KMD

A wildly innovative trio out of New York, Zev Love X, Subroc, and Onyx first surfaced in 1991 with their debut LP, Mr. Hood. Startlingly original, the album's playfully eclectic production drew from jazz, Sesame Street, and language records, while the rhymes dealt with everything from facial hair to black empowerment. They were from the same school as groups such as De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest, although crossover success eluded them for the most part. KMD's classic 1994 follow-up, Black Bastards, was shelved by their label, but was finally released six years later. Zev Love X went on to become MF Doom, dropping several 12-inches and an excellent debut LP, Operation Doomsday (1999).