KRSOne

Kris Parker, better known by his stage name KRS-One (Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone), is an American rapper and activist who has been a prominent figure in hip hop since the 1980s. He is best known as a member of Boogie Down Productions (BDP), a group formed in the Bronx that helped shape East Coast rap’s early social commentary.

BDP released Criminal Minded in 1987, a landmark album in the development of hardcore, sample-based production. After the death of DJ Scott La Rock later that year, KRS-One continued the project with more explicit political content on subsequent albums such as By All Means Necessary (1988) and Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip Hop (1989).

In 1989 he organized the Stop the Violence Movement, creating a platform for addressing violence in hip hop and the community and releasing a collective track associated with the effort. Following his work with BDP, KRS-One launched a solo career, releasing Return of the Boom Bap (1993), and later albums including KRS-One (1995) and I Got Next (1997). His solo output continued to emphasize social issues, education, and the culture of hip hop.

In the late 1990s he founded the Temple of Hip Hop, a movement and organization dedicated to educating about hip hop’s history, culture, and ethics, and to promoting its positive potential. KRS-One is widely regarded as a foundational figure in hip hop, known for his lyrical focus on knowledge, social justice, and the educational aspects of the culture.