Tragedy Khadafi

Tragedy Khadafi
Tragedy Khadafi brief interview on Karmaloop TV, 2012
Background information
Birth name	Percy Chapman IV
Also known as	MC Jade Percy Chapman MC Percy Percy Tragedy Intelligent Hoodlum Tragedy The Foul Mahdi
Born	(1971-08-13) August 13, 1971
Origin	Queensbridge, Queens, New York City, USA
Genres	Hip hop
Years active	1985–present
Labels	Tuff Break/A&M/PolyGram Gee Street/V2/BMG Records 25 To Life Entertainment Money Maker Entertainment Dolo Records (distributor, 1997) Solid Records DistroLord Digital (distributor)
Associated acts	Juice Crew, Marley Marl, Capone-N-Noreaga, N.O.R.E., Killa Sha, Havoc, Mobb Deep, Littles, Imam Thug, Cormega, Headrush Napoleon, Black Market Militia, Jedi Mind Tricks, Trez, Vinnie Paz, Blak Madeen, Ras Ceylon
Website	252aura.com

Percy Chapman IV (born August 13, 1971, in Queens, New York, USA), known by his stage name Tragedy Khadafi, and formerly known as Intelligent Hoodlum, is an American rapper and producer who hails from the Queensbridge Housing Projects in Queens, New York, who helped spawn other hip hop artists such as Cormega, Mobb Deep, Capone-N-Noreaga, Nas and many others both through production and influence. His name is a reference to the former leader of Libya, Muammar Gaddafi. According to an editorial review on Amazon.com, he was responsible for coining the term "illmatic" in 1988, nearly 6 years before Illmatic, multi-platinum rapper Nas's debut album.

Biography

He began his career as half of the duo Super Kids, along with DJ Hot Day, releasing the single "Go, Queensbridge" in 1985. It was this output that caught the attention of Marley Marl, who produced in 1986 the duo's next single "The Tragedy (Don't Do It)", with Chapman also being made a junior member of the Juice Crew alongside artists such as Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, and MC Shan. In 1987, he appeared as MC Percy in the B side of the 12" "Juice Crew All Stars" and also on the last Super Kids single, "Hot Day Master Mix". After a conviction that year (he was only 16 years old) for robbery charges followed by serving time in the Elmira Correctional Facility, Chapman became a Five Percenter and began working under the alias "Intelligent Hoodlum".

Chapman continued to record throughout the remainder of the 1990s. One of his last recordings as Intelligent Hoodlum was the title cut for the motion picture soundtrack of Posse, a Hollywood Western that told the story of an African-American gunslinger posse. This song marked the end of Chapman's overt focus on Conscious hip hop, Black history and political commentary in his verses. Working with Capone, Noreaga and Mobb Deep, recording "L.A L.A" a response to Tha Dogg Pound's "New York, New York", Intelligent Hoodlum then began working under the name Tragedy Khadafi in 1997. He also worked on Capone-N-Noreaga's debut album, The War Report, on which he actually appears more on the album than Capone. When the latter returned to prison, Noreaga severed ties with Tragedy. In 1998, Tragedy formed the group Iron Sheiks along with his lifelong friend, Michael Butler a.k.a. Imam T.H.U.G., who was also from Queensbridge, releasing an EP, which contained the underground classic "True Confessions".

Khadafi's third album, Against All Odds, was scheduled for release in 1999, but conflict with his label stalled the release, finally being released in 2001, which was also the first appearance of emcee HeadRush Napoleon, who continued to work with Tragedy on future recordings. On the album, Tragedy dissed Noreaga and accused him of stealing his rhyming style on tracks like "Crime Nationalist" or "Blood Type". Noreaga kept the animosity going with his track "Halfway Thugs Pt. II." This was followed by Still Reportin'... in 2003. In 2005, he released Thug Matrix independently and also released an album as a member of the group Black Market Militia. Khadafi's latest releases, Blood Ballads and Thug Matrix 2, were both released in 2006.

He also starred in a documentary known as Tragedy: The Story of Queensbridge about his life and his struggles, growing up, his being a junior member of the Juice Crew, the numerous times he was incarcerated, and the toll a hard life has on a poor African-American child growing up without a father and with a mother addicted to heroin.

On December 27, 2007, Tragedy was convicted of selling narcotics and sentenced to a maximum of four years in prison. Although originally scheduled to be released on January 21, 2011, Tragedy was granted early parole, and released on June 23, 2010.

Discography

25 To Life Aura logo, the label created by Tragedy Khadafi and Stretch Armstrong

Studio albums

Album Information
Intelligent Hoodlum Released: 1990 Label: A&M/PolyGram Records
Tragedy: Saga of a Hoodlum Released: June 22, 1993 Label: Tuff Break/A&M/PolyGram Records
Against All Odds Released: June 5, 2001 Label: Gee Street/V2/BMG Records
Still Reportin'... Released: October 21, 2003 Label: Solid Records
Thug Matrix Released: October 4, 2005 Label: FastLife Records
The Death of Tragedy Released: June 19, 2007 Label: Traffic Entertainment/25 To Life Entertainment
Thug Matrix 3 Released: September 20, 2011 Label: 25 To Life Aura/Money Maker Entertainment
Pre Magnum Opus Released: December 16, 2014 Label: 25 To Life Aura

Compilation albums

• February 12th, 2008: Q.U. Soldier
• April 17th, 2006: Blood Ballads
• May 9th, 2006: Thug Matrix 2
• 2008: Thug Matrix 41-18
• 2011: Hood Father

Collaboration albums

• 1998: Iron Sheiks EP (with Imam Thug as Iron Sheiks)
• 2005: Black Market Militia (with Killah Priest, Timbo King, Hell Razah and William Cooper as Black Market Militia)
• 2009: Lethal Weapon (with Trez)
• 2012: Militant Minds EP (with Blak Madeen)
• 2013: Golden Era Music Sciences (with Tragic Allies as 7 G.E.M.S.)

Vocal appearances

• 1987: "Juice Crew All Stars" (from the Juice Crew All Stars single Evolution)
• 1988: "The Rebel" (from the Marley Marl album In Control, Volume 1)
• 1988: "Live Motivator" (from the Marley Marl album In Control, Volume 1)
• 1991: "America Eats The Young" (from the Marley Marl album In Control, Volume 2: For Your Steering Pleasure)
• 1991: "Keep Control" (from the Marley Marl album In Control, Volume 2: For Your Steering Pleasure)
• 1995: "Juice Crew All-Stars" (from the Juice Crew album Cold Chillin's The Juice Crew Story Greatest Hits)
• 1996: "The Turnaround" (Thug Remix) (from the Real Live single The Turnaround)
• 1997: "Real" (from the DJ Krush album MiLight)
• 1997: "Stick You" (from the Capone-N-Noreaga album The War Report)
• 1997: "Parole Violators" (from the Capone-N-Noreaga album The War Report)
• 1997: "Neva Die Alone" (from the Capone-N-Noreaga album The War Report)
• 1997: "T.O.N.Y. (Top of New York)" (from the Capone-N-Noreaga album The War Report)
• 1997: "Channel 10" (from the Capone-N-Noreaga album The War Report)
• 1997: "Stay Tuned (Thug Paradise)" (from the Capone-N-Noreaga album The War Report)
• 1997: "L.A., L.A. (Kuwait Mix)" (from the Capone-N-Noreaga album The War Report)
• 1997: "Black Gangstas" (from the Capone-N-Noreaga album The War Report)
• 1997: "Usual Suspects" (from the Mic Geronimo album Vendetta)
• 1998: "Raw Footage" (from the Sporty Thievz album Street Cinema)
• 1998: "Strange Fruit" (from the Pete Rock album Soul Survivor)
• 2000: "Gengis Khan" (from the Jedi Mind Tricks album Violent By Design)
• 2000: "Da Bridge 2001" (from the compilation album QB Finest)
• 2001: "They Forced My Hand" (from the Cormega album The Realness)
• 2001: "Too High Too Low" (from the Screwball album Loyalty)
• 2001: "Armageddon (Crime Side of Life)" (from the Self aka Eddie Whispers album What About My Life)
• 2001: "Get Back" (from the compilation album The 41st Side)
• 2002: "C'mon" (from the compilation album The Anti-Backpack Movement)
• 2003: "True Confessions" (from the Imam Thug album Die Hard)
• 2003: "QB2G" (from the Imam Thug album Die Hard)
• 2003: "Kublai Khan" (from the Jedi Mind Tricks album Visions of Gandhi)
• 2003: "Fallen Soldiers" (from the 24k album Quotable)
• 2004: "Kingz Of Queens" (from the V.V.A.A. single Kingz of Queens)
• 2005: "Think differently" (from the compilation album Wu-Tang Meets the Indie Culture)
• 2005: "Ape Something" (from the Littles mixtape Reloaded)
• 2005: "The Revolution Won't be Televised" (from the Full One album To the Fullest)
• 2006: "Gorilla Rap" (from the compilation album Natural Selection)
• 2007: "Renaissance" (from the Hell Razah album Renaissance Child)
• 2007: "One Hand Wash The Other" (from the Killa Sha album God Walk on Water)
• 2007: "911" (from the Big Left album World War Three)
• 2008: "Rebelution" (from the Almighty mixtape The Original S.I.N.)
• 2008: "Whale Head" (from the Da Evangillest mixtape Quit Ya Day Job)
• 2008: "The Damage" (from the Ras Ceylon album Scientific Non-Fiction)
• 2009: "Define Yourself" (from the Cormega album Born and Raised)
• 2009: "On The Streets" (from the Betrayl album The Life N Death Of My Hood)
• 2009: "I Cried" (from the Recordkingz album Heavyweight)
• 2010: "State Ya Name" (from the UGP album The Sacrifice)
• 2010: "The Realest" (from the Gawdbless street album Frontline Killers Vol. 1)
• 2010: "Gangsta (Remix)" (from the Tefla & Jaleel album Weißt du noch?)
• 2011: "Camaraderie (Real To Real)" (from the Divine street single "Camaraderie (Real To Real)")
• 2011: "Galaxy of Queens" (from the Nutso single Galaxy of Queens)
• 2011: "The Damage (HungryBros RMX)" (from the Ras Ceylon album Gideon Force Vol. 1)
• 2011: "VII" (from the Cormega album Raw Forever)
• 2012: "7 Fires of Prophecy" (from the Vinnie Paz album God of the Serengeti)
• 2012: "Focused Up" (from the Large Professor album Professor @ Large)
• 2012: "Hood Ikon" (from the Snowgoons album Snowgoons Dynasty)
• 2012: "Salvation" (from the B Mugz album Triumph over Trust)
• 2012: "Steadily Shine" (from the Arafat & Gandhi album Two Swords)
• 2012: "Resurrection" (from the Megadon single Resurrection)
• 2012: "La pyramide des armes" (from the Baccarat & DJ Yep album Trésors de guerre)
• 2012: "ReGeneration" (from the Ras Ceylon album Gideon Force Vol. 2)
• 2012: "The Threat" (from the Babylon Warchild album The Gatekeepers)
• 2012: "Thieves In The Hallway" (from the American Poets 2099 compilation album Murderous Poetry)
• 2012: "American Me" (from the U-Krime single Thugtime & American Me)
• 2012: "Blue Magic" (from the Rome Clientel EP The Lost Catacombs)
• 2013: "Skeeoo" (from the Supraliminal album Full Script)
• 2013: "New World Over" (from the Marcanum X album Quantum Chaotica)
• 2013: "Immaculate" (from the Yusuf Abdul-Mateen album Rhyme Dawah)
• 2013: "Camouflage Unicorns" (from the N.O.R.E. album Student of the Game)
• 2013: "Ambassadors" (from the DUS album Ambassadors)
• 2013: "Let Em' Know" (from the DJ Skizz album B.Q.E. (Brooklyn-Queens Experience))
• 2013: "7th Dynasty" (from the compilation album Class Struggle)
• 2013: "High Society" (from the Endemic album Terminal Illness Part 2)
• 2013: "Respect da Jux" (from the Triple Seis album "The Underdawg")
• 2014: "Historic" (from the HRSMN EP "Historic")

External links

• Tragedy Khadafi on Twitter
• Tragedy Khadafi on Facebook
• Tragedy Khadafi at AllMusic
• Tragedy Khadafi discography at Discogs