Before R. Kelly released his over-the-top 'rap opera' ("Trapped in the Closet"), there was Grandmaster Grimm's "Downfall of Ibilys," a jazz-inflected work and a decidedly subtler take on the form. Not that the legendary underground MC can't get nasty: Grimm's recent "Special Herbs and Spices" collab with MF Doom is deliriously tart-tongued and unsparing.
Born and raised in Manhattan, MF Grimm's name has been buzzing around the NYC hiphop circuit since the early 90s. Then known The Grimm Reaper, he was one half of "The Gravediggaz" (not to be confused with Wu-Tang's spin-off group with the same name). Grimm and his DJ, Roc Raida (of the X-ecutioners), reeked havoc in the music industry. Spitting fire alongside Kool G Rap and KMD, Grimm was a seasoned battle MC, placing at the World Supremacy Battle of 1993. That year, he released his first 12ï¿? single So Whatcha Want N----? and performed at the Jack The Rapper convention on Execution Night, sharing the stage with Lady of Rage, Tupac, and Dogg Pound, in Atlanta with Roc Raida as his DJ and Fat Man Scoop as his hypeman. He was approached by several major labels and about to embark on his superstar journey when he was shot several times in an attempt at his life the following year. The wounds blinded, deafened and paralyzed him from the neck down. Miraculously, Grimm recovered from most of his injury but remains confined to a wheelchair. During his hospitalization, he wrote the underground classic Scars and Memories. He went on to release several 12" singles on Bobitto's Fondle 'Em label and also collaborated with MF Doom on an EP released by Brick Records.
In the late 90s, he founded his label/international distribution company, Day By Day Entertainment. Grimm put time and money into releasing independent artists. One of the projects he largely played a role in was MF Doomï¿?s Operation Doomsday which is still recognized as one of the best underground hiphop albums of all time. Around the same time, he put together his Godzilla-inspired MC collective, Monsta Island Czars (M.I.C.).
The year 2000 marked the release of Grimmï¿?s own long-awaited debut album The Downfall of Ibliys: A Ghetto Opera. Grimm completed this album in 24 hours. He has since completed his sophomore album Digital Tears: E-mail from Purgatory under his M.I.C. moniker Jet Jaguar. He also released Special Herbs and Spices Volume 1, a full-length album of Grimm rhymes over Doom beats. With over a decade under his belt, MF is now also known as GM (Grand Master) Grimm.
Grimm is currently juggling his business skills and his creativity: expanding Day By Day Entertainment to while working on his upcoming album American Hunger.