Citizen Cope, born Clarence Greenwood in Memphis, purveys a soulful and stirring blend of folk-R&B with laid-back reggaefied beats and the occasional hip-hop flourish. His mastery of both melodic and rhythmic elements, and his expressive everyman voice, make his music appealing to a wide range of listeners, and suitable for various moods. Greenwood first entered the public eye as the DJ for the 1990s rap group Basehead, and by the end of the decade had released his own demos, and appeared on compilations and soundtracks. He was signed to the DreamWorks label in 2000, and garnered even wider attention as the opening act for Nelly Furtado's 2002 tour. He later moved to RCA, where he has released albums to great popular and critical acclaim.