Me Phi Me

Laron Wilburn
Origin	Flint, Michigan
Genres	Alternative hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper
Instruments	Vocals (rapping)
Years active	1988—

Me Phi Me (born La-Ron K. Wilburn, December 8, 1970) is a multi-platinum selling American rapper from Flint, Michigan. Me Phi Me is both the name of the musical group and the name of its lead performer.

Wilburn was the youngest of five brothers and one sister raised in a home filled with diverse music. As a student in high school, he admired the lyrical virtuosity of hip-hop icons. The name Me Phi Me was born in 1987 as an homage to venerable historically black fraternities like Alpha Phi Alpha and Kappa Alpha Psi. It quickly evolved into a definition of intelligence and individuality as outlined in his song "...and I Believe," which features traditional frat stomp/stepping as the backbeat.

Known for rap as well as traditional lyrics, Me Phi Me provided an acoustic alternative to the popular gangster sound of the early 1990s.

His 1992 debut release ONE was produced by Chicago native and first cousin Christopher Cuben-Tatum (a.k.a. Cee Tha Wizzard) of Concept Enterprises International on BMG/RCA Records, and featured classic funk samples from Sly and the Family Stone, James Brown, and others layered with the unprecedented use of live twelve-string folk guitars, performed by John M. Falasz III, live jazz bass, traditional frat stepping or stomp, harmonica solos (Rags Murtagh aka Rags Murtaugh), and other unique organic instruments, including the haunting Armenian Duduk as performed by Djivan Gasparyan (Gladiator).

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Wikipedia