Sha Stimuli facts for kids

Sha Stimuli, whose real name is Sherod Khaalis, was born on August 9, 1978. He is a talented rapper from Brooklyn, New York City. He became well-known for his mixtape releases, which are like collections of songs. His first mixtape, Let Me Show You the Way, came out in 2002. This helped him get noticed by Source Magazine.

Sha Stimuli is related to other musicians. His cousin is Dre Knight, and his older brother is the producer and rapper Lord Digga. Through his brother, he met famous Brooklyn rappers like Notorious B.I.G. and Masta Ace.

Early Life and Music Journey

Sha Stimuli learned a lot about music from his older brother, Lord Digga. His brother was a producer for famous artists like Notorious B.I.G. Lord Digga often brought young Sha Stimuli to recording studios. These visits inspired him to become a rapper himself.

When he was only 14, Stimuli, using the name Kid Dynamite, was featured on Masta Ace's album SlaughtaHouse. Before focusing completely on music, Stimuli also loved basketball. He played at Brooklyn Technical High School and even played NCAA Division 1 college basketball in Iowa. In 1997, he studied at Delaware State University. During this time, he also worked as an intern at Roc-A-Fella Records, which brought him even closer to his dream of making music.

Music Career Highlights

While in college, Stimuli became known for his skills in freestyle rap battles. He started releasing mixtapes in 2002. His first tape, Let Me Show You the Way, helped him get recognized in many music magazines and websites.

A few years later, Stimuli signed with Virgin Records. He planned to release his first official album, Thee Emotion Picture, in 2007. He worked with famous producers like Just Blaze and Nottz at Baseline Studios. However, the album's release stopped because of problems at Virgin Records. In early 2008, legal issues between Virgin Records and Def Jam left Sha Stimuli without a management team or a record label.

In 2008, Sha Stimuli and his childhood friend DJ Victorious started an exciting project. They decided to release one mixtape every month for a whole year! Each mixtape had a special theme. Some were about politics, like March On Washington, and others were about relationships, like Love Jones and The Breakup. This project helped him gain a lot of attention from fans. In October 2008, Sha Stimuli was also featured on the song "Destined to Shine" from Statik Selektah's album Stick 2 the Script.

First Album Release

Sha Stimuli released his first official album, My Soul to Keep, on October 27, 2009. It was released with Chambermusik Records / El Distribution. The first song from the album, "Move Back," featured rappers Freeway and Young Chris. This song was produced by Just Blaze. The album was very well-received by music critics.

Music in 2012

On January 23, 2012, Sha Stimuli released The Calling. This was the first EP (Extended Play) from his "The Rent Tape" series. This series was similar to his 2008 project, where he released 12 EPs in 12 months.

Return to Music in 2016

After taking a break from the music industry for four years, Sha Stimuli returned on September 27, 2016. He released a new song called "Sticks and Stones." He also announced that he signed with 10 Minutes Late Records. This label planned to release his new album, "Lazarus," in 2017.

On December 11, 2016, Sha Stimuli continued his return to music. He released another new song titled "New Jordans/A Poem for Mike." This song was produced by Just Blaze and Needlz and was met with positive feedback from fans.

Sha Stimuli's Music

Studio Albums

• 2009: My Soul To Keep
• 2011: Unsung Vol. 1: The Garden of Eden
• 2017: Lazarus

Mixtapes

• 2003: Switch Sides
• 2007: The Present & the Future
• 2007: The Best of Me
• 2007: The Rehab
• 2008: The Wire
• 2008: Love Jones
• 2008: March on Washington
• 2008: The Secret
• 2008: While You Were Sleeping
• 2008: Hotter Than July (A Tribute to Stevie Wonder)
• 2008: Verses the World
• 2008: March On Washington (Election Edition)
• 2008: The Funeral
• 2008: Never or Now EP
• 2008: Please Download My Demo
• 2008: The Break-Up
• 2010: Overtime: My Soul to Keep
• 2011: The Break-Up Pt. 2: The Proposal

EPs

• 2012: The Calling
• 2012: The Chills
• 2012: The March
• 2012: The TrueMan Show
• 2012: The Emcee
• 2012: The Old Me: How I Met Your Baby Mother
• 2012: The New Me: Sherod Khaalis
• 2012: The Savior
• 2012: The 9.2.5
• 2012: The Upper Room
• 2012: The Motion Soundtrack
• 2012: The Present

Guest Appearances

Sha Stimuli has also been featured on songs by many other artists. Here is a list of some of his guest appearances: