Flipmode Squad is an American
hip hop
Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
collective formed and fronted by
Busta Rhymes
Trevor George Smith Jr. (born May 20, 1972), known professionally as Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, singer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after National Football League, NFL and Canadian Football Lea ...
.
History
In 1993, Busta Rhymes first introduced the Flipmode Squad when he still was a part of former group
Leaders of the New School, with the members being Brittle Lo and Cool Whip of the duo Cracker Jacks,
Rampage the Last Boy Scout and Boy Wonder the Caped Crusader. The lineup changed up drastically with Rampage being the only remaining member of Flipmode.
The first Flipmode album debuted in 1998 with ''The Imperial'',
Rampage and
Rah Digga went on to record solo efforts. In the move to
J Records
J Records was an American record label owned and operated by Bertelsmann Music Group until it was transferred to Sony Music Entertainment when they acquired all of BMG's record labels in late 2008 at the end of their merger. It was distribut ...
in 2000,
Lord Have Mercy left Flipmode Squad in preference of a solo career in 2000, feeling that Busta Rhymes was holding him down.
The original lineup also included Serious, who after quickly leaving would later produce for artists on
No Limit Records
No Limit Records is an American record company founded by Master P. The label's albums were distributed by Priority Records, Universal and Koch Records. The label included artists such as Snoop Dogg, Mercedes, Silkk the Shocker, Mystikal ...
, and later acts like Show Money and M. Dollars who were signed to the label as independent artists. Underground MC
Roc Marciano
Rahkeim Calief Meyer (born February 11, 1978), better known by his stage name Roc Marciano, is an American rapper and record producer. He is known for his intricate internal rhymes and wordplay detailing mafioso and pimp themes over sample bas ...
would also be signed to the label for a number of years before going the independent route.
A second Flipmode Squad release, ''Rulership Movement'', was set for release in 2003 on
J Records
J Records was an American record label owned and operated by Bertelsmann Music Group until it was transferred to Sony Music Entertainment when they acquired all of BMG's record labels in late 2008 at the end of their merger. It was distribut ...
, but because of the label change to
Aftermath it was never released. It was announced that the album might be released sometime in 2009. J-MOE was in the group until he went solo. The founding member, Busta Rhymes later joined
Dr. Dre's
Aftermath label in 2006, and Rah Digga &
Spliff Star appeared alongside Busta in the "Touch It (Remix)" video. Rah Digga left the Flipmode Squad amicably a couple of years later and directed her solo career. Spliff Star continued to collaborate in forming the Conglomerate with Busta, along with founding his own label. DJ Scratch left Flipmode/The Conglomerate in 2009 but returned in 2011 with the new movement taking form.
Reek da Villian left Flipmode in 2009, but because of business reasons, he then headed to the Conglomerate, as well. Various members continued to record with each other. Busta signed with
Cash Money Records in 2011, taking his business there with him. As the Conglomerate, an official mixtape was released in 2012.
On March 14, 2024, Busta Rhymes announced on Instagram that the Flipmode Squad had reformed and would be releasing another album later in the year. As of right now, Rah Digga is the only fully confirmed returning member other than Rhymes himself due to her being featured on a snippet of a song he released.
Discography
Studio albums
* 1998: ''
The Imperial''
Mixtapes
* 2002: ''Arsenal for the Streets pt. 1''
* 2003: ''Arsenal for the Streets pt. 2 (The Full Court Press)''
* 2007: ''The Facelift pt. 1''
* 2007: ''The Full Course Meal''
* 2012: ''Catastrophic'' (as newly formed Conglomerate)
Singles
* 1998: "Everybody on the Line Outside"
* 1998: "Run for Cover"
(Promo)
* 1998: "Cha Cha Cha"
* 1999: "Rastaman Chant"
(Bob Marley
Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, he fused elements of reggae, ska and rocksteady and was renowned for his distinctive voca ...
featuring Flipmode Squad) (from the album '' Chant Down Babylon'')
* 2002: "Here We Go"
* 2003: "
I Know What You Want"
(Busta Rhymes
Trevor George Smith Jr. (born May 20, 1972), known professionally as Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, singer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after National Football League, NFL and Canadian Football Lea ...
featuring Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey ( ; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Songbird Supreme" by ''Guinness World Records'', Carey is known for her five-octave voc ...
& Flipmode Squad) (from the album '' It Ain't Safe No More'')
Other Appearances
*
1997: "Flipmode Iz da Squad".
''
nowiki/>''Scout's Honor... by Way of Blood''">Scout's Honor... by Way of Blood">nowiki/>''Scout's Honor... by Way of Blood''* 1997: "There's Not a Problem My Squad Can't Fix!" [
''When Disaster Strikes...'']
*
1998: "Freestyle". [
''The Mix Tape, Vol. III'']
* 1998: "Take a Walk in My Shoes". [
''Slam (soundtrack)'']
* 1998: "Against All Odds". [
''Extinction Level Event: The Final World Front'']
* 1998: "Whatever You Want".
''The Professional''">nowiki/> ''The Professional''*
1999: "Watcha Come Around Here For?"
''
''">nowiki/>''Violator: The Album''*
2000: "Come Get It".
Violator: The Album''">nowiki/>''Violator: The Album''*
2000: "Come Get It". [''Don't Sleep'
* 2000: "Just for You". [
''Dirty Harriet">'Don't Sleep">Violator: The Album''">nowiki/>''Violator: The Album''*
2000: "Come Get It". [''Don't Sleep'
* 2000: "Just for You". [
''Dirty Harriet'']
* 2000: "Set It on Fire". [
''The Piece Maker'']
* 2000: "Let's Make a Toast". [''Now or Never: Odyssey 2000]''
* 2000: "Here We Go Again". [
Anarchy (Busta Rhymes album), ''Anarchy'']'
*
2001: "Take That".
''Brace 4 Impak">nowiki/>''Brace 4 Impak''">Brace_4_Impak.html" ;"title="nowiki/>''Brace 4 Impak">nowiki/>''Brace 4 Impak''* 2001: "What It Is Pt. 2". [
''Dr. Dolittle 2 (soundtrack)''">Dr. Dolittle 2">''Dr. Dolittle 2 (soundtrack)''* 2001: "Match the Name with the Voice".
Genesis (Busta Rhymes album)">''Genesis''">Genesis_(Busta_Rhymes_album).html" ;"title="nowiki/>Genesis (Busta Rhymes album)">''Genesis''*
2002: "Just Chill". [
''Friday After Next (soundtrack)'']
*
2003: "Angels Voice". [
''The Streetsweeper, Vol. 1'']
* 2009: "We Want In". [
''Back on My B.S.'']
* 2020: "Follow the Wave". [
''Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God'']
Members
in chronological order[http://www.conglomeratefans.com/bioflipmode.htm ]
*
Busta Rhymes
Trevor George Smith Jr. (born May 20, 1972), known professionally as Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, singer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after National Football League, NFL and Canadian Football Lea ...
(1993–2011, 2024-present)
*
Rampage (1993–2006)
* Brittle Lo
(1993–1994)
* Cool Whip
(1993–1994)
* Boy Wonder the Caped Crusader
(1993–1994)
*
Lord Have Mercy (1996–2000)
*
Spliff Star (1996–2011)
* Blacko
(1996)
* Bolo
(1996)
* Puzzle
(1996)
* Big-Gee
(1996)
* True 2 Life
(1996)
* Mika
(1996)
*
DJ Scratch
George Spivey (born June 21, 1968), known professionally as DJ Scratch, is an American hip hop music, hip hop DJ and producer from Brooklyn, New York.
DJ Scratch is the 1988 New Music Seminar Battle For World Supremacy DJ champion, the 2010 M ...
(1996–2009, 2011–2014)
*
Rah Digga (1997–2007, 2024-present)
* Baby Sham
(1997–2008)
* Serious
(1997–1998)
* Meka
(1997–2003)
* Brady Lanter
(1998–2014)
*
Roc Marciano
Rahkeim Calief Meyer (born February 11, 1978), better known by his stage name Roc Marciano, is an American rapper and record producer. He is known for his intricate internal rhymes and wordplay detailing mafioso and pimp themes over sample bas ...
(1999–2001)
* M. Dollars
(2003–2007)
* Labba
(2003–2007)
*
Chauncey Black (2004–2009)
*
Reek Da Villian (2006–2009; 2011–2014)
*
Papoose
Papoose (from the Narragansett ''papoos'', meaning "child") is an American English word whose present meaning is "a Native American child" (regardless of tribe) or, even more generally, any child, usually used as a term of endearment, often in ...
(2006–2008)
* J-Doe
(2008–2014)
* Seige Monstracity
(2009–2014)
* DJ Ice Cold
(2009–2014)
*
Lonny Bereal (2010–2014)
* Nikki Grier
(2010–2014)
*
N.O.R.E.
Victor James Santiago Jr. (born September 6, 1977), better known by his stage name, stage names N.O.R.E. (an acronym for Nigga On the Run Eating) and Noreaga, is an American rapper, singer and podcaster. Santiago first rose to prominence as one ...
(2011–2014)
*Dready (2007-2014)
Notes
artist name: Boy Wonder the Caped Crusader
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Conglomerate (American group), The
Hip-hop collectives
American hip-hop groups
East Coast hip-hop groups
Musical groups established in 1996
2014 disestablishments in New York (state)
1996 establishments in New York (state)