Tajai
| Tajai | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Tajai Massey |
| Also known as | Tajai |
| Born | 21 April 1975 |
| Origin | East Oakland, U.S. |
| Genres |
Alternative hip hop West coast hip hop |
| Years active | 1993–Infinity |
| Labels |
Clear Label Records Hieroglyphics Imperium Recordings Jive Records |
| Associated acts |
Souls of Mischief Hieroglyphics SupremeEx |
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]
Biography
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.[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] He graduated from UC Berkeley in 2014 with a Masters degree in Architecture.
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.[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.
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.
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.
Discography
Solo
- Power Movement (2005)
- Power Movement Remixes (2005)
With Souls of Mischief
- 93 'til Infinity (1993)
- No Man's Land (1995)
- Focus (1997)
- Trilogy: Conflict, Climax, Resolution (2000)
- Montezuma's Revenge (2009)
With Hieroglyphics
- 3rd Eye Vision (1998)
- Full Circle(2003)
- The Kitchen (2013)
Collaborations
- Projecto 2501 with SupremeEx
- Nuntype with SupremeEx (Rumble Pack Records)
- Hood Famous with Superstar Quamallah as Supastars
Mixtapes
Sleeping Giant
Machine Language
References
- ↑ The 2008 World's Sexiest Vegetarians Are… // Out There // peta2
- ↑ "Tajai Interview". Gorilla Movement.com. 2005. Retrieved 2007-02-03.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 StinkE (1996-07-18). "Phesto Interview". StinkE Productions. Retrieved 2007-02-03.
External links
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