Philip Martin (born October 31, 1978 in Inglewood,
California), better known as Bishop Lamont is an American rapper
from Carson, California. He was signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment
record label but left in 2010.
Martin started rapping at age thirteen. Dr. Dre met Martin while
on set filming The Game's music video for "Dreams". After
giving him praises on an L.A. radio station, Dr. Dre signed Martin
in 2005. Martin was featured in The Source's Unsigned Hype section,
but he was already signed to Aftermath by the time the issue hit stands.
According to Martin, Dr. Dre said that along with Eminem, Martin
is the only other rapper that made him uncomfortable. Dr. Dre said
that this is due to his protégé's controversial and
political lyrics.
Martin is credited for his numerous soundtrack contributions. He
has appeared in the soundtrack for the video game True Crime: Streets
of LA. He can also be heard on three EA Sports video games. The tracks "The
Best" and "We Got Next" are included in Madden 2007
and NBA Live 2006, respectively. Also, the track "I'm a Soldier" was
included in NFL Street 2. In addition, Martin has the title track "Welcome
to Havoc", featured in Havoc, a film starring Anne Hathaway.
Together with his War Doggz crew, Martin owns a record label called
Diocese Records.[6]
Martin is widely believed to be one of the more prominent rappers
to be featured on Dr. Dre's highly anticipated album, Detox much
like the role of Snoop Dogg on The Chronic and lablemate Hittman
on Chronic 2001.[1] Dr. Dre himself confirmed that Martin is to be
heavily featured on the album.[7] The Carson, California-based rapper
is also working on his debut album, tentatively titled The Reformation
which is due out in the third or fourth quarter of 2009.[8] Martin's
mixtape/album N*gger Noize was released on March 2, 2007. It was
mixed by DJ Skee and consists of all original content.[9][10] On
Skee TV, Martin and DJ Skee described N*gger Noize as being a "street
album".[11] Martin stated in an interview with WestCoastRydaz.com
that after The Reformation and Detox, he will be working on The Impossible
Possible which will be entirely produced by Dr. Dre and Scott Storch.
The album will be released in 2011.[dated info][12]
It has also been reported that Martin is in the studio working for
The Reformation with Chris Martin from Coldplay. Planned sessions
with Eminem and 50 Cent are in order. Production credits will include
Battlecat, DJ Premier, Scott Storch, The RZA, Damizza, Pete Rock,
and others.[13] In a December 2006 interview with Dubcnn, Martin
said that The Reformation is 60% completed. He also stated that his
album is to be released before Detox.[10] According to Martin, the
album will be about "rebellion, revolution, the positive and
negative things in life and organized chaos".[1]
In addition, he also announced he will be releasing Caltroit 2:
Metropolis which contains all the extra music that was not included
in the first release of the Caltroit mixtape. He also said will feature
Slum Village, Royce Da 5'9, Talib Kweli and others.[14]
In 2008, Martin appeared in Busta Rhymes' music video for "We
Made It", and Kardinal Offishall's music video for "Set
It Off".
In November 2008, Bishop Interviewed with HoodHype.com and discussed
his beef with The Game which seems to have started as far back as
Game's track "100 Bars (The Funeral)"[15]
In January 2010 Bishop confirmed his amicable split from Aftermath/Interscope
after five years on the label. Lamont, who allegedly walks away with
over 700 songs he recorded there, said he still has a relationship
with Dr. Dre, "Dre is still my big bro, but after five years
of just sitting there, it is kind of unfair to the fans and my family
and myself that the release date has changed when all these people
are waiting."[16]
[edit] Discography
Studio Albums
Working Title (TBA)
Street Albums
Nigger Noize (2007)
Caltroit (with Black Milk) (2007)
Pope Mobile (2007)
The Confessional (2008)
Team America Fuck Yeah: Special Forces (With Indef) (2009)
The Shawshank Redemption/Angola 3 (2010)
Mixtapes
Who I Gotta Kill to Get a Record Deal, Vol. 1 (2004)
Welcome 2 L.A. [Bootleg] (2005)
On My Way to Own tha Biz [Bootleg] (2006)
Mecha God - Spilla! [Japan Release] (2010)