Kardinal Offishall

A highly touted producer/emcee hailing from Toronto, Kardinal Offishall's reggae-infused style of rhyming has won him more than just Northern exposure -- he's an established presence in the U.S. as well. His 1997 debut Eye&I generated substantial hype and led to collaborations with some of the underground's major players. In 2000, he signed with MCA, releasing his major label debut, Quest for Fire: Firestarter Vol. 1, in 2001. His MCA debut features hits like "BaKardi Slang" and "Ol' Time Killin'" and helped him build visibility with American fans and artists alike. Although he wouldn't release another album for seven years because of label politics, he stayed busy collaborating with the Clipse, Pharoahe Monch, Rick Ross, Sean Kingston and many others. During this time he maintained enough of a buzz that Akon signed him to his Kon Live label. Finally in 2008, he scored big with his top five smash, "Dangerous," featuring Akon, off the critically acclaimed Not 4 Sale.