Royal Fam is an American

hardcore hip hop Hardcore hip-hop (also known as hardcore rap) is a subgenre of hip hop music that developed through the East Coast hip hop scene in the 1980s. Pioneered by such artists as Run-DMC, Schoolly D, Boogie Down Productions and Public Enemy, it is gen ...

group affiliated with

Wu-Tang Clan Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop collective formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its members include RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and, until his death in 2004, O ...

Members and affiliations

Timbo King Timbo King (born Timothy Drayton March 26, 1973 in Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York) is a Wu-Tang Clan affiliate MC, leader and founding member of Royal Fam and member of Black Market Militia and Maccabeez. In 1993, he released an EP titled ''Unit ...

is the leader and founding member of the group and Y-Kim The Ill Figure was initially their main producer. Other group members are Mighty Jarrett, Dark Denim, Dreddy Kruger and Sharecka (Stoneface). Royal Fam is one of the first crew connected directly with

, much like

Killarmy Killarmy () is an American hip hop group that is affiliated with Wu-Tang Clan. It is one of the earliest and most successful of the many Wu-Tang affiliates along with Sunz of Man. Killarmy's music consists of lyrics and songs focused on the ...

and

Sunz of Man Sunz of Man is a New York–based List of Wu-Tang Clan affiliates, Wu-Tang Clan-affiliated group that currently consists of Prodigal Sunn, Killah Priest, Hell Razah, and 60 Second Assassin (emcee), 60-Second Assassin. The group's first incarna ...

. They are part of Wu-Tang Killa Beez and United Kingdom (Population Clik), a collective consisting of Royal Fam, Sunz of Man, Brooklyn Zu, C.O.I.N.S., Black Rose Kartel, The Beggaz Clan, Makeba Mooncycle and Popa Wu.

Recordings

Their official debut studio album, "''Black Castle"'', was recorded in 1995 and 1996 for

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007), and simply known as Capitol, is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-base ...

and produced by Y-Kim The Ill Figure; it was scheduled to be released twice and shelved as many times. They also shot a video for Black Castle's debut single "''Something Gots To Give''". In 2020, Back2DaSource Records finally released the album, in its original format, completely how it was meant to be issued including unreleased and unknown material. In 1997, Royal Fam featured with

Prodigal Sunn Lamar Ruff, known professionally as Prodigal Sunn, is an American rapper. He is a member of Sunz of Man and Wu-Tang Clan original affiliate. Career The name "Prodigal Sunn" was given to him by childhood friend Killah Priest. Along with Hel ...

on "''La Saga''" of IAM's album L'École du micro d'argent, winning a France Music Award for the song. Then they appeared with

Killa Sin Killarmy () is an American hip hop group that is affiliated with Wu-Tang Clan. It is one of the earliest and most successful of the many Wu-Tang affiliates along with Sunz of Man. Killarmy's music consists of lyrics and songs focused on the ...

Shyheim Shyheim Dionel Franklin (born November 14, 1979) is an American rapper from New York better known simply as Shyheim. He initially gained fame as a teenager, releasing his debut album ''AKA the Rugged Child'' at the age of 14 in 1994. He has sp ...

and

Tekitha Tekitha Washington is a Wu-Tang Clan affiliated female vocalist. She was the Wu-Tang Clan's in-house singer (previously filled by Blue Raspberry) for the album '' Wu-Tang Forever'', on which she also performed a solo track titled "Second Coming ...

Soul in the Hole (soundtrack) ''Soul in the Hole'' is the soundtrack album to the 1997 film of the same name. It was released through Loud Records on July 29, 1997. It peaked at number 73 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart and number 13 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The t ...

. In 1998, they recorded the track "''The'' ''Legacy"'' of Wu-Tang Killa Bees: The Swarm album and "''Bobby Did It''" of RZA's debut album

Bobby Digital in Stereo ''Bobby Digital in Stereo'' is the debut studio album by American rapper and producer RZA. It was released on November 24, 1998, and was certified Gold on February 5, 1999, by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It is an experim ...

. In 1999, Royal Fam featured on "''Hip Hop Fury''" and "''Outro''" of GZA's third album Beneath the Surface and in 2000 on "''Walk The Dogs''" produced by

RZA Robert Fitzgerald Diggs (born July 5, 1969), better known by his stage name RZA ( ) or the RZA, is an American rapper, record producer, composer, actor, and filmmaker. He is the '' de facto'' leader of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, having pro ...

of Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (soundtrack). Timbo King and Dreddy Kruger also appeared on the

Jim Jarmusch James Robert Jarmusch ( ; born January 22, 1953) is an American film director, screenwriter and musician. He has been a major proponent of independent film, independent cinema since the 1980s, directing films such as ''Stranger Than Paradise'' ...

's film '' Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai'' starring

Forest Whitaker Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor, filmmaker, and activist. His accolades include an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Best Actor Award at the ...

. Royal Fam's second album, ''"Yesterday, Today, Iz Tomorrow",'' was recorded in 1999 for

Wu-Tang Records Starting from the emergence and prominence of Wu-Tang Clan in the mid-1990s, several of the group's members have branched out to create their labels following RZA's lead. Some of the labels have dissolved, while other labels have transitioned in ...

and released in 2000 in Europe without the group's knowledge or permission, with unmixed songs and wrong tracklist. However, in 2021, the original version of the album was officially released thru De Rap Winkel Records. The album featured Prodigal Sunn and Hell Razah (Sunz Of Man), Armel (C.O.I.N.S.), Makeba Mooncycle and Kaos The Seventh Sign and was produced by Arabian Knight, John The Baptist, Linx 6, Y-Kim The Ill Figure and Tike. In 2001, Royal Fam featured on "''Revenge''" of Cappadonna's second album

The Yin and the Yang ''The Yin and The Yang'' is the second solo studio album by American rapper Cappadonna. It was released on April 3, 2001, via Razor Sharp/Epic Records. Background The recording sessions took place at Studio 57 and at 36 Chambers Studios in New ...

and in 2002 on "''Spit That G''" and "''Woodchuck''" of The Sting (Wu-Tang Clan album) In 2002, Mighty Jarrett released the Reggae "''Toppa Top/Mash It Up"'' single, which was executive produced by

. In 2005, Y-Kim The Ill Figure released "''Monster Reborn Vol. 1''" for "Chambermusik", a compilation of rare and unreleased tracks he produced from the early to mid '90s. The same year Timbo King, Killah Priest, Hell Razah, Tragedy Khadafi & William Cooper released ''Black Market Militia'' album for Nature Sounds Records. In 2011, Timbo King released his debut solo album From Babylon to Timbuk2'','' thru Nature Sounds Records and was largely produced by

Bronze Nazareth Bronze Nazareth (born Justin Dante Cross; December 8, 1979 in Grand Rapids, Michigan) is an American rapper and record producer associated with the Wu-Tang Clan. He has a solo career as an emcee and is also a part of the hip-hop group Wisemen alo ...

. In May 2013, Mighty Jarrett (Mikey Jarrett Jr.) died. He was also the road manager for International Reggae artist

Junior Reid Delroy "Junior" Reid (born 6 June 1963) is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay. From 1986 to 1988, he served as lead vocalist for the reggae band Black Uhuru on three albums: '' Brutal'' (1986), '' Positive'' (1987), and ''Black Uhuru Live i ...

and has been an integral part of the One Blood Family for over fifteen years.

Discography

*''Black Castle'' (1996) - fficially released in 2020*''Yesterday, Today, Iz Tomorrow'' (2000) - fficially released in 2021

Solo and collaborative albums

*Timbo King & Spark 950 ''-'' ''United We Slam'' EP (1993) *Y-Kim The Ill Figure - ''Monster Reborn Vol.1'' (2005) *Black Market Militia - ''Black Market Militia'' (2005) *Maccabeez - ''The Spooks Who Kicked Down Tha Doorz'' (2005) *Timbo King - '' From Babylon to Timbuk2'' (2011) *The Kraftsmen - ''Les Artisans'' EP (2013) *Timbo King, Xkwisit & Ab The Audicrat - ''T.I.M. (Thoughts In Motion)'' EP (2020) *Timbo King & Tek (TNT) - ''Wu Camp'' (2022) *Timbo King & Shaka Amazulu The 7th - ''VerbaTIM'' (2023) *Timbo King - ''TMB KNG'' (2023) *Timbo King & Krimewave - ''Buried Treasures'' (2024)

References

American hip-hop groups Wu-Tang Clan affiliates Hardcore hip-hop groups {{US-hiphop-band-stub