Diamond D

Veteran hip-hop producer Diamond D has helped out with several of rap music's most acclaimed LPs, including A Tribe Called Quest's The Low End Theory and the Fugees' The Score. In 1992, he recorded his first solo album, the underground classic Stunts, Blunts & Hip-Hop (which was released as by Diamond & the Psychotic Neurotics). Although it never sold very many copies, it increased his status, and he worked with Illegal, House of Pain, KRS-One, and the Pharcyde during the mid-'90s. A host of top-flight rappers returned the favor for his sophomore album, Hatred, Passion & Infidelity, including Busta Rhymes, Phife Dawg (A Tribe Called Quest), and Pete Rock. - John Bush.