X-Clan
Encyclopedia
X-Clan is a hip hop
group from Brooklyn
, New York
, originally consisting of Grand Verbalizer Funkin' Lesson Brother J, Professor X The Overseer, Paradise the Architect, and Sugar Shaft the Rhythm Provider. The current incarnation of the group features leader Brother J, Master China, Kumu, "Ultraman" Ra Hanna, ACL, Lord Cza, DJ Fat Jack and Zulu.
and militant activism as member of the Blackwatch movement, X-Clan soon gained fame for the controversy its music
aroused, though commercial success was sporadic. X-Clan's debut was To the East, Blackwards
(1990), followed by Xodus
(1992) and a temporary break-up. Both album
s peaked at #11 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
chart
in the United States
.
Other artists
who were affiliated with X-Clan and Blackwatch include Isis
, Queen Mother Rage, and YZ. X-Clan's affiliates released a string of titles throughout the early 1990s: Professor X released a solo album titled Years of the 9, on the Blackhand Side in 1991 and a second solo album titled Puss N' Boots: The Struggle Continues in 1993; Queen Mother Rage released Vanglorious Law in 1991; Isis released Rebel Soul in 1990; and YZ released his debut Sons of The Father (noted for the song "Thinking of a Master Plan"), in 1989, followed by The Ghetto's Been Good to Me (which included his modest hit "Return of the Holy One") in 1993. YZ became affiliated with the group after releasing his first album, and that Isis is also the MC known as Linque Ayoung
, who at one point was a member of the Wu-Tang Clan
-affiliated group Deadly Venoms
.
. X-Clan reunited in the late 1990s but did not release any new material. Brother J assembled a new crew that he calls X-Clan Millennium Cipher and released a vinyl single
for "The One/Blackwards Row" in 2004. Professor X died from complications of spinal meningitis on 17 March 2006.
A new X-Clan album, titled Return from Mecca
(originally titled The Trinity), was released in 2007, featuring Damian "Jr Gong" Marley, Chali 2na
of Jurassic 5
, RBX
, KRS-One
, Daddy X
of Kottonmouth Kings
, and Jacoby Shaddix
, lead vocalist of the rock band
Papa Roach
. Also, Tech N9ne
is featured on a hidden bonus track titled "Respect."
X-Clan opened for Insane Clown Posse
's Tempest Tour and, in January 2009, released an album titled Mainstream Outlawz.
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
group from Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, originally consisting of Grand Verbalizer Funkin' Lesson Brother J, Professor X The Overseer, Paradise the Architect, and Sugar Shaft the Rhythm Provider. The current incarnation of the group features leader Brother J, Master China, Kumu, "Ultraman" Ra Hanna, ACL, Lord Cza, DJ Fat Jack and Zulu.
Biography
Known for its AfrocentrismAfrocentrism
Afrocentrism is cultural ideology mostly limited to the United States, dedicated to the history of Black people a response to global racist attitudes about African people and their historical contributions by revisiting this history with an African cultural and ideological center...
and militant activism as member of the Blackwatch movement, X-Clan soon gained fame for the controversy its music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
aroused, though commercial success was sporadic. X-Clan's debut was To the East, Blackwards
To the East, Blackwards
To The East, Blackwards was the debut album from hip hop group X-Clan.The lyrics heavily promote Afrocentrism, railing against racism and socioeconomic oppression of African-Americans. Brother J serves as the main MC, while Professor X punctuates verses with powerful declarations and recitations of...
(1990), followed by Xodus
Xodus
Xodus: The New Testament is the second album from Brooklyn-based hip hop group X-Clan. Xodus is a sample-heavy ode to spiritualism and black nationalism...
(1992) and a temporary break-up. Both album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s peaked at #11 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Other artists
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
who were affiliated with X-Clan and Blackwatch include Isis
Lin Que
Lin Que is a female hip-hop artist. She graduated from Cathedral High School in Manhattan in 1987. She was a member of the hip-hop collective known as the Blackwatch Movement as Isis. She released her debut album Rebel Soul while affiliated with that group in 1990.Lin Que left X-Clan to work with...
, Queen Mother Rage, and YZ. X-Clan's affiliates released a string of titles throughout the early 1990s: Professor X released a solo album titled Years of the 9, on the Blackhand Side in 1991 and a second solo album titled Puss N' Boots: The Struggle Continues in 1993; Queen Mother Rage released Vanglorious Law in 1991; Isis released Rebel Soul in 1990; and YZ released his debut Sons of The Father (noted for the song "Thinking of a Master Plan"), in 1989, followed by The Ghetto's Been Good to Me (which included his modest hit "Return of the Holy One") in 1993. YZ became affiliated with the group after releasing his first album, and that Isis is also the MC known as Linque Ayoung
Lin Que
Lin Que is a female hip-hop artist. She graduated from Cathedral High School in Manhattan in 1987. She was a member of the hip-hop collective known as the Blackwatch Movement as Isis. She released her debut album Rebel Soul while affiliated with that group in 1990.Lin Que left X-Clan to work with...
, who at one point was a member of the Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
The Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
-affiliated group Deadly Venoms
Deadly Venoms
Deadly Venoms is an all-female hip hop group formed in 1997 and originally consisting of N-Tyce, J-Boo, Champ MC, Finesse...
.
Later projects
In 1994 Brother J formed a new group, Dark Sun Riders, that released the full-length Seeds of Evolution in 1996. In 1995, long-time group member Sugar Shaft died from complications of AIDSAIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. X-Clan reunited in the late 1990s but did not release any new material. Brother J assembled a new crew that he calls X-Clan Millennium Cipher and released a vinyl single
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
for "The One/Blackwards Row" in 2004. Professor X died from complications of spinal meningitis on 17 March 2006.
A new X-Clan album, titled Return from Mecca
Return from Mecca
Return from Mecca is the title of the reunion album from Hip Hop group X-Clan, released on January 30, 2007. This is the group's first studio album since 1992's Xodus. A music video was made of the single "Weapon X."-Contributors:...
(originally titled The Trinity), was released in 2007, featuring Damian "Jr Gong" Marley, Chali 2na
Chali 2na
Charles Stewart , better known as Chali 2na is an American rapper and hip hop artist, formerly associated with the groups Jurassic 5 and Ozomatli.-Early life:...
of Jurassic 5
Jurassic 5
Jurassic 5 was an American alternative hip hop group formed in 1993 from members of two previous groups, Rebels of Rhythm and Unity Committee by rappers Charles Stewart , Dante Givens , Courtenay Henderson , Marc Stuart , and disc jockeys Mark Potsic and Lucas Macfadden...
, RBX
RBX
Eric Dwayne Collins, better known by his stage name RBX , is a former rapper and R&B singer from Long Beach, California...
, KRS-One
KRS-One
Lawrence Krisna Parker , better known by his stage names KRS-One , and Teacha, is an American rapper...
, Daddy X
Daddy X
Brad Xavier,born around 1965,known by his stage name Daddy X, is a hip hop artist and record producer. He was previously in the punk/hardcore band Doggy Style, in which he was going by the stage name of Daddy X. He is currently the frontman for Kottonmouth Kings, Humble Gods, and X-Pistols...
of Kottonmouth Kings
Kottonmouth Kings
Kottonmouth Kings is an American rap rock group from Placentia, Orange County, California. Kottonmouth Kings officially formed in 1994, and describe themselves as "psychedelic hip-hop punk rock"...
, and Jacoby Shaddix
Jacoby Shaddix
Jacoby Dakota Shaddix is the lead singer of Californian rock band Papa Roach, and along with bassist Tobin Esperance, is the main songwriter for the band.-Early life:...
, lead vocalist of the rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
Papa Roach
Papa Roach
Papa Roach is an American rock band from Vacaville, California. Their first major-label release was the triple-platinum album Infest . The group's success continued with their gold album Lovehatetragedy , their platinum album Getting Away with Murder , The Paramour Sessions , and Metamorphosis...
. Also, Tech N9ne
Tech N9ne
Aaron Dontez Yates , better known by his stage name Tech N9ne , is an American rapper from Kansas City, Missouri. In 1999, Yates and Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music. Throughout his career, Yates has sold over one million albums and has had his music featured in film,...
is featured on a hidden bonus track titled "Respect."
X-Clan opened for Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse is an American hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan. The group is composed of Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, who perform under the respective personas of the "wicked clowns" Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. Insane Clown Posse performs a style of hardcore hip hop known as horrorcore...
's Tempest Tour and, in January 2009, released an album titled Mainstream Outlawz.
Discography
| Album information |
|---|
| To the East, Blackwards To the East, Blackwards To The East, Blackwards was the debut album from hip hop group X-Clan.The lyrics heavily promote Afrocentrism, railing against racism and socioeconomic oppression of African-Americans. Brother J serves as the main MC, while Professor X punctuates verses with powerful declarations and recitations of...
|
| Xodus Xodus Xodus: The New Testament is the second album from Brooklyn-based hip hop group X-Clan. Xodus is a sample-heavy ode to spiritualism and black nationalism... |
| Return from Mecca Return from Mecca Return from Mecca is the title of the reunion album from Hip Hop group X-Clan, released on January 30, 2007. This is the group's first studio album since 1992's Xodus. A music video was made of the single "Weapon X."-Contributors:... |
| Mainstream Outlawz Mainstream Outlawz Mainstream Outlawz is the fourth studio album of the hip hop group X-Clan. The album consists of 14 tracks and it features artists such Bun B and Supernatural.-Track listing:#"Down By Law"#"Night 2 Day"#"Thru My Eyez"... |
External links
- darksunrecordings.com
- xclanmusic.com
- Hoodstars Magazine talks to Brother J (January 2007)
- blackelectorate.com: Vibes of the Pro Black: A Conversation With Brother J. of X-Clan Part I
- blackelectorate.com: Vibes of the Pro Black: A Conversation With Brother J. of X-Clan Part II
- blackelectorate.com: At The Crossroads: A Conversation With Brother J of X Clan Following The Transition of Professor X.