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Billy Woods is an American rapper and the founder of Backwoodz Studioz, an independent record label known for its avant-garde approach to hip-hop. Born between 1977 and 1979 in Washington, D.C., he was raised by a Jamaican mother and a Zimbabwean father involved in anti-colonial activism. His early life in Zimbabwe and return to the US in the late 1980s profoundly influenced his music, which often addresses themes of diaspora, identity, and political struggle. He began his musical career in the late 1990s, co-founding Backwoodz Studioz in 2002. His debut solo album, Camouflage, was released that same year. Throughout the 2000s, he was part of the duo Super Chron Flight Brothers and later collaborated with Elucid to form Armand Hammer. His 2012 album, History Will Absolve Me, revitalised his career and became a cult classic in underground hip-hop. His discography includes notable solo projects such as Dour Candy (2013), Known Unknowns (2017), Hiding Places (2019), and Aethiopes (2022). His collaborations with producer Kenny Segal resulted in the concept album Maps (2023), which received critical acclaim for its introspective and politically charged lyrics. In 2025, he released GOLLIWOG, featuring production from the likes of Shabaka Hutchings, The Alchemist, among others.
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