Before The Score made Lauryn Hill, Wyclef, and Pras superstars, The Fugees went by The Tranzlator Crew. Their first album, 1994’s Blunted on Reality, was an underground sleeper hit released on Columbia via Ruffhouse Records, but the cover art clearly shows both their names.
By the time 1996 rolled around, they were simply The Fugees or Fugees. The East Orange, NJ group broke up a year later to pursue solo careers and have reconnected for a couple of reunions, but always as The Fugees. Their legacy is well known even if they only gave the world two studio albums and a handful of solo projects combined.
Tek and Steele are founding members of the Boot Camp Click. Together, the duo is known as Smif-N-Wesson. However, in the 1990s, a lawsuit from the gun maker of the same name forced the rappers to change their name to Cocoa Brovaz in 1996. Then, in 2005 they changed it back to Smif-N-Wesson.
Their debut album Dah Shinin was an underground smash. Rude Awakening is the album released as Cocoa Brovaz. They’ve worked with Tupac, Buckshot, Raekwon, and Pete Rock to name a few.
Boosie Badazz originally went by the moniker Lil Boosie.
Before Torrence Ivy Hatch Jr. was famously known as Boosie Badazz, he originally went by the moniker Lil Boosie.
Louisiana rapper, Boosie Badazz (often stylized Boosie BadAzz) started his career in the 1990s as a member of the Hip-Hop group Concentration Camp under the name Lil Boosie. In 2000 he released his debut album Youngest of da Camp under C-Loc Records. Boosie would later change his stage name to Boosie Badazz on October 2014, because he didn’t want to be referred to as “Lil” as a grown man.
“I got tired of just people, grown men, like “What up Lil Boosie?” No, I’m grown. It should be Mr.! You know, I’m Boosie Badazz. I’m a dad, man. Just take the shit off! That’s how I was feeling.” – Lil Boosie told Noisey in a 2015 interview.
Boosie Badazz is sometimes referred to as Boosie or/and Lil Boosie.
Three 6 Mafia originally went by the moniker The Backyard Posse.
Before the Oscar-winning rap group, Three 6 Mafia (also spelled or known as Triple Six Mafia), which consisted mainly of Juicy J, DJ Paul, Lord Infamous, and past members Gangsta Boo, Crunchy Black, Koopsta Knicca was known as Three 6 Mafia, they originally went by the Moniker, The Backyard Posse.
Halfbrothers, DJ Paul and Lord Infamous, formed a duo called Da Serial Killaz in 1989, DJ Paul would later meet with Juicy J who was also buzzing in the Memphis scene and they would create the group called “The Backyard Posse” in 1991, all while still keeping Da Serial Killaz as it’s own group.
The group would then change their name to Three 6 Mafia in 1993 when Lord Infamous called the group “Triple Six Mafia” in a rap and the rest of the members loved it. Three 6 Mafia would release their debut album Mystic Stylez in 1995, which featured a then 15-year-old Gangsta Boo, Kingpin Skinny Pimp, Playa Fly, La Chat & M.C. Mac.
Three 6 Mafia are also known as Triple Six Mafia, Tear Da Club Up Thugs, and Da Mafia 6ix.
Danny Brown originally went by the moniker Dee Luciano.
Before Daniel Dewan Sewell was famously known as Danny Brown, he originally went by the moniker Dee Luciano.
Detroit, Michigan, rapper, Danny Brown, started his career in 2003 under the name Dee Luciano and he was in a rap group called Rese’vor Dogs, alongside fellow Detroit-based rappers Chips and Dopehead. The group released a project titled Runispokets-N-Dumpemindariva in 2003. 7 years later, Danny Brown would release his debut studio album The Hybrid on March 16, 2010, before signing to Fools Gold Records the following year and released his sophomore album XXX.
“I was just trying to be like Nas at that time and I had a wack rap name like [Dee Luciano]. I dunno, it was some dumb shit. I was just trying to be like a karaoke machine tape. [Laughs.] – Danny Brown told Complex in an interview.
Wifisfuneral originally went by the moniker Izzy Kills, then Casper Winter Jacket, then Mozart LaFleur.
Before Isaiah Rivera was famously known as Wifisfuneral, he originally went by the moniker Izzy Kills (also stylized Izzy kill$), eventually Casper Winter Jacket, then Mozart LaFleur before settling on Wififuneral. During an interview with HotNewHipHop, Wififuneral revealed “The first rap name I ever went by was Izzy Kills. (Laughs) I can’t believe I’m talking about this shit right now. And then it was Casper Winter Jacket. And then, Mozart LaFleur. That was fire, I don’t give a fuck what nobody says. And then I was trying to really come up with something that I’m like “bruh, niggas gotta know who I am.”
He continued saying “I called [Gabe] one day – I woke up at like 11 in the morning – I called him and was like, “what do you think about Wifisfuneral?” And he was like, “that actually sounds kind of hard.” And it took a minute for it to pick up on people, because when people heard my name at first they’d be like, “so your internet is dead? What are you talking about?”
Before Gary Earl Grice was famously known as GZA, he originally went by the moniker The Genius.
On February 19, 1991, GZA released his 15-track debut studio album Words from the Genius under his first moniker The Genius. The album was released on Cold Chillin’ Records and the following year GZA would go on on to be a founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan with his cousins RZA and Ol’ Dirty Bastard.
With the forming of the Wu-Tang Clan, GZA would change his name from The Genius to GZA (pronounced “Jizza”), and his cousin Prince Rakeem would change his name to RZA.
Before Mason Durell Betha was famously known as Ma$e (also spelled Mase), he originally went by the moniker Murda Ma$e.
Mase started rapping with his childhood friend Cam’ron under the moniker Murda Mase and Cam’ron went by Killa Cam and they formed a group called the Children of the Corn (corn was short for corner) with Big L, Herb McGruff, and Bloodshed.
After signing a solo deal with Bad Boy Records, Murda Mase would drop the “Murda” and be known as “Mase” to be more marketable. Mase released his debut studio album Harlem World on October 28, 1997, under Bad Boy and Arista Records. Harlem World peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 chart.
