Tajai

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Tajai
Birth name Tajai Massey
Also known as Tajai
Born April 21, 1975 (1975-04-21) (age 33)
Origin Stanford, California, U.S.
Genre(s) Alternative hip hop
West coast hip hop
Instrument(s) Microphone
Years active 1993–Present
Label(s) Clear Label Records
Hieroglyphics Imperium Recordings
Jive Records
Associated acts Souls of Mischief
Hieroglyphics
SupremeEx
Website http://www.hieroglyphics.com

Tajai Massey, known by the stage name, Tajai (born: April 21, 1975), is an American rapper and producer. He is one of the four founding members of Oakland, California-based underground hip hop group Souls of Mischief, and, with the Souls of Mischief, a part of the eight-person, alternative hip hop collective, the Hieroglyphics.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Souls of Mischief

Born in Stanford, California, Tajai moved with his family across the San Francisco Bay to Oakland, California when he was 2 years old. In elementary school, Tajai met fellow Souls of Mischief member A-Plus, and the duo began their nascent rap careers.[1] Tajai eventually introduced A-Plus to future Souls of Mischief members Phesto and Opio, and the group formed in high school before releasing their debut album, 93 'til Infinity on Jive Records in 1993. He graduated from Stanford University in 1997 with a degree in anthropology. [2]

[edit] Hieroglyphics

After Tajai and the Souls of Mischief were dropped by Jive, the group was incorporated into the Hieroglyphics in 1995, at the urging of Del tha Funkee Homosapien.[2]

Tajai has contributed to all four Souls of Mischief albums, as well as the two Hieroglyphic studio albums. He has also produced or performed on solo projects of various Hieroglyphics' members.

[edit] SupremeEx

In 1999, Tajai and the Hieroglyphics' then-webmaster, StinkE, formed the conceptual group SupremeEx, which released an enhanced CD, Projecto: 2501, and in 2005, released the album Nuntype.

[edit] Crudo

Tajai is also a member of Crudo, a new project featuring Mike Patton and Dan the Automator, who made their live debut in 2008.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

1999, Projecto: 2501 with SupremeEx (Hieroglyphics Imperium Recordings / Clear Label Records)

2005, Power Movement, (Hieroglyphics Imperium Recordings)

2005, Nuntype with SupremeEx (Rumble Pack Records)

[edit] Mixtapes

Sleeping Giant

[edit] References

  1. ^ Tajai Interview. Gorilla Movement.com (2005). Retrieved on 2007-02-03.
  2. ^ a b StinkE (1996-07-18). Phesto Interview. StinkE Productions. Retrieved on 2007-02-03.

[edit] External links