MF Grimm

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MF Grimm
Background information
Birth name Percy Carey
Also known as GM Grimm, Superstar Jet Jaguar, The Grimm Reaper
Genre(s) Hip hop
Occupation(s) Producer, rapper
Years active 1993–present
Label(s) Day By Day Entertainment
Associated acts Monsta Island Czars
The Gravediggaz

Percy Carey, also known as MF Grimm, GM Grimm, The Grimm Reaper, and Superstar Jet Jaguar, is an underground rapper from New York City.

Contents

[edit] Biography

As a child, Percy Carey grew up on Manhattan's Upper West Side in a stable family. His neighbor, Morgan Freeman helped arrange for him to be cast as a child actor on Sesame Street, which he did for four years. He was the first to ride Snuffleupagus on Sesame Street. He was talking to Big Bird and Big Bird didn't see Snuffleupagus, on Percy.[1]

"One episode, I lost my tooth, and me and Big Bird had to go through Sesame Street and try to find it," Carey remembers.[2]

While a high school student, Carey became a drug dealer with a reputation for being ruthless.[3] He followed this career path afterwards along with his passion for rap.

Early in his career, he formed a DJ/rapper group called The Gravediggaz (not to be confused with RZA's group of the same name) with Roc Raida of X-Ecutioners. He also collaborated with hip-hop legends like Kool G Rap and KMD.[4]

In 1993, Grimm placed at the World Supremacy Battle, already known as an experienced battle rapper. That year, he released his first 12" single, So Whatcha Want Nigga? and performed at the Jack The Rapper convention on Execution Night, sharing the stage with Lady of Rage, Tupac, and Dogg Pound, in Atlanta. Grimm was soon approached by several major labels.

[edit] Murder attempt

In 1994, Grimm survived a murder attempt which killed his stepbrother. He was shot seven times in that incident[5] and three times in an earlier murder attempt in 1986. As a result of the 1994 attack, he was deafened, blinded, and paralyzed from the waist down. Doctors predicted that he would suffer nulled senses and be paralyzed for the rest of his life. Grimm recovered full vision, hearing, and speech ability, but is still permanently confined to a wheelchair.[6]

[edit] Post-hospitalisation

Grimm went on to release several 12" singles on the Fondle 'Em label and also collaborated with MF DOOM on an EP released by Brick Records entitled MF EP. Since then, DOOM and Grimm's relationship has grown into a rivalry.

Grimm founded label Day By Day Entertainment in the late-1990s, releasing the work of independent artists, including MF DOOM’s Operation: Doomsday. At around the same time, he put together his Godzilla-inspired MC collective, the Monsta Island Czars.

[edit] Life in jail

Facing narcotics and conspiracy charges, Grimm was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2000. He paid a one-day bail of $100,000, recording The Downfall of Ibliys: A Ghetto Opera in those twenty-four hours.[7] During his stay in jail, Grimm studied law. After filing many counter-suits, he was able to reduce his sentence to three years and he was released in 2003.

[edit] Post-incarceration

He has since completed his second album Digital Tears: E-mail from Purgatory under his Monsta Island Czars moniker Superstar Jet Jaguar. He is currently working on expanding Day By Day Entertainment to carry both rock and hip hop artists.[citation needed]

MF Grimm has the alias GM Grimm, for Grand Master Grimm. He stated in an interview that "GM is me and Roc Raida," so it reads, "Grand Master Roc Raida and Grand Master Grimm."[8]

There are persistent rumors that MF Grimm penned much of lyrics for Dr. Dre's The Chronic album[citation needed] and was originally meant to be featured on Main Source's "Live at the Barbecue" track[citation needed], which holds the distinction as being Nas's first major appearance on record. He mentioned in "Sentences: The Life Of MF Grimm" that he penned lyrics for various artists in his early career, but did not mention any names.

In a November 2007 interview on "Fresh Air," Grimm said he had ghost written "way before prison" during his teens when he "was 14, 15, 16, 17." He admitted the reason he doesn't mention names is that the artists would get angry because they would seem less authentic if they hadn't written the raps themselves. Grimm said ghost writing doesn't bother him because it was something he chose to do and knew the outcome of it.[9]

Grimm's life story was retold in a comic book autobiography, Sentences: The Life Of MF Grimm, which was released by DC Comics' Vertigo imprint in September 2007.

MF Grimm has recently appeared on National Public Radio to relate his life story and future plans. [10]

[edit] Discography

[edit] References

  1. ^ village voice > music > Private Enemy by Ben Westhoff
  2. ^ Fresh Air[1]
  3. ^ Village Voice[2]
  4. ^ AllMusicGuide[3]
  5. ^ Spin.com [4]
  6. ^ Village Voice [5]
  7. ^ Pitchfork[6]
  8. ^ allhiphop.com
  9. ^ Fresh Air[7]
  10. ^ http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16074125 NPR Link

[edit] External links