Rahem Ross Brown (March 20, 1970 – November 6, 2022), better known by his stage name Tame One, was 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- ...

recording artist and

graffiti Graffiti (singular ''graffiti'', or ''graffito'' only in graffiti archeology) is writing or drawings made on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from simple written "monikers" to elabor ...

artist from

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

. He was a member of Artifacts,

Leak Bros Leak Bros was an American hip hop duo consisting of New York rapper Cage and New Jersey rapper Tame One. History Tame One and Cage met through Robert "Kell's Bells" Kelly on the now-defunct Eastern Conference Records. Their relationship grew fro ...

, and the hip-hop supergroup The Weathermen.

Musical career

As half of rap duo Artifacts (with brother

El Da Sensei William E. Williams, also known as El Da Sensei is an American rapper from Newark, New Jersey. During the 1990s he was a member of the hip hop duo, Artifacts. Since then he has released several solo albums. In 2015, at The 14th Annual Independe ...

), they released their "graffiti-honoring debut" album '' Between a Rock and a Hard Place'' in 1994, and a follow-up album ''

That's Them ''That's Them'' is the second studio album by American hip hop duo Artifacts (group), Artifacts. It was released on April 15, 1997, via Big Beat Records (American record label), Big Beat/Atlantic Records. The recording sessions took place at Plat ...

'' in 1997. Tame One has released two albums with the Artifacts, eight solo albums, six mixtapes, and five collaborations one with former labelmate

Cage A cage is an enclosure often made of mesh, bars, or wires, used to confine, contain or protect something or someone. A cage can serve many purposes, including keeping an animal or person in captivity, capturing an animal or person, and displayi ...

(

Waterworld ''WaterWorld'', also known as ''WaterWorld: A Live Sea War Spectacular'', is a stunt show attraction based on the 1995 film '' Waterworld'' found at Universal Studios Hollywood (1995), Universal Studios Japan (2001), Universal Studios Singap ...

), one with

Del the Funky Homosapien Teren Delvon Jones (born August 12, 1972), better known by his stage name Del the Funky Homosapien (sometimes stylized as Del tha Funkee Homosapien) or Sir DZL, is an American rapper. Music career 1988–1997: Early life and beginnings Born in O ...

(Parallel Uni-verses) and The Revolution album with Dro Pesci and Nick Jackelson. He has worked with artists such as

Aesop Rock Ian Matthias Bavitz (born June 5, 1976), better known by his stage name Aesop Rock, is an American rapper and producer from Long Island, New York. He was at the forefront of the new wave of underground and alternative hip hop acts that emerg ...

El-P Jaime Stuart Meline (born March 2, 1975), better known by the stage name El-P (shortened from his previous stage name El Producto), is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Starting his career as a member of Company Flow, he has ...

, DJ Mr. Len, Breeze Brewin,

Travis McCoy Travis Lazarus "Travie" McCoy (born August 5, 1981) is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. He is the co-founder and lead vocalist of the rap rock band Gym Class Heroes, which he formed in 1997 with then-fellow teenager Matt McGinley, afte ...

Vast Aire Theodore Arrington II (born February 5, 1978), better known by his stage name Vast Aire, is an American rapper from New York City. He is one half of the New York hip hop duo Cannibal Ox, which consists of him and fellow rapper Vordul Mega. He is ...

Yak Ballz Yak Ballz, born Yashar Zadeh, is an American independent hip hop artist who was brought up in Flushing, Queens, New York. He is one of the original members of The Weathermen. He is also a member of Cardboard City. Since 2019 he has worked for ...

Hussein Fatal Bruce Edward Washington Jr. (April 3, 1973July 10, 2015), better known by his stage name Hussein Fatal or sometimes as Fatal Hussein, was an American rapper, best known for his collaborative work with Tupac Shakur as a member of the rap group Ou ...

Mos Def Yasiin Bey ( ; born Dante Terrell Smith; December 11, 1973), formerly known as Mos Def ( ), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. A prominent figure in conscious hip hop, he is recognized for his use of wordplay and commentary on social an ...

, Dro Pesci, etc. He joined the underground supergroup the Weathermen which was formed in 2002 by

and

, and the same year he released his first solo album and EC debut named ''When Rappers Attack''. Tame One's second solo album ''O.G. Bobby Johnson'' appeared in 2005. Next year he issued his next album called ''Slow Suicide Stimulus'', a cooperative project with the Dusted Dons. In July 2009 Tame One released a music video for his single "Anxiety Attacks" directed by Derek Pike. Credited with making hip-hop's first song about "Molly" (

MDMA 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy (tablet form), and molly (crystal form), is an empathogen–entactogenic drug with stimulant and minor Psychedelic drug, psychedelic properties. In studies, it has been used ...

, the active ingredient in Ecstasy) at this time, Tame met Staten Island rapper Dro Pesci. Together they recorded the yet-to-be-released album "The Revolution". Tame One then released an EP at slangcorp.com called ''Hell or High Water'' produced by DJ Junkwaffel. He also worked on an Artifacts reunion album ''No Expiration Date'' (2022) and promoted a Boom Skwad Recordings EP (CRAZEE, Doin Me and Boom Skwad on Attack). In 2024, production duo Parallel Thought posthumously produced ''Acid Tab Vocab'', "'Old Jersey Bastard'", and with Xing and Fox ''Spazmatic''. Also in 2024, Young Zee released "Burn Out" and Division East Records re-released ''The Grudge'' LP.

Personal life and death

Tame One was the first cousin of rapper Redman. He belonged to graffiti crews FC CREW (Fame City / First Class Crew), originated Boom Skwad Crew (including DJ RhinoCMZ and AKool) as well as LTD (Local Transit Destroyers). He painted pieces, murals and subway trains alongside brother Maliq Griffin (DJ Porno). Tame One died from kidney and heart failure on November 6, 2022, at the age of 52. The medical examiner cited prescribed pharmaceuticals as the likely cause of the heart failure. Rahem's mother Darlene Harris utilizes Instagram and Facebook accounts to continue Tame One's artistic legacy.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Artifacts

*'' Between a Rock and a Hard Place'' (1994) *''

'' (1997) *''That's Them: Lost Files 1989-1992'' (2018) *''Rare Collabs & Features'' (2019) *''Best of...'' (2019) *''No Expiration Date'' (2022) (with Buckwild)

The Weathermen

*''"The Conspiracy" Mix CD Vol 1"'' (2003)

Leak Bros

*''

'' (2004) (with

)

Slow Suicide Stimulus

*''Slow Suicide Stimulus'' (2006) (with Dusted Dons)

Del the Funky Homosapien & Tame One

*'' Parallel Uni-Verses'' (2009)

Black Galactus & The Latino Silver Surfer

*''Black Galactus & The Latino Silver Surfer'' (2018) (with Sol Zalez)

Young Zee x Tame One

*''Burn Outz'' (2024, recorded in 2015)

Unreleased Albums

*''Untitled Album with Camu Tao'' *''The Revolution with Dro Pesci & Nick Jackelson'' *''TAMER'' (Wharzhappeningnow - produced by SuperBrownBum) Chioke

Notes

References

External links

* Cyril Cordor. "Biography" allmusic, undated. Link retrieved July 13, 2009. * Tom Doggett
"Tame One:: Spazmatic:: Blazin' Records"
rapreviews, March 28, 2006. Link retrieved July 13, 2009. * Vincent Thomas. "Spazmatic" allmusic, undated. Link retrieved July 13, 2009. * Steve 'Flash' Juon
"Tame One :: When Rappers Attack :: Eastern Conference Records"
previews, March 4, 2003. Link retrieved July 13, 2009. * Jason MacNeil. "When Rappers Attack" allmusic, undated. Link retrieved July 13, 2009. {{DEFAULTSORT:One, Tame 1970 births 2022 deaths African-American male rappers 20th-century American male rappers Rappers from Newark, New Jersey Underground rappers 21st-century American rappers 21st-century American male musicians The Weathermen (hip-hop group) members 21st-century African-American musicians 20th-century African-American musicians