In Seattle, hiphop often crosses into food—a concept we were pondering recently (yes, that is how some of us procrastinate—what do you think about, the Sounders?). Of course there is Vitamin D's Hip Hop Kitchen mixtape, released three Augusts ago and slept on like a campground—if you don't know, it's seriously dope and about as unusually food-forward as the Beach Boys' "Vegetables." There's also the Backyard BBQ mixtape series by dj100proof, which incites grilling wherever it goes; that one Shabazz Palaces lyric about sprinkling hot sauce on cabbage; the fact that ye olde Seattle hiphop publication The Flavor (1992–96) had "flavor" in its title; and two odes to grocery stores, "Fou Lee" by Blue Scholars and "Rogers Thriftway" by Amos Miller. But can we go deeper into these hiphop/food crossovers? Indeed we can.

Here, we've put together a list of the six rappers who don't just reference eats, they live it, making their name as chefs, cooks, and food-business entrepreneurs in the 206. Enjoy.

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