M.E.D. (rapper) explained

M.E.D.
Birth Name:	Nick Rodriguez
Birth Place:	Oxnard, California, U.S.
Genre:	West Coast hip hop
Occupation:	Rapper
Years Active:	1999–present

Nick Rodriguez, better known by his stage name M.E.D.^[1] (sometimes stylized as MED),^[2] is an American rapper from Oxnard, California.^[3] He was formerly known as Medaphoar.^[4] He has been signed to Stones Throw Records.^[5]

Life and career

Nick Rodriguez grew up in a musical family in Oxnard, California. After being featured on Lootpack's 1999 album , he was asked by Peanut Butter Wolf to join Stones Throw Records.^[6] He was also featured on Quasimoto's The Unseen and Madlib's Shades of Blue.^[7]

In 2005, M.E.D. released his debut album, Push Comes to Shove, on Stones Throw Records.^[8] It was produced by Madlib, Oh No, J Dilla, and Just Blaze.^[9] In 2011, he released his second album, Classic, on Stones Throw Records.^[10] It featured contributions from Madlib, Aloe Blacc, Hodgy Beats, Talib Kweli, and Karriem Riggins.^[11] In 2014, he released Theme Music, a collaborative album with producer J. Rocc, under the group moniker Axel F.^[12] In 2015, he released a collaborative album with Blu and Madlib, titled Bad Neighbor, on Bang Ya Head.^[13] It was a follow-up to their 2013 EP, The Burgundy.^[14] The trio also released an EP, The Turn Up, in 2017.^[15]

Discography

Studio albums

• Push Comes to Shove (2005)
• Classic (2011)
• Theme Music (2014)
• Bad Neighbor (2015)
• Child of the Jungle (2019)
• Flying High (2022)

Mixtapes

• Bang Ya Head (2005)
• Bang Ya Head II (2009)
• Bang Ya Head 3 (2010)
• Bang Ya Head 4 (2016)

EPs

• The Burgundy (2013)
• Psychedelic Weather (2015)
• The Turn Up (2017)
• Loyalty (2018)

Singles

• "In Rhymes We Trust" (2001)
• "Place Your Bet" (2002)
• "Overdue" (2002)
• "What U in It For?" (2003)
• "Push" (2005)
• "Get Back" (2005)
• "Don't Sleep" (2005)
• "100 Dolla Bills" (2009)
• "Where I'm From" / "Classic" (2010)
• "The Buzz" / "Peroxide" (2013)
• "Classic (Dexter Remix)" (2014)

Guest appearances

• Lootpack - "Level Zero", "Wanna Test", and "Episodes" from (1999)
• Quasimoto - "24-7" from The Unseen (2000)
• Madlib - "Please Set Me at Ease" from Shades of Blue (2003)
• Wildchild - "Knicknack 2002" and "Feel It" from Secondary Protocol (2003)
• Madvillain - "Raid" from Madvillainy (2004)
• Oh No - "The Ride" from The Disrupt (2004)
• Quasimoto - "The Exclusive" from The Further Adventures of Lord Quas (2005)
• Oh No - "Keep It Lit" from Exodus into Unheard Rhythms (2006)
• J Dilla - "Jungle Love" from The Shining (2006)
• Guilty Simpson - "The Future" from Ode to the Ghetto (2008)
• Gangrene - "Breathing Down Yo Neck" from Gutter Water (2010)
• Quakers - "Fitta Happier" from Quakers (2012)
• Oh No - "Jones's" from Disrupted Ads (2013)
• Blu - "Brown Sugar" from Good to Be Home (2014)
• Lucio Bukowski & Declaime - "Personal History" from Aucun Potentiel Commercial (2017)
• Blu & Oh No - "Boogie to Flex" and "Made the Call" from A Long Red Hot Los Angeles Summer Night (2019)

Notes and References

1. Web site: M.E.D., ‘Classic’ (Stones Throw). Spin. Mosi. Reeves. November 1, 2011. November 20, 2015.
2. Web site: MED "Classic (feat. Talib Kweli)". XLR8R. Patric. Fallon. July 1, 2010. November 21, 2015.
3. Web site: Watch: Oxnard Rapper MED Celebrates His Medical Marijuana Card in New Video for Stones Throw. LA Weekly. Chris. Martins. August 23, 2010. November 20, 2015.
4. Web site: MED: Push Comes To Shove. The A.V. Club. Nathan. Rabin. July 1, 2005. November 20, 2015.
5. Web site: M.E.D.: As Universal As Heartache. NPR. John. Murph. January 18, 2012. November 21, 2015.
6. Web site: MED - Biography. AllMusic. Marisa. Brown. November 20, 2015.
7. Web site: MED dips into his private sonic stash on new Stones Throw record. Los Angeles Times. Jeff. Weiss. October 26, 2011. November 21, 2015.
8. Web site: MED - Push Come to Shove. AllMusic. John. Bush. November 20, 2015.
9. Web site: M.E.D.: Push Comes to Shove. Pitchfork. Ryan. Dombal. June 15, 2005. November 20, 2015.
10. Web site: M.E.D.: Classic. Pitchfork. Nate. Patrin. November 29, 2011. November 20, 2015.
11. Web site: M.E.D.: Classic. Exclaim!. Aaron. Matthews. November 1, 2011. November 20, 2015.
12. Web site: Axel F.: Theme Music. Exclaim!. Kevin. Jonex. November 25, 2014. November 20, 2015.
13. Web site: MED, Blu & Madlib: Bad Neighbor. PopMatters. Marshall. Gu. November 3, 2015. November 20, 2015.
14. Web site: MED, Blu & Madlib Team Up on 'Bad Neighbor,' Share MF Doom Collaboration. Exclaim!. Josiah. Hughes. September 22, 2015. November 20, 2015.
15. Web site: Madlib, M.E.D., and Blu Reunite for New The Turn Up EP. Pitchfork. Michelle. Kim. November 17, 2017. March 4, 2018.