Reef the Lost Cauze

Born Sharif Lacey in West Philadelphia, Reef the Lost Cauze came up in hip-hop as a lethal battle-rap MC. He defeated opponents in all types of venues, from school grounds to grimy back alleys to professional competitions. In 2000, despite obtaining a scholarship, he quit film school after only the first year to involve himself more in hip-hop music. His first two albums, The High Life (2002) and Invisible Empire (2003), were released locally and put his name on the map for Philadelphia's underground rap scene. Nonetheless, it was the regional and national battle-rap competiti...