Del tha Funkee Homosapien

When Del tha Funkee Homosapien burst onto the scene in 1991 with his debut album, I Wish My Brother George Was Here, he was considered a weird, eclectic MC. Since he was Ice Cube's cousin, however, hip-hop heads gave him the benefit of the doubt. Long before Lupe Fiasco and Pharrell Williams even thought to embrace the Thrasher nation, Del catered to the skater crowd. Shortly after issuing George, he formed the Hieroglyphics crew, which introduced Souls of Mischief and Casual to the hip-hop world. The MC amassed a loyal following, releasing several underground albums through his own Hiero imprint. After several successful collaborations with the likes of Dan the Automator (Deltron 3030) and the Gorillaz, Del is gearing up to release his first solo album in six years. Titled The 11th Hour, the record is slated to drop early next year, preceded by a DVD of the same name, which documents the recording process, Del's quirky music theory and his video-game prowess.