Benzino

Known as a rapper, record producer, television personality and media mogul, Benzino was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He began his rap career as part of the group Almighty RSO. The group's controversial single "One in the Chamba" (1992) caused friction with the Boston police department and their record label. The group went on to release their first album, "Doomsday: Forever RSO" (1996), which got coverage in The Source, a famous hip-hop magazine that was also owned by the group's manager. After the end of Almighty RSO, Benzino formed the group Made Men and the production team Hangmen 3. Made Men's first album "Classic Limited Edition" (1999) saw Benzino credited as executive producer and co-producer, and earned critical praise from some, most notably The Source, which Benzino joined as co-owner in 2001. During the early 2000s, Benzino earned credits in albums by several artists, as well as his own solo debut, "The Benzino Project" (2001). The next few years would see his feud with fellow rapper Eminem through both their songs and The Source articles. Benzino would leave the magazine in 2005, continuing his career in rap, both as a solo artist and as part of the group 1st 48. He went on to establish the tabloid Hip Hop Weekly and become part of the series "Marriage Boot Camp" (WE tv, 2015-16) and "Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta" (VH1, 2012-).