12th Tribe

About 12th Tribe

The California duo of Dave Portillo and Eddie Sierra began rapping in 1985 under the name of Deity, later changing it to 12th Tribe. Influenced by soul and heavy metal, they liked the rap of Kool Moe Dee, Whodini, and the Fat Boys. They took their name from the 12th tribe of Israel -- the Benjamites, mighty warriors -- and released an album in 1991 for Frontline. They portrayed a tougher image than most Christian rap artists and had a comparatively hard street rap sound. ~ Bil Carpenter

ORIGIN
California, United States
FORMED
1985
GENRE
Hip-Hop/Rap

Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada