Planet Asia
Encyclopedia
Planet Asia aka King Medallions (real name Jason Green, born October 24, 1976) is an underground hip hop
MC from Fresno, California
who is a member of hiphop groups the Cali Agents
, and Skhool Yard. He is also well known for his vast discography of mixtape
s.
and started rapping religiously. From 1997-2001, Planet Asia had been releasing various popular 12 inch singles. These singles such as "Definition of ILL" and "Place of Birth" were released by various labels such as Stones Throw
and ABB Records. He reached full acclaim in 2001 when The Source
gave him the First Round Draft Pick and Independent Album of the Year awards for How the West Was One. How The West Was One was recorded with fellow rapper Rasco
under the group name Cali Agents
and landed him a deal with Interscope Records
.
While signed to Interscope Records, Planet Asia was not promoted like more popular Interscope acts Eminem
and 50 Cent
. The Fresno rapper stayed with Interscope until 2003 without releasing an album. He was nominated for a Grammy Award
in 2002 for the song "W" by Mystic. Planet Asia has collaborated with famous artists such as Linkin Park
, Bun B
, Talib Kweli
, Tupac
and Ghostface Killah
.
In 2003, Avatar Records
signed Planet Asia to an exclusive world-wide recording contract and in 2004 released Planet Asia's debut album, The Grand Opening, to positive feedback. It earned him another Independent Album of the Year award from The Source. Avatar also released 12" vinyl records including "Summertime In The City" b/w "G's & Soldiers" featuring Kurupt produced by J. Wells
, "Its All Big" b/w "Right or Wrong", and "Real Niggaz" featuring Ghostface. His record "G's & Soldiers" featuring Kurupt
was prominently featured in John Travolta's 2005 film "Be Cool" released by MGM. After leaving Avatar, Planet Asia started his own record label, Gold Chain Music, with Walt Liquor.
His next album, The Medicine
, was released on October 3, 2006 on ABB Records. The entire album was produced by Evidence
of Dilated Peoples
, with co-production credits from The Alchemist
, Nucleus & Bravo.
On June 26, 2007, Planet Asia released "The Jewelry Box Sessions: The Album" on Gold Chain Music. The album featured the single "Havin' Things".
Underground hip hop
Underground hip hop is an umbrella term for hip hop music outside the general commercial canon. It is typically associated with independent artists, signed toindependent labels or no label at all....
MC from Fresno, California
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
who is a member of hiphop groups the Cali Agents
Cali Agents
The Cali Agents are a rap group consisting of California rappers, Rasco and Planet Asia. The group released their debut album, How the West Was One , which featured the single "Good Life"...
, and Skhool Yard. He is also well known for his vast discography of mixtape
Mixtape
A Mix Tape or Mixed Tape is a compilation of songs recorded in a specific order, traditionally onto an audio Compact Cassette.A Mix Tape, which usually reflects the musical tastes of its compiler, can range from a casually selected list of favorite songs, to a conceptual mix of songs linked by a...
s.
History
During the 1990s, Planet Asia moved from Fresno, California to San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
and started rapping religiously. From 1997-2001, Planet Asia had been releasing various popular 12 inch singles. These singles such as "Definition of ILL" and "Place of Birth" were released by various labels such as Stones Throw
Stones Throw Records
Stones Throw Records is an independent hip hop record label based in Los Angeles, California. It was started in 1996 by DJ/Producer Peanut Butter Wolf in part to release the music he made with Charizma who was killed at the age of 20....
and ABB Records. He reached full acclaim in 2001 when The Source
The Source (magazine)
The Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988...
gave him the First Round Draft Pick and Independent Album of the Year awards for How the West Was One. How The West Was One was recorded with fellow rapper Rasco
Rasco
Keida Brewer , known professionally as Rasco , is a rapper from San Francisco, California, United States, whose early recordings were released on Stones Throw Records...
under the group name Cali Agents
Cali Agents
The Cali Agents are a rap group consisting of California rappers, Rasco and Planet Asia. The group released their debut album, How the West Was One , which featured the single "Good Life"...
and landed him a deal with Interscope Records
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
.
While signed to Interscope Records, Planet Asia was not promoted like more popular Interscope acts Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
and 50 Cent
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
. The Fresno rapper stayed with Interscope until 2003 without releasing an album. He was nominated for a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
in 2002 for the song "W" by Mystic. Planet Asia has collaborated with famous artists such as Linkin Park
Linkin Park
Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...
, Bun B
Bun B
Bernard Freeman better known by his stage name Bun B, is an American rapper and was one half of the southern hip hop duo UGK . He is also a guest lecturer at Rice University located in Houston, Texas...
, Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli Greene , better known as Talib Kweli, is an American hip-hop artist and poet from Brooklyn, New York. His first name in Arabic means "student" or "seeker" ; his in Swahili means "true"...
, Tupac
Tupac
Tupac is a relatively uncommon male name. Notable people with the name include:*Túpac Inca Yupanqui , tenth Sapa Inca of the Incan Empire*Túpac Amaru , last indigenous leader of the Inca people in Peru...
and Ghostface Killah
Ghostface Killah
Dennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success...
.
In 2003, Avatar Records
Avatar Records
Avatar Records is a Los Angeles, California based independent record label. Avatar is also a leading digital distributor, providing music to online retailers like Apple's iTunes Music Store...
signed Planet Asia to an exclusive world-wide recording contract and in 2004 released Planet Asia's debut album, The Grand Opening, to positive feedback. It earned him another Independent Album of the Year award from The Source. Avatar also released 12" vinyl records including "Summertime In The City" b/w "G's & Soldiers" featuring Kurupt produced by J. Wells
J. Wells
J. Wells is a record producer, businessman, and occasional rapper. He is a member of the Likwit Crew.- Biography :...
, "Its All Big" b/w "Right or Wrong", and "Real Niggaz" featuring Ghostface. His record "G's & Soldiers" featuring Kurupt
Kurupt
Ricardo Emmanuel Brown , better known by his stage name Kurupt, also known as Kurupt Tha Kingpin, Kurupt Young Gotti or Young Gotstra is an American rapper and former Executive Vice President of Death Row Records...
was prominently featured in John Travolta's 2005 film "Be Cool" released by MGM. After leaving Avatar, Planet Asia started his own record label, Gold Chain Music, with Walt Liquor.
His next album, The Medicine
The Medicine
The Medicine is an album by West Coast hip hop artist Planet Asia, released on October 3, 2006 through ABB Records. The album is the third installment of Planet Asia's "Medicali series", following The Sickness and The Diagnosis...
, was released on October 3, 2006 on ABB Records. The entire album was produced by Evidence
Evidence (artist)
Michael Perretta, better known as Evidence , is an American hip hop artist, producer, and member of the rap group Dilated Peoples. Evidence is a native of Venice, Los Angeles and was born to an Italian father and a Russian-American mother...
of Dilated Peoples
Dilated Peoples
Dilated Peoples is an American hip hop group from Los Angeles, California. The group achieved notability in the underground hip hop community, although they have had little mainstream success in the US, with the exception of the song "This Way," a 2004 collaboration with Kanye West and Xzibit...
, with co-production credits from The Alchemist
The Alchemist (producer)
Alan Daniel Maman , better known as The Alchemist, is an American hip hop producer, DJ and rapper. He hails from Beverly Hills, California...
, Nucleus & Bravo.
On June 26, 2007, Planet Asia released "The Jewelry Box Sessions: The Album" on Gold Chain Music. The album featured the single "Havin' Things".
Albums
- 2002: Still in Training
- 2003: Life as It is (Unreleased)
- 2004: The Grand Opening
- 2006: The MedicineThe MedicineThe Medicine is an album by West Coast hip hop artist Planet Asia, released on October 3, 2006 through ABB Records. The album is the third installment of Planet Asia's "Medicali series", following The Sickness and The Diagnosis...
- 2007: Jewelry Box Sessions: The Album
- 2008: Pain LanguagePain LanguagePain Language is a collaborative album by producer DJ Muggs and rapper Planet Asia, released on September 16, 2008 on Gold Chain Music. The album is the third in the "DJ Muggs vs. " series, following his 2005 collaboration with GZA, Grandmasters, and his 2007 collaboration with Sick Jacken, Legend...
(with DJ MuggsDJ MuggsLawrence Muggerud , better known as DJ Muggs, is Cypress Hill's DJ and producer. He also produced tracks for Funkdoobiest on the albums Which Doobie U B? and Brothas Doobie.-Cypress Hill :...
) - 2010: Crack Belt Theatre
- 2011: The Bar Mitzvah (Digital Only Release)
- 2011: Camouflage Jackets (with G-Force)
Mixtapes
- The Steady Gang Mix (2004)
- The Sickness Part 1 (2006)
- Direct from C.A. (2008)
- Planet Asia & The Architekt: Blak Majik (King Medallion vs. Arch Angel) (2008)
- DJ Muggs vs. Planet Asia: The Pain Language Mixtape (Mixed by DJ Warrior) (2008)
- Planet Asia Present: Turbin - The Boys a Problem Vol.1 (2009)
- Planet Asia & F. L. O. : Planet F. L. O. (2009)
with Cali Agents
- How The West Was One (2000), Ground Control
- Head of the StateHead of the State (album)Head of the State is the second album released by rap group, Cali Agents. It was released on March 9, 2004 for Pockets Linted Entertainment and was produced by Champ!, Vin Roc, Superflexxxx, Richness, Brisk One and Architect.-Track listing:...
(2004), Pockets Linted/Groove Attack - Fire & Ice (2006), Pockets Linted Entertainment
with Skhoolyard
- Representation EP (1997) - as Yard Massive
- A New Way of Thinking (2002)