Duke Montana

Duke Montana, stage name of Duke Barker, better known as Grind Muzik Rap King or The King of Rap is an Italian-American rapper, actor, author and businessman. He collaborated with several Italian and American rappers, including Snoop Dogg, Kool G Rap, Lil Ortega, Onyx, Club Dogo, Fabri Fibra, Wu-Tang Clan, Coolio, and Ice-T. He is the father of the Multi-Platinum producer Sick Luke.

Personal life and early career Duke Montana was born in Rome to an American father and Italian mother. In the early years of his life he lived in Santa Ana, Los Angeles. In the early 1990s, when he was fourteen, Montana founded his first hip-hop collective, Power Mc's, together with the producer Ice One and Julie P. with which he released the Power to the People LP. He also collaborated with important members of the American rap scene including Onyx, Ice-T, Wu-Tang Clan and starred in the film Le amiche del cuore, directed by Michele Placido, playing the role of himself.

Career In 2011, Montana released the album Grind Music II, self-produced and distributed by Edel Music. In the same year he published his further album, Stay Gold, produced by Sick Luke. It included collaboration with the American hip-hop group Onyx ("Bloodsport"), Club Dogo ("Carta Viola"), Fabri Fibra ("Alphabet Killers"), and other mainstream and underground rappers. In 2012, he recorded the track "Smashin' (Italian Remix)" featuring Onyx and The Beatnuts. Currently he is the president of Golden Age Biz, his personal label, which has a partnership with Sony BMG for distribution and Live Nation Entertainment for his live tours. It also deals with the production of Black Barz and other emerging underground rappers. On 15 July 2012, Montana opened the first and the only Italian date of the American rapper Wiz Khalifa, in Milan, together with Fedez.

Cinema 1992 – Le amiche del cuore directed by Michele Placido. 2016 – Zeta, film

Discography Albums 1991 – Power to the People (Power Mc's) 2000 – Atlantis Land – Virgin Records 2008 – Ministero dell'Inferno (Truceklan) – Propaganda Records 2008 – Street Mentality – Propaganda Records 2010 – Grind Muzik Mixtape – Propaganda Records 2012 – Grind Muzik II prod. Don Joe, Shablo, Sick Luke – Edel Music 2012 – Stay Gold prod. Don Joe and Sick Luke – Sony BMG 2013 – Black Barz Mixtape – Golden Age Label 2014 – Grind Muzik 3 Mixtape – Sony BMG 2016 – Raw – Sony BMG 2018 – Grind Muzik 4 – Kazal

Single tracks 2000 – Atlantis World 2000 – Da Hip Hop Witch (soundtrack) 2006 – Lovin' Lola (Summer Hits 2006) 2009 – Diss Track feat. Truceklan

Collaborations