Jay-Z in the context of "Pharrell Williams"

Mohandas Dewese (born August 8, 1962), better known by his stage name Kool Moe Dee, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor and college graduate- SUNY Old Westbury BA in Communications. Considered one of the forerunners of the new jack swing sound in hip hop, he gained fame in the 1980s as a member of one of the pioneering groups in hip hop music, the Treacherous Three, and for his later solo career. During his career he released a total of seven studio albums (five of them solo), with 1994's Interlude being the last to date.

His fast and aggressive rap style influenced following rap figures such as Big Daddy Kane, Beastie Boys, KRS-One, Rakim, Will Smith, N.W.A, Tupac Shakur, Nas, Jay-Z, among others. Among his most famous songs are "Go See the Doctor", "Wild Wild West" and "How Ya Like Me Now".

The Diplomats (also known as Dipset) were an American hip hop collective formed in the summer of 1997 by childhood friends Cam'ron and Jimmy Jones in Harlem, New York City. The group was originally composed of Cam'ron, Jim Jones and Freekey Zekey, all of whom grew up together in Harlem. In 1999, fellow Harlem-based rapper Juelz Santana joined the group.

In 2001, following Cam'ron's signing, the group secured a recording contract with Roc-A-Fella Records. It subsequently began recording its debut album, Diplomatic Immunity, and released it on the aforementioned labels in March 2003. Following tensions and controversy between Cam'ron and Jay-Z, the group subsequently severed ties with Roc-A-Fella and signed with indie record label Koch Records. The group released its second album Diplomatic Immunity 2, in November 2004 on Koch. After a hiatus due to artistic differences, in 2010 the original members began recording music together again and announced a reunion album. In February 2011, it was announced that the group had signed with Interscope Records. However, in May 2013, Freekey Zekey revealed it no longer recorded for Interscope.

Wasalu Muhammad Jaco (born February 16, 1982), better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco (/ˈluːpeɪ/ LOO-pay), is an American rapper, singer, record producer and music educator. Born and raised in Chicago, he gained mainstream recognition for his guest appearance on Kanye West's 2006 single "Touch the Sky", which peaked within the top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100. He also formed the rock band Japanese Cartoon in 2008, for which he serves as lead vocalist.

Fiasco developed an interest in hip hop in his teens, after initially disliking the genre for its use of vulgarity and misogyny. 19-year-old Fiasco adopted his current stage name, began recording songs in his father's basement, and joined a short-lived hip hop group called Da Pak. During his tenures at two major labels, Fiasco met American rapper Jay-Z, who led him to sign with Atlantic Records. The label released Fiasco's debut studio album, Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor (2006), which peaked within the top ten of the Billboard 200 and was nominated for four Grammy Awards. Its first single, "Kick, Push", marked his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 as a lead artist, while its third, "Daydreamin'" (featuring Jill Scott), won Best Urban/Alternative Performance at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards.

Tsidi Ibrahim (born November 26, 1976), known professionally as Jean Grae, is a musician and writer. She emerged in New York City's underground hip-hop scene and developed an international following. Throughout her music career, her distinctive style and lyricism gained recognition, with artists such as Talib Kweli, Jay-Z, and Black Thought of The Roots expressing admiration for her work.

Ye (/jeɪ/ YAY; born Kanye Omari West /ˈkɑːnjeɪ/ KAHN-yay, June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Described as one of the greatest rappers of all time as well as one of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary.

After dropping out of college to pursue a music career, West began producing for regional artists in the Chicago area. As an in-house producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, he co-produced albums such as Jay-Z's The Blueprint (2001) before signing with the label as a recording artist. His debut studio album, The College Dropout (2004), received widespread acclaim. With his sophomore album Late Registration (2005), West began a streak of 11 consecutive US Billboard 200 number-one albums. He has also scored five US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles― "Slow Jamz" (2003), "Gold Digger" (2005), "Stronger" (2007), "E.T." (2011, as a featured artist), and "Carnival" (2024)―being the first rapper to top the chart in three decades.