Spoken word artist Malik Yusef was born Malik Yusef Jones on April 4, 1971 in Chicago, Illinois. Yusef was raised on Chicago’s Southside in the neighborhood commonly referred to as the “Wild 100′s.” As a teenager, Yusef became a member of the Islamic street gang, the Blackstone Rangers. During this time, he also overcame his challenge with dyslexia.

Yusef began performing spoken word in open mic venues in the late 1980s. He had his first big break in 1997 when Ted Witcher, director of the film, Love Jones, recognized his poetry and hired him to coach the film’s lead actor, Larenz Tate. In 2002, Yusef along with jazz saxophonist Mike Phillips collaborated on the song “This Is Not A Game,” which was selected by Michael Jordan to appear on the CD that came with the purchase of limited edition Jordan 17 sneakers. That same year, he performed his poem entitled “I spit…” on the second season of HBO’s Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam.” He released his debut album in the compilation of The Great Chicago Fire; A Cold Day in Hell in 2003. Yusef has performed at “The Art of Love Tour” featuring Raheem DeVaughn and Chrisette Michele; the “Real Thing Tour” featuring Jill Scott & Raheem DeVaughn; “Touch the Sky Tour” featuring Kanye West & Keyshia Cole; the Carl Thomas & Mary J. Blige Tour; and the Glow in the Dark Tour featuring Kanye West. In 2007, Yusef collaborated with Director Frey Hoffman for the film adaptation of his poem “Hollwood Jerome.” Kanye West and Yusef released the album Good Morning & Good Night in 2008.

Yusef received a Peabody Award nomination in 2000 and was the Truth Award “Spoken Word Artist of the Year” from 2001 to 2005. In 2006, Kanye West’s CD, Late Registration, which featured Yusef’s poetry on the song “Crack Music” was awarded a Grammy Award. That same year, Yusef won an Independent Film Project Award for Hollywood Jerome. He was also awarded the “Best Poet” by the Chicago Music Awards from 2002 to 2008.

In the old West, legendary gunman Doc Holiday was known as the fastest draw in the West and
known to kill an adversary at the drop of a hat thanks to his hot temper. Fast forward to the 21st
century and his namesake, Hip-hop six-shooter Doc Holladay aka Doc Holla, attacks his lyrical
verbose with the same vengeance, he spits to kill. Born in raised in Los Angeles, Doc Holladay
the lyricist, was born in an era of Hip-hop that was revolutionary for the West. A climate where
the music told the tale of volatile street life that superseded the bars in a rap song but were
the reality of the urbanites that fought to stay alive, one of which was Doc himself. Bored with
school and tempted by the unforgiving streets, he decided to peddle the medley of his pen
instead of getting caught up in the seduction of a life that gave the illusion of power but usually
resulted in prison or death.

Hip-hop became a saving grace for Holladay whose natural lyrical style blends smooth delivery
and creative wordplay with a playa’s boastful swagger to intoxicate the ladies. Not only a fan of
hip-hop, but a student as well, Doc created a style that meshed his hip-hop idols and influences
which included Russell Simmons, Nas, Biggie, Jay-Z, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Run Dmc,
Slick Rick, Rakim, Michael Jackson, Prince. The formula of his culmination of his influences
worked as his demo made it in the hands of Big Beat/Atlantic and he had seemingly found his
home. Opening for the likes of the late Eazy E, DJ Quik and Busta Rhymes gave him a taste of
the lifestyle he wanted and label politics snatched it away as he was soon thereafter released
from his record deal.

Taking time to restrategize, the determined hustler decided to take his life into his own hands
and not succumb to the mercy of label politics ever again and created his own label, Big Shot
Entertainment. As a certified recording engineer, Doc hit the lab with his then producer DJ Brian
G and created what will one day go down in history as an urban masterpiece “One Man Gang is
exactly what is needed to restore order to an industry in chaos.”

Not one to give up or give in, Doc plans to create his own legacy and in the spirit of the old West
plans to go out with guns a blazing

Multi-Platinum, Three-Time Grammy Award Winner Darius DEEZLE Harrison, better known as DEEZLE, is an American record producer who was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is most known for co-producing Lil Wayne’s hit single Lollipop alongside Jim Jonsin. Deezle has worked with Lil Wayne, but has also worked with other artists such as Yung Joc, Birdman, Donald Harrison, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Kidd Kidd, Drake, Teena Marie, Christian Scott, Chris Botti, and Marcus Miller to name a few. Harrison is currently launching his ownproduction company, Drum Major Music. In addition to producing hit records, Deezle has also made musical contributions alongside Donald Harrison to movie scores such as; Right to Return and Rachel Getting Married, by Academy Award Winning Filmmaker, Jonathan Demme.

We break down this league called the NBA (NOTHING BUT ASSHOLES)