Raleigh, NC

Though their name might imply violent gangsta rap, Lords of the Underground match socially conscious raps with hard-hitting beats. Newark, NJ's Doitall and Mr. Funke met Cleveland-native DJ Lord Jazz at Shaw University in North Carolina; since the two were looking for a DJ, they hooked up with Jazz. A friend of Doitall's introduced the group to legendary producer Marley Marl, who invited them to record at his studio with help from K-Def. Before their debut album (Here Come the Lords) even appeared, the Lords placed three hit singles ("Psycho," "Funky Child," "Chief Rocka") on the rap charts. By the end of 1993, the Lords had received an award from BET as best rap group of the year. Keepers of the Funk, released in 1994, failed to keep the momentum going, and there was a five-year wait before third album Resurrection dropped in 1999. ~ John Bush