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2 Chainz, the multi-platinum, Grammy Award®-winning MC first made his mark when he broke out of his native Atlanta as a founding member of the duo Playaz Circle. Their rap-R&B-pop crossover hit “Duffle Bag Boy” featuring Lil’ Wayne, released on the DTP (Disturbing Tha Peace)/Def Jam label, sent shock waves across the hip-hop universe in 2007. Chainz’ solo career began that same year with the release of his first mixtape.
Proving that he could write street anthems with crossover appeal, Chainz capitalized on his notoriety with the back-to-back mixtapes Codeine Withdrawal (2010), and Codeine Cowboy (2011). His 2011 mixtape T.R.U. REALigion mined downloads in the millions. The outspoken rapper had established a new sphere of influence.
2 Chainz’ name was on everyone’s lips in 2012, when he stole a verse on “Mercy,” fellow Def Jam artist Kanye West’s RIAA triple-platinum #1 R&B/#1 Rap hit (from Cruel Summer). In August 2012, Chainz arrived as a Def Jam solo artist with Based On A T.R.U. Story, his Platinum debut album, which entered the charts at #1. Its success was fueled by the platinum #1 “No Lie” featuring Drake, the double-platinum “Birthday Song” featuring Kanye West, and double-platinum “I’m Different.” “Mercy” was subsequently a Grammy® nominee for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance, while B.O.A.T.S. was nominated for Best Rap Album. Chainz’ dominance was extended when the sequel, B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time entered the hip-hop chart at #1 in September 2013, and spun off the gold single, “Feds Watching” featuring Pharrell.
In 2016, Chainz brought it back to his essence with a series of mixtapes that dominated the streets: Felt Like Cappin, Daniel Son, Necklace Don, and Hibachi For Lunch. Also in 2016, he released the lauded collaborative album ColleGrove with New Orleans hip-hop luminary Lil Wayne. The year was capped off with his first Grammy Award, Best Rap Performance for his verse on Chance The Rapper’s hit song “No Problem.”
With momentum on his side in 2017, Chainz released his first solo album in four years, the RIAA platinum #1 Pretty Girls Like Trap Music. The album netted over 2 billion stream, three consecutive multi-platinum hits and accompanied by a 35-city tour of North America.
2018 brought the EP releases The Play Don’t Care Who Makes It (February, with the RIAA gold “Proud” featuring YG and Offset, boasting over 100 million streams); and Hot Wings Are A Girl’s Best Friend (November), a two-song bundle that included “Hot Wings” and “Girl’s Best Friend.” They pointed the way to the March 2019 release of Chainz’ fourth solo album, Rap Or Go To The League, described as his most personal, most lyrical, most soulful record to date. It challenged the notion that the only way out of the inner city is either to become a rapper or a ball player. The album flipped that trope, celebrating themes of black excellence, the power of education, and entrepreneurship. A&R’d by LeBron James, Rap Or Go spun off two smashes: the MTV VMA-nominated “Rule The World” featuring Ariana Grande (over 22 million YouTube views); and platinum “Bigger Than You” featuring Drake and Quavo (over 62 million combined YouTube views).
Chainz returned to the front line in 2020, with “Money Maker” featuring Lil Wayne, which sampled Louisiana’s HBCU Southern University world-renowned marching band, Human Jukebox. “Money Maker” was the first advance music from Chainz’ fifth solo album, SO HELP ME GOD (November 2020). 2 Chainz’ cultural impact continues to flourish. His indie record label T.R.U. (The Real University), featuring Skooly, Cap.1, Fresh, and C White celebrated its fifth anniversary in 2020. In addition to music, his wildly popular tv show Most Expensivest on VICELAND wrapped up its third season in 2019. His “Chain Reaction” sneaker collaboration with Versace hit stores in the spring 2018, and was their most popular shoe of the year. His cannabis brand, GAS Cannabis Co. is available throughout California. His Crate Talk interview series (on his YouTube channel, part of YouTube Music’s short-form video mini-series project), which premiered in March 2019, invited guests to discuss the power of education and entrepreneurship over a game of SELF (instead of HORSE) on a basketball court in Atlanta. Also in 2019, he starred with Adam Scott in the Super Bowl LIII Expensify tv spot, “the world’s first Super Bowl commercial you can expense.”
SPEAKER TBD
ANTHONY ANDERSON
Anthony Anderson is an American actor, comedian and game show host who is known for playing Louis Booker from Kangaroo Jack, Glen Whitmann from Transformers, Ray Ray from The Proud Family and Antwon Mitchell from The Shield. He also acted in Blackish, Hoodwinked, The Departed, Agent Cody Banks 2 and Scream 4.
RICK ROSS
With the levying stature of a goliath and the regal standing of a King, Rick Ross has lived up to his prophecy of being the “Biggest Boss.” The Miami Monster Mogul has evolved into not just hip-hop’s most respected and revered MC (in fact he was voted MTV’s “Hottest MC” of 2011), but as a label CEO and business entrepreneur, his resumé is as sterling as one of his platinum plaques.
God Forgives, I Don’t is Ross’ fifth solo album in six years, following in the recent success of five star acclaimed masterpieces Deeper Than Rap (2009), Teflon Don (2010) and classic team efforts with his Maybach Music Group, Self Made Vol. 1 and 2. By now, everyone that follows what Ross does, has been conditioned to expect nothing but a prolific output of the highest grade of music.
In a career that reaches new heights every year, God Forgives… is a milestone, the most anticipated rap project of all of 2012, as well as being the LP that will be the definitive work of art of the past decade.
“Without exaggeration, you just don’t hear this high of quality or precision of music,” Ross says about his opus. “I’ve mastered the art of devising classic albums, but this by far exceeds my prior excellence. I owe this to the fans and I owe it to myself to be the undeniable best.”
God Forgives… has a seamless blend of party hits and street certifiable bangers surrounded by Ross’ passionate reflections on life and articulation of his journey to be a billionaire. On one of the lead cuts, “So Sophisticated,” Ross hammers down heavy-handed statements with a delivery as graceful as Michael Jackson’s penny loafers lighting up the streets in “Billie Jean.” Meanwhile “Touch N You” features multi-time Grammy Award winner Usher and caters to the women who have crowned Ricky Rozay as one of the most yearned for sex symbols in all of entertainment.
“Three Kings” feels like Ross’ coronation into legend status as he is joined side by side by the man who has garnered the title of Greatest Rapper of All-Time, Jay-Z and the Greatest Producer of All-Time, Dr. Dre.
Like every up and coming MC, Ross — influenced by Golden Era b-boys that reigned supreme in the late 80s — just wanted to be heard during his introduction into hip-hop in the late 90s. While the desire and the artistry have been Ross hallmarks from career commencement, he had to learn the fine of art of structuring record contracts as well figure out a way to market and promote himself to the public when his former record labels couldn’t.
Ultimately, Rick Ross’ time didn’t come until over a decade after he started professionally. He only needed one song to break through. 2006’s “Hustlin” which went from being a relentless street anthem to a pop culture catch phrase still used today, earned Ross a record deal with Def Jam, and became the catalyst for his debut LP Port of Miami. That album debuted number one on the Billboard charts as did Trilla which came less than two years later.
And while his core fans already were familiar with the superlatives or Rick Ross the artist, in 2009, we got to know how strong of man the music Kingpin was. Highly publicized rap battles and controversy over his street cred that started at the end of 2008, none of it mattered by the spring of the next year when 2009’s Deeper Than Rap dropped. The few that ridiculed had no choice but to jump on the bandwagon, when Ross elevated himself with refined raps and musical soundscapes, all the while never worrying about public misperceptions about his past. While other albums may have sold slightly more, 2010’s Teflon Don overshadowed every LP from any genre that year. It was the album you heard coming out every car, the album that dominated DJ’s playlist and the album that catapulted Ross to international superstardom.
Building on the next level of his fame, Ross’ hunger wasn’t satiated. He knew it was his golden opportunity expand his Maybach Music Group. In late 2010 MMG went from boutique imprint to a full-fledged label, with the signings of Wale and Meek Mill as the cornerstones of the roster. Stalley and Omarion have since joined his core and have helped make MMG the most beloved brand since Jay-Z had Roc-A-Fella records 10 years ago. In early 2012, Ross released a free mixtape containing an album’s worth of new material called Rich Forever. The popularity from the body of work was so fervent, Ross toured in the U.S. and overseas in support of the new set of songs and Rich Forever has since went on to be the most downloaded mixtape ever. Now with God Forgives I Don’t, Ross has his sights set on a brand new goal: to be the biggest boss and artist of all-time.
“When my career is done, people will look back at everything I’ve contributed, and not just speak my name in high regard with the best of the best artists, but they’ll also compare my contributions with the greatest executives ever such as Russell Simmons, Lyor Cohen, Clive Davis and Jimmy Iovine.”
SHAQUILLE O’NEAL
4X NBA Champion, Sports Analyst, DJ, Philanthropist, and Investor
Born in Newark, New Jersey, on March 6, 1972, Shaquille O’Neal is considered to be one of the most dominant basketball players in NBA history. At 7 ft 1 in tall and weighing 325 pounds, Shaq’s larger-than-life personality and powerful athleticism have resulted in worldwide adulation and one of the most passionate fan bases in sports and entertainment.
Shaquille O’Neal’s off-court accolades rival his athletic accomplishments, having found success in acting, music, television, gaming and as an entrepreneur. Currently, Shaq is an analyst on Inside The NBA, on the board of Papa John’s Pizza in addition to being partner and investor in numerous other businesses.
Philanthropically, Shaquille’s relationship with the Boys & Girls Club of America dates back to his youth in New Jersey. As a national spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, he has been participating in campaigns with the non-profit company for the past 15 years.
