Last updated: 4 hours ago
Taking his moniker from the Bernardo Bertolucci film epic of the same name, this West Philadelphia native has been an underground hip-hop mover and shaker since the mid-'90s. Having attended Overbrook High, Philadelphia's own hip-hop high, which saw the likes of <a href="spotify:artist:6b7dYQtOgSBYfZR35Wuxay">Cool C</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7HtxMkp03oA3C1d8KzImnm">Steady B</a>, and the Fresh Prince pass through its hallowed halls, Last Emp became a B-Boy by osmosis in addition to being a wizard in the classroom. After graduating from the nation's first historically black college (Lincoln University), Emp took his act to New York, where he caught on with storied Lyricist Lounge. <a href="spotify:artist:6jPWrSmxOd9mj7Xaj4EP2Y">Emperor</a>'s first on-wax experience was a significant one, appearing alongside <a href="spotify:artist:2gINJ8xw86xawPyGvx1bla">KRS-One</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2d0hyoQ5ynDBnkvAbJKORj">Rage Against the Machine</a>'s Zach de la Rocha on the cut "C.I.A." from 1998's Lyricist Lounge, Vol. 1. Having served notice to his scholastic street skill, <a href="spotify:artist:6jPWrSmxOd9mj7Xaj4EP2Y">Emperor</a> hit the road to polish up his on-stage performance, occasionally popping up on mix tapes and 12"s from time to time. Having stirred the underground into a frenzy with rumors of a debut album, in early 2000 official word came that Emp had signed with independent kingpin label Rawkus. Distribution problems, however, kept the record off the racks. ~ M.F. DiBella, Rovi
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