User:Uncleillinc

Hip hop/Rap legend UNCLE ILL was born Jermaine Lamar Harbin on April 5, 1971 in Detroit, Michigan. He fell in love with rap after seeing the movie "Break-In" Where he saw Ice -T rhyme for the first time and decided he was going to be a rapper. After years of performing for his peers he met another artist Champtown In 1992. Together they formed Straight Jacket Records and went on to create the "Call Me Joker" EP and the "Crazy Home Escapist" LP, which was recorded at Prince's Paisley Park Studios and featured the Midwest hit "Do Da Dipity". The two went separate ways just before the release of the "Check It" EP in 1996 which featured scratches and cuts on the record "Armageddon" by Kid Rock.

Moving to the next level UNCLE ILL teamed up with Hush to form the legendary hip hop duo Da Ruckus and recorded their first album "Quiet as Kept" in 1997. The duo’s second album, Episode One, carried the hit track "We Shine" featuring Eminem, along with a second hot track "We Came Here to Party" featuring Dale in 1998. The album gained national media exposure in both Rolling Stone and The Source. The group parted ways in 1999 but not before leaving with Da Forgotten Episode which was a compilation of bootlegs, breaks ,and b-sides that featured D-12 on "High" and "Check It".

During UNCLE ILL’s journey to super stardom he has shared stages with superstars 50-Cent, Busta Rhymes, Breed, Ja Rule and Usher to name a few as he performed songs from his very first solo album "Yall Know" which was released in 2000. In 2002 UNCLE ILL was nominated for best Rap Single at The Detroit Hip Hop Awards and won with his club banger "Keep On". In 2003 UNCLE ILL was recruited for several national product endorsements, and represented brands such as INK Authentic Apparel, Better Made Potato Chips Wireless Toyz, Jones Soda and Georgievskaya Vodka. A short collaboration with his former Da Ruckus partner Hush in 2006, signed to Geffen Records, birthed the west coast theme song Shake the Ground (Put ‘em Down) for NBC’s reality show “The Contender”. UNCLE ILL has been involved with: S.A.D.D., M.A.D.D., Milk Mustache ads, D.A.R.E. program,Local charity events, Say no to drugs campaigns, as well as Stay in school programs.

UNCLE ILL has since launched his own clothing brand ILL GEAR in 2008 and mixtapes: Rematch, Undisputed, Legend and most recently "Gas'd Up" in 2010 under his own record label "ILL MUZIK". In 2011 UNCLE ILL released "THE DOO DOO" with the lead off single "MEDICATION". In 2012 UNCLE ILL teamed up with Nikko D.C. to release their single "Dirty" under Interscope Distribution.With his winning smile, inspiring energy, lyrical talent and great sense of humor UNCLE ILL is sure to be a continued hit on air, on stage or even on the big screen.