Hailing from North of Los Angeles, Madlib is an artist known for not only his hip hop eminence but his mastery in producing.  The name stands for Mind Altering Demented Lessons In Beats and he provides nothing short of that.  With roots in jazz, funk, and soul, Madlib combines his expansive style and ingenious touch to create a new genre of hip hop.  One of his past albums was deemed as a top record of the year by Spin Magazine and he holds the title of a Grammy nominee.  A new album is set to be released this year.  Madlib describes himself as a "DJ first, producer second, and MC last." He has collaborated with similar artists such as Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and De La Soul yet still manages to infuse his music with original thought provoking style and substance.