{{short description|American rapper (born 1982)}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Ali Vegas | image = | caption = Vegas in 2020 | birth_name = Ollie Bruce Williams<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/search/workID/914395157 |title=BETTER OFF |website=ASCAP |publisher=American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers |access-date=May 1, 2023}}</ref> | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1982|02|22}} | origin = Queens, New York City, U.S. | genre = {{hlist|East Coast hip hop|hardcore hip hop}} | occupation = Rapper | years_active = 1999–present | label = {{hlist|Columbia|Casablanca|Council|Rich Soil|Alpha Beta Paper}} | website = {{URL|https://twitter.com/iamalivegas}} }}
'''Ollie Bruce Williams''' (born February 22, 1982), better known by his stage name, '''Ali Vegas''', is an American rapper from Queens, New York and founder of the record labels Council Recordings and Rich Soil Entertainment. After two failed deals with major record labels, Vegas frequently performed on underground mixtapes and established his own record labels. He is also the younger cousin of two-time NBA champion Lamar Odom.
==Biography== He entered the New York City hip-hop scene around the late 1990s.<ref name="allmusic"/> Onyx and Panama P.I. mentored him when he was young. Vegas's tracks, one of which featured Capone, appeared on mixtapes. He signed to Columbia Records in the early 2000s, and his first single "Theme of N.Y." was released in December 2000.<ref name="Rising Stars">{{citation|last=Kenon|first=Marci|title=New Breed 2001: Hip-Hop's Newest Stars|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rRAEAAAAMBAJ|work=Billboard|date=December 9, 2000|volume=112|issue=50|page=60}}</ref> Trackmasters lost their distribution deal with Columbia Records, so he signed to Tommy Mottola's new label Casablanca Records, which never achieved mainstream success. After failing to release a full-length LP on any of this first three major labels, Vegas founded his independent label Council Recordings.<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p440717/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title=Ali Vegas > Biography|last=Cordor|first=Cyril|year=2007|publisher=allmusic|accessdate=2009-03-20}}</ref> At a benefit concert hosted by New York hip-hop radio station Hot 97, rapper Fabolous verbally attacked Vegas on stage.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1451381/20011210/ludacris.jhtml|title=Ludacris, Fabolous, Red/Meth, LL Cool J Spread The Love At Hot 97 Benefit|last=Reid|first=Shaheem|date=2001-12-10|publisher=MTV News|access-date=July 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011212120619/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1451381/20011210/ludacris.jhtml|archive-date=2001-12-12|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Vegas frequently participated in rap mixtapes, with noted street releases such as "The AV Theme", produced by Kanye West.<ref name="allmusic"/> He composed a song for DJ Boom's ''Boomtown'' in 2003.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1469884/20030210/50_cent.jhtml|title=DJ Boom|last=Reid|first=Shaheem|date=2003-02-10|work=Mixtape Mondays|publisher=MTV News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030220213035/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1469884/20030210/50_cent.jhtml|archive-date=2003-02-20|access-date=July 15, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2005, he and basketball player Lamar Odom founded Rich Soil Entertainment, based on Vegas's rap lyric “I'm from the land of rich soil, expect the branches to follow.”<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/31/sports/basketball/31hoops.html?pagewanted=all|title=Tested by Hardship, Odom Presses On With a Survivor's Instinct |last=Robbins|first=Liz|date=2006-12-31|work=The New York Times|accessdate=2009-03-20}}</ref> Rich Soil intended to release Ali Vegas's official solo debut album.<ref name="allmusic"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/mixtape_monday/012207/|title=Amerie Drops Mixtape 'Love'; Styles P Goes It Alone|last=Reid|first=Shaheem|author2=Patel, Joseph|date=January 22, 2007|work=Mixtape Mondays|publisher=MTV News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070124105907/http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/mixtape_monday/012207/|archive-date=January 24, 2007|accessdate=July 15, 2018}}</ref>
In April 2010, Ali Vegas released his latest mixtape ''Veganomics''. In an interview with hip hop website Icon Hip Hop, he discussed his latest business ventures outside of music.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://iconhiphop.com/?p=506|title=Exclusive Ali Vegas Interview|last=Icon|first=The|date=2010-08-18|work=Interviews|publisher=Icon Hip Hop|accessdate=2010-08-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160215231538/http://iconhiphop.com/?p=506|archive-date=2016-02-15|url-status=dead}}</ref>
According to his official Facebook fan page, in May 2011, Ali Vegas returned to the music scene this time teaming up with Sydney based production team Sound Kamp, which is made up of The Iron Ghost & P.R to release a six-track album titled Bridging the Gap.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rhymeandreason.com.au/blog/2011/05/02/ali-vegas-x-soundkamp-bridging-the-gap/|title=Ali Vegas x SoundKamp 'Bridging The Gap|last=Di Francesco|first=Dominic|date=2011-05-02|work=Music|publisher=Rhyme and Reason|accessdate=2011-05-02|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120911063914/http://www.rhymeandreason.com.au/blog/2011/05/02/ali-vegas-x-soundkamp-bridging-the-gap/|archive-date=2012-09-11|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Discography==
;Albums *''Generation Gap'' (Unreleased) (1999) *''Generation Gap 2: The Prequel'' (2008) *''Veganomics'' (Alpha Beta Paper, 2010) *''AutoVegography'' (2010) *''Bridging the Gap'' (2011)
;Mixtapes *''Whatevers Whatever'' (1999) *''Heir to the Throne'' (1999) *''The Rebirth of the Price Hosted By DJ Big Mike'' (2002) *''Million Dollar Baby'' (2004) *''The Best of Ali Vegas Vol. 1'' (2005) *''Black Card Council'' (2006) *''The Best of Ali Vegas Vol. 2'' (2006) *''I Got My Glow Back Hosted By Superstar Jay'' (2007) *''America's Prince'' (2008) *''Leader of the New School Hosted By Statik Selektah'' (2008) *''Transition to Power Hosted By Superstar Jay'' (2009)
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.twitter.com/therealalivegas/ Ali Vegas] on Twitter
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vegas, Ali}} Category:1982 births Category:Columbia Records artists Category:21st-century African-American male rappers Category:21st-century American male rappers Category:20th-century American male rappers Category:20th-century American rappers Category:Rappers from Queens, New York Category:Underground rappers Category:Living people Category:East Coast hip-hop musicians Category:Hardcore hip-hop artists Category:21st-century American rappers Category:21st-century African-American rappers Category:20th-century African-American musicians