eMC

Although the hip-hop group eMC didn't officially come together until 2005, after Masta Ace had released his Long Hot Summer LP and was rumored to be in retirement, the four had been working together since 2001, when Punchline and Wordsworth (also known as Punch & Words) and Stricklin (originally from Milwaukee) appeared on Ace's 2001 album, Disposable Arts, also spending time touring with the veteran rapper. They had no formal idea of forming a group, however, until they read (unfounded) rumors about it happening on message boards and realized it would actually be a good idea. EMC then spent the next few years recording their debut full-length, The Show, with plans to release it in March 2008 on Masta Ace's own label, M3 Records, though, much to their chagrin, the album was leaked two months ahead of the street date. ~ Marisa Brown