Random (musician)

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Random
Background information
Birth name Raheem Jameel Jarbo
Also known as Mega Ran, Random Beats, Big Ran
Born (1977-09-03) September 3, 1977
Origin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
United States
Genres Hip hop, Rap
Occupations Rapper, songwriter, record producer, teacher
Years active 2006–present
Labels RAHM Nation Recordings, River City Records
Associated acts MC Frontalot, Reef the Lost Cauze, Panacea, MC Lars, K-Murdock, Open Mike Eagle

Raheem Jarbo (born September 3, 1977), known as Random or Mega Ran is an American underground rapper, Chiptunes DJ, and record producer. He is mainly associated with the genre known as Nerdcore Hip-Hop.

Early life

Raheem Jarbo was born in Philadelphia, PA to an American-born mother and African-born father.[1] He has stated in interviews that he wrote his first song in 1993 and began producing in 2000.[2] After college, Random landed a job as an engineer in a Philadelphia studio, and recorded his first demo which caught the ear of Philadelphia emcee Ohene, who had created RAHM Nation Recordings as a home for creative hip-hop music.[3] Random resided in Philadelphia until a 2006 move to Phoenix, Arizona.[4]

Education

Random holds a Bachelor's degree from Penn State University worked full-time as a special education teacher, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, then as a middle school teacher in Phoenix, Arizona. Random maintained both a music and teaching career until 2011, when he retired from teaching to devote himself to music full-time.[5] Random's albums are currently being utilized in coursework at Penn State University, Temple University, and Virginia Tech among others.[6]

Music

Random released his debut album The Call in 2006, but is noted for releasing an album called Mega Ran,[7] a tribute to the Mega Man video game series in 2007. This album landed Random a licensing agreement with video game distributor Capcom and an opportunity to perform at the Capcom booth at Comic-Con in San Diego.[8]

This album gained Random a fan base within the nerdcore subgenre, as well as press coverage by Nintendo Power, IGN, Okayplayer, Complex, Exclaim, and Blender among others.[9][10]

In 2009, Random released a second Mega Man-based album, Mega Ran 9, based on the PlayStation Network, WiiWare and Xbox Live Arcade video game Mega Man 9.[11] The album was released with the blessing of Capcom.[7]

In 2010, Random collaborated with producer K-Murdock of progressive hip-hop group Panacea and released Forever Famicom, an album containing samples from video games from various publishers on the NES and Super NES consoles.[12]

In 2011, Random created and released Black Materia, an album completely based on the PlayStation and PC game Final Fantasy VII.[13]

In 2012, Random released a remixed version of Black Materia entitled Black Materia: The Remixes.[14] In March, he launched a Kickstarter campaign to release the three-part album, comic book and video game for Mega Ran in Language Arts. The goal was achieved, and Volume One was released in May, Volume Two in August, and Volume Three in November.[15]

In 2013, Random announced he would release one EP per month, titled Time and Space. January, February and March's EP releases were exclusively launched on video game website Destructoid.[16]It was also at this time that Random began referring to his style of music as "Chip-Hop."

In 2013, Random collaborated with New Jersey rapper Mister Wilson and released Blur Bomber, an adaptation of the Archie Comics story arc for the Mega Man and Sonic cross-over in Worlds Collide .

Video games

In September 2013, Random and K-Murdock performed at the first ever Halo 4 Global Championships in Seattle. The event was broadcast on Xbox Live and online.[17]

In April 2013, Random lent guest vocals to a track on the soundtrack of the award winning video game Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine called "Welcome To Monaco.[18]

In 2012, Random and Chicago-based developers Lunar Giant Studios released the first installment of the Mega Ran video game, loosely based on the album Mega Ran in Language Arts.[19]

In 2010 and 2011, Random's music was covered in video game publications Game Developer andNintendo Power. Random's album based on the game Final Fantasy VII was featured, and was included in the June 2011 issue of Game Informer and PlayStation: The Official Magazine.[20]

In 2009, Random teamed with Capcom to feature on a hip-hop alternate soundtrack to hit title Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Random appears on a song entitled "The Remainder is One". The album is downloadable on PlayStation Network and at Marvel Comics' website.[21]

Film and television

Random's song "Grow Up" from the Mega Ran album plays during the end credits of Second Skin, an independent film which debuted at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas in 2008.

In 2010, Random's song "Splash Woman" played on episodes of TNA IMPACT! and on the ABC special "The Ten Most Fascinating People in America" hosted by Barbara Walters. It has also been featured in the "Aimee" episode of IFC's Portlandia and Comedy Central's Tosh.0. [22]

Random hosted a weekly hip-hop reality show on his YouTube channel called "Life After Lesson Plans".[23] In the final episode he details leaving teaching for music full time to tour with mc chris.

In February 2012, Random recorded and released a song called "Mega Ran's Jeremy Lin Rap", dedicated to the rise to fame of NBA player Jeremy Lin. The song went on to be a viral smash, amassing over 150,000 hits in two days on YouTube, and appearing on the ESPN show SportsCenter.[24]

Performances

Random has toured the U.S. as support for mc chris, MC Lars, Louis Logic, Homeboy Sandman, Open Mike Eagle, and others. He has performed at the SXSW Music Festival in 2008-2013, the Nerdapalooza festival in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, and San Diego Comic-Con 2011-2013.[25] He embarked upon his first European tour in July 2011, and in December 2011,[26] provided support on the More B.A.R.K. Less Bitin' Tour of Japan with DJ Asu Rock, K-Murdock, and jazz-hop artists Substantial and Marcus D.[27] Random returned to Japan after a successful Kickstarter campaign. Random performed at the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) in 2013. He is also scheduled to perform at the east coast's ONLY music and gaming festival, also known as MAGfest in January of 2014.

Discography

  • 2006 - The Call (RAHM Nation Recordings, LLC)
  • 2007 - Mega Ran (RAHM Nation Recordings, LLC)
  • 2008 - Patches and Glue (RAHM Nation Recordings, LLC)
  • 2008 - The 8th Day (RAHM Nation Recordings, LLC)
  • 2009 - Mega Ran 9 (RAHM Nation, Capcom)
  • 2009 - TeacherRapperHero: The Random Mixtape (self-released)
  • 2009 - RANDOMONIUM (River City Records)
  • 2010 - Forever Famicom (Neosonic Productions)
  • 2011 - Black Materia: Final Fantasy VII (with Lost Perception)
  • 2011 - TeacherRapperHero Vol. 2: Two Weeks Notice (self-released)
  • 2011 - Mega Ran 10
  • 2011 - A VERY RANDOM CHRISTMAS (Random Beats Music/ One Beagle Music)
  • 2011 - The Memorandum (with Mr. Miranda) Random Beats Music
  • 2012 - Black Materia: The Remixes (Random Beats Music)
  • 2012 - Mega Ran in Language Arts (RandomBeats Music)
  • 2012 - River City Random (self-released)
  • 2013 - "TRAP" (self released)
  • 2013 - "Castlevania: The Nocturnal Cantata (Joypad Records)
  • 2013 - "Blur Bomber (with Mister Wilson)" (Random Beats)


Featured:

  • 2005 - "Beats & Rhymes" on The Chancellor (RAHM Nation Recordings, LLC)
  • 2007 - "Gnosis" & "Faculty Meeting" on Legend of … The Chancellor (RAHM Nation Recordings, LLC)
  • 2007 - "No Grudge" on Nina Simone by … Ohene (RAHM Nation Recordings, LLC)
  • 2008 - "Black Box" by MC Frontalot on "Final Boss" (Level Up/Nerdcore Fervor)
  • 2008 - "Don't Look Back" on Escape Plan (Deep Scene Productions)
  • 2008 - "Grown" on American Scholar (RAHM Nation Recordings, LLC)
  • 2009 - "The Remainder is One" on Marvel vs. Capcom Mixtape (Capcom)
  • 2010 - "To Whom Much is Given" on Back and Forth (Koyto Mixtapes)
  • 2010 - "Dustman" by MC Esoteric on "Fly Casualties"
  • 2011 - "Me and the Mouse" by MC Lars on "Indie Rocket Science" (Horris Records)
  • 2011 - "Easy Mode (Remix) by Kabuto The Python on "The Kvetch Sessions: I Hate Everything" (Scrubclub Records)
  • 2012 - "The Tell Tale <3" by MC Lars on "The Edgar Allen Poe EP" (Horris Records)
  • 2012 - "Play It By Ear" on "Gigantic, Vol 1" by Small Pro (Diamond Music Group)
  • 2012 - "The Promise ft. MegaRan (Halo 4 Remix)" by "Dj CUTMAN" (Halo 4 Soundtrack Remix contest)
  • 2013 - "Game Over" by SkyBlew (self released)
  • 2013 - "Big Kid Remix" by Doug Funnie
  • 2013 - "Jazzy NYC" by Mister Wilson on The Mister Wilson Show
  • 2013 - "Blurred Lines Freestyle" by Mister Wilson on The Mister Wilson Show
  • 2014 - "World 3-8 - Smash Bros" by 1-up on Nerdcore Emulation Station (NES)

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑
  3. ↑
  4. ↑
  5. ↑ Independent Artist Raheem ‘Mega Ran’ Jarbo Swapped Books for Game Consoles
  6. ↑ Independent Artist Raheem ‘Mega Ran’ Jarbo Swapped Books for Game Consoles
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Capcom Gets Random With Mega Man
  8. ↑ Top Hip-Hop albums of 2007 - Hip Hop Linguistics
  9. ↑ Mega Ran's Nintendo Power Farewell Rap
  10. ↑ PAX East Feature - Random aka Mega Ran Interview
  11. ↑ Mega Ran 9
  12. ↑ Operation Nerdcore: Mega Ran & K Murdock's Forever Famicom
  13. ↑ Rap Music, Final Fantasy VII and Some Pretty Visuals
  14. ↑ Shadowrun Returns on Kickstarter, Mega Ran Too
  15. ↑ The Video Game That's Also a Rap Album That's Also a Comic Book
  16. ↑ Exclusive: Time and Space: Mega Ran's New Fan Request EP
  17. ↑
  18. ↑
  19. ↑ Lunar Giant Release First Installment to Mega Ran in Language Arts Game
  20. ↑ Final Fantasy VII Rap Explains Why Nerds Love Aeris
  21. ↑ Marvel Vs Capcom 2 Hip Hop Mixtape
  22. ↑ Second Skin | Top Documentary Films
  23. ↑
  24. ↑
  25. ↑ Mega Ran Storms The UK For Tour
  26. ↑ More B.A.R.K. Less Bitin' Tour
  27. ↑ Phoenix Rapper Mega Ran Hitting The Road With Nerd-Rap Star mc chris

External links

+ Mega Ran interview with the Escapist

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