Benzino
Raymond Scott (born July 18, 1965), better known by his stage name Benzino, is an American rapper, hip hop media executive, and record producer. He is known for having appeared on VH1 reality TV series Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta and TV One original series Next :15.[1]
Benzino | |
---|---|
Birth name | Raymond Scott |
Born | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | July 18, 1965
Genres | Hip hop |
Occupation(s) | Record producer, record executive, rapper, songwriter |
Years active | 1986—present |
Labels | 7th Floor, Murder Inc., ZNO |
Associated acts | The Almighty RSO, Karlie Redd, Made Men, Ja Rule, Mario Winans, Outlawz, The Untouchables, David Mays, Althea Heart |
Biography
Benzino was born in Boston, Massachusetts to a Cape Verdean and German mother and a Puerto Rican and African American father. Along with his longtime friend, David Mays, Benzino is 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 has said one of the primary inspirations to enter the genre of rap stems from his fondness of the film Wild Style.[2]
Benzino was a founding member of rap groups the Almighty RSO and Made Men. He has appeared on the reality television show Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta, since 2012. He has also dated Karlie Redd and Althea Heart.[3]
On March 29, 2014, Benzino was shot in the shoulder and back by his nephew Gai Scott. The shooting took place in the town of Duxbury, Massachusetts, at his mother's funeral.[4]
Feud with Eminem
Benzino is known for being involved since 2003 in a widely publicized feud with rapper Eminem, since Benzino called him "2003 Vanilla Ice".[5] The pair have created diss tracks about each other, including Benzino's "Pull Your Skirt Up" and "Die Another Day" and 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.[7][8][9]
Personal life
Benzino considered Edward DeJesus to be his father figure, especially in the duration of DeJesus's incarceration. Benzino's siblings include his sister Maureen, who took up medicine to become a medical doctor. His other sister, Anita Scott-Wilson, studied veterinarian medicine at the Tuskegee Institute for a nine-year period, in order to receive her master's degree.[10]
Benzino and Althea Heart had a son together in November 2015, but they broke off their engagement shortly thereafter. They appeared together on Season 6 of the television show Marriage Boot Camp chronicling their broken relationship.[11][12]
On June 22, 2019, Benzino was arrested for a bench warrant. Benzino was taken to police headquarters for booking and was jailed. As he was taken to jail, he launched a racial tirade against the Vietnamese-American police officer arresting him that included epithets like "pork-fried rice face", "gook", "chink", "wetback", "spic" "midget" and "slanty-eyed", along with calling the officer's mother a "gook bitch", and saying that "we should have killed all of you in Vietnam" and "can't you open your eyes?"[13][14]
Discography
Studio albums
- The Benzino Project (2001)
- Redemption (2002)
- Arch Nemesis (2005)
- The Antidote (2007)
Collaboration albums
- In Tha Company of Killaz with Wiseguys (1996)
- Doomsday: Forever RSO with the Almighty RSO (1996)
- Classic Limited Edition with Made Men (1999)
- No Skits Vol. 1 with Hangmen 3 (2000)
Remix albums
- The Benzino Remix Project (2002)
Mixtapes
- Die Another Day: Flawless Victory (2003)
- When the Heavens Fall with 1st 48 (2010)
- Caezar (2011)
- Blue Bag with 1st 48 (2011)
- The Magnificent 757's with Stevie J (2012)
- Crushed Ice (2013)
- Welcome to Texaco City with OJ da Juiceman (2015)
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 | The Next :15 | Himself |
2016 | Hollywood Hearts | Himself |
References
- "MC Benzino Says Hip-Hop is in Critical Condition". Boston Globe. January 18, 2003. Retrieved 2009-01-21.
- "Music Bliss Hip Hop Interviews Done Right". Music Bliss Hip Hop Interviews Done Right. Retrieved 2018-01-10.
- "What Happened on 'Love and Hip-Hop Atlanta' Ep. 6?". Vibe. 2012-07-24. Retrieved 2012-08-07.
- "US rapper Benzino shot at mother's funeral". BBC. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
- Dukes, Rahman (2002-11-22). "Benzino Ignites Beef By Calling Eminem '2003 Vanilla Ice' – Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV.com. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- Eliscu, Jenny (2003-01-03). "Benzino, Eminem Feud Heats Up | Music News". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- Cantor, Paul (2010-10-13). "Rapper Huddy 6 Killed In Car Accident – Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV.com. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
- Adaso, Henry. The Greatest Hip-Hop Battles (...and Their Winners). About.com. Retrieved 2010-06-27.
- "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.
- "MARY A. (TIMAS) SCOTT's Obituary on Boston Globe". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2018-01-10.
- http://dallasblack.com/entertainment/former-love-hip-hop-atlanta-star-althea-heart-arrested-after-fight-benzino
- https://thegrio.com/2019/01/17/former-love-hip-hop-atlanta-star-benzino-pleads-guilty-in-drug-case/
- Real World Police (2019-07-05), Racist Tirade Against Asian Cop By Ex-"Love & Hip Hop" Star Benzino #TMZFail, retrieved 2019-07-07
- "Ex-'L&HH' Star Benzino's Arrest Video Shows Full Meltdown". TMZ. Retrieved 2019-07-07.