Chicago native and self-styled street poet Lateefa celebrated her 17th birthday in 1997, unaware that a guest at her party, Rashawnna Guy, would soon become her tightest partner in friendship as well as in a mutual pursuit for hip-hop stardom. Rashawnna, or Shawnna, as she's known, is the daughter of blues impresario Buddy Guy and was inspired by rappers Nas, Ice Cube, and the Wu-Tang Clan as she honed her skills in the subways and underground clubs of Chicago. Lateefa, or Teefa, used her writing skills to conceive raps that she worked on over beats her cousin supplied. As a duo, Shawnna and Teefa met with overwhelming homegrown support, and when their demo made waves on local radio, they inked a deal with Relativity Records. 1998 saw Infamous Syndicate tour as part of the Lyricist Lounge, receiving critical acclaim as the premiere female duo representing hip-hop from Chicago. ~ Roxanne Blanford, Rovi
