Rakaa

Rakaa Taylor (born June 18, 1972) better known by his stage names Rakaa, Rakaa Iriscience, and Iriscience, is a rapper from Los Angeles, California.^[4] He is a member of Dilated Peoples alongside Evidence and DJ Babu.^[5]

Rakaa
Rakaa in 2023
Background information
Birth name	Rakaa Taylor[1]
Also known as	Rakaa Iriscience,[2] Iriscience[3]
Born	(1972-06-18) June 18, 1972 (age 52)
Origin	Los Angeles, California, US[4]
Genres	Alternative hip hop
Occupation	Rapper
Years active	1998–present
Labels	Decon

Life and career

His mother was a half Korean adoptee who was born in Korea during the Korean War and came to the United States at an early age.^[6]

Rakaa released the solo debut album, Crown of Thorns, on Decon in 2010.^[7] It featured vocal contributions from Aloe Blacc, KRS-One, Chali 2na, Evidence, and Fashawn.^[8] It was produced by Exile, DJ Babu, Oh No, El-P, and The Alchemist.^[9]

Discography

See also: Dilated Peoples discography

Albums

• Crown of Thorns (2010)

EPs

• The Delilah EP (2010)

Singles

• "Pay Attention" (2001)
• "End to Means" (2003)
• "New Maps" (2012)

Guest appearances

• Funkdoobiest - "Stretchin'" from The Troubleshooters (1998)
• Omid - "Who's Keeping Time?" from Beneath the Surface (1998)
• The Mind Clouders - "Paranoia Shiek" from Fake It Until You Make It (1999)
• DJ Vadim - "Friction" from U.S.S.R. Life from the Other Side (1999)
• Swollen Members - "Counter Parts" from Balance (1999)
• DJ Revolution - "The Revolution" from In 12's We Trust (2000)
• Runaways - "Pounds 4 Dollars" from Progress (2000)
• Mykill Miers - "Do the Math" from It's Been a Long Time Coming (2000)
• Swollen Members - "RPM" from Bad Dreams (2001)
• The Herbaliser - "Verbal Animé" from Something Wicked This Way Comes (2002)
• Blackalicious - "Passion" from Blazing Arrow (2002)
• Supernatural - "Work It Out" from The Lost Freestyle Files (2003)
• Transplants - "Crash and Burn" from Haunted Cities (2005)
• Boom Bap Project - "Cut Down Ya Options" from Reprogram (2005)
• The Likwit Junkies - "Dark Ends" from The L.J.'s (2005)
• Visionaries - "Need to Learn" from We Are the Ones (We've Been Waiting For) (2006)
• Dan the Automator - "Champions" from Dan the Automator Presents 2K7 (2006)
• Planet Asia - "Dilated Agents" from The Medicine (2006)
• The Visionaries - "Need To Learn" from We Are the Ones (We've Been Waiting For) (2006)
• Evidence - "Perfect Storm" from The Weatherman LP (2007)
• Prince Ali - "The Path (East Bay Remix)" from Curb Side Service (2007)
• Longevity - "Throwin Up Letters" (2007)
• DJ Revolution - "Casualties of Tour" from King of the Decks (2008)
• Craig G & Marley Marl - "Quality Work" from Operation: Take Hip-Hop Back (2008)
• Looptroop Rockers - "Trance Fat" from Good Things (2008)
• Collective Elements - "Innervision" from Collective Elements (2009)
• Drunken Tiger - "Monster" (English Version) from Feel gHood Muzik : The 8th Wonder (2009)
• DJ Honda - "Let It Out" from IV (2009)
• Epik High - "Rocksteady" from E (2009)
• Jerome XL - "Zet 'T Blauw" from De Laatste Dag (2010)
• Chosen Few - "It's Good" from New World Symphony (2010)
• El Da Sensei & The Returners - "Knowledge Be the Key" from Global Takeover 2: Nu World (2010)
• Evidence - "Where You Come From?" from Cats & Dogs (2011)
• Chino XL - "Take It Back" from Ricanstruction: The Black Rosary (2012)
• Sirkle of Sound - "The Future" from The Awakening (2012)
• Killa Hakan - "Berlin - Los Angeles" from Orijinal (2012)
• Anarchy Reigns - Additional voices (2013)^[10]
• Vlad Dobrescu - "Turnul Babel" from In Sfarsit (2013)
• Collective Elements - "Night Write" from Nice Vibez (2013)
• Snowgoons - "Nuclear Winter" from Black Snow 2 (2013)
• Rebel Diaz - "Which Side Are You On?" from Radical Dilemma (2013)
• LMNO - "March Madness" from After the Fact (2013)
• King Kapisi - "Crush" form Hip Hop Lives Here (2013)
• Step Brothers - "Tomorrow" from Lord Steppington (2014)
• Separ - "Úspech" from Pirát (2014)
• Pawz One - "Avalanche Warning" from Face the Facts (2014)
• Ali a.k.a. Mind - "Nada Nos Para" from Mestizo (2014)
• Apollo Brown & Ras Kass - "H20" from Blasphemy (2014)
• Danny Diablo - "Time Is Money" from The Crackson Heights Project (2017)
• Krazy Race - "Live & Learn" from The Rapture (2011)
• HIT Rappers (feat. Gorzki, Snoop Dogg, Curtis Young, PMD, Kurtis Blow, Kokane ...) (2018)

References

1. Semaun, Remco (July 21, 2010). "Rakaa - Crown of Thorns". HipHopDX.
2. Paine, Jake (June 30, 2010). "Rakaa Iriscience: Eye Know". HipHopDX.
3. "Dilated Peoples Stretch Out". Billboard. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
4. Udenberg, Brett (June 29, 2010). "Rakaa - Crown Of Thorns". URB. Archived from the original on November 18, 2011.
5. Bozzer, Mark (August 2010). "Rakaa Iriscience - Crown of Thorns". Exclaim!.
6. Lee Sanders, David (February 26, 2010). "Interview with Rakaa "Iriscience" Taylor". halfkorean.
7. Faraone, Chris (July 28, 2010). "Rakaa - Crown of Thorns". The Phoenix.
8. Martin, Andrew (May 10, 2010). "Album Review: Rakaa Iriscience - Crown of Thorns". Prefix. Archived from the original on October 28, 2011.
9. Elabbady, Ali (August 7, 2010). "Album Review: Rakaa – Crown of Thorns". Potholes in My Blog.
10. "Anarchy Reigns (2013 Video Game)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 6 June 2021. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)

External links

• Rakaa discography at Discogs
• Rakaa at IMDb