El Pus

Formed in Atlanta, el Pus—pronounced "el Poose"—first fused its N.W.A and Led Zeppelin influences during the late '90s. Fronted by vocalists and producers Cufi and Cosmo, the five-man outfit blended hip-hop with punk-rock energy and attracted the attention of Arrested Development's Speech, who arranged studio time for the group to cut demos. That singular rap-rock approach earned the band a Virgin contract, which yielded the early-2005 release of its debut album, Hoodlum Rock, Vol. 1.