MURDER INC.
MEMBERS: DMX, Ja Rule, Jay-Z
BEST KNOWN SONG: "It's Murda," from Ja Rule's unbelievably poorly spelled Venni Vetti Vecci
DID THEY RELEASE AN ALBUM?: Nope! Fame and ego (and possibly crack) split the collective apart before anything could pop off.
RATING:
RANDOM AXE
MEMBERS: Black Milk, Guilty Simpson, Sean Price
BEST KNOWN SONG: "Monster Babies"
DID THEY RELEASE AN ALBUM?: Not yet! But they're going to--we swear. You need something to listen to while eating turkey bacon and doing pull-ups on the stoplight, right?
RATING:
OHP (OFFICIAL HARDBODY POTENTIAL) RATING:
SLAUGHTERHOUSE
MEMBERS: Crooked I, Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, Royce da 5'9"
BEST KNOWN SONG: "The One"
DID THEY RELEASE AN ALBUM?: About to! August 11 is the supposed day. Better, uh, get in line now.
RATING:
RATING (IF YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT PUNCHLINES):
TRU
MEMBERS: C-Murder, Master P, Silkk the Shocker (though it originally included everyone from Mia X to someone named Daniel Fry, who we're guessing was their accountant)
BEST KNOWN SONG: "I Always Feel Like (Somebody's Watching Me)," off 1997's Tru 2 da Game
DID THEY RELEASE AN ALBUM?: Yup! Almost as many as they had original members, in fact: 6, including indie releases and a 2005 comeback on Koch.
RATING:
WARZONE
MEMBERS: Goldie Loc, Kam, MC Eiht
BEST KNOWN SONG: "Shackled Up" off Snoop's 2006 album Tha Blue Carpet Treatment
DID THEY RELEASE AN ALBUM?: Nope! They're reportedly looking for distribution. In related news, they might want to look into getting a Delorean.
RATING:
THE WEATHERMEN
MEMBERS: Aesop Rock, Breeze Brewin, Cage, El-P, Tame One, Yak Ballz (Former members include the late Camu Tao, the lumped-up Copywrite, the enormous Vast Aire, and the loquacious Jakki da Motormouth)
BEST KNOWN SONG: "Left It To Us," off Cage's emotastic 2005 album Hell's Winter
DID THEY RELEASE AN ALBUM?: Kinda! There was the 2003 mixtape The Conspiracy, and rumors continue to circulate in frighteningly earnest corners of the Internet about a Def Jux release for the backpackers, but nothing yet.
RATING:
RATING (IF YOU'RE WHITE):
WESTSIDE CONNECTION
MEMBERS: Ice Cube, Mack 10, WC
BEST KNOWN SONG: "Bow Down," which featured Cube's immortal line "Everybody freeze, on your knees—butt naked, please!" Such a polite young man.
DID THEY RELEASE AN ALBUM?: Yup! Two, in fact: The platinum Bow Down (1996) and '03's Terrorist Threats
RATING:
RATING (IF YOU KNOW WHERE SLAUSON):
Dave July 15th, 2009 at 05:57 PM
I'm just gonna throw it out there, Army of the Pharaohs? Sure their underground but they have their reputations. Now they're a supergroup.
Save July 15th, 2009 at 06:11 PM
Yea, the list is pretty impressive...But if ya'll could mention Weathermen, ya'll could've said Army of the Pharaohs.
Sam July 15th, 2009 at 06:36 PM
how could u forget children of the corn. cam'ron, mase, big l, bloodshed, herb mcgruff & digga. Thats a supergroup
Complex Sez July 15th, 2009 at 06:58 PM
They were all nobodies when they were in a group, bro.
CHILE ! July 15th, 2009 at 07:25 PM
So was 213
Complex Sez July 16th, 2009 at 12:04 PM
213 put out a commercially available album once they were all stars in their own right.
The Big Sleep July 18th, 2009 at 06:06 AM
So did D.I.T.C./the Diggin' in the Crates crew.
Black Chanler July 15th, 2009 at 06:47 PM
No Justus Leage?
DeShawn Stevenson July 15th, 2009 at 06:57 PM
"In related news, they might want to look into getting a Delorean." bwahahahaahaha.. watch out Goldie Loc might come shoot your ass
JLH July 15th, 2009 at 07:05 PM
Cool list and all but how does EMC get a rating of 3?
supermario July 15th, 2009 at 07:15 PM
native tongues get no love? ATCQ, De La, Jungle Brothers and the rest all got deals or were at least making records before any of them joined up.
ill will July 15th, 2009 at 07:41 PM
How the hell it aint got Bone Thugs, ATCQ, Outkast on here
rumrunner July 15th, 2009 at 09:35 PM
i don't think you understood the concept
FRAZE July 15th, 2009 at 07:43 PM
WAt About BlackStarR?
You Don't July 15th, 2009 at 10:08 PM
Understand the concept.
j'son July 15th, 2009 at 11:15 PM
no harlem world? what kinda scam we running here??