Random (musician)

Random
Background information
Birth name	Raheem Jameel Jarbo
Also known as	Mega Ran, Random Beats, Big Ran
Born	September 3, 1977 (1977-09-03)
Origin	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Genres	Hip hop, Rap
Occupations	Rapper, songwriter, record producer, teacher
Years active	2006–present
Labels	RAHM Nation Recordings, River City Records
Associated acts	Ohene, G., DN3, Storyville, Reef the Lost Cauze, Panacea, Samik, K-Murdock

Raheem Jarbo (born September 3, 1977), known as Random or Random Beats or Mega Ran is an American underground rapper and record producer.

Early life

Raheem Jarbo was born in Philadelphia, PA to an American-born mother and African-born father. He has stated in interviews that he wrote his first song in 1993 and began producing in 2000. After college, Random landed a job as an engineer in a Philadelphia studio, and recorded his first demo which caught the ear of Philadelphia emcee Ohene, who had created RAHM Nation Recordings as a home for creative hip-hop music.

Random resided in Philadelphia until a 2006 move to Phoenix, Arizona.

Education

Random holds a Bachelor's degree from Penn State University worked full-time as a special education teacher, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, then as a middle school teacher in Phoenix, Arizona. Random maintained both a music and teaching career until 2011, when he retired from teaching to devote himself to music full time. Random's albums are currently being utilized in coursework at Penn State University, Temple University, and Virginia Tech among others.

Music

Random released his debut album The Call in 2006, but is noted for releasing an album called Mega Ran, a tribute to the Mega Man video game series in 2007. This album was also named "best of the year" from several sources and landed Random a licensing agreement with video game distributor Capcom and an opportunity to perform at the Capcom booth at Comic-Con in San Diego, CA.

This album gained Random a fan base within the rising Nerdcore genre, as well as press coverage by Nintendo Power, IGN, Okayplayer, Complex Magazine, Exclaim Magazine, Blender Magazine and more.

In 2009 Random signed a one-album deal with River City Records in Japan and released an import-only album called Randomonium in May 2009.

In 2010 Random collaborated with producer K-Murdock of progressive hip-hop group Panacea and released "Forever Famicom," an album containing samples from video games from various publishers on the NES and Super NES consoles.

In 2011 Random created and released Black Materia, an album completely based on the Playstation and PC game Final Fantasy VII.

Video Games

After temporarily leaving teaching in 2009 due to statewide budget cuts, Random began actively pursuing video game soundtrack placements, and landed his first in an iPhone game called "Caster." Random's song "Caster" is the opening theme song of version 2.

Shortly thereafter, Random teamed with Capcom once again to feature on a Hip-Hop alternate soundtrack to hit title Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Random appears on a song entitled "The Remainder is One." The album is available on Playstation Network and at Marvel Comics' website.

Random's work has been featured in multiple video game publications, such as Game Developer Magazine and the April 2010 issue of Nintendo Power Magazine. Random's album based on the game Final Fantasy VII. is featured, and was included in the June 2011 issue of Game Informer and Playstation: The Official Magazine.

Film and Television

Random's song "Grow Up" from the Mega Ran album plays during the end credits of Second Skin, an independent film which debuted at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas in 2008. In 2010, Random's song "Splash Woman" played on episodes of TNA IMPACT!! and on the ABC special "The Ten Most Fascinating People in America" hosted by Barbara Walters. It has also been featured in an episode of IFC's "Portlandia" and Comedy Central's Tosh.0.

Random now broadcasts a weekly Hip-Hop Reality Show on his YouTube channel called "Life After Lesson Plans."

In February 2012, Random recorded and released a song called "Mega Ran's Jeremy Lin Rap," dedicated to the rise to fame of NBA player Jeremy Lin. The song went on to be a viral smash, amassing over 150,000 hits in 2 days on YouTube, and appearing on the ESPN show SportsCenter.

Performances

Random has performed and collaborated with acts such as Common, Talib Kweli, Immortal Technique, Little Brother, 88-Keys, Naledge of Kidz in the Hall, LMNO of The Visionaries, MC Frontalot, YT Cracker, MC Lars, Kabuto The Python and more, in venues across the United States and the Bahamas. He has performed at the SXSW Music Festival in 2008, 2010 and 2011, and the Nerdapalooza festival in 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011 and San Diego Comi-con 2011. He embarked upon his first European tour in July 2011, and in December 2011, provided support on the More B.A.R.K. Less Bitin' Tour of Japan with DJ Asu Rock, K-Murdock, and jazz-hop artists Substantial and Marcus D.

Discography

• 2006 - The Call (RAHM Nation Recordings, LLC)
• 2007 - Mega Ran (RAHM Nation Recordings, LLC)
• 2008 - Patches and Glue (RAHM Nation Recordings, LLC)
• 2008 - The 8th Day (RAHM Nation Recordings, LLC)
• 2009 - Mega Ran 9 (RAHM Nation, Capcom)
• 2009 - TeacherRapperHero: The Random Mixtape (self-released)
• 2009 - RANDOMONIUM (River City Records)
• 2010 - Forever Famicom (Neosonic Productions)
• 2011 - Black Materia: Final Fantasy VII (with Lost Perception)
• 2011 - TeacherRapperHero Vol. 2: Two Weeks Notice (self-released)
• 2011 - Mega Ran 10
• 2011 - A VERY RANDOM CHRISTMAS (Random Beats Music/ One Beagle Music)
• 2011 - The Memorandum (with Mr. Miranda) Random Beats Music
• 2012 - Black Materia: The Remixes (Random Beats Music)

Featured:

• 2005 - "Beats & Rhymes" on The Chancellor (RAHM Nation Recordings, LLC)
• 2007 - "Gnosis" & "Faculty Meeting" on Legend of ... The Chancellor (RAHM Nation Recordings, LLC)
• 2007 - "No Grudge" on Nina Simone by ... Ohene (RAHM Nation Recordings, LLC)
• 2008 - "Black Box" by MC Frontalot on "Final Boss" (Level Up/Nerdcore Fervor)
• 2008 - "Don't Look Back" on Escape Plan (Deep Scene Productions)
• 2008 - "Grown" on American Scholar (RAHM Nation Recordings, LLC)
• 2009 - "The Remainder is One" on Marvel vs. Capcom Mixtape (Capcom)
• 2010 - "To Whom Much is Given" on Back and Forth (Koyto Mixtapes)
• 2010 - "Dustman" by MC Esoteric on "Fly Casualties"
• 2011 - "Me and the Mouse" by MC Lars on "Indie Rocket Science" (Horris Records)
• 2011 - "Easy Mode (Remix) by Kabuto The Python on "The Kvetch Sessions: I Hate Everything" (Scrubclub Records)

External links

• Artist Website
• Jeremy Lin Now Has His Own Song (USA Today)
• Capcom Unity interview with Mega Ran

+ Mega Ran interview with the Escapist

• Interview with Wired Magazine
• Interview with Capcom USA
• "The Call" Review
• Download 10 Tracks from the Marvel vs. Capcom 2 Hip Hop Mixtape Now
• "The Call" Review by RapReviews.com
• "Mega Ran" Review by Okayplayer.com
• The Making of "Mega Ran"
• "Mega Ran Review by Exclaim Magazine
• Random Interview
• Straight Outta Capcom (Mega Ran on Wired Listening Post)
• Review of "The 8th Day" (4.5/5 stars)
• [5] Blistered Thumbs.net Interview/Review
• [6] This Week in Geek Forever Famicom