Today, Sept. 17, is the birthday of New York rapper and Brand Nubian member Lorenzo Dechalus, better known as Lord Jamar. He now turns 50.

Jamar was a key member of Brand Nubian from their establishment in 1989 to 1995, showcasing his skills on the mic and on the production side for One For All (1990), In God We Trust (1993) and Everything Is Everything (1994) before he, Grand Puba and Sadat X officially split in 1995. In addition to music, Jamar is also an actor, having appeared on TV shows like Law and Order: Special Victim's Unit and The Sopranos.

Jamar has been very outspoken about his opinions of hip-hop in the new millennium and maintains that he doesn't want it to be "watered down" by white artists.

Happy Birthday, Lord Jamar!

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