Shabazz The Disciple
From the Red Hook Projects to the World Stage
Shabazz The Disciple was born and raised in Red Hook Houses, South Brooklyn, New York. Together with Killah Priest, he co-founded the Sunz of Man movement. Decades after his first recordings, his voice remains one of the most respected in the New York underground.
His work has reached beyond music: in 2026 he took part in a presentation at the Sundance Film Festival, bringing Red Hook culture to new stages.
Red Hook
Houses
Music found him early. When he was 5 years old, his family played musical instruments every Sunday, entertaining the whole neighborhood — and that is what got him into music. People around the hood would call out what to play, and he learned it on the spot.
Shabazz comes from a family of musicians: his grandfather was part of the Motown group The Silhouettes.
His uncle, DJ Youngernutt, would put the speakers in the window and throw parties for the block, bringing the local MCs upstairs to freestyle. One day, when Shabazz was 13 years old, his uncle handed him the mic.
He was the beatboxer for every local MC, in every staircase of the Red Hook projects. At 16, he hit the stage for the first time at the Miccio club in Red Hook with his brothers — the group was called Rashasha — and they blew up to become hip hop stars in Red Hook.
To this day, every year, Shabazz performs at Red Hook Day in Coffey Park alongside his uncles, including DJ Youngernutt.
It all started on the streets of Red Hook — the place that shaped his sound, his work ethic and his connection to the community. That story is at the heart of every piece of merch that carries his name.
From Beatboxing to the Stage
When he started beatboxing, he had two favorite MCs: Mr. Ice, the best MC in the battles, and Shakim Ur Majesty — Mobb Deep's cousin and a big sound in his own right.
