KRS1 Biography and Information

KRS1

Albums:

Edutainment 1990
Live Hardcore Worldwide 1991
Sex And Violence 1992
Hot Club Version-Criminal Minded
Man & His Music (Remixes from Around the World) 1997

KRS1, real name, Lawrence Parker was born in Park Slope, Brooklyn in the summer of 1965. He left home at 14 to play basketball and read, he was apparently somewhat rebelious!
Eventually Kris ended up in a homeless shelter in the South Bronx, where he was given the nickname Krishna, by residents because of his interest in the Hare Krishna spirituality and such things. He was also begining to write graffiti at this time, which is where his name originated. KRS-One (Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone).
While in the shelter KRS met youth counselor Scott Sterling, he and Sterling, a.k.a. DJ Scott La Rock, created Boogie Down Productions. In 1984, KRS-One hit the music scene with a rap group called "Scott La rock and the Celebrity Three" (Scott La Rock, Levi167,MC Quality, and KRS-One), the first track released was titled "Advance". The group later changed their name to The Boogie Down Crew. It was now only KRS and Scott.
By Late 1984, KRS-One wrote a song called "Stop The Violence".
Not long after this (1985), Scott La Rock was asked to do an already written and produced track for Sleeping Bag Records. This didnt work out well but taught them how important it was to produce and write your own material, or more to the point control your own destiny within the music industry. At this time they also changed their name to the now legendary "Boogie Down Productions" (BDP)
By 1987, they dropped Criminal Minded, a grimy LP telling tales of real life on the streets, it was produced in conjunction with fellow Bronx crew, the Ultramagnetic MC''s. The tough and edgy nature of the album meant it was more of a novelty in music at the time than it is now, and dropped in far more educated manner than most of todays artist can manage, Jeru etc aside. It sold over 500,000 copies and it seemed BDP were about to hit the big time.
Unfortunatly as BDP were getting really making a name for themselves in the hip hop world, Scott La Rock was killed. There are various version of what happened and it would seem only a few people really know. Some say Scott was killed while trying to break up a dispute in the Bronx, others that he was the victim of an unknown assassin while sitting in a parked car in the South Bronx. These two version may not even contradict each other, who nows?
KRS-One continued BDP, though as any KRS fan will know Scott was certainly not forgotten and listening to many of his later tracks you were always left with the impression that he taught the young KRS1 a great deal and the respect for his mentor/freind has been maintained through-out.
The BDP Crew now consisted of KRS1, with his brother Kenny Parker and D-Nice as DJs. They signed with Jive Records and released By All Means Necessary, late in 1988. His first video on Jive Records was for "My Philosophy", a song which while having KRS1's famous flows and teachings, also had delitefully catchy samples. By this time KRS1 and Boogie Down Productions were beginning to really establish their great standing within the world of rap music.
The early 1990's saw the release of Edutainment.
Some felt KRS1 had gone a little too far at this time and heads were not feeling him as much as they had. The album did however carry some tracks which did well in the mainstream, "Love is Gonna Get Ya" springs to mind. The bassline on this track is crazy, if you dont know, get to know, you just have to find it and listen, but its heavy in every sense of the word, believe me!
There was no holding BDP down! In 1992 KRS1 reminded us all who he is when he dropped "Sex and Violence". This album took BDP back to where they should have been, when it comes to telling the true and vicious realities of life no-one does it better or with more sincerity and vision than KRS.
Next came Return of the Boom Bap, his first solo album. While this LP may not have made the commercial impact some of its trendier and and less substantial competition did, it was a massive success so far as the Hip Hop community was concerned. It featured such classics Sound of Da Police (who remembers that at Nottinghill Carnival?), "Black Cop" and the out of this world "I Cant Wake Up" (Dreamin about being a Blunt), the bass on this tune is just so appropriate for the track.
The list of great tracks on the album goes on and on.
KRS has to be viewed as the top in his field, there was and is no equal in his style of Hip Hop. You do have better lyricists technically speaking, but if all they are telling you about is diamonds and bitches whats the use? You also have very positive artists, even these days, though they are often over shadowed by the likes of 50 Cent (the fake one) and the constant barrage of southern bassline heavy, content light BS, they do still exist. Do they deliver their mesage with as much venom and power as KRS?
Nobody delivers such intelligent messages with as much power and rawness as "The Blastmaster KRS1"
"This is rebellious music, not gangster music." A poignant message from the Blastmaster, particularly in this day and age and also one that the Hip Hop community of today should really take note of.
KRS1 was a TRUE rebel, he really was doing what they didnt want him to. He wasnt wearing ice and gold, making you feel like you needed it too. He wasn't parrading scantilly clad women, lacking in morals and over-compensated in Booty and ass through every video. He dropped raw truths and rocked it nappy like you or I.
Check his angle on politics,
"Choose the mumps or the measles"
sums it all up just like that. In one line, he just dropped what would have taken shakespeare three plays to tell you and political spin doctors three months to deny.

KRS-One began touring colleges on the lecture circuit around 1989, and some of his writings appeared in the New York Times. This fact does not impress me, since who the hell are they anway, but it shows the reach he had.

KRS1, a true legend in the game!!!!!!!!!