Grand Puba
Grand Puba | |
|---|---|
 Grand Puba performing, 2014. | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Maxwell Dixon |
| Also known as | Grand Puba Maxwell Grand P |
| Born | March 4, 1966 New Rochelle, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Labels | 4th & B'way/Island, Elektra, Arista, Koch, Babygrande |
| Member of | Brand Nubian |
| Formerly of | Masters of Ceremony |
Maxwell Dixon (born March 4, 1966),[1][2] known professionally as Grand Puba, is an American rapper and record producer, best known as one of the members of the group Brand Nubian from New Rochelle, New York.[3]
Early life[edit]
Puba was born on March 4, 1966[4] in New Rochelle, New York. During the late 1970's, Puba first got into hip hop after purchasing cassettes of his favorite artists such as The Cold Crush Brothers, T-Connection and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.[5] Puba attended the Remington Boys Club in New Rochelle. While at his club for boys, a DJ by the name of Grand Mixer DXT would send out cassette tapes at his club, to where Puba would start rapping and writing rhymes with his first cousin name Doctor Who, who would later form a group with Puba as Masters of Ceremony. He was also a breakdancer, according to Puba. His first rap group was called the "Tray Bag MC's". [6]
Career[edit]
He made his debut as Grand Puba Maxwell with the group Masters of Ceremony in 1984.[7] Its album Dynamite (1988) was hailed by critics, but because of lack of sales the group soon disbanded and Puba became the lead emcee of Brand Nubian.[7] After their debut album One for All (1990) — covering areas from reggae-influenced hip hop music to new jack swing — Puba left the group after disputes and began a solo career.[7] Around 1997 he rejoined the group, recording a few tracks for various soundtracks leading up to the full-length album Foundation in 1998. In 1992 Sean "Puffy" Combs tapped Grand Puba to collaborate with up & coming R&B singer Mary J. Blige on her debut album "What's the 411" The title song in which Puba co-wrote was the first time Blige incorporated her own rap technique which proved to be very successful. This was a rap/r&b hit record that went to number one on the R&B charts in the early spring of 1993. In 1999, Grand Puba and Sadat X performed on the track "Once Again" on Handsome Boy Modeling School's concept album So... How's Your Girl? Following Brand Nubian's 2004 record Fire in the Hole, Grand Puba appeared on tracks with Beanie Sigel ("Bread and Butter", also featuring groupmate Sadat X), Missy Elliott ("My Struggles", featuring his onetime collaborator Mary J. Blige), and Ugly Duckling ("Something's Going Down Tonight").
In 2009, Grand Puba released his fourth solo album, Retroactive, featuring production from Q-Tip, Large Professor, Kid Capri as well as fellow Brand Nubians. Puba also appeared on the heavy posse cut "Fresh" together with Cormega, KRS-One, Big Daddy Kane, DJ Red Alert and PMD.
On the song "Old School" by 2Pac, Grand Puba was sampled and used in the hook. The sample originates from Grand Puba's verse on the song "Dedication" by Brand Nubian.
Discography[edit]
Studio albums[edit]
Solo[edit]
- Reel to Reel (1992)
- 2000 (1995)
- Understand This (2001)
- Retroactive (2009)
- Black from the Future (2016)
with Masters of Ceremony[edit]
- Dynamite (1988)
with Brand Nubian[edit]
- One for All (1990)
- Foundation (1998)
- Fire in the Hole (2004)
- Time's Runnin' Out (2007)
References[edit]
- ^ "Grand Puba". IMDb.com. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
- ^ "Grand Puba | Biography, Albums, Streaming Links". AllMusic. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
- ^ "Brand Nubian | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
- ^ "Happy 55th Birthday To Brand Nubian Founder Grand Puba!". thesource.com. March 4, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
- ^ "The Godcast Episode 173: Grand Puba". Youtube.com. May 1, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
- ^ "Sadat X on how Brand Nubian started, his Hip Hop heroes, & being a Five Percenter Juan EP is Life". Youtube.com. March 4, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
- ^ a b c Colin Larkin, ed. (2000). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 178. ISBN 0-7535-0427-8.
External links[edit]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
- 1966 births
- African-American male rappers
- American male rappers
- American rappers of Jamaican descent
- Elektra Records artists
- Five percenters
- Living people
- Musicians from New Rochelle, New York
- Rappers from New York (state)
- 21st-century American rappers
- 21st-century American male musicians
- 21st-century African-American musicians
- 20th-century African-American people