Blackalicious

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Blackalicious

| image = File:Blackalicious at Paid Dues 4.jpg

| caption = Blackalicious duo Chief Xcel (left) and Gift of Gab performing at the Paid Dues hip hop festival in 2008

| landscape = yes

| origin = Sacramento, California, U.S.

| genre = Alternative hip hop, West Coast hip hop, indie hip hop

| years_active = 1994–2021

| label = Quannum Projects, MCA/Universal Records, Solesides, Anti-

| associated_acts = DJ Shadow, Lateef the Truthspeaker, Lyrics Born, Lifesavas

| website = [http://www.blackalicious.com/ blackalicious.com]

| past_members = * Chief Xcel

Gift of Gab (deceased)

}}

Blackalicious was an American hip-hop duo from Sacramento, California,{{cite news|url=http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/sat-march-02-blackalicious/content?oid=9154252|title=Sat., March 02, Blackalicious: Harlow's Restaurant & Nightclub|date=February 28, 2013|first=Paul|last=Piazza|newspaper=Sacramento News & Review|access-date=July 26, 2013}} made up of rapper Gift of Gab and DJ/producer Chief Xcel.{{cite web|author=Alex Henderson |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/blackalicious-mn0000096383/biography |title=Blackalicious | Biography & History |website=AllMusic |access-date=2016-08-03}} They are noted for Gift of Gab's often tongue-twisting, multisyllabic, complex rhymes and Chief Xcel's soulful production.Edwards, Paul, 2009, How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC, Chicago Review Press, p. 322. The duo released four full-length albums: Nia in 1999, Blazing Arrow in 2002, The Craft in 2005, and Imani Vol. 1 in 2015. Gift of Gab died in June 2021.

Career

=1992–1999: Early years, Quannum Projects, ''Nia'' album=

While Tim Parker (Gift of Gab) and Xavier Mosley (Chief Xcel) spent their early childhood years in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area respectively, the two first met while attending John F. Kennedy High School in Sacramento, California.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/blackalicious-mn0000096383/biography |title=Blackalicious - Biography & History |publisher=allmusic.com}} At the time, Gift of Gab was known as Gabby T, while Chief Xcel went by the stage name of DJ IceSki. After graduating from Kennedy High in 1989, the two went their separate ways.

In 1992, during a time when Xcel was attending the University of California, Davis, Gift of Gab joined him in Davis, California to form Blackalicious. At UC Davis, Xcel had been working with a hip-hop group named SoleSides, whose members included DJ Shadow, Lateef the Truthspeaker, and Lyrics Born. Solesides Records was the name of the collective's Northern California record company, and in 1994 the label released Blackalicious' debut single "Swan Lake", which garnered acclaim within the independent music scene.{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Blackalicious-Swan-Lake-Lyric-Fathom/release/163270 |title=Blackalicious - Swan Lake at Discogs |year=1994 |publisher=discogs.com}} In 1995, Blackalicious released an EP titled Melodica under Solesides Records.{{cite web| title =Blackalicious - Melodica (MoWax) | year=1994 | url=http://www.discogs.com/Blackalicious-Melodica/release/884631 |publisher=discogs |access-date =21 July 2009}} By 1997, Solesides Records had transformed into the now acclaimed Quannum Projects, and under this label, the group released a 1999 EP titled A2G, featuring the hyper-accelerated song "Alphabet Aerobics".{{cite web|first=Stanton|last=Swihart|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/a2g-mw0000672112|title=A2G - Blackalicious|work=AllMusic|access-date=January 15, 2015}} Later that year, the group released its debut full-length debut album Nia.{{cite web| title =Blackalicious - Nia | url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/nia-mw0000055569 |publisher=allmusic.com |access-date=February 14, 2015}} The album was released in Europe by Mo' Wax on August 30, 1999, and later re-released in the United States by Quannum Projects on February 29, 2000, with a slightly altered track list.

=2000–2004: MCA Records, ''Blazing Arrow'' album=

In 2000, the group signed a major label deal with MCA Records.{{cite web |url=http://music.ign.com/articles/634/634010p1.html |title=Blackalicious - Blazing Arrow |website=Music.ign.com |date=2005-07-15 |access-date=2016-08-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208142709/http://music.ign.com/articles/634/634010p1.html |archive-date=2012-02-08 |url-status=dead }} In 2002, MCA/Universal released Blazing Arrow, which boasted guest appearances including Zack de la Rocha (of Rage Against the Machine), Questlove (of The Roots), and legendary soul and jazz musician Gil Scott-Heron. Blazing Arrow contains the song "Make You Feel That Way", which became a fixture on radio stations. Following a promotional tour, both Xcel and Gab began working on separate projects. In 2004, Gift of Gab released his first solo album, 4th Dimensional Rocketships Going Up.{{cite web|last=Bush|first=John|title=4th Dimension Rocketships Going Up|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/r680166|publisher=All Music|access-date=19 June 2011}}

=2005–2013: ''The Craft'' album, additional solo projects=

The pair returned in 2005 for their third album The Craft, released under Anti- and Quannum Projects.{{cite web|author=Jack Booty |url=http://www.prefixmag.com/reviews/cds/B/blackalicious/the-craft/1649 |title=Blackalicious: The Craft |publisher=Prefixmag.com |date=2005-09-27 |access-date=2010-08-19}} For this album, the group worked with Grammy Award-winning engineer Russell Elevado. The album contained more live instrumentation compared to previous Blackalicious albums, and was met with positive acclaim. Following the release of The Craft, Gift of Gab joined a supergroup called The Mighty Underdogs, which released an album Droppin' Science Fiction in 2008.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/droppin-science-fiction-mw0000799049|title=Droppin' Science Fiction - The Mighty Underdogs|work=AllMusic|first=John|last=Bush|access-date=January 11, 2015}} Gift of Gab then went on to release two additional solo albums, Escape 2 Mars in 2009 and The Next Logical Progression in 2012.{{cite web|first=Marisa|last=Brown|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/escape-2-mars-mw0001780864|title=Escape 2 Mars - Gift of Gab|website=AllMusic|access-date=March 4, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-next-logical-progression-mw0002311896|title=The Next Logical Progression - Gift of Gab|work=AllMusic|first=David|last=Jeffries|access-date=January 14, 2015}}

=2014–present: "Alphabet Aerobics" in pop culture, ''Imani'' album, Gift of Gab's death, and future releases=

On October 28, 2014, actor Daniel Radcliffe recited the full lyrics to the Blackalicious song "Alphabet Aerobics" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.{{cite web|url=http://www.eonline.com/news/592877/daniel-radcliffe-raps-blackalicious-alphabet-aerobics-on-the-tonight-show-watch-the-video-now |title=Daniel Radcliffe Raps Blackalicious' "Alphabet Aerobics" on The Tonight Show |publisher=eonline.com |date=2014-10-28}} Since then, the lyrics to "Alphabet Aerobics" have been recited throughout media outlets in various contexts.{{cite web |url=http://gawker.com/local-news-reporter-warms-up-by-rapping-alphabet-aerob-1676013825 |title=Local News Reporter Warms Up By Rapping "Alphabet Aerobics" |publisher=gawker.com |date=2014-12-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151102062608/http://gawker.com/local-news-reporter-warms-up-by-rapping-alphabet-aerob-1676013825 |archive-date=2015-11-02 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/youtube-musics-latest-ad-campaign-infectious-ode-diversity-music-lovers-172537 |title=YouTube Music's Latest Ad Campaign Is an Infectious Ode to the Diversity of Music Lovers |publisher=adweek.com|date=2016-07-18 }} Blackalicious also reworked the song with sports-themed lyrics for Bleacher Report.{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/6785641/blackalicious-alphabet-aerobics-sports-rework-video |title=Blackalicious Reworks 'Alphabet Aerobics' To Make It All About Sports |publisher=billboard.com |date=2015-12-03 }}

In 2015, after ten years since releasing a project together, Gift of Gab and Chief Xcel announced the fourth Blackalicious album Imani Vol. 1. The group partnered up with PledgeMusic to give dedicated fans the opportunity to purchase the album and other special items, with over 120% of the project's goal funds being met.{{cite web|url=http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/blackalicious |title=Blackalicious: 'Imani Vol. 1' on PledgeMusic |publisher=pledgemusic.com}} Imani Vol. 1 was released on September 18, 2015, and was well received by critics.{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20890-imani-vol-1/ |title=Blackalicious: Imani, Vol. 1 | Album Reviews |website=Pitchfork |access-date=2015-09-19}}{{cite web|last=Mincher |first=Chris |url=http://www.avclub.com/review/back-after-10-years-blackalicious-brings-fresh-pro-225136 |title=Imani, Vol. 1 · Blackalicious · Music Review · The A.V. Club |date=18 September 2015 |publisher=Avclub.com |access-date=2015-09-19}} In January 2015, Gift of Gab stated that Imani Vol. 1 would be the first in a three-volume series to be released over a two-year period.{{cite web|last=Carlick |first=Stephen |url=http://exclaim.ca/Music/article/gift_of_gab_reveals_plans_for_three-volume_album_series_from_blackalicious |title=Gift of Gab Reveals Plans for Three-Volume Album Series from Blackalicious |website=Exclaim.ca |date=2015-01-14 |access-date=2016-08-03}} In February 2019, Gift of Gab stated that the group had over 70 recordings in progress and was in the process of selecting and polishing 14 tracks for Imani Volume 2.{{cite news|last=Huntington|first=Tom|url=https://www.rutlandherald.com/features/vermont_arts/blackalicious-brings-the-mothership-back-to-burlington/article_7ac7e000-a184-5aca-86d3-054a27665d61.html| title=Blackalicious Brings 'The Mothership' Back to Burlington| newspaper=Rutland Herald | date=2019-02-16 | access-date=2019-05-04}} In October 2019, the duo was reportedly putting the "finishing touches" on the album.{{Cite web|url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.53041/title.interview-blackalicious-gift-of-gab-chief-xcel-on-hip-hops-true-form-it-never-dies|title=Interview: Blackalicious' Gift of Gab & Chief Xcel on Hip Hop's True Form: "It Never Dies"|date=4 October 2019}}

Gift of Gab suffered from kidney failure, and spent a period of several years regularly undergoing dialysis. He received a kidney transplant in January 2020. He died on June 18, 2021, of natural causes at the age of 50.{{cite web |last1=Breihan |first1=Tom |title=Blackalicious Rapper Gift Of Gab Dead At 50 |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2152389/blackalicious-rapper-gift-of-gab-dead-at-50/news/ |website=Stereogum |access-date=25 June 2021 |language=en |date=2021-06-25}}{{cite magazine |last1=Kreps |first1=Daniel |title=Blackalicious Rapper Gift of Gab Dead at 50 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/blackalicious-rapper-gift-of-gab-dead-1189400/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=25 June 2021 |date=2021-06-25}}

In April 2022, Lateef the Truthspeaker confirmed that there is a final Blackalicious album still to be releasedhttps://x.com/TruthspeakerHQ/status/1515170265969283075 (possibly no longer to be titled Imani Vol. 2https://x.com/TruthspeakerHQ/status/1486049063971680256), and that he was working with Chief Xcel to complete it.https://x.com/TruthspeakerHQ/status/1517584376837541888 In October 2023, he reaffirmed that this work was ongoing.https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyw2-OergXe/

Discography

Studio albums

scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:12em;"\| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:17em;"\| Album details ! scope="col" colspan="5"\| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:9em;"\| Sales
class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"\| US {{cite magazine\|url={{BillboardURLbyName\|artist=Blackalicious\|chart=Billboard 200}} \|title=Blackalicious Album & Song Chart History: "Billboard 200"\|magazine=Billboard\|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc}} ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"\| US R&B /HH {{cite magazine\|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/289074/Blackalicious/chart?f=333\|title=Blackalicious Album & Song Chart History: "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums"\|magazine=Billboard\|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc\|access-date=2016-02-07\|archive-date=2016-03-27\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160327045958/http://www.billboard.com/artist/289074/blackalicious/chart?f=333\|url-status=dead}} ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"\| US Rap {{cite magazine\|url={{BillboardURLbyName\|artist=Blackalicious\|chart=Rap Albums}} \|title=Blackalicious Album & Song Chart History: "Rap Albums"\|magazine=Billboard\|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc}} ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"\| US Indie {{cite magazine\|url={{BillboardURLbyName\|artist=Blackalicious\|chart=Independent Albums}} \|title=Blackalicious Album & Song Chart History: "Independent Albums"\|magazine=Billboard\|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc}} ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"\| AUS {{cite book\|last=Ryan\|first=Gavin\|title=Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010\|year=2011\|publisher=Moonlight Publishing\|location=Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia\|edition=pdf\|pages=32}}
style= "text-align: left;"\|Nia \| Released: August 30, 1999 Label: Quannum Projects \| —	—	—	—	— \|
style= "text-align: left;"\|Blazing Arrow \| Released: April 30, 2002 Label: MCA/Universal Records \| 49	33	—	—	84 \|
style= "text-align: left;"\|The Craft \| Released: September 27, 2005 Label: Anti-/Epitaph Records \| 102	79	—	5	— \| :US: 67,000{{cite web\|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150825183753/http://hitsdailydouble.com/new_album_releases \|archive-date= August 25, 2015 \|url=http://hitsdailydouble.com/new_album_releases \|title=Upcoming Releases \|website=Hits Daily Double \|publisher=HITS Digital Ventures }}
style= "text-align: left;"\|Imani Vol. 1 \| Released: September 18, 2015 Label: OGM Recordings \| —	28	21	39	— \|
colspan="14" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%;"\|"—" denotes releases that did not chart.