Most Memorable Hip Hop Debuts
Rappers who made great first impressions.
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Most Memorable Hip Hop Debuts - An artist's first impression may not define who they are, but it sure does leave a lasting mark. Although now preaching "No Guns Allowed," Snoop Dogg had a storied career as a gangsta rapper after debuting on "187." When Nas had his pre-Illmatic debut, he was heralded as the new Rakim (he still maintains that throne). And with Diddy's debut, he became known as the world's greatest hype man. Click on for more of the most memorable rap debuts.(Photos from left: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Coachella, Dane Delaney / BET, Larry Busacca/Getty Images)
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Nas - Nasty Nas was first introduced via Main Source's "Live at the Barbeque" track. The duo, comprised of Queens' Large Professor and Toronto's Sir Scratch, placed the song on their Breaking Atoms debut, which was lauded by rap listeners for its jazz and soul samples -- a fitting introduction for God's Son. Writers and fans praised Nas as the next Rakim, and both are still universally known as two of the most skilled and influential MCs of all time.(Photo: PA PHOTOS /LANDOV)
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Rakim - Rakim linked up with Eric B after responding to B's search for New York's Top MC. The first song they recorded together was "Eric B Is President," which led to them signing with Island Records and delivering their classic Paid in Full. But, perhaps more importantly, it yielded one of the most memorable verses of the golden era when Ra spit: "I came in the door, I said it before/I never let the mic magnetize me no more/But it's biting me, fighting me, inviting me to rhyme..." (Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Photo By Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images
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Diddy - Already a successful songwriter, record producer and label owner, Sean "Diddy" Combs released his own debut album, No Way Out, in 1997. But, before that, he was featured as Puff Daddy on Lil Kim's debut single, "No Time" (as in, "no time for fake n----s, just sip some Cristal with these real n----s"). The song with Diddy's partial verse topped the US Rap charts for nine weeks, charted in the U.K. and was certified Gold, making Diddy the official internationally known hype man — a crown the Forbes listed mogul still wears proudly today.(Photo: Chris McKay/Getty Images for BET)
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Roxanne Shanté - Roxanne burst onto the scene at the age of 14 when Marley Marl, DJ Mr. Magic and Tyrone Williams told her that UTFO had cancelled a performance. She asked to take their place and ended up recording a response to their "Roxanne, Roxanne" — reportedly in one-take. Her song, "The Real Roxanne" sparked what is now known as The Roxanne Wars and she became known for her abilities to freestyle.(Photo: Ouzounova/Splash News)
Photo By Photo: Ouzounova/Splash News
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Roxanne Shanté - Roxanne burst onto the scene at the age of 14 when Marley Marl, DJ Mr. Magic and Tyrone Williams told her that UTFO had cancelled a performance. She asked to take their place and ended up recording a response to their "Roxanne, Roxanne" — reportedly in one-take. Her song, "The Real Roxanne" sparked what is now known as The Roxanne Wars and she became known for her abilities to freestyle.(Photo: Ouzounova/Splash News)
Photo By Photo: Ouzounova/Splash News
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Snoop Dogg - When Dr. Dre heard Snoop Dogg freestyling over En Vogue's "Hold On," he decided to call him in for an audition and eventually gave him placement on the title track for the soundtrack of the 1992 film Deep Cover. The song, also known as "187" launched Snoop's career as a gangsta rapper and would have also placed on Dre's highly esteemed Chronic, but the content was too controversial. Instead, it was later picked up for the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas; and Snoop eventually reincarnated into Snoop Lion.(Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images)
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LL Cool J - Before he was Uncle L, he was Ladies Love Cool James, and before that, he was an unknown 17-year-old on the set of Krush Groove. He made the song "I Can't Live Without My Radio" for the cult classic and became visible in the mainstream for performing the song during his audition scene at Rick Rubin's apartment. The song, somewhat of a cultural icon itself, was picked up some 20 years later for a scene in Get Rich or Die Tryin'. LL, similarly, now has a lucrative career in Hollywood with starring roles on the big screen and on TV. (Photo: Johnny Louis/WENN.com)
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Kris Kross - After a 19-year-old Jermaine Dupri discovered these two friends in a mall (aged 12 and 13 the time), he produced their entire debut album, Totally Krossed Out, which was lead by the single "Jump," which achieved international success and topped the Billboard charts for eight weeks — the first rap song to have such a run. Kris Kross and JD went on to have great commercial success, selling multiplatinum, appearing on TV shows and even starring in their own video game. (Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc)
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Run D.M.C. - The famed trio's first single was "It's Like That/Sucker MCs" (A and B sides of a cassette tape — remember those?). It was credited with ushering in the "new school of hip hop" for it's raw re-telling of local conditions like unemployment and untimely death while being simultaneously hopeful. It peaked at No. 15 on the R&B charts and garnered interest for the group's eponymous debut album released the following year, 1984. Run D.M.C. is still one of the most revered groups in hip hop.(Photo: Drew Gurian/Invision/AP)
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Das EFX - Brooklyn's Skoob and Teaneck's Krazy Drayzy met at Virginia State University, where they began performing together as Das EFX. EPMD caught one of their shows during a local talent competition and, although they lost that day, they picked up a record deal. Their debut album, Dead Serious, went platinum, led by the single "They Want EFX," which broke the Top 40 and spawned a new sub-genre called "sewage rap." (Photo: Djamilla Rosa Cochran/WireImage)