The most influential Hip-hop Artists of the decade. In alphabetical order.
VERNON MORENO-CRUZ – better known by his stage name 200 Muscles (200 being the number of muscles involved in taking a step forward), was an American rapper and songwriter belonging to the roster of C-Section Records.
Born in Hell’s Kitchen neighbourhood of New York City’s Manhattan borough, on March 27, 1971, Moreno-Cruz relocated to Miami, Florida, in 1987, and soon became a central figure in the Miami hip-hop scene, introducing social issues in the genre, and experimenting with Alternative rock in his riffs.
In his songs Moreno-Cruz often tackled the subjects of Racism, what it meant to be of Cuban and African American descent, violence in the cities, and inequality.
Moreno-Cruz signed with C-Section Records in 1992, releasing his much anticipated debut album Take A Step 4ward later that year, receiving critical and commercial success. His two follow-up albums Beyond A Reasonable Doubt (1994) and By The B00k (1995) made him one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
Moreno-Cruz became heavily involved in the growing NYC-Miami hip-hop rivalry between 1995 and 1996.
On December 26, 1996, he was killed in a shooting while leaving The Metronome club, in Manhattan, where he had just performed a concert. The gunman was never arrested.
Moreno-Cruz’s fourth album was released a week later as planned, with the title Gone But Still On (You Crossed the Rubicon) and immediately became number 1 in the charts.
Born: March 27, 1971, New York City, New York, United States
Died: December 26, 1996, New York City, New York, United States
DISCOGRAPHY
STUDIO ALBUMS
The title was chosen by Jon Bell, seemingly implying that he accepted the theory according to which Kevin Julius Hart and August "Augie" Brown of rival label LoLee Records were behind the murder of his artist 200 Muscles. In fact, Hart's stage persona – 44 BC – was a tribute to Roman statesman and writer Julius Caesar, and when Julius Caesar took his army across the Rubicon river, in January 49 BC, he disobeyed the Senate's orders causing the civil war.
Kevin Julius Hart – better known by his stage name 44 BC was an American rapper and songwriter, known for his politically incorrect songs and use of Latin quotes in his lyrics.
In the year
44 BC, on March 15 Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of nobles that incuded Brutus and Cassius. The conspirators believed that his death would lead to the restoration of the Roman Republic. They were wrong. From the new round of civil wars there would emerge the figure of Octavian – Caesar's grand-nephew – who soon would become the first Roman emperor under the name of Augustus.
The days of the Roman Republic had gone down in History.
In 1992, Hart sent a demo to LoLee Records founder, August “Augie” Brown, who immediately decided to make him the star of LoLee hip-hop section. It was rumoured that Brown used Hart in his quarrel with rival hip-hop mogul Jon “El Capataz” Bell, head of Miami-based C-Section, provoking the so-called NYC–Miami hip-hop feud of the mid-1990s.
Hart had studied Latin as a kid, before dropping out of school, and based his stage persona on Roman statesman and author Julius Caesar, stating that he, just like Caesar, would fight ‘the corrupt system to create a republic of intents’. He often spoke about the use of violence to defeat violence in his lyrics, and on different occasions liked to refer to rival rapper 200 Muscles by the name of 'Cicero, or 'Pompey'.
Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, writer and orator who vainly tried to prevent the fall of the Roman Republic.
Pompey the Great, Latin in full Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (106–48 BC) was a Roman statesman and general at the times of the late Roman Republic. A triumvir (61–54 BC), he was first an associate and later an opponent of Julius Caesar, who defeated him during the civil war that led to Caesar’s dictatorship.
Hart was stabbed to death by a burglar who broke into his Brooklyn apartment, in February 1997. Police never identified the perpetrator.
Hart’s fourth album, titled Et tu, … , was released posthumously in March 1997, debuting at No. 1 on the World Music Charts.
Born: January 15, 1972, New York City, New York, United States
Died: February 27, 1997, New York City, New York, United States
DISCOGRAPHY
STUDIO ALBUMS
Sean Spencer Berry, known professionally as Dice Cast, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and businessman, most famous for co-founding in 1990 with childhood friend Jon "El Capataz" Bell the Miami-based hip-hop label C-Section.
In 1997, following the death of C-Section major artist and friend – Vernon Moreno-Cruz – Berry decided to leave the label and relocated to Los Angeles, signing a new record deal with Cambial.
DISCOGRAPHY
STUDIO ALBUMS
Alyssa Rhodes Berry, better known by her stage name Mel’ody, is an American rapper, songwriter and actress. She’s the half-sister of rapper Dice Cast.
DISCOGRAPHY
STUDIO ALBUMS
Jorge Reyes-Sosa (born June 4, 1969), better known by his stage name Two Suns, is an American rapper, songwriter, television producer, actor, and entrepreneur.
Born in the Allapattah neighborhood in Miami, Reyes-Sosa was discovered by Jon “El Capataz” Bell and signed to C-Section Records in 1993.
DISCOGRAPHY
STUDIO ALBUMS
© 2025 Roxy Doom All Rights Reserved
Roxy Doom and Roxyverse were created by Martha and Olivia Agostini
ROXY DOOM Website Design by Olivia Agostini
Reach out at HEY dot ALNICO2 at GMAIL dot COM