New York City-based rapper and producer El-Producto, best known as simply El-P, earned a name for himself in the city's underground hip-hop scene as one-third of Company Flow. Along with DJ Mr. Len and Bigg Jus, he brought Company Flow from an underground group to a critically acclaimed and eventually mainstream act with its 1997 record Funcrusher Plus. El-P released his debut solo album Fantastic Damage, in 2002 and followed up with his 2007 record, I'll Sleep When You're Dead. Featuring various contributing rappers, as well as a wide range of other artists such as The Mars Volta, Cat Power and Nine Inch Nails, El-P's sophomore album solidified him as a premier producer and hip-hop artist.