Queens-bred MC Yak Ballz has not only outlasted many of his contemporaries, but tagged his name in bold, permanent ink on the global hip-hop soundscape with his hyper-creative, ever-evolving brand of songwriting. A founding member of the juggernaut Weathermen, Yak impacted the hip-hop world with a slew of bar-setting releases in the early part of the new millennium, setting the stage for the introspective MC he is today. Michael Cusenza