Samy Deluxe

German rapper and producer Samy Deluxe earned media comparison to American superstar Jay-Z for his eloquent and imaginative rhymes. After a stint with the No Nonsense collective, Deluxe began recording in 1997, issuing a series of mixtapes as well as several recordings as a member of the trio Dynamite Deluxe. His breakthrough effort was 2000's "Füchse," a collaboration with the group Absolute Beginner, followed a year later by the release of his self-titled full-length LP. In 2003, he resurfaced alongside rapper Afrob as ASD, releasing the album Wer Hätte das Gedacht? The solo album Verdammtnochma! appeared a year later, in conjunction with Deluxe's guest appearance on the Christina Milian hit "Dip It Low." The full-length Splash Exclusive followed in 2005. ~ Jason Ankeny