One Be Lo
Encyclopedia
Nahshid Sulaiman better known by his stage name One Be Lo is an alternative hip hop
artist from Pontiac, Michigan
. He is well respected for being one half of the former rap duo Binary Star
, and has released a number of well-received solo albums. He is also a member of the World Champion B-boy crew, Massive Monkees
.
, A Tribe Called Quest, and Ice Cube
, One Be Lo gained an interest in hip hop from an early age. In 1998, he created the hip hop group Binary Star with Senim Silla
. They released two albums, Water World (1999) and Masters of the Universe
(2000), before the group split up. One Be Lo cited "creative differences" as the main reason for their split.
In 2000, he started focusing more on his solo work. He also changed his stage name to One Be Lo, having been known as OneManArmy for his work with Binary Star. The name change was due to changes within himself and a potential legal dispute between a punk group with the same name.
(For Everybody That Under Stands), a collection of songs that were not initially intended for release. This release was aimed to be a segue into One Be Lo’s official solo material, and has since proven to be a successful debut, appearing on the About.com
top 10 rap albums of February 2007.
His first official solo album was released on Fat Beats in 2005. This was entitled S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M.
(Sounds Of Nahshid Originate Good Rhymes And Music) and featured a number of fellow Michigan rappers such as Abdus Salaam and singer Ka Di. This was generally received well by critics, and many praised One Be Lo for his conscious and intelligent lyrics. This was followed by S.T.I.L.L.B.O.R.N. (Something To Interest Lo Listeners Beyond Original Recorded Networkings and Subterraneous/Trackezoids Invest Lost Lyrics Bringing Old Rhymes New), a mix CD of previously unreleased songs and remixes. His most recent project is R.E.B.I.R.T.H., receiving critical acclaim by many hip hop publications.
All of his solo albums have been leading up to his magnum opus, entitled L.I.F.E. (Lo Is For Everybody). His current project that he's working on, entitled 'B.A.B.Y.' (Being A Black Youth) is scheduled to be released in 2010 under the MYX Music record label. It is set to feature artists such as Freeway
, Devin The Dude
, Phonte of Little Brother, Royce Da 5'9", Zion I
, Guilty Simpson
, Jean Grae
, Kam Moye
(aka Supastition), Ro Spit (aka Octane), Illite and more.
One Be Lo has appeared on the Warped Tour
as well as toured with artists such as KRS-One
and Zion I
.
. This was noted by Allmusic in their review of S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M., saying:
Alternative hip hop
Alternative hip hop is a sub-genre of hip hop music. Allmusic defines it as follows: -Origin:...
artist from Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
. He is well respected for being one half of the former rap duo Binary Star
Binary Star (band)
Binary Star is a hip hop group formed in 1998 that was composed of One Be Lo and Senim Silla. One Be Lo met Senim Silla, and the two formed Binary Star during their time in Hiawatha Correctional Facility. One Be Lo took the time to gather extensive knowledge about the music industry, including...
, and has released a number of well-received solo albums. He is also a member of the World Champion B-boy crew, Massive Monkees
Massive Monkees
Massive Monkees is a 28 member B-boy group from Seattle, Washington that won the 2004 World B-boy Championships in London and appeared on season 4 of MTV's America's Best Dance Crew.- History :...
.
Early life and Binary Star
Having grown up listening to the likes of KRS-OneKRS-One
Lawrence Krisna Parker , better known by his stage names KRS-One , and Teacha, is an American rapper...
, A Tribe Called Quest, and Ice Cube
Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
, One Be Lo gained an interest in hip hop from an early age. In 1998, he created the hip hop group Binary Star with Senim Silla
Senim Silla
Senim Silla is a hip hop soul artist from Pontiac, Michigan, best known for his role in the rap duo Binary Star-Biography:...
. They released two albums, Water World (1999) and Masters of the Universe
Masters of the Universe
Masters of the Universe is a media franchise created by Mattel....
(2000), before the group split up. One Be Lo cited "creative differences" as the main reason for their split.
In 2000, he started focusing more on his solo work. He also changed his stage name to One Be Lo, having been known as OneManArmy for his work with Binary Star. The name change was due to changes within himself and a potential legal dispute between a punk group with the same name.
Solo career
In January 2000, he established his own independent label called Subterraneous Records. This enabled him to release his own albums more easily, while also promoting a number of Michigan’s most promising producers and emcees. A year later, Subterraneous Records released WaterWorld Too, a compilation featuring a number of artists from the label's roster. In the meantime, he continued to work on his solo material with producer Decompoze. In late 2002, One Be Lo decided to press limited copies of Project F.E.T.U.S.Project F.E.T.U.S.
Project: F.E.T.U.S. is an album by rapper One Be Lo that was first released in 2002. Over half the album was recorded before the release of the Binary Star album Masters of the Universe in 2000...
(For Everybody That Under Stands), a collection of songs that were not initially intended for release. This release was aimed to be a segue into One Be Lo’s official solo material, and has since proven to be a successful debut, appearing on the About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
top 10 rap albums of February 2007.
His first official solo album was released on Fat Beats in 2005. This was entitled S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M.
S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M.
S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M. is a 2005 album from alternative hip hop artist One Be Lo. According to the "Scoreboard" page on the Babygrande Records website, the album had sold over 13,000 copies by the end of 2005....
(Sounds Of Nahshid Originate Good Rhymes And Music) and featured a number of fellow Michigan rappers such as Abdus Salaam and singer Ka Di. This was generally received well by critics, and many praised One Be Lo for his conscious and intelligent lyrics. This was followed by S.T.I.L.L.B.O.R.N. (Something To Interest Lo Listeners Beyond Original Recorded Networkings and Subterraneous/Trackezoids Invest Lost Lyrics Bringing Old Rhymes New), a mix CD of previously unreleased songs and remixes. His most recent project is R.E.B.I.R.T.H., receiving critical acclaim by many hip hop publications.
All of his solo albums have been leading up to his magnum opus, entitled L.I.F.E. (Lo Is For Everybody). His current project that he's working on, entitled 'B.A.B.Y.' (Being A Black Youth) is scheduled to be released in 2010 under the MYX Music record label. It is set to feature artists such as Freeway
Freeway (rapper)
Leslie Edward Pridgen , better known by his stage name Freeway, is an American rapper. Best known for his tenure on Roc-A-Fella Records and his affiliation with Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel, he is recognized by his high-pitched delivery and for the long beard he keeps due to his Muslim faith...
, Devin The Dude
Devin the Dude
Devin Copeland , better known by his stage name, Devin the Dude, is a Houston hip hop artist, and rapper. He is best known for his unique rapping style, his long career signed to Rap-A-Lot Records, and his 2002 song, "Lacville '79"....
, Phonte of Little Brother, Royce Da 5'9", Zion I
Zion I
Zion I are a hip hop duo from Oakland, California. The duo consists of producer DJ AmpLive and MC Zumbi. The group is known to its followers for Amp's futuristic production techniques, using a mix of live instrumentation and samples, and Zumbi's positive and socially conscious lyrics. Zion I...
, Guilty Simpson
Guilty Simpson
Byron Simpson, better known by his stage name Guilty Simpson is a rapper from Detroit, Michigan. He was previously known as Guilt. Over time, he saw that there were more emcees using the alias. In order to set himself apart from the others, he added his last name to become Guilty Simpson. He is...
, Jean Grae
Jean Grae
Jean Grae , born November 26, 1976 is an American hip hop artist who hails from South Africa. She rose to prominence in the underground hip-hop scene in New York City, and has since built an international fanbase.- Early life :...
, Kam Moye
Supastition
Supastition is an underground hip hop artist from Greenville, North Carolina, now living in Charlotte. He has worked with rappers like KRS-One, Cunninlynguists, and Little Brother....
(aka Supastition), Ro Spit (aka Octane), Illite and more.
One Be Lo has appeared on the Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
as well as toured with artists such as KRS-One
KRS-One
Lawrence Krisna Parker , better known by his stage names KRS-One , and Teacha, is an American rapper...
and Zion I
Zion I
Zion I are a hip hop duo from Oakland, California. The duo consists of producer DJ AmpLive and MC Zumbi. The group is known to its followers for Amp's futuristic production techniques, using a mix of live instrumentation and samples, and Zumbi's positive and socially conscious lyrics. Zion I...
.
Rap style
One Be Lo has crafted himself into what he describes as "the MC's MC". He is often praised for his clear delivery, precise rapping style and conscious lyrics, especially from fans of alternative hip hopAlternative hip hop
Alternative hip hop is a sub-genre of hip hop music. Allmusic defines it as follows: -Origin:...
. This was noted by Allmusic in their review of S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M., saying:
Binary Star
- Waterworld - 1999
- Masters of the Universe - 2000
Solo
- WaterWorld Too - 2001
- "Subterraneous"
- Project: F.E.T.U.S.Project F.E.T.U.S.Project: F.E.T.U.S. is an album by rapper One Be Lo that was first released in 2002. Over half the album was recorded before the release of the Binary Star album Masters of the Universe in 2000...
- 2002- For Everybody That UnderStands
- "OneBeLo" (later "OneBeLo aka OneManArmy")
- S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M.S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M.S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M. is a 2005 album from alternative hip hop artist One Be Lo. According to the "Scoreboard" page on the Babygrande Records website, the album had sold over 13,000 copies by the end of 2005....
- 2005- Sounds Of Nahshid Originate Good Rhymes And Music
- "One.Be.Lo also known as OneManArmy of Binary Star"
- S.T.I.L.L.B.O.R.N. - 2005
- Something To Interest Lo Listeners Beyond Original Recorded Networkings; or
- Subterraneous/Trackezoids Invest Lost Lyrics Bringing Old Rhymes New
- "One Be Lo & DJ SceneDJ SceneDJ Scene is a producer and nightclub DJ who has surfaced as one of the most consistent traveling DJs in the United States. Scene has performed with a wide variety of different artists, some of which include 50 Cent, Ludacris, Nas, Busta Rhymes, Jurassic 5, The Roots, De La Soul, DJ Premier, DJ AM,...
"
- Project F.E.T.U.S. (2CD Re-Issue) - 2007
- For Everybody That UnderStands
- "OneManArmy"
- The R.E.B.I.R.T.H.The R.E.B.I.R.T.H.The R.E.B.I.R.T.H. is a 2007 album by hip hop artist One Be Lo.The album features production entirely from outside producers . The producers list includes Texture & 14KT , K Krueser, Memo , Jake One, Bean One, Vitamin D, Eric G., and D.L...
- 2007- Real Emcees Bring Intelligent Rhymes To Hip-Hop
- "One Be Lo aka One Man Army"
- L.A.B.O.R. - 2011
- Language Arts Based On Reality
- B.A.B.Y. - 2011
- Being A Black Youth
External links
- Official web site
- Unofficial web site
- Myspace page
- ItsHipHop.tv video interview
- [ AllMusic.com page]