About Me
Imam THUG was raised in the Queensbridge housing projects that claim infamous hip-hop artists MC Shan, Nas, Mobb Deep and Capone of Capone n Noreaga (CNN). Known to the NYPD as a menace to society, a common thug and an outlaw, Imam THUG transitioned from street hustler to artist to CEO. His name represents all that he has been through - Imam means faith and T.H.U.G. stands for Truth, Hunger, Understanding and Growth.In 1996, after a two-year incarceration at Clinton Correctional, Imam was recruited by his then best friend Tragedy Khadafi a.k.a. Intelligent Hoodlum to work in the offices of 25 to Life Entertainment. Desiring to be more of an asset to the company, Imam set out to become a rapper and dedicated himself to perfecting his skills. As a test of those skills he was asked to write the 16 bars that became CNNs Drivers Seat on their classic album The War Report. Imam not only wrote a banging verse, but also wrote the engaging hook recited by Noreaga. The album was an instant hip-hop classic and the beginning of a promising career for Imam.Confident in Imams talent, Tragedy and Imam formed the now infamous underground rap group the Iron Sheiks to tell the thug stories of street life in Queensbridge. In 1997 the group went on to record their second EP, titled Illuminati. The groups Tony Touch freestyle is still one of the most talked about freestyles in hip hop, as well as the classic DJ Clue freestyle Show Me The Money, Part II, which Imam recorded with Mase.
In 1999, Imam was featured on Violator: The Album, a compilation CD showcasing artists signed to Chris Lightys Violator Management as well as the hottest up and coming MCs in the rap game.After a year of silence, Imam came back in the year 2000, collaborating on Nas QB album with a joint entitled Our Way featuring Capone-n-Noreaga and several notorious freestyles on DJ Envys and DJ Kay Slays hot-selling mixtapes. 2002 was the year Imam and Steve Sola met while working with QB MCs Infamous Mobb. Imam spent most of that year in the lab working on his next project, a full length album titled Die Hard, which he released independently in 2003. The Source picked up on the buzz Imam was creating on the street, giving Die Hard both an album review and a full length article.In 2004 Imam and Steve Sola formed Hits Music Group and began work on the hottest Imam THUG album yet, which will feature Prodigy of Mobb Deep and G.O.D Father pt. 3 of Infamous Mobb, as well as production by Havoc and Steve Sola. Sola has worked with some of the biggest names in hip hop, including Nas, Method Man, Mobb Deep, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg and Fat Joe to name a few. Hits Music Group is a record label, a production, promotion and publishing company and a recording, mixing and mastering studio in NYC. Sola, HMGs CEO, and Imam THUG, HMG Co-CEO, are acting as executive producers of the upcoming album, which is slated for a fall 2006 release. Look for it!
