Afu-Ra

Afu-Ra launched his recording career in 1994 by appearing on Jeru the Damaja’s track “Mental Stamina,” where he merged the raw intensity of classic East Coast hardcore with the thoughtful, articulate lyricism typical of a devoted Rastafarian. Though he entered the scene as an ordinary aspiring rapper from New York, his skills caught Jeru the Damaja’s attention and earned him a spot on the latter’s first album. In the same way Jeru the Damaja had been mentored by Gang Starr, Afu-Ra became Jeru the Damaja’s protégé and was featured on the follow-up album Wrath of the Math, yet he struck out independently with the 1998 underground favorite single “Whirlwind Thru Cities.” His first full-length project, Body of the Life Force, arrived in 2000 and included guest appearances by GZA and Cocoa Brovaz. He later reunited with Gang Starr’s DJ Premier, who had produced numerous Jeru the Damaja recordings, for the 2002 album Life Force Radio.