M-1

The one-time president for the New York City branch of the radical black nationalist National People's Democratic Uhuru Movement, M-1 caused some controversy in the underground rap scene as a part of the critically acclaimed and ostensibly socialist Dead Prez twosome. While he and Stic.man were in between labels, each ventured out with his own solo project. M-1 was inspired to put together a solo album in part by doing production work for other artists, including Mississippi rapper David Banner, but also from collaborating with Italian jazz guitarist Fabrizio Sotti (who produced most of jazz diva Cassandra Wilson's 2003 Glamoured album). In March 2006, M-1 released the Confidential LP as a CD/DVD combination, with contributions from Ghostface Killah, Q-Tip, and Cassandra Wilson herself. The first single, "'Til We Get There," did fall below the radar of mainstream airplay, but not before the album reached the number 23 spot on the independent chart and 52 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart.