Artist

N.O.R.E.

Last updated: 5 hours ago

One-half of the Queens hardcore rap duo <a href="spotify:artist:6KVPfr3ujUkKOrJf4QeRWD">Capone-N-Noreaga</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2GqgiChw79vIYobk2zJFsO">Victor "Noreaga" Santiago</a> met <a href="spotify:artist:5tZCG7dzZBfmr64xw9elgL">Kiam "Capone" Holley</a> in 1992 while both were serving prison sentences. Signed to Penalty Records in 1996, the pair released a hard-hitting debut (The War Report) in June 1997, but after <a href="spotify:artist:5tZCG7dzZBfmr64xw9elgL">Holley</a> was thrown back in jail on a parole violation, <a href="spotify:artist:2GqgiChw79vIYobk2zJFsO">Santiago</a> began recording a solo album. His solo debut, N.O.R.E. -- an acronym for "Niggas on the Run Eating" -- was an all-star affair, with contributions from <a href="spotify:artist:1wvlC6NwleHt1iRD6d5X2C">Foxy Brown</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:20qISvAhX20dpIbOOzGK3q">Nas</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1YfEcTuGvBQ8xSD1f53UnK">Busta Rhymes</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:3nFkdlSjzX9mRTtwJOzDYB">Jay-Z</a>, among others. Melvin Flynt -- Da Hustler followed in 1999. His third album, God's Favorite, was delayed several times, but finally appeared in mid-2002. In 2006, he moved to the Def Jam imprint Roc la Familia and released N.O.R.E. y la Familia...Ya Tú Sabe, a mostly reggaeton album featuring guest stars like <a href="spotify:artist:6eBYLQONaYZhZNAVK061t6">Nina Sky</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0tG3OtnzCjdbL1ZVkDprlS">Big Mato</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:4VMYDCV2IEDYJArk749S6m">Daddy Yankee</a>, but just the following year he signed to Babygrande to issue Noreality, a more-standard rap record. ~ John Bush, Rovi

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