Benzino

Benzino
Birth name	Raymond Scott
Origin	Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Genres	Hip hop
Occupation(s)	producer, record executive, Rapper
Years active	1983—Present
Labels	7th Floor Music, Murder Inc., ZNO Records
Associated acts	The Almighty RSO, Karlie Redd, Made Men

Raymond Scott, better known by his stage name Benzino, is an American hip hop media executive and record producer. He was known for appearing on VH1 reality TV series Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta and TV One original series The Next :15.^[1]

History

Benzino was born in Boston, Massachusetts to a Cape Verdean mother and a Puerto Rican father. Along with his longtime friend, David Mays, Benzino is known for being a principal of the hip hop magazine The Source, which was launched in 1988 as a single-sheet newsletter out of Mays' Harvard University dorm room.

Benzino was a founding member of rap groups The Almighty RSO and Made Men, before finally becoming a solo artist. He has appeared on the reality television show Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta, since 2012. He has also dated Karlie Redd and Althea Heart.^[2]

Benzino was shot in the shoulder and back on March 29, 2014 by his nephew Gai Scott; the shooting took place in the town of Duxbury, Massachusetts, at his mother's funeral.^[3] The wounds were not fatal.^[4]

Feud with Eminem

Benzino is known for being involved, since 2002, in a widely publicized feud with rapper Eminem as Benzino called him "2003 Vanilla Ice".^[5] Since then the pair have been creating diss tracks about each other, including Benzino's "Pull Your Skirt Up" and "Die Another Day" or Eminem's "The Sauce" and "Nail in the Coffin".^[6] As a continuation of this animosity between the two, Benzino released a diss mixtape Benzino Presents: Die Another Day: Flawless Victory, disparaging Eminem and his record label.^[7][8][9]

Discography

2001	The Benzino Project Released: October 30, 2001 Label: Motown
2002	The Benzino Remix Project Released: June 18, 2002 Label: Surrender Records
2003	Redemption Released: January 14, 2003 Label: Elektra
2005	Arch Nemesis Released: February 22, 2005 Label: ZNO Records
2007	The Antidote Released: August 21, 2007 Label: 7th Floor Music
2011	Caezar (mix tape) Released: September 11, 2011 Label: Oasis Music Group
2012	The Magnificent 757's (mix tape) feat. Stevie J Released: June 18, 2012 Label: The Warden/Burn Unit/Armadale
2013	Crushed Ice (mix tape) Released: February 22, 2013 Label: AMS Entertainment
2015	Welcome to Texaco City (mix tape) feat. OJ da Juiceman Released: November 30, 2015 Label: 32 Entertainment

Filmography

Television

Year	Title	Role
2001	2001 Source Awards	Himself
2003	Soul Train	Himself
2005	Bloodline	Store Clerk
2012	RapFix Live	Himself
2012-2014	Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta	Himself
2014	2014 Soul Train Music Awards	Himself
2015-2016	Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars	Himself
2016-present	The Next :15	Himself

References

1. "MC Benzino Says Hip-Hop is in Critical Condition". Boston Globe. January 18, 2003. Retrieved 2009-01-21.
2. "What Happened on 'Love and Hip-Hop Atlanta' Ep. 6?". Vibe. 2012-07-24. Retrieved 2012-08-07.
3. "US rapper Benzino shot at mother's funeral". BBC. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
4. "Nephew gunned down uncle Benzino at funeral out of self-defense". The Daily Mail. 2014-03-31. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
5. Dukes, Rahman (2002-11-22). "Benzino Ignites Beef By Calling Eminem '2003 Vanilla Ice' - Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV.com. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
6. Eliscu, Jenny (2003-01-03). "Benzino, Eminem Feud Heats Up | Music News". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
7. Cantor, Paul (2010-10-13). "Rapper Huddy 6 Killed In Car Accident - Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV.com. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
8. Adaso, Henry. The Greatest Hip-Hop Battles (...and Their Winners). About.com. Retrieved 2010-06-27.
9. "Magazine impresario Benzino talks about his music, Hip-Hop's future & his feud with Eminem". Philadelphia Daily News. March 3, 2005. Retrieved 2009-01-21.

External links

• Hip Hop Weekly magazine official website