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Hip-Hop Database
3,902
pages
Explore
Main Page
All Pages
Community
Interactive Maps
Recent Blog Posts
Hip-Hop Database
All rappers
70s rappers
80s rappers
90s rappers
00s rappers
10s rappers
Rap Groups
List of American rappers and rap groups
List of Canadian rap groups
List of American rap groups
List of Rap Groups
List of Haitian rap groups
Canadian rap groups
Rap Groups by countries
Producers
D a.k.a. DCOU (rapper)
Bancc Tha Blocc (producer)
I.Blast (rapper)
Le Chum (rapper)
Magnum .357 (rapper)
VokaB (rapper)
Kidd Lunik (rapper)
DJs
List of DJs
Biggy Jiggy (dj)
DJ Screw (dj)
Grandmaster Flash (dj)
DJ Kool Herc (dj)
Afrika Bambaataa (dj)
Stylo G (rapper)
Beat Makers
Aminovic Beatz (producer)
4th Disciple (producer)
List of Beat Makers in the Underground
List of Beat Makers in the Mainstream
Ceddy Bo (producer)
Schife (rapper)
Dubba A (producer)
Subgenres
All genres
West Coast
Bloods & Crips (rap group)
Tha Blocc Entertainment (record label)
West Coast hip-hop albums
Gangsta rap
Bloods & Crips
Dangerous Records
G-Funk
East Coast
Loso's Way 2: Rise to Power (Fabolous album)
Muscles (album)
Right Now (Grandmaster Mele-Mel & Scorpio album)
Hardcore hip-hop
List of East Coast hip-hop albums
List of East Coast hip-hop artists (rappers and rap group)
The Notorious B.I.G. (rapper)
Gangsta Rap
Bilo Da Kid (rapper)
The Green Tape (K-Boy mixtape)
Gangsta Shit For Breakfast (Snagga Shee mixtape)
Young Ric (rapper)
Redrum781 (rapper)
Blood Module Mixtape (Redrum781 mixtape)
Damu Ridas (rap group)
Freestyle Rap
List of Freestyles
Deadly Serious (Deadly mixtape)
Freestyle rap mixtapes
Road 2 Zion (Bz-Boi freestyle)
Rap Battles
Freestyle Sept. 18 2010 (Akshun Man freestyle)
ESCALATORS CHAPTER NUMBER 2 (Akshun Man freestyle)
Trap
Young Dolph (rapper)
Trap (music genre)
Wali Da Great
Mauri Monae (rapper)
XNVIX (rap collective)
Kenyan Trap Music
King of Everything (single)
Media
Albums
C'est Tout C'Que J'ai (Ruffneck album)
America's Most Wanted (Akshun album)
Loso's Way 2: Rise to Power (Fabolous album)
Bangin' on Wax 2... The Saga Continues (Bloods & Crips album)
Bloods & Crips albums
West Coast hip-hop albums
American hip-hop albums
Mixtapes
A-Bomb Mixtape (mixtape)
D a.k.a. DCOU mixtapes
2008 mixtapes
2000s mixtapes
Mixtapes by year
Mixtapes by date
Mixtapes by rappers
EPs
List of EP albums
List of Grime ep albums
Lists of EP Albums
It's On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa (Eazy-E ep album)
EP Albums by year
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5150: Home 4 tha Sick (Eazy-E ep album)
Video Games
List of Video Games
Def Jam: Icon (video game)
Def Jam: Fight for NY (video game)
Def Jam Fight for NY: The Takeover (video game)
Def Jam Vendetta (video game)
Def Jam Rapstar (video game)
®️Rowsen Sop™ Musics
Music Videos
Bilo Da Kid - Da City On My Back
Canadian hip-hop music videos
Bilo Da Kid music videos
Akshun - America's Most Wanted
Music videos by record labels
AKSHUN MAN - ThugMinded (Fast Cars) Video By Hollow Point Pictures
List of Music Videos
Community
Top Users
~aanzx
SOAP Bot
Community portal
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Videos
Bilo Da Kid - Da City On My Back
Music Videos
Regie Marvelous - 160 bang bang(montreal rap)UPTOWN
Regie Marvelous - Bout it Bout it(Montreal rap)160
REGIE MARVELOUS Feat flawless , propane , demon514 - 160 TAKE OVER (official video)MONTREAL RAP
®️Rowsen Sop™ Musics
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{| class="infobox" ! colspan="2" |Abel Meri |- | colspan="2" |<br />[[File:Abel_Meri_Interview_copy.jpeg|thumb|Abel Meri at an interview photo shoot in 2020.]] |- |'''Birth name''' |Abel Demeke Meri |- |'''Born''' |August 23, 1980 (age 40) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Addis_Ababa Addis Ababa], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopia Ethiopia] |- |'''Origin''' |[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria,_Virginia Alexandria, VA] |- |'''Genre''' |[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_hop_music Hip hop], Rap |- |'''Occupation(s)''' |Rapper, Songwriter, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entrepreneur_(disambiguation) Entrepreneur] |- |'''Instruments''' |Vocals |- |'''Label''' |Soul Full Music |- |'''Associated acts''' |[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DJ_Pain_1 DJ Pain 1], DreamLife Music |- |'''Website''' |[https://abelmeri.com abelmeri.com] |} ==Biography== <strong>Abel Meri</strong> is an Ethiopian-American rapper, songwriter and entrepreneur from [https://london-post.co.uk/10-questions-with-words-myth-abel-meri/ Alexandria, VA]. He is categorized in multiple subgenres of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_hop hip hop] music including [https://www.bigtimedaily.com/abel-meris-lyrical-conscious-rap-is-saying-something-worth-hearing/ conscious rap], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_hip_hop political hip hop], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underground_hip_hop underground hip hop] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Coast_hip_hop East Coast rap]. In an interview with [https://thisis50.com/2020/08/06/abel-meri-stream-of-consciousness/ ThisIs50], Meri stated that he first started rapping with friends in high school. Releasing [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_music independent music] outside of the conventional mainstream system, he is also considered a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_hip_hop Christian hip hop] artist with many of his songs having faith-based themes. Meri adds to the growing list of [https://ritzherald.com/rapper-abel-meri-brings-lyricism-back-to-the-foreground-at-a-time-when-its-needed/ lyrical rappers] from the Washington DC Metropolitan area alongside breakout artists like [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wale_(rapper) Wale] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logic_(rapper) Logic]. Meri's 2020 release "#BLM" has been [https://news.yahoo.com/news/rapper-abel-meri-evokes-power-083233896.html publicly noted] as a powerful entry into the repository of BLM inspired art, post-[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Floyd George Floyd]. [https://thesource.com/2020/08/24/truth-to-power-abel-meri-delivers-socially-conscious-lyrics-and-pays-homage-to-hip-hop/ The Source Magazine] referred to Meri as "an important voice in the vanguard of conscious rap." ==Early Life== Born in Ethiopia, he moved to the UK at the age of three. His family moved to Bahrain in 1985 before relocating to Los Angeles in 1990 after the start of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_War Gulf War]. In an interview with [https://allrapnews.com/2020/08/12/abel-meri-dmv-drive/ All Rap News], Meri said that he was playing outside at a friend's house in Los Angeles on April 29, 1992, just 2 miles away from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_Los_Angeles_riots Florence and Normandie] where the attack on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Reginald_Denny Reginald Denny] occurred, setting off the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_Los_Angeles_riots 1992 LA Riots]. As racial tensions exploded, a lot of his [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koreatown,_Los_Angeles Koreatown] neighborhood was burned down in the upheaval resulting from the acquittal of the police officers charged with the beating of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_King Rodney King]. This would leave a permanent imprint on the eleven year old and would influence his artistic perspective and works in a major way. ==Early Career== Releasing over 70 songs on Sound Cloud beginning in 2016, he started developing a loyal following among lyrically starved hip hop fans. A bevy of remixes of popular and iconic rap songs gained him notoriety for his positive message and lyrical ability. After releasing several original songs on Sound Cloud, he made his first official release "[https://open.spotify.com/album/6RI0oAhNKMyHL7NftpJP0f Make It Last]" in March 2020 on his independent imprint Soul Full Music. He went on to release several more independent singles in 2020 including "Where The Hope At", "Jaded" and [https://www.ascap.com/repertory#ace/search/writer/abel%20meri/title/ignite "Ignite"] produced by DJ Pain 1, along with 2 EPs "Smooth" and "[https://hiphopsince1987.com/2020/music/abel-meri-welcome-to-the-no-skip-zone/ TNSZ - The No Skip Zone]." [[File:Abel Meri Holmes Bench.jpg|thumb|220x220px|Abel Meri on bench at Holmes Middle School in Alexandria, VA.]] ==Styles and Influences== Meri's style of rap can be described as East Coast, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boom_bap boom bap], fusing a 1990s era sensibility with a contemporary sonic aesthetic. He cites Jay-Z, Nas and Tupac as being most influential in molding his artistic style. Avoiding the use of profanity in his music and not writing down lyrics are two of his hallmarks as an artist. Meri has [https://thisis50.com/2020/08/06/abel-meri-stream-of-consciousness/ stated] that faith in Christianity serves as a source of inspiration for many of his works. ==#BLM EP== Following the deaths of George Loyd, Breonna Tylor and Rayshard Brooks, and against the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement, his latest EP "#BLM" has been [https://stereostickman.com/music/abel-meri-blm-ep/ well received] for delivering a timely message on civil rights and strong rebuke against racism and inequality in America. An official video for the lead single "Black Lives Matter" was shot at the newly minted [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Lives_Matter_Plaza Black Lives Matter Plaza] in Washington, DC at the 2020 Juneteenth memorial. Documenting the peaceful protests along with solo performance shots, the video was released on July 2, 2020. The song and video were also selected as a Top 10 Submission for July 2020 by hip hop website [https://www.thewordisbond.com/top-submissions-ep3-july-2020/ The Word Is Bond] along with the song "Skyline" featuring rap heavyweights [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyzoo Skyzoo] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fashawn Fashawn]. == Truth to Power == Meri released a 16 track LP "Truth to Power" in September 2020. As the title infers, the album is a deep dive into many of the social and political issues of the day. Touching on COVID 19, police brutality, voter suppression and the Me Too movement, Meri expresses his views through his trademark lyricism and swagger. The album received high praise from [https://thesource.com/2020/08/24/truth-to-power-abel-meri-delivers-socially-conscious-lyrics-and-pays-homage-to-hip-hop/ The Source Magazine] who referred to it as "a notable addition to the repository of BLM inspired art." [[File:Abel Meri Truth to Power Cover Art.png|thumb|220x220px]] [[File:Abel Meri BLM.png|thumb|350x350px|Abel Meri at the "Black Lives Matter" video shoot in June 2020.]] ==Recording Process== Meri has been [https://thenyweekly.com/entertainment/hustle-and-flow-rapper-abel-meri-is-shaking-up-the-recording-industry-in-the-comfort-of-his-car/ noted] for his unconventional bootstrap recording process which stands to disrupt the recording industry by providing aspiring artists an effective walk-around to the prohibitive costs associated with recording studio-quality music on a budget. Referring to his unconventional recording setup, Abel said that “even experienced sound engineers are shocked at the audio quality I’m able to achieve.” And his music speaks for itself, as the audio quality is truly indistinguishable from music recorded in traditional studio settings. Abel also added that “having a mobile studio setup also allows me to create music anytime and anywhere inspiration strikes." [[File:Abel Meri Wall Post.jpg|thumb|220x220px|Abel Meri posing against a wall at a photo shoot in 2020.]] ==Videos== Abel Meri - "Black Lives Matter" Official Video on<strong> [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vxicYyAitU VEVO]</strong> [[File:Abel Meri - Black Lives Matter on VEVO|thumb|330x330px]] ==Discography== ===Studio Albums=== * 2020: Truth to Power * 2020: <em>#BLM</em> * 2020: <em>TNSZ - The No Skip Zone</em> * 2020: <em>Smooth</em> [[File:Image-1.jpg|thumb|220x220px]] === Singles === * [https://www.ascap.com/repertory#ace/search/writer/abel%20meri/title/salute 2020: <em>SALUTE</em>] * [https://www.ascap.com/repertory#ace/search/writer/abel%20meri/title/covid 2020: COVID] * 2020: Jaded * [https://www.ascap.com/repertory#ace/search/writer/abel%20meri/title/ignite 2020: Ignite] * [https://www.ascap.com/repertory#ace/search/writer/abel%20meri/title/low%20key 2020: Low Key] * 2020: Past Life * 2020: No Brainer * 2020: Where The Hope At? * 2020: Foundation * 2020: Start Over * 2020: Make It Last ==See Also== *[https://hiphopdatabase.fandom.com/wiki/Drake Drake (rapper)] *[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay-Z Jay-Z] *[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nas Nas] *[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Cole J. Cole] *[[List of Hip-Hop singers]][[Category:Rappers]] [[Category:Rappers and Rap Groups]] [[Category:Underground rappers]] [[Category:American rappers]] [[Category:East Coast hip-hop]] [[Category:East Coast hip hop musicians]] [[Category:Ethiopian hip-hop]]
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