Beanie Sigel: Difference between revisions
m Spell Febrary => February |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 11: | Line 11: | ||
|Years_active = 1998–present |
|Years_active = 1998–present |
||
|Associated_acts = [[Scarface (rapper)|Scarface]], [[Freeway (rapper)|Freeway]], [[Raekwon]], [[Young Gunz]], [[The Roots]], [[State Property (Group)|State Property]], [[The Lox]], [[50 Cent]] [[Eric Pletcher]] |
|Associated_acts = [[Scarface (rapper)|Scarface]], [[Freeway (rapper)|Freeway]], [[Raekwon]], [[Young Gunz]], [[The Roots]], [[State Property (Group)|State Property]], [[The Lox]], [[50 Cent]] [[Eric Pletcher]] |
||
|Label = [[ |
|Label = [[DefJam Records]] <small>(1998–2009)<br/>State Property <small>(2005–present) |
||
}} |
}} |
||
Revision as of 17:59, 30 March 2010
Beanie Sigel |
|---|
Dwight Grant (born on March 6, 1974),[1] also known as Beanie Sigel, is an American rapper[2] from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is in talks with 50 Cent to sign with G-Unit Records[3] and has formed a close association with rappers Jay-Z, Freeway and other former and current artists on the Roc-A-Fella roster. His stage name comes from a street in South Philadelphia, the rapper's former stomping grounds where he worked alongside Senior Durham in the projects.
Early Career: 1998-2004
Signing to the Roc, The Truth & The Reason
Beanie Sigel's first major appearance was on The Roots album Things Fall Apart, on the song "Adrenaline!"; six months later, he "ran into Jay" and was signed after an audition[4]. He was featured on "Reservoir Dogs," from Jay-Z's 1998 album Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life, alongside Sauce Money and The L.O.X., as well as the remix to his "Money, Cash, Hoes", which also featured Memphis Bleek and DMX. Sigel was also prominently featured on Jay's 2000 'group' album, The Dynasty: Roc La Familia, after releasing his solo debut The Truth in 2000, which went Gold[5].
After appearing on albums by Sisqo, AZ, and Tha Dogg Pound, Sigel followed up with his second album, The Reason. Its single was "Beanie (Mack Bitch)", produced by Just Blaze, and the rapper followed his release with high-profile appearances on DJ Clue's The Professional 2, Cam'ron's Platinum Roc-A-Fella debut Come Home With Me, and a single from Nelly's platinum album Nellyville--the track "Roc the Mic (Remix)", alongside Freeway, Nelly and Murphy Lee.
Ruff Ryders conflict & State Property
The new millennium also saw various Roc artists, including Sigel, engage in a conflict with artists from Ruff Ryders. Beanie was a forerunner of the beef, publicly decrying Jadakiss, the rest of the L.O.X. and DMX. While Sigel and Jadakiss both denied any violent intent, they continued to send shots back and forth until Beanie put out a freestyle over Jada's hit "Put Ya Hands Up"[6]. Conversely, Sigel cultivated a friendship with southern rapper Scarface. Having first appeared together on "This Can't Be Life" with Jay-Z from Dynasty, the two would go on to collaborate on Sigel's first two records, Scarface's The Fix, and later on Sigel's 2007 album The Solution. The two extoll their friendship to the point that Scarface eventually declared that he would retire unless he could do a full-length record with Beanie, suggesting the title Mac & Brad and production by Kanye West[7].
In 2002, Sigel and much of the Roc roster starred in a Dame Dash-produced movie entitled State Property[8]. Its release coincided with the creation and promotion of State Property, a group of artists signed to Roc-A-Fella that hailed from Philadelphia and organized by Sigel and Freeway. Its members included Peedi Crakk, the Young Gunz, Oschino and Omilio Sparks. Their first collaboration was for the movie's soundtrack, an eponymous release that featured the original "Roc the Mic" by Sigel and Freeway[9]. They followed up with 2003's The Chain Gang Vol. 2, featuring the single "Can't Stop, Won't Stop" by the Young Gunz; the record was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group[10].
Incarceration & The B. Coming
In 2004, Sigel was found guilty of federal weapons charges and sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison. He finished his 3rd album, The B. Coming, and shot multiple videos, directed by Joe Briscella, before he had to start his sentence,. During this time, Jay-Z ascended to the Presidency of Def Jam Records, causing former business partners Damon Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke to split off and form the Dame Dash Music Group. Sigel's B. Coming was released on DDMG and Def Jam rather than Roc-A-Fella, but contained production from a slew of Roc/Jay-Z-affiliated producers including Chad West, The Neptunes, Just Blaze, Boola and Buckwild. Artists from both sides of the split were present on the record, from State Property members to Cam'ron and Jay-Z; the record spawned Sigel a hit with "Feel it in the Air," sold 131,000 copies in its first week and reached Gold status in sales.[11]
Advertising his friendship with the incarcerated Beans, Dash publicly claimed the artist was leaving the roster with him; during the sentence, State Property was thrown into turmoil, eventually choosing to remain at Roc-A-Fella—apparently against Sigel's wishes. Upon his release, Beans called the loyalty of his group into question and stated that he was signing with Dame and Biggs courtesy of a stronger casual relationship with the pair than with Jay-Z:
I've never been around Jay on an off day. It ain't like I made a choice of running with Dame and Biggs or 'Dame and Biggs held me down through my whole trial.' It's not that. I would be a sucker if I said I [signed with the Damon Dash Music Group] because they did that for me. It's love. You see how we chillin' now, this ain't about no business.[12]
Soon after, he clarified his comments, saying he simply didn't want to be involved in the conflict and electing to re-open talks with Roc-A-Fella instead of moving to DDMG; rumors also surfaced that he was in talks with G-Unit[12].
2005-2009 & future projects
Re-signing with the Roc & The Solution
Sigel's presence at Jay-Z's I Declare War concert in 2005 clarified any rumors as to his label status; Sigel soon re-signed to Roc-A-Fella, announcing the formation of his Def Jam-housed State Property Records. '06 marked Beanie's first post-beef collaboration with Jadakiss, "Problem" from DJ Khaled's Listennn: The Album, and appearances on several Def Jam-related projects including Ludacris' Release Therapy, DJ Clue's The Professional, Pt. 3, Jay-Z's American Gangster and the remix to Kanye West's hit single "Can't Tell Me Nothin'." On May 25, 2006, shortly after 8:00 am, Sigel was shot twice in the upper right arm during a robbery attempt. He was hospitalized and was said to be in good condition[13], and later recovered.
In 2007, Beanie reversed previous statements made about his friendship with Damon Dash, revealing that he felt the former CEO was cultivating his friendship for selfish purposes:
You don’t want to question your friend, or who you thought was your friend. Their loyalty and sincerity towards you, you don’t want to question that. As time went on, I did things to bring stuff out to light, and I was finding out a lot of stuff that wasn’t right.[14]
Sigel went to work on his next album, The Solution, with an even more eclectic set of producers and guests[15]. It didn't hit critically: critics cited lack of production from Kanye West and Just Blaze as Sigel's Achilles heel[16]; the album eventually sold over 112,000 units[17].
Roc's latter days, future projects & Jay-Z controversy
In 2008, Peedi Crakk claimed that a Roc-A-Fella A&R sent by Jay-Z told him that Roc-A-Fella was no more, and that the group had been dropped from the label.[18] Sigel's manager, however, clarified the situation by explaining that Freeway and Sigel were both still signed to Roc-A-Fella[19]; the freshly-reunited group have continued to record together, even after most of them were dropped. Still, Sigel has maintained that the Roc's promotion of The Solution was lacking[20], and while avowing is friendship for Jay-Z, also implicated then-Def Jam President in the lack of promotion of—and response to—his album[21].
After seeing Jadakiss being signed to Roc-A-Fella, Sigel went underground, and has since rarely surfaced; on March 27, 2008, Sigel was sentenced to three months in prison for a third probation violation following positive tests for Xanax and Percocet over five times in the past month. The rapper had already been sentenced to six months house arrest for a previous violation.[22] He was released from custody on June 25, 2008. Following this, group mate Freeway explained that Beans is finishing out his parole, and that after wards he will begin to become more active[23]. Sigel was recently featured on Asher Roth's debut album, Asleep in the Bread Aisle, and appeared on rapper Raekwon's latest album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II, on a track called "Have Mercy."
On October 30, 2009, Beanie Sigel abruptly released a track called "What You Talkin' Bout;" using the beat to Jay-Z's The Blueprint 3 intro, Sigel appeared bitter and frustrated with his former mentor on the song, making several claims about the way he was treated by both Jay-Z and Dame Dash while he was signed to Roc-A-Fella. Clarifying his stance in an interview given to Philadelphia radio station The Beat, Sigel alleged that Jay-Z and Dash split over financial issues, pointing out several subliminal Jay-Z lines that were meant for his former partner; he also claimed that Jay-Z blocked his sales by never appearing on the rapper's singles, and putting out his own singles and albums at the same times Sigel would try to promote his own records, placing them in competition for record sales, as well as refusing to let him leave Roc-A-Fella to sign with 50 Cent's G-Unit Records.
To sum up his relationship with his former mentor, Beans recounted an occasion when Jay caused his bail to be denied by refusing to be responsible for his protege's whereabouts, and recently had police and undercover federal agents called in to escort him out of a concert the former Def Jam CEO was performing at. Despite all of this, the rapper claimed there was still love between them, that it was never about money and that all he wants from Jay-Z is a conversation. During the course of the interview, Sigel revealed that his next album would be called The Closure, seeking answers and attempting to provide the closure to his years on Roc-A-Fella Records. On November 3, 2009, Beanie Sigel and 50 Cent confirmed in an interview that he is considering signing Sigel to G-Unit Records.[24] In a interview Sigel stated that he didn't mind if 50 Cent was only using him as long as he dint misuse him because he was also using 50 cent. Beans said his latest work was going to be "Roc Boys" with Freeway and it consists of 13 song guest appearances include Young Chris, Wale, DMX and other State Property members.[25]
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Album | Chart positions | RIAA certifications[26] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | U.S. R&B | U.S. Rap | |||
| 2000 | The Truth
|
5 | 2 | * |
Gold |
| 2001 | The Reason
|
5 | 1 | * | |
| 2005 | The B. Coming
|
3 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2007 | The Solution
|
37 | 7 | 3 | |
| 2009 | The Broad Street Bully
|
77 | 13 | 5 | |
| 2010 | The Closure
|
— | — | — | |
| 2010 | The Roc Boys (with Freeway)[27]
|
— | — | — | |
Mixtapes
- Public Enemy Number 1 (2006)[28]
- Still Public Enemy Number 1 (2006)
- The Bully Is Back (2009)
- The Bully Is Back 2 (2009)
- The Official Beanie Sigel Mixtape (2009)[29]
EP's
- "I Go Off" R&B/Hip-Hop Albums #98[30]
Singles
| Year | Song | Chart positions[31] | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Hot 100 | U.S. R&B | U.S. Rap | |||
| 2000 | "The Truth" | — | 81 | 23 | The Truth |
| "Remember Them Days" (feat. Eve) | — | 69 | 33 | ||
| 2001 | "Beanie (Mack Bitch)" | — | 52 | 11 | The Reason |
| "Think It's a Game" (feat. Freeway, Jay-Z & Young Chris) | — | 99 | — | ||
| 2002 | "Roc the Mic" (with Freeway) | 55 | 16 | — | State Property |
| 2005 | "Don't Stop" (feat. Snoop Dogg) | — | 67 | — | The B. Coming |
| "Feel It in the Air" (feat. Melissa Jay) | — | 55 | — | ||
| "Gotta Have It" (feat. Peedi Crakk & Twista) | — | 82 | — | ||
| 2007 | "All the Above" (feat. R. Kelly) | — | 83 | — | The Solution |
| 2009 | "Ready for War" (feat. Freeway & Young Chris) | — | — | — | The Broad Street Bully |
| "I Go Off" (feat. 50 Cent) | — | — | — | The Closure | |
| 2010 | "Average Cat" | — | — | — | Roc Boys |
Featured singles
| Year | Song | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Hot 100 | U.S. R&B | U.S. Rap | UK Singles Chart | AUS | FRA | Album | ||
| 1998 | "Adrenaline!" (promo only)(The Roots) | — | 73 | 29 | — | — | — | Things Fall Apart |
| 1999 | "Do It Again (Put Ya Hands Up)" (Jay Z featuring Beanie Sigel & Amil) | 65 | 17 | 9 | — | — | — | Vol. 3: Life and Times of S. Carter |
| "My Hood to Your Hood" (Memphis Bleek) | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Coming of Age | |
| 2000 | "4 Da Fam" (Amil featuring Jay-Z, Beanie Sigel & Memphis Bleek) | 99 | 48 | 29 | — | — | — | All Money Is Legal |
| 2000 | "Unleash the Dragon" (Sisqo featuring Beanie Sigel) | — | — | — | 6 | 18 | 41 | Unleash The Dragon |
| 2001 | "Change the Game" (Jay Z featuring Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek & Static) | 86 | 29 | 10 | — | — | — | The Dynasty: Roc La Familia |
| 2002 | "Guess Who's Back" (Scarface featuring Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel) | 78 | 22 | 10 | — | — | — | The Fix |
| "One for Peedi" (with Young Chris, Freeway, & Beanie Sigel) |
80 | 35 | 12 | — | — | — | Paid In Full (Soundtrack) | |
| 2003 | "What We Do" (Freeway featuring Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel) | 95 | 40 | — | — | — | — | Philadelphia Freeway |
Album's with State Property
- State Property (2002)
- The Chain Gang Vol. 2 (2003)
- The Lost Files (2005)
- The Gang Is All Here (2006)
- Out on Bail (2007)
Filmography
Beanie Sigel first appeared in the documentary "Backstage" but his first main role was in the hood movie "State Property" which spawned a sequel "State Property 2". Sigel released a DVD shortly after his third solo release "The B. Coming" entitled "The B. Coming of Beanie Sigel"in the year of 2005[32]. Sigel also auditioned for the lead role of the 2009 film "Notorious"[33]
| Film | Year |
|---|---|
| Backstage | 2000 |
| Brown Sugar | 2002 |
| State Property | |
| Paper Soldiers | |
| Death of a Dynasty | 2003 |
| Fade to Black | 2004 |
| State Property 2 | 2005 |
| Beef 4 | 2007 |
| Rhyme and Punishment | 2009 |
References
- ^ Beanie Segil Birthdate
- ^ Off On A Tangent W/Beanie Sigel | Featurette | SOHH.com
- ^ http://www.islanddefjam.com/artist/home.aspx?artistID=7298
- ^ http://215hiphop.com/interviews/beanie-sigel-interview/
- ^ http://www.riaa.com/newsitem.php?id=8FE9018F-4FD8-8A99-C464-ED5774E23BF3&searchterms=Beanie%20Sigel&terminclude=&termexact=
- ^ http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1446481/20010809/story.jhtml
- ^ http://www.hithiphop.com/?p=893
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0301893/
- ^ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00005UOER
- ^ "Jay-Z, Beyonce, Outkast, Pharrell Nab Most Grammy Nominations", Jon Wiederhorn, VH-1, December 4, 2003.]
- ^ 50 Cent on top for 5th week
- ^ a b http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1510706/20050930/sigel_beanie.jhtml
- ^ Beanie Sigel Recovering after being shot during robbery attempt
- ^ http://realtalkny.uproxx.com/2007/05/topic/topic/news/beanie-sigel-not-too-sure-about-dame-dash/
- ^ http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.5999/title.beanie-sigel-talks-album-tracklist
- ^ http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/reviews/id.891/title.beanie-sigel-the-solution
- ^ http://forum.rapgodfathers.com/latest-news/229340-soundscan-album-sales-05-01-08-rnb-hip-hop-top-25-only.html
- ^ http://www.defsounds.com/news/Peedi_crack_roc_a_fella_drops_state_property
- ^ http://www.rapsearch.com/news/article/beanie-sigel--freeway-still-signed-to-roc-a-fella-says-manager
- ^ [1]
- ^ http://www.rapbasement.com/news/beanie-sigel/beanie-sigel-talks-down-def-jam-&-jay-z.html
- ^ Allhiphop.com - Rapper Beanie Sigel Gets Three Months In Jail
- ^ http://www.hiphopgame.com/index2.php3?page=freeway4
- ^ http://hiphopgame.ihiphop.com/news.php3?i d=4744
- ^ http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.10409/title.dx-news-bits-beanie-sigel-suge-knight
- ^ http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH
- ^ http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.10386/title.beanie-sigel-freeway-roc-boys-lp-to-release-next-month
- ^ http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:hvftxqtdldae
- ^ http://www.vo2ov.com/Beanie-Sigel-The-Official-Beanie-Sigel-Mixtape-2009-_369663.html
- ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/beanie-sigel/344054
- ^ Artist Chart History. Billboard. Accessed November 22, 2007.
- ^ http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0nftxqesldfe
- ^ http://www.islanddefjam.com/artist/bio.aspx?artistID=7298
External links
- African American musicians
- Culture of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- American rappers
- African American rappers
- Freestyle rappers
- Living people
- People from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- 1974 births
- American shooting survivors
- State Property members
- Ruff Ryders artists
- Roc-A-Fella Records artists
- Def Jam Recordings artists
- Rappers from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- American Sunni Muslims
- African American Muslims
- American prisoners and detainees