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Benzino
Benzino in 2018
Background information
Birth name	Raymond Leon Scott
Also known as	Ray Benzino Ray Dog
Born	(1965-07-18) July 18, 1965 (age 59) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop
Occupations	Media proprietor record producer songwriter
Years active	1986–present
Labels	ZNO 7th Floor Elektra Motown
Member of	The Almighty RSO Made Men
Children	4, including Coi Leray

Raymond Scott (born July 18, 1965), better known by his stage name Benzino or Ray Benzino, is an American urban media proprietor, television personality, rapper and record producer. Benzino produced records (as part of the production team Hangmen 3) and co-owned The Source magazine.

Career

Benzino has said one of the primary inspirations to enter the genre of rap stems from his fondness of the film Wild Style. Benzino was a founding member of rap groups the Almighty RSO and Made Men. He has appeared on the reality television show Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta since 2012.

Feud with Eminem

Benzino is known for being involved since 2002 in a widely publicized feud with rapper Eminem; the feud began after his The Source magazine rated The Eminem Show as four mics out of five. Eminem blamed the magazine and its co-founder Benzino for what he considered an unfair rating. Benzino later released diss tracks towards Eminem, titled "Pull Your Skirt Up" (calling him "2003 Vanilla Ice") and "Die Another Day", while Eminem released "The Sauce" and "Nail in the Coffin". As a continuation of this animosity between the two, Benzino released the diss mixtape Benzino Presents: Die Another Day: Flawless Victory, further disparaging Eminem.

On September 4, 2020, Benzino released a new single titled "The Bigger Picture" with an accompanying music video on YouTube.

Personal life

Benzino's father Edward DeJesus was Puerto Rican and his mother Mary Scott was Black American and Cape Verdean. His sisters are Anita Scott-Wilson and Maureen Scott. In 2021, the rapper fell out with his daughter, Coi Leray, after she dissed Benzino in her song "No More Parties".

Benzino has dated Karlie Redd and Althea Heart. Benzino and Heart had a son together in November 2015, but they broke off their engagement shortly thereafter. They appeared together on Season 6 of the television show Marriage Boot Camp chronicling their broken relationship.

On March 29, 2014, Benzino was shot after attending his mother's funeral in Duxbury, Massachusetts. He was shot in the shoulder and back by his 36-year-old nephew Gai Scott, who was later arrested for shooting him.

Legal issues

On April 16, 2019, Benzino was stopped in Brookhaven, Georgia and cited for driving an uninsured vehicle. He was not the policy holder responsible for insuring the vehicle. On June 22, 2019, Benzino was arrested for a bench warrant in DeKalb County, Georgia, and was taken to police headquarters for booking and was later jailed. As he was being transported there, he launched a racist tirade against a police officer arresting him, who was of Vietnamese descent. The tirade involved multiple racial slurs and maternal insults. On July 31, 2020, Benzino was arrested and charged with criminal damage to property. He was accused of damaging the Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck of a man who was in the company of Benzino's ex-fiancée Althea Heart. On February 3, 2022, Benzino was arrested and charged with one count of second degree criminal damage to property, a felony.

Discography

Studio albums

• The Benzino Project (2001)
• Redemption (2003)
• Arch Nemesis (2005)
• The Antidote (2007)

Collaboration albums

• In Tha Company of Killaz with Wiseguys (1996)
• Doomsday: Forever RSO with the Almighty RSO (1996)
• Classic Limited Edition with Made Men (1999)
• No Skits Vol. 1 with Hangmen 3 (2000)

Remix albums

• The Benzino Remix Project (2002)

Mixtapes

• Die Another Day: Flawless Victory (2003)
• When the Heavens Fall with 1st 48 (2010)
• Caezar (2011)
• Blue Bag with 1st 48 (2011)
• The Magnificent 757's with Stevie J (2012)
• Crushed Ice (2013)
• Welcome to Texaco City with OJ da Juiceman (2015)

Charted singles

• "Rock the Party" (2002, US No. 82)

As featured artist

Filmography

Film

Television

Music Videos

References

1. "ACE Repertory".
2. "MC Benzino Says Hip-Hop is in Critical Condition". Boston Globe. January 18, 2003. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
3. "Music Bliss Hip Hop Interviews Done Right". Retrieved January 10, 2018.
4. "A Breakdown of Benzino and Eminem's Heated Feud". October 22, 2019.
5. Dukes, Rahman (November 22, 2002). "Benzino Ignites Beef By Calling Eminem '2003 Vanilla Ice' – Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV.com. Archived from the original on February 22, 2011. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
6. Eliscu, Jenny (January 3, 2003). "Benzino, Eminem Feud Heats Up | Music News". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
7. Cantor, Paul (October 13, 2010). "Rapper Huddy 6 Killed In Car Accident – Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV.com. Archived from the original on January 26, 2011. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
8. Adaso, Henry. The Greatest Hip-Hop Battles (...and Their Winners) Archived July 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. About.com. Retrieved June 27, 2010.
9. "Magazine impresario Benzino talks about his music, Hip-Hop's future & his feud with Eminem". Philadelphia Daily News. March 3, 2005. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
10. "Benzino-The Bigger Picture (Official Music Video)". YouTube. September 3, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
11. "MARY A. (TIMAS) SCOTT's Obituary on Boston Globe". Boston Globe. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
12. "Coi Leray & Benzino's Family History & Beef, Explained". HotNewHipHop. May 7, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
13. "What Happened on 'Love and Hip-Hop Atlanta' Ep. 6?". Vibe. July 24, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
14. "Pains Us to share this about Benzino & Althea Heart". Dallasblack.com. Archived from the original on August 1, 2016.
15. "REPORTS: Former 'Love & Hip Hop Atlanta' star Benzino pleads guilty in drug case". January 17, 2019.
16. ^ "US rapper Benzino shot at mother's funeral". BBC News. March 31, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
17. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Caught driving uninsured car, Benzino claims "I don't even drive this car"". YouTube. July 23, 2021.
18. "Ex-'L&HH' Star Benzino's Arrest Video Shows Full Meltdown". TMZ. June 28, 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
19. Burns, Asia Simone. "NEW DETAILS: Ex-'Love & Hip Hop' star Benzino arrested in Chateau Elan". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
20. "Ex-'L&HH' Star Benzino Busted for Alleged Property Damage After Jealous Rage". August 4, 2020.
21. "Benzino and LAHH's Althea Heart have 'altercation' years after split". April 12, 2022.
22. "Benzino Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved April 8, 2022.

External links

• Hip Hop Weekly magazine official website Archived March 7, 2022, at the Wayback Machine

• African-American male rappers
• Living people
• Rappers from Boston
• American shooting survivors
• Participants in American reality television series
• 1965 births
• East Coast hip-hop musicians
• 21st-century American rappers
• 21st-century American male musicians
• 20th-century African-American people
• Hip-hop mass media people