where ya at?

While combing through the tundra that is Youtube, I've come across a ton of hip-hop videos from defunct artists whose whereabouts are unknown. This poses a bit of a dire problem since their services are needed now more than ever in this climate of poorly executed rap music (i.e. "Laffy Taffy," "It's Hard Out Here For a Pimp"). Here's a list of hip-hop groups and emcees who need to get over their first time failures and kick a little skill in the game:

Name: Da Bush Babees
Bio: Aligned themselves with Jermaine Dupri for debut album "Ambushed," which scored two respectable singles. They had enough clout to drop the midget and hook up with the Native Tongues for their sophomore record. Some guy named Mos Def was on that record, too.

Name: B.U.M.S.
Bio: Despite the fact they were rocking an acronym name three years after it was cool, the B.U.M.S. (or Brothas Unda Mad Stress) released a hot album in the form of "Lyfe N Tyme." They were the buzz of the west coast and that's pretty much all.

Name: Bahamadia
Bio: The lone female link between DJ Premier and the Roots, Philly thoroughbred Bahamadia has one of the best hip-hop albums with 1996's "Kollage." Period.

Name: Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs
Bio: An early underground sensation, Ed O.G. spit conscious raps that was seemingly inspired by marathons of "A Different World." I'd imagine his journalist counterpart is Kevin Powell. Anyway, a few years ago he had a hot single produced by Pete Rock showing that nearly 15 years later, he could still take cats out.

Name: Masta Ace Inc.
Bio: Masta Ace is still around and probably putting out the best music of his career, yet his most relevant music were the two albums he released with Leshea, Lord Digga and Paula Perry, collectively known as Masta Ace Incorporated. "Sittin' On Chrome" and "Slaughtahouse" bridge the brashness of east coast emcees with the occasionally smoothed out, mostly bass heavy sounds of the west coast.

Name: Anotha Level
Bio: A bunch of Ice Cube's cousins got together to form a supergroup of mediocre rappers who rap over good beats. They were like the Pharcyde-lite, and as is such, I see a better chance of getting these guys together than reuniting the original four members of the 'Cyde.

Name: Boss
Bio: A tough female gangsta rapper from the early 90's. I'm too scared to make fun of her, but she had an awesome single called "Recipie of a Hoe" that's just classic.

Name: Rappin' 4-Tay
Bio: Unlike most of his Yay Area counterparts, Rappin' 4-Tay (nee: Anthony Forte) was a little bit more smoothed out and thus, easier to listen to. You might remember his slick, slick single "Playaz Club."

Name: Smoothe Da Hustla & Trigga Da Gambla
Bio: Known mostly for their duet "Broken Language," brother duo Smoothe and Trigga were pretty strong emcees in their own right. They rapped about drugs, guns and all that other stuff that Mobb Deep did, but they were a little bit more inept with their word play and style.

Name: Camp Lo
Bio: If these guys were still putting out records now, they'd be the hipsters of hip-hop. They embraced the 70's style like it's nobody's business. On top of that, they got guest spots from De La, Kid Capri, and Rev. Run on their first album, but this was back in 1997, so you know they were hangin' tough (word to New Kids).