Reef the Lost Cauze facts for kids

Sharif Talib Lacey, known by his stage name Reef the Lost Cauze, is an American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He became well-known in the underground music scene in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Reef gained fame by winning many rap battles in New York and other states. People admired his amazing skills as an MC, which means a master of ceremonies or a rapper.

Reef released his first album, The High Life, in 2001. Later, in 2003, he teamed up with friends to release The Invisible Empire. This album was highly praised and helped him become famous among hip hop fans. In 2005, he released Feast or Famine, which also received good reviews. Reef is also part of two hip hop groups: JuJu Mob and Army of the Pharaohs. With Army of the Pharaohs, he released The ... Papers in 2006.

Reef's Music Journey

How Reef Started (1998-2000)

Sharif Lacey was born in West Philadelphia. He started his hip hop journey as a very strong battle-rap MC. From a young age, Reef loved acting in plays and performing. He fell in love with hip hop when he was eight years old and has been rapping ever since.

By the time he was in high school, Reef was known as a fierce battle rapper. He would join any rap circle he found. He started thinking about a serious music career when he got a scholarship to Philadelphia's University of the Arts. He was studying film there. Reef began to improve his songwriting and live performances. He won against opponents in many places, from schoolyards to professional contests. In 2000, at age 19, Reef left college to focus completely on his music. He realized that hip hop was his true calling.

First Albums: The High Life and Invisible Empire (2001-2004)

In early 2002, Reef started working with Philadelphia producer Sleep E. They recorded his first solo album, The High Life, which came out in 2002. This 10-song album opened many doors for Reef. He began performing at local clubs and received praise from fans and the media.

In February 2003, Reef released his second album, Invisible Empire. This 18-song album was sold by Reef himself during his national tours. In 2003, he won the Mic Check Battle in Philadelphia. After that, he traveled to Oakland, California, and took second place in the Blaze Freestyle Battle. Reef said that the first year of his recording career helped him grow a lot. He felt more comfortable trying new things as a musician.

Reef explained that he wanted to take chances with his rhythm and flow. He lost all fear. The High Life had simple song ideas. But with Invisible Empire, he focused on strong, full beats. This second album helped him share his thoughts and observations. Invisible Empire made his name known in Philadelphia's underground rap scene. However, it was the regional and national rap battles that really boosted his career. He eventually signed a record deal with Eastern Conference and Good Hands.

In early 2004, Reef continued to freestyle. He gave a great performance at the Beat Society production competition in New York. He also won the Riddle Records/Music & Strength Mic Control 3 battle, taking home $10,000. He was also the End Of The Weak Challenge Champion in July 2004. He then won the EOW Grand Championship title in 2005.

New Projects: Feast or Famine, JuJu Mob, and Army of the Pharaohs (2005-2007)

Reef announced he was working on a new project. He said he was putting "a lot of life and business experiences into it." This project became his third album, Feast Or Famine. Reef felt that fans would truly connect with him through this album. Reef said, "This album shows me at my best. I know who I am as a person and as an artist. I feel like a professional this time." He added that the beats were more powerful. Even though the mood was a bit darker, the songs had a message everyone could understand.

Feast or Famine was released in 2005. It featured the song "Fair One," which included rapper Sean Price. After his third album, Reef released some local mixtapes. He also had success working with other artists. He joined the Philadelphia group JuJu Mob, who released their album Black Candles in 2005. He also joined the underground super-group Army of the Pharaohs in 2006. This group was led by Jedi Mind Tricks frontman Vinnie Paz. Reef was featured on their albums The ... Papers and Ritual of Battle.

Later Albums (2008-2013)

In 2008, Reef released his fifth album, The Stress Files. This album was fully produced by Stress the White Boy. He also returned for Army of the Pharaohs' third album, The Unholy ..., in 2010.

On October 25, 2011, Reef released Your Favorite MC. This album was made with the production team Snowgoons. It was released on Goon MuSick and iHipHop Distribution. The Snowgoons produced every song on the album.

Reef announced he was working on a new version of his first album, The High Life. This new version was called High Life 2013. It was his fifth studio album and came out on December 17, 2013. It was both a re-release and a sequel to The High Life.

Discography

Studio albums

• The High Life (2001)
• Invisible Empire (2003)
• Feast or Famine (2005)
• A Vicious Cycle (2008)
• High Life 2013 (2013)
• The Majestic (2018)
• The Triumphant (2024)

Collaborative albums

• Black Candles (with JuJu Mob) (2005)
• The ... Papers (with Army of the Pharaohs) (2006)
• Ritual of Battle (with Army of the Pharaohs) (2007)
• The Stress Files (Produced by Stress The White Boy) (2008)
• The Unholy ... (with Army of the Pharaohs) (2010)
• Fight Music (Produced by Guns-N-Butter) (2010)
• Your Favorite MC (Produced by Snowgoons) (2011)
• Year of the Hyenas (with King Syze) (2014)
• The Fast Way (Produced by Emynd) (2014)
• In Death Reborn (with Army of the Pharaohs) (2014)
• Heavy Lies the Crown (with Army of the Pharaohs) (2014)
• Furious Styles (Produced by Bear-One) (2016)
• The Airing of Grievances (Produced by Haj of Dumhi) (2020)
• Reef the Lost Cauze Iz Alive (Produced by Caliph-Now) (2022)
• ... Row (with King Syze, OuterSpace & Snowgoons) (2025)