Poet/spoken word performer Carl Hancock Rux was born and raised in Harlem, NY; a product of the city's foster care system, he later attended Columbia University. Named "One of 30 Artists Under the Age of 30 Most Likely to Influence Culture Over the Next 30 Years" in 1994 by The New York Times, over time Rux increasingly began incorporating elements of hip-hop, jazz, and R&B into his live poetry readings, and in 1999 he released his debut album, Rux Revue. Apothecary RX followed five years later on the Giant Step label. Good Bread Alley from 2006 found him on Thirsty Ear. ~ Jason Ankeny