Scarface (rapper)
Scarface | |
|---|---|
| Born | Brad Terrence Jordan November 9, 1970 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper, music producer, politician |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Known for | Member of Geto Boys, solo rap career |
Brad Terrence Jordan (born November 9, 1970), professionally known as Scarface, is an American rapper and music producer celebrated for both his solo career and his role in the Houston-based hip-hop ensemble Geto Boys.[1] Growing up in Houston's South Acres area,[2] Scarface has been acknowledged by The Source as one of the Top 50 Lyricists of All Time,Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name while About.com ranked him among the top ten in its "50 Greatest MCs of Our Time (1987–2007)" compilation.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Early life and education
Scarface attended Woodson Middle School located in Houston, Texas. He left high school prematurely and became involved in drug dealing. During his adolescence, he experienced a suicide attempt and was subsequently admitted to a psychiatric facility.
Career
Initially, Jordan launched his career under the stage name DJ Akshen—an acronym for "All Krazy Shit Has Ended Now"—engaging in recording and DJing for Lil' Troy's Short Stop, a Houston-based label. He later adopted the moniker "Scarface," inspired by the 1983 film of the same name. His early work includes the 12" single "Scarface/Another Head Put To Rest" (1989), penned by Chris "Mr. 3-2" Barriere and produced by Def Jam Blaster alongside Bruce "Grim" Rhodes. Subsequently, Scarface signed with Rap-A-Lot Records and joined the Geto Boys, filling the vacancy left by a departing member. His debut album with the group was their sophomore release, Grip It! On That Other Level (1989). Despite facing bans from radio stations and MTV due to its violent content, this album solidified the Geto Boys' status as pioneers of Southern hip hop.
In 1992, Scarface collaborated with fellow Geto Boys member Bushwick Bill on the Kool G Rap & DJ Polo album Live and Let Die, marking a notable fusion between Southern and East Coast hip hop styles. During this era, he also partnered with West Coast gangsta rap artists such as Ice Cube and MC Eiht, along with frequent collaborator Devin the Dude, another artist signed to Rap-A-Lot.
Scarface's solo debut, Mr. Scarface Is Back (1991), achieved considerable success, eventually surpassing the group's acclaim. While maintaining his membership in the Geto Boys, he concentrated on solo ventures that consistently performed well commercially. He remains the sole member retained from the group's 1989 lineup restructuring. His solo career peaked with albums like The Diary and The Last of a Dying Breed, with the latter earning him "Lyricist of the Year" at the 2001 Source Awards. In 2002, he released The Fix, which featured collaborations with prominent artists including Nas, Jay-Z, Faith Evans, Kelly Price, WC, and Beanie Sigel.
Around this time, Scarface reunited with the Geto Boys to produce their final trio record, The Foundation (2005). He also contributed to Duets: The Final Chapter, a posthumous project by the Notorious B.I.G., and appeared on albums by Beanie Sigel, Freeway, and Tech N9ne.
In addition to his performance career, Scarface held executive roles such as coordinator and president of Def Jam South from 2000 through 2005, playing a key role in launching rapper Ludacris. He also produced three tracks on the UGK album Underground Kingz. Although mainstream commercial success has been modest, Scarface is highly esteemed within the music industry as "your favorite rapper's favorite rapper."
On June 30, 2010, Scarface revealed he was working on an album entitled The Habit, which was expected to include contributions from artists like John Legend and Drake, with production involvement from Eminem. He co-hosted a worldwide producer showcase alongside iStandard to identify production talent for this project. However, in February 2011 it was disclosed that he had been incarcerated since September 2010 due to unpaid child support issues; he was freed in August 2011. As of 2024, The Habit has yet to be released. Scarface later issued another album named Deeply Rooted in 2015.
Media appearances
Scarface portrayed a pimp named Upgrayedd in the Mike Judge movie Idiocracy. Additionally, Judge included Scarface's song "No Tears" alongside Geto Boys tracks "Still" and "Damn It Feels Good to Be a Gangsta" in his 1999 release Office Space.
His presence extends to the gaming world, having appeared in both Def Jam Vendetta and its follow-up, Def Jam: Fight For NY.
At the 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards, Scarface was honored with the I Am Hip Hop Award.
Political career
On June 10, 2019, Jordan announced his bid for Houston City Council District D, following incumbent Dwight Boykins’ decision to run for mayor. This declaration came one day after the passing of his close friend and bandmate Bushwick Bill. His campaign slogan, "putting the neighbor back in the hood," reflects the mission of the Positive Purpose Movement, an initiative he established to foster education and empowerment within marginalized communities.
Jordan stated, "Scarface is dead," marking his transition from music to public service. He expressed his ambition to leave a political legacy: "I'm not going to be a 75-year-old rapper... I'm going to be finishing my last term in office as president when I'm 75." However, in a December 15, 2019 runoff election, he was defeated by former teacher Carolyn Evans-Shabazz.
Personal life
Scarface identifies as a cousin of singer Johnny Nash and is passionate about collecting Gibson Les Paul electric guitars.
In March 2020, he contracted COVID-19, which adversely affected his kidney function. On September 14, 2021, he underwent a kidney transplant with his son serving as the donor.
He embraced Islam in 2006.
Biography
On April 21, 2015, Scarface released a memoir recounting his upbringing, how he secured his initial recording contract with Rap-A-Lot, and his experiences at Def Jam South.
- Diary of a Madman (2015)
Discography
Studio albums
- Mr. Scarface Is Back (1991)
- The World Is Yours (1993)
- The Diary (1994)
- The Untouchable (1997)
- My Homies (1998)
- The Last of a Dying Breed (2000)
- The Fix (2002)
- My Homies Part 2 (2006)
- Made (2007)
- Emeritus (2008)
- Deeply Rooted (2015)
Collaborative albums
- The Other Side of the Law (with Facemob) (1996)
- One Hunid (with The Product) (2006)