Slaine

American rapper

George Carroll, better known as Slaine, is an American rapper and actor. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, where he spent his childhood and teenage years, Carroll moved to New York City in the mid-1990s, where he adopted the moniker of Slaine and started to rap and record hip-hop. In the early 2000s, Carroll became a growing figure in the Boston hip-hop scene, releasing several mixtapes, and the LP Stereotypez (2007) with his group Special Teamz. Later, A Brand You Can Trust (2009) was released, by the rap supergroup La Coka Nostra, where Carroll is joined by Ill Bill, and House of Pain. Carroll’s first solo album A World With No Skies 2.0. (2011) peaked at 33 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums it, 22 on the Top Rap Albums, 29 on US Independent Albums, and 4 on Top Heatseekers.

George Carroll was born in Boston, Massachusetts. His family often moved between the neighborhoods of South Boston, Dorchester, and Roslindale. He started writing rap lyrics in 1986, being influenced by the Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, and Kool Moe Dee. However, his first goal was to become a filmmaker. Carroll said that he moved to New York City in 1996. During this time he studied film at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, but was let go after getting into an altercation with a staff member. Carroll turned his direction toward hip-hop performing his raps at open-mike sessions and street corners. Eventually while recording a demo in the studio of the rap group Lordz of Brooklyn, Carroll said that member Kaves nicknamed him Slaine after an Irish comic book character. Afterward, Carroll lived between Boston and New York.