Tricky

Beginning as a member of the Massive Attack collective, Tricky released his own major claim to greatness, MAXINQUAYE, in 1995. The down-tempo grooves, husky rapping, and general air of menace all became hallmarks of the genre known as trip-hop, but Tricky's reworking of Public Enemy's "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" showed that beneath the hypnotic beats lay danger. In the wake of his debut's overwhelming success, Tricky has taken pains not to repeat himself or court stardom. Thus, his post-MAXINQUAYE output has been increasingly dark, atmospheric, and almost wilfully demanding of listeners.

• electronic
• big beat
• trip hop
• 1990s
• 2000s