Slaine

George Carroll (born 1977), better known as Slaine, is an American hip hop MC and actor. He is best known for his work in the groups Special Teamz (with Edo G, Jaysaun and DJ Jayceeoh) and La Coka Nostra (with Danny Boy, Everlast, Ill Bill, DJ Lethal and formerly Big Left). Slaine has appeared on several solo mixtapes and compilations, the Special Teamz album Stereotypez and La Coka Nostra's album A Brand You Can Trust. His debut solo album, A World With No Skies, saw release in August 2011, and he is also working on albums with both of his groups. --- Slaine was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. He became interested in hip-hop after hearing the early works of House of Pain, Gangstarr and Edo G. Upon moving to New York City when he was eighteen years of age, Slaine became active in that city's burgeoning underground hip-hop scene. Slaine began rapping at age 9, and after moving to New York as a young man, began recording while managing night clubs to make ends meet. Slaine hooked up with hip hop legend MC Shan, and through a chance recording session at the Lordz of Brooklyn studio, was introduced to Danny Boy O'Connor of House of Pain. That introduction led to a production deal with DJ Lethal of House of Pain, which in turn led to the mix tape release The White Man is the Devil: Volume 1 and the formation of the group Special Teamz. After the release of their self titled street cd, and a tour of Europe, Slaine joined hip hop super group La Coka Nostra, along with Ill Bill, Everlast, Danny Boy, and DJ Lethal. --- In 2007, Slaine made his feature film debut as the drug-dealing gun runner Bubba Rogowski in the Ben Affleck-directed film Gone Baby Gone. Affleck had read an article about Slaine in the Boston Herald and called him in to read for a part; though the rapper was a relative unknown with no acting experience at that point, Affleck successfully convinced the movie's backers to let him cast Slaine. He later played Albert "Gloansy" MacGloan, a member of a Charlestown gang of bank robbers, in Affleck's second directorial effort, The Town, released in September 2010.