: Rivalries In Hip-Hop (2004), himself
• The MC: Why We Do It (2004), himself
• Beef II (2004), himself
• And You Don't Stop: 30 Years of Hip-Hop (2004), himself
• Hip-Hop Honors (2004), himself
• Keep Right DVD (2004), himself
• Zoom Prout Prout (2005), himself
• A Letter to the President (2006), himself
• MuskaBEATZ

References

External links

• Official website
• KRS-1 on Reelblack TV

Persondata
NAME	Parker, Lawrence
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	KRS-One, Kris Parker
SHORT DESCRIPTION	American musician
DATE OF BIRTH	August 20, 1965
PLACE OF BIRTH	Bronx, New York City, U.S.
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH

Events 636 - Battle of Yarmouk: Arab forces led by Khalid ibn al-Walid take control of Syria and Palestine Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. The City of New York The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

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