Lawrence Krishna Parker (born August 20, 1969), better known by his stage name KRS-One, is an American MC and producer. Over his career, he has been known by several pseudonyms including "Kris Parker", "The Blastmaster", "The Teacha", and "The Philosopher". At the 2008 BET Awards, KRS-One was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for all his work and effort towards the Stop the Violence Movement as well as the overall pioneering of hip-hop music and culture. He is often referred to as one of the greatest emcees of all time.