Andre Romelle Young, known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and was the president of Death Row Records. Dr. Dre began his career as a member of the World Class Wreckin' Cru in 1985 and later found fame with the gangsta rap group N.W.A. The group popularized explicit lyrics in hip hop to detail the violence of street life. During the early 1990s, Dre was credited as a key figure in the crafting and popularization of West Coast G-funk, a subgenre of hip hop characterized by a synthesizer foundation and slow, heavy beats.
Warren Damonte Griffin III, known professionally as Warren G, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and DJ known for his role in West Coast rap's 1990s ascent. Along with Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg, he formed the hip-hop trio 213, named for Long Beach's area code. A pioneer of G-funk, he attained mainstream success with the 1994 single "Regulate", a duet with Nate Dogg. The younger stepbrother of producer Dr. Dre, he introduced him to Snoop Dogg, who was later signed by him.
West Coast hip hop is a regional genre of hip hop music that encompasses any artists or music that originated in the West Coast region of the United States. West Coast hip hop began to dominate from a radio play and sales standpoint during the early to-mid 1990s with the birth of G-funk and the emergence of record labels such as Suge Knight and Dr. Dre's Death Row Records, Ice Cube's Lench Mob Records and the continued success of Eazy-E's Ruthless Records, and others.
G-funk, or gangsta-funk, is a sub-genre of gangsta rap that emerged from the West Coast scene in the late 1980s, the genre is heavily influenced by 1970s psychedelic funk sound of artists such as Parliament-Funkadelic.
The Chronic is the debut studio album by American hip hop producer and rapper Dr. Dre. It was released on December 15, 1992, by his own record label Death Row Records and distributed by Interscope Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in June 1992 at Death Row Studios in Los Angeles and at Bernie Grundman Mastering in Hollywood. The album is named after a slang term for high-grade cannabis, and its cover is an homage to Zig-Zag rolling papers. It was Dr. Dre's first solo album after he had departed from hip hop group N.W.A and its label Ruthless Records over a financial dispute.
Doggystyle is the debut studio album by American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg. It was released on November 23, 1993, by Death Row Records and Interscope Records. The album was recorded and produced following Snoop's appearances on Dr. Dre's debut solo album The Chronic (1992), to which Snoop contributed significantly. The West Coast style in hip-hop that he developed from Dre's first album continued on Doggystyle. Critics have praised Snoop Doggy Dogg for the lyrical "realism" that he delivers on the album and for his distinctive vocal flow.
Head Hunters is the twelfth studio album by American pianist and composer Herbie Hancock, released October 26, 1973, on Columbia Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in the evening at Wally Heider Studios and Different Fur Trading Co. in San Francisco, California. The album was a commercial and artistic breakthrough for Hancock, crossing over to funk and rock audiences and bringing jazz-funk fusion to mainstream attention, peaking at number 13 on the Billboard 200.
Cameo is an American funk band that formed in 1974. Cameo was initially a 14-member group known as the New York City Players; this name was later changed to Cameo.
David Marvin Blake, better known by his stage name DJ Quik, is an American rapper, songwriter, DJ and record producer, known for his production in the G-funk style of West Coast hip-hop. Blake has collaborated with Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, Tupac, Erick Sermon, and Shaquille O'Neal, among others. Blake's stage name reflects his ability to produce songs in a short period of time. Some of his top songs include "Dollaz + Sense", "Tonite", "Born and Raised in Compton" and "Jus Lyke Compton".
Maurice White was an American singer, musician, songwriter, and record producer. He was best known as the founder, leader, main songwriter, and producer of the band Earth, Wind & Fire, and served as the band's co-lead singer with Philip Bailey.
Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik is the debut album of American hip hop duo Outkast, released on April 26, 1994, by LaFace Records. Having befriended each other two years prior, rappers André 3000 and Big Boi pursued recording music as a duo and worked with production team Organized Noize, leading to a record contract with LaFace. With the team producing, Outkast recorded the album at the Dungeon, D.A.R.P. Studios, Purple Dragon, Bosstown, and Doppler Studios, all in Atlanta.
Shock of the Hour is the debut album by rapper MC Ren, released November 16, 1993, on Ruthless Records and distributed by Relativity Records.
Zapp is an American funk band that emerged from Dayton, Ohio, United States, in 1977. Particularly influential in the electro subgenre of funk, Zapp were known for their trademark use of the talk-box effect. The original line-up consisted of four Troutman brothers—frontman Roger, Larry, Lester and Terry—and non-Troutman family members Bobby Glover, Gregory Jackson, Sherman Fleetwood, Jerome Derrickson, Eddie Barber and Jannetta Boyce. Zapp also worked closely with George Clinton and Bootsy Collins of Parliament-Funkadelic during its early stages, their support being a factor in the group gaining a record deal with Warner Bros. Records in 1979.
Gas Chamber is the debut album by West Coast rapper C-Bo. It was released on April 20, 1993 on AWOL Records and SMG Solar Music Group. The album was produced by Mike Mosley. The album peaked at number 53 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums. A music video was produced for the song "4-Deep". A remastered version of this album, called Gas Chamber 2, was released in 2019.
In and Out of Love is the tenth studio effort and first album in thirteen years for R&B/soul singer Mary Wells, released on the Epic label.
ck is the seventh studio album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, released on the Warner Bros. Records label in 1988.
Hits 3 is third greatest hits album by American rapper Spice 1. It was released April 9, 2002 on Mobb Status Entertainment. The album was produced by Ant Banks, Blackjack, DJ Paul, Juicy J, Pimp C, Al Eaton, DJ Squeaky, Tony Harmon and Spice 1. It features songs from his "post-Jive" releases: The Last Dance, Spiceberg Slim and The Playa Rich Project, one song from the Jive album Immortalized, as well as guest appearances from the albums: The Big Badass, CrazyNDaLazDayz, Colouz Uv Sound and Cellblock Compilation, Vol. 2: Face/Off. Several guest performers appear on the album, including: 2Pac, Ant Banks, Too Short, UGK, Jayo Felony, Tray Dee, Yukmouth, MJG and Three 6 Mafia.
Erica Williams, better known as Simple E, is an American former R&B and hip hop pop singer-songwriter, whose debut 1994 single "Play My Funk", made the US Billboard R&B chart, and appeared on the Sugar Hill soundtrack.
Dijon Isaiah McFarlane, known professionally as Mustard, is an American record producer, DJ, record executive, beatmaker, and songwriter. He is a frequent collaborator of fellow California-bred artists YG and Ty Dolla Sign; among various other records for the hip hop and R&B genres since his entrance into mainstream music with Tyga's 2011 single, "Rack City".
7 Days of Funk is the eponymous debut studio album by California-based funk duo 7 Days of Funk, consisting of rapper Snoop Dogg—performing under his funk persona Snoopzilla—and modern-funk musician Dâm-Funk. The album was released on December 10, 2013 by Stones Throw Records and is Snoop's first project with a single producer since his landmark 1993 debut album, Doggystyle. Recording sessions for the album took place in 2013 at The Compound and at Funkmosphere Lab in Los Angeles, and the mastering was performed at Bernie Grundman Mastering in Hollywood.
