N.O.R.E.

Victor James Santiago, Jr. (born September 6, 1977), better known by his stage names N.O.R.E. and Noreaga, is an American rapper and broadcaster. Born and raised in Queens, New York, Santiago first rose to prominence as one half of the East Coast hip hop duo Capone-N-Noreaga (C-N-N), which he formed in 1995 with fellow Queens-based rapper Capone. The duo released five studio albums, briefly disbanding after their second to pursue solo careers. Santiago signed with Penalty Recordings as a solo artist to release his self-titled debut studio album in 1998. It peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top 40 single "Superthug" (featuring the Neptunes). He followed up with his second album, Melvin Flynt – Da Hustler (1999) before signing with Def Jam Recordings to release his third album, God's Favorite (2002). Matching his debut in chart position, it was supported by the single "Nothin'" (featuring Pharrell), which peaked at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains his highest-charting song. Outside of music, Santiago is the co-host (with DJ EFN) of the talk show/podcast Drink Champs, which centers around celebrity interviews. The show has been described as "T... ()