| Tajai | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Tajai Massey |
| Also known as | Tajai |
| Born | April 21, 1975 |
| Origin | Oakland, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Alternative hip hop West coast hip hop |
| Instruments | Microphone |
| Years active | 1993–Present |
| Labels | 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. He is a vegetarian.[1]
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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.[2] 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.[3]
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.[3]
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.
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.
Tajai is also a member of Crudo, a new project featuring Mike Patton and Dan the Automator, who made their live debut in 2008.
1999, Projecto: 2501 with SupremeEx (Hieroglyphics Imperium Recordings / Clear Label Records)
2005, Power Movement, (Hieroglyphics Imperium Recordings)
2005, Nuntype with SupremeEx (Rumble Pack Records)
• Souls of Mischief - 93 ‘til Infinity (Jive, 1993) Ranked in The Source magazine’s top 100 Hip Hop Albums of all time (Jan. 1998) and top 150 Singles of all time (Sept. 2003).
• Souls of Mischief – No Man’s Land (Jive, 1995).
• Souls of Mischief – Focus (Hiero Imperium, 1997).
• Hieroglyphics – Third Eye Vision (Hiero Imperium, 1998) - Featured on tracks 2, 10, 12, 15, 21 and 22.
• SupremeEx and Tajai as The Entity – Projecto:2501 (EP, Clear Label, 2000).
• Souls of Mischief – Trilogy: Conflict, Climax, Resolution (Hiero Imperium, 2000)
• Various Artists – One Big Trip (Hiero Imperium, 2002) - Featured on tracks 3, 5, and 8. The music video for track 3, “Soweto” was voted “Viewer’s Choice” on MTV2 USA.
• Hieroglyphics – Full Circle (Hiero Imperium, 2003) - Featured on tracks 3, 6, 7, 12, 14, and 16.
• Tajai and DJ Apollo – Sleeping Giant (Mixtape, Clear Label, 2003).
• Tajai – Power Movement (Hiero Imperium, 2004)
• Quality of Life (film) – Played “Dino”
• Tajai – Power Movement – The Remixes (Hiero Imperium/Clear Label, 2005)
• Hieroglyphics – Full Circle Live (Hiero Imperium, 2005) – Featured on tracks 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 12 and 13.
• SupremeEx and Tajai – Nuntype (Rumble Pack, 2006)
• Tajai and Superstar Quamallah as Supastars – Hood Famous (Clear Label, 2007)
• Souls of Mischief – Montezuma's Revenge (Clear Label, 2009)
Sleeping Giant
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