Kool G Rap Solo career
How many albums did he have in his solo career?
How many albums did Kool G Rap have in his solo career?
In 1995, G Rap started his solo career with the album 4, 5, 6, which featured production from Buckwild, and guest appearances from Nas, MF Grimm and B-1. It has been his most commercially successful record, reaching No.24 on the US Billboard 200 album chart. This was followed by Roots of Evil in 1998. In 1997 G Rap was featured on Frankie Cutlass' "Politic & Bullsht" album track titled "Know Da Game" which also featured Mobb Deep. He was then meant to release his next album, The Giancana Story in 2000, on Rawkus Records, but due to several complications with the label, the album was pushed back several times, and eventually released in 2002. "My Life" the hit single from the album featuring Talk Box legend G-Wise reached No. 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 Rap singles charts. He then released a joint album with his group, 5 Family Click, on his own Igloo Ent. label to mild success. In the following years, mixtapes were made and further collaborations continued. There were even rumors of G Rap's signing to both Rocafella and G-Unit Records, and even at one point Maybach Music. In 2007 he released Half a Klip on Chinga Chang Records, featuring production from, among others, DJ Premier and Marley Marl. A full LP was released in 2011, Riches, Royalty, Respect showcasing his true to form style and lyricism. The promise and prospects of collaboration albums were announced later the next year on his own, newly formed label FullMettle. In later years G Rap's interests extended outside hip-hop. He stated in further interviews his desire to begin writing movie scripts, an ambition taken in for a few years as he sought out various collaborators, and even a clothing line was also at one point apparently in the works. CANNOTANSWER
In 1995, G Rap started his solo career with the album 4, 5, 6,
Nathaniel Thomas Wilson (born July 20, 1968), better known by his stage name Kool G Rap (or simply G Rap), is an American rapper from Queens, New York City. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as a member of the Juice Crew. He is often cited as one of the most influential and skilled MCs of all time, and a pioneer of mafioso rap/street/hardcore content and multisyllabic rhyming. On his album The Giancana Story, he stated that the "G" in his name stands for "Giancana" (after the mobster Sam Giancana), but on other occasions he has stated that it stands for "Genius".

He has also been cited as a major influence to some of hip-hop's most critically acclaimed figures such as The Notorious B.I.G.,
Nas, Eminem and Jay-Z, as well as many underground rappers.

Biography

Early years 
Wilson grew up in the poverty-ridden streets of Corona, Queens, New York City, with legendary producer Eric B. In an interview with The Source he stated;

Around this time, Wilson was looking for a DJ, and through Eric B., he met DJ Polo, who was looking for an MC to collaborate with.

Kool G Rap and DJ Polo 
Juice Crew producer Mr. Magic and DJ Marley Marl allowed Polo and Kool G Rap to go to their studio to record a demo, which resulted in the song "It's a Demo." The song was written and recorded in one night, and had Marley so impressed, that he instantly embraced Kool G Rap and DJ Polo as Juice Crew members. In 1986, the duo appeared on Mr. Magic's Rap Attack radio show on 107.5. They eventually released "It's a Demo" as a single with "I'm Fly", along with two more singles. Shortly after this, Kool G Rap appeared on the Juice Crew's classic posse cut "The Symphony" before they released their debut album, Road to the Riches in 1989. This album and their two later albums, Wanted: Dead or Alive (1990) and Live and Let Die (1992), are highly regarded and considered hip-hop classics. Eventually, in 1993, Kool G Rap parted ways with DJ Polo to pursue a solo career.

Solo career 
In 1995, Wilson started his solo career with the album 4, 5, 6, which featured production from Buckwild, and guest appearances from Nas, MF Grimm and B-1. It has been his most commercially successful record, reaching No. 24 on the US Billboard 200 album chart. This was followed by Roots of Evil in 1998. In 1997, G Rap was featured on Frankie Cutlass'  Politics & Bullshit album, on a track entitled "Know Da Game" which also featured Mobb Deep.

He then planned to release his next album, The Giancana Story, on Rawkus Records in 2000. Due to several complications with the record label, the album release date was pushed back several times, and the album was eventually released in 2002. "My Life", the single from the album, featuring Talk Box legend G-Wise, reached No. 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 Rap singles charts. Kool G Rap and his group 5 Family Click then released a joint album, Click of Respect, on Kool G Rap's own Igloo Ent. record label in 2003, to mild success. There were rumors of Kool G Rap's signing to both Rocafella and G-Unit Records, and at one point Maybach Music Group. In 2007, he released Half a Klip on Chinga Chang Records, featuring production from, among others, DJ Premier and Marley Marl. A full LP was released in 2011, Riches, Royalty, Respect showcasing his true to form style and lyricism. The promise and prospects of collaboration albums were announced later the next year on his own, newly formed label FullMettle. The first of these new projects came in 2018 with the album  Son of G Rap with Rochester, New York based rapper 38 Spesh.

In later years, Kool G Rap's interests extended outside hip-hop. He stated in further interviews his desire to begin writing movie scripts, an ambition taken in for a few years as he sought out various collaborators, and as well as his desire to work on a clothing line at one point.

Legacy 
Kool G Rap is regarded as a hugely influential golden age rapper. Music journalist Peter Shapiro suggests that he "created the blueprint for Nas, Biggie and everyone who followed in their path". Kool G is described by Kool Moe Dee as "the progenitor and prototype for Biggie, Jay-Z, Treach, N.O.R.E., Fat Joe, Big Pun, and about twenty-five more hard-core emcees", and Kool Moe Dee also claims Kool G Rap is "the most lyrical" out of all of the artists mentioned. MTV describes Kool G Rap as a "hip-hop godfather", adding that he paved the way for a lot of MCs who we would not have heard of otherwise. Rolling Stone says, "G Rap excelled at the street narrative, a style that would come to define later Queens MCs like Nas (who was hugely influenced by G Rap on his early records) and Mobb Deep".

Other artists who have named Kool G Rap as a major influence include The Notorious B.I.G., Eminem, Jay-Z, Tajai of Souls of Mischief, Vinnie Paz of Jedi Mind Tricks, Steele of Smif-N-Wessun, Havoc of Mobb Deep, Rock of Heltah Skeltah, MC Serch, Termanology, Black Thought of The Roots, M.O.P., R.A. the Rugged Man, Bun B of UGK, Rah Digga; RZA, Ghostface Killah, and Raekwon of Wu-Tang Clan; The Lady of Rage, Big Pun, O.C. of D.I.T.C., Memphis Bleek, Kurupt, Pharoahe Monch of Organized Konfusion, Action Bronson, and Twista, among others.

He is also often very highly rated in terms of his technical ability and is often ranked alongside other highly regarded golden age MCs, such as Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, and KRS-One. In Jay-Z's track 'Encore', Jay-Z raps, "hearing me rap is like hearing G Rap in his prime". Allmusic calls him "one of the greatest rappers ever", "a master", and "a legend".

A number of rappers, such as Ice Cube, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Lloyd Banks, and Nas have put him in their lists of favorite rappers. Kool Moe Dee ranked Kool G Rap at No. 14 in his book There's A God on the Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs, and MTV gives him an 'Honorable Mention' in their Greatest MCs of All Time list.

Rhyme technique 
Kool G Rap is known for using complex multisyllabic rhymes since his debut, and this remains a hallmark of his style, along with his rapid-fire delivery and "superhuman breath control". He is known for rapping with as many multisyllabic rhymes as possible, sometimes all in the same rhyme scheme for a whole verse, such as on Sway & King Tech's "The Anthem".

He has also been cited as one of hip-hop's greatest storytellers, alongside Slick Rick and Notorious B.I.G., with "laser-like visual descriptions", and "vivid narratives". Rolling Stone states that, "Live and Let Die continued G Rap's reign as rap music's premier yarn-spinner".

Kool G Rap provided the foreword for the 2009 book How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC, also providing insight into his rhyming technique.

Mafioso rap 
Kool G Rap is often credited as the first rapper to infuse his lyrics with mafioso and hardcore street content.
This can be seen as early as 1989 in the song "Road to the Riches" where he makes a reference to Al Pacino (who played Michael Corleone in The Godfather	and mobster Tony Montana in the 1983 crime drama movie Scarface) – this was long before albums such as Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… (1995), and Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt (1996) made such references popular.

Since his debut, he has used various references to mob movies in his lyrics, album covers, and titles. For example, the first line of 'Bad to the Bone' from Wanted: Dead or Alive (1990) is, I'm bad to the bone / with a style like Al Capone, the album Live and Let Die (1992) uses samples from the 1987 crime film The Untouchables, the album cover of Roots of Evil (1998) uses elements from The Godfather and Scarface theatrical posters, and The Giancana Story (2002) album title references Mafia boss Sam Giancana.

Rolling Stone says, "before Kool G Rap, New York didn't really have the street rap that could hold its own against what artists such as L.A.'s Ice-T and N.W.A were churning out" and that "G Rap excelled at the street narrative".

His take on crime, violence, and the mafioso lifestyle ranges from remorse and contemplation (e.g. 'Streets of New York', described by Rolling Stone as "a vivid look inside the misery of the hood"), to glorification (e.g. 'Fast Life' featuring Nas).

Personal life 
Wilson dated Karrine Steffans from 1995 to 1999 and they have one son together.

Discography 

Solo albums
 4,5,6 (1995)
 Roots of Evil (1998)
 The Giancana Story (2002)
 Half a Klip (2008)
 Riches, Royalty, Respect (2011)
 Return of the Don (2017)

Collaboration albums
 Road to the Riches (with DJ Polo) (1989)
 Wanted: Dead or Alive (with DJ Polo) (1990)
 Live and Let Die (with DJ Polo) (1992)
 Click of Respect (with The 5 Family Click) (2003)
 Once Upon a Crime (with Necro as The Godfathers) (2013)
 Son of G Rap (with 38 Spesh) (2018)

References

Further reading 
 Paul Edwards, foreword by Kool G Rap, 2009, How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC. Chicago Review Press.
 Kool Moe Dee, 2003, There's a God on the Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs, Thunder's Mouth Press.
 Brian Coleman, 2007, Check the Technique: Liner Notes For Hip-Hop Junkies, Villard, Random House.
 Peter Shapiro, 2005, The Rough Guide to Hip-Hop, 2nd Edition, Penguin.
 William Jelani Cobb, 2007, To the Break of Dawn: A Freestyle on the Hip Hop Aesthetic, NYU Press.
 Mickey Hess, 2007, Icons Of Hip Hop, Greenwood Publishing Group.

External links

 
1968 births
Living people
Cold Chillin' Records artists
MNRK Music Group artists
People from Corona, Queens
Rappers from New York City
Underground rappers
African-American male songwriters
Songwriters from New York (state)
East Coast hip hop musicians
Gangsta rappers
Hardcore hip hop artists
20th-century African-American male singers
21st-century African-American male singers
Horrorcore artists
21st-century American rappers
Juice Crew members
Facing You is the first solo piano album recorded by pianist Keith Jarrett, the first of his voluminous collection to be produced by Manfred Eicher and his first work to be released by ECM Records. It features eight solo piano pieces (improvised and/or composed by himself) and it was recorded in the studio. It marked the beginning of Jarrett's innovative and successful career in spontaneous and improvised performance on solo piano, and it constitutes a landmark in his fruitful association with ECM Records.

The album was recorded in Oslo (Norway) on November 10, 1971, one day after a concert performance with the Miles Davis Septet in the same city. It was released in 1972 and has been reissued many times in different formats, including vinyl.

Critical reception
In a 1972 review for Rolling Stone, Bob Palmer called the album "perhaps the best solo piano recording since Art Tatum left us."

The album won the Grand Prix des Festivals at Montreux in 1973.

The Allmusic review by Michael G. Nastos awarded the album 4½ stars, stating, "A remarkable effort that reveals more and more with each listen, this recording has stood the test of time, and is unquestionably a Top Three recording in Keith Jarrett's long and storied career.". The review also states that:

In October 2007 writing for jazz.com, Ted Gioia gave the track In Front a 100/100 rating and praised it:

Regarding In Front and writing for JazzTimes, in 2011 pianist Kenny Werner stated that:

Moreover, when it comes to the whole album, he adds:

Aftermath and Legacy
In 2000, in an interview with Terry Gross, Keith Jarrett explained how the idea of long solo piano concerts began:

In a DownBeat interview with Bob Palmer, Jarrett expressed his gratitude to Eicher for the opportunity to record for ECM: "If I hadn't found him there would be no solo albums, no Facing You, let alone a successful triple album. I would have a desk full of scores that have never been rehearsed, not to mention played or recorded. There's no way I can repay that possibility having come to me so early and at such a good time except to produce more music for ECM. They took the risk and the expense, or Manfred did."

Track listing
All compositions by Keith Jarrett
 "In Front" – 10:09
 "Ritooria" – 5:57
 "Lalene" – 8:39
 "My Lady, My Child" –  7:24
 "Landscape for Future Earth" – 3:36
 "Starbright" – 5:07
 "Vapallia" – 3:57
 "Semblence" – 3:02

Personnel
Keith Jarrett – piano

Technical Personnel 
 Jan Erik Kongshaug - recording engineer
 Danny Michael - photography
 Barbara and Burkhart Wojirsch - cover design and layout
 Manfred Eicher - production

References 

Keith Jarrett albums
ECM Records albums
1972 albums
Albums produced by Manfred Eicher
Instrumental albums
Solo piano jazz albums The following is the discography of Gregg Allman, an American singer-songwriter and musician, also including releases from the Gregg Allman Band. Allman released his debut studio album, Laid Back, in 1973; it charted at number 13 on Billboard Top Pop Albums chart and went gold. His subsequent solo releases, including the live album The Gregg Allman Tour (1974), Playin' Up a Storm (1977), and the collaboration Two the Hard Way (1977) with Cher, did not fare well on charts or in sales. In 1987, he was signed to Epic Records, and his third solo album, I'm No Angel, went gold on the strength of its title track. His next two solo albums, Just Before the Bullets Fly (1988) and Searching for Simplicity (1997), did not perform well. His final studio album released during his lifetime, Low Country Blues (2011), represented his biggest chart positions, including at number five in the US. A posthumous studio album, Southern Blood, was released on September 8, 2017.

In 2009, Raven Records in Australia released the compilation "One More Silver Dollar: The Solo Years 1973-1997", sampling his first six solo records, plus a duet with Bonnie Bramlett, "Two Steps From the Blues" from her 1976 solo album, "Lady's Choice". 

On 28 October 2021, Sony Music Publishing announced it had signed a global agreement with Gregg Allman's estate to administer its catalog of songs. The deal covers many of Allman's compositions from his time as a member of the Allman Brothers Band, as well as songs written throughout his solo career.

Albums

Studio albums

Live albums

Collaboration albums

Tribute albums

Compilation albums

Extended plays

Singles

Other appearances

Videos

Music videos

Video albums

See also
 The Allman Brothers Band discography

Notes

References

External links
 Official website
 

Discographies of American artists
Blues discographies
Rock music discographies