Also known under the guises of T.O.N.I. and Der Boss, Kollegah's rhythmic and humorous "pimp rap" sound has seen him emerge as one of most inventive talents on the German hip-hop scene. Born in Friedberg, Hesse, in 1984, he competed in rap battles from a young age, and signed to Selfmade Records in 2005. After releasing a pair of mixtapes, his debut studio album, Alphagene, was issued in 2007, followed by 2008's self-titled sophomore outing. In 2009, he feuded publicly with several artists from the Aggro Berlin label and collaborated with Düsseldorf rapper Farid Bang on the joint album Jung Brutal Gutaussehend. While studying for a law degree, he released his third effort, Bossaura, in 2011. ~ Jon O'Brien