Christian rapper Prime Minister was born Andre Ford in Rockford, Illinois. Growing up on the streets of Chicago, he was once tried for attempted murder, and spent time both in prison and in a psychiatric ward. He turned to performing in 1986, opening tour dates for acts including Bobby Brown, Ice Cube, De La Soul, and the Geto Boys. Becoming a born-again Christian, Prime Minister continued honing his skills in the relative anonymity of Rockford, taking top honors in a series of contests and winning the local RAMA Award for Best Rap/Hip-Hop artist in 1996 and 1997. His debut album, Prime Time, followed on the Grapetree label in 1999. Inside Out was issued in fall 2000. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi