In 2005,
Linkin Park MC Mike Shinoda created a side project entitled Fort Minor along with his hip hop ensemble, Styles of Beyond. Creating a sound signature to their name which fuses rap, rock, and electronic music, they received major praise with their hit single “Where’d You Go” which peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. Rather than naming the project after himself, Shinoda chose the moniker Fort Minor to ensure a completely new and unknown identity by concealing his own. The name supposedly embodies the dynamic of opposites in the words “fort” repres
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enting the aggressiveness of music and “minor” the darker yet softer aspect.
The debut album, The Rising Tied, which was issued in late 2005 features guest appearances by artists Lupe Fiasco,
Common, The Roots,
John Legend, Black Thought, Ghostface Killah, Eric Bobo from
Cypress Hill, and Holly Brook, a new artist on his Machine Shop label. With rapper
Jay-Z contributing as executive producer, Shinoda also played a major role in the production of the album and is credited for all the songwriting and playing of instruments. The album peaked at number 25 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop chart and at 51 on the Billboard 200. The promotional music video for “Where’d You Go” reached number one on MTV’s TRL while the song won the 2006 MTV Video Music Award for Ringtone of the Year. Other notable singles from the album include “
Remember the Name”, “Petrified”, and “Believe Me” which are all expected to issue accompanying music videos.
