Genres: Rap/Hip HopHell Rell, born Durrell Muhammad, was born and raised in the Bronx. Rell started his career with the band, The Diplomats. He released his first solo mixtape, Streets Wanna Know, which promised to launch a successful solo career, but that would have to wait on a prison sentence.
Hell Rell
With a conversational delivery and a raspy bark that simultaneously straddles scorn, humor, and pain, the Bronx native bleeds personality on his solo debut...
The Beginning
Hell Rell, born Durrell Muhammad, was born and raised in the Bronx. Rell started his career with the band, The Diplomats. He released his first solo mixtape, Streets Wanna Know, which promised to launch a successful solo career, but that would have to wait on a prison sentence. Serving two years in prison on drug charges, Rell postponed a solo career but was still able to contribute to The Diplomats' album by rapping lyrics into the prison phone.
In 2007, he signed with Koch Records and released his debut solo album, For the Hell of It, which reached #5 on Billboard's Top Rap Charts and #10 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop album charts. Hell Rell is currently suing Koch Records (now E1) for allegedly holding royalties from Fort the Hell of it that had been owed to Rell in the amount of ten million dollars.
Building a Solo Career
Hell Rell continued his prolific career with an album in 2008 (Black Mask, Black Gloves), followed by four albums in 2009 (Get in Line or Get Lined Up, Hard as Hell, Hell up in the Bronx, and Live from Hell). By 2009, Rell had released five mixtapes as well, and was seeing success and popularity in mp3 downloads as well as record sales. Despite his albums' failures to hit the Billboard charts, Rell was enjoying a rapidly growing popularity.
Along with rappers Maino, Saigon, and Uncle Murda, Hell Rell performed in a tribute concert honoring Mike Beck, a hip hop artist from Brooklyn who had been shot and killed. Beck was an associate of another rapper, Fat Joe; apparently, Beck has been killed during a botched burglary.
Hell Rell in 2010
Popularity and stardom have grown for Rell since breaking out on his own. His fans esteem him as a rapper who creates images of everyday life in New York City and on the street with his lyrics. His fan base has grown, as is proven by the web traffic received on his website and the hits on his videos and hits on his music videos.
While his most recent album was released at the end of 2009, he has not been idle. He has already released a mixtape, Bullpen Therapy Out on Bail Vol. 1,this year. He has made a number of videos, which are accessible on a number of different websites, along with mp3 downloads of singles and mixtapes. Rell has worked with other rappers, including Cam'ron, A-Mafia, and Jay-Z on a number of videos that have been released. These and other rappers make appearances on his videos, albums, and mixtapes.
Did you know that . . .
Hell Rell runs a film company called Hell's Vision. No movie has been released, but there are projects in the works.
Rell is the father of three girls.
Hell Rell grew up without his father, but the two were reunited in 2000, and now they remain close.