Grand Puba

Grand Puba, born Maxwell Dixon, is best known as the sage lead rapper of <a href="spotify:artist:3YyZFf9ZN2YbkqeZia8zHX">Brand Nubian</a> for the group's classic first album, One for All (1990), and the well-regarded reunion album, Foundation (1998). A native of New Rochelle, New York, Dixon made his commercial debut a little earlier with<a href="spotify:artist:0nKiNlJFtcGhZXZlNkOstJ"> Masters of Ceremony</a>, a group that recorded for M-Low, <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Strong+City%22">Strong City</a>, and the larger <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%224th+%26+Broadway%22">4th & Broadway</a>. Shortly after he left <a href="spotify:artist:3YyZFf9ZN2YbkqeZia8zHX">Brand Nubian</a> due to some interpersonal conflict, Dixon debuted as a solo artist with Reel to Reel (1992). Released on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Elektra%22">Elektra</a>, the same major label that supported <a href="spotify:artist:3YyZFf9ZN2YbkqeZia8zHX">Brand Nubian</a>, the album featured the excellent singles "360 Degrees (What Goes Around)" and "Check It Out" (with <a href="spotify:artist:1XkoF8ryArs86LZvFOkbyr">Mary J. Blige</a>) and reached number 28 on the Billboard 200. Never the most prolific rap artist, Dixon issued a second <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Elektra%22">Elektra</a> solo album, 2000 (1995), a few years later, and then recorded infrequently for a handful of independents. The <a href="spotify:artist:3YyZFf9ZN2YbkqeZia8zHX">Brand Nubian</a> reunion regained some commercial momentum, but third solo album Understand This (2001) arrived three years afterward. <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Retroactive%22">Retroactive</a> (2009), recorded for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Babygrande%22">Babygrande</a>, included productions by <a href="spotify:artist:3ZotbHeyVQKxQCPDJuQ4SU">Q-Tip</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:01nVIuD8YZsnFH6x6Cc9rX">Large Professor</a>, as well as guest verses from <a href="spotify:artist:3YyZFf9ZN2YbkqeZia8zHX">Brand Nubian</a> mates <a href="spotify:artist:7fDLDq2weBagiAFD2j17Al">Sadat X</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2WSnJlJ0uGTjye4jGSN1GG">Lord Jamar</a>. Another <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Babygrande%22">Babygrande</a> release, Black from the Future (2016) featured the self-produced "UDK" and the PHD collaboration "It's Been a While." ~ Andy Kellman