Grandmaster Slice
b. c.1967, South Boston, Virginia, USA. Slice began to flex his rapping skills at the age of 11, going on to DJ and dance for a group titled Ebony Express by the advent of his teenage years. He subsequently formed his own combo, playing at parties in and outside of his hometown, taking his talents seriously enough to record his first demo tapes. It was while attending Halifax County Senior High School that Slice hooked up with Scratchmaster Chuck T. (b. Charles Fulp), who became his road manager and DJ. They had known of each other's rapping interests, having previously gone head to head in an after-school talent show. Together they released a debut album on independent distributor Selecto Hits Records, which was subsequently picked up by Jive. They had been suitably impressed by one of the album cuts, Thinking Of You, a slow-climbing hit throughout the US.