Kool G Rap, born Nathaniel Thomas Wilson, is a pioneering rapper from Queens, New York, widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of mafioso rap. He rose to prominence in the late 1980s as part of the duo Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, releasing influential albums on Cold Chillin' Records. His intricate rhyme schemes and street narratives had a profound influence on artists such as Rakim, Jay-Z, and Nas. He has collaborated with numerous respected figures in hip-hop throughout a career spanning several decades.