Death Row Records is an American Independent record label that was founded in 1991 by The D.O.C., Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, and Dick Griffey. The label became a sensation by releasing multi-platinum hip-hop albums by West Coast-based artists such as Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, and 2Pac during the 1990s. At its peak, Death Row was making over US$100 million a year.
Kevin Danell Mann, better known by his stage name Brotha Lynch Hung, is an American rapper, songwriter and record producer from Sacramento, California who has been described as "the creator of horrorcore rap." He is also a former 24th Street Garden Blocc Crip gang member, which is a Crip-affiliated street gang based in Meadowview, Sacramento.
Tracy Lynn Curry, better known as The D.O.C., is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. In addition to a solo career, he was a member of the Southern hip hop group Fila Fresh Crew and later collaborated with gangsta rap group N.W.A–where he co-wrote many of their releases–as well as Eazy-E's solo debut album Eazy-Duz-It. He has also worked with Dr. Dre, co-writing his solo debut album, while Dre produced Curry's solo debut album, released by Ruthless Records. He was one of the founders of Death Row Records along with Dr. Dre and Suge Knight.
Coast II Coast is the second studio album by American hip hop trio Tha Alkaholiks. It was released on February 28, 1995 via Loud Records. Recording sessions took place at Yo Mama's House in Los Angeles. Production was handled by Diamond D, Madlib, and Tha Liks themselves. It features guest appearances from King Tee, Declaime, Diamond D, Lootpack, Q-Tip, The Baby Bubbas and Xzibit. The album reached number 50 on the Billboard 200 and number 12 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States. Its lead single "Daaam!" peaked at No. 85 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and No. 20 on the Hot Rap Singles, while the second single off of the album, "Next Level", landed at No. 43 on the Hot Rap Singles.
Philip Brandon Martin, better known as Bishop Lamont, is an American rapper from Carson, California. He was signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment record label and released one project under the label, eventually leaving in 2010.
Jamal Rocker, professionally known by his stage name Mac Mall, is an American rapper who became known in the mid/late 1990s as one of the local artists putting the Bay Area on the hip hop map. Mac Mall signed with the record label, Young Black Brotha Records, and later came to own the label, for the production of his own albums, and those of associates.
Still Writing in My Diary: 2nd Entry, released in 2004, is the second studio album by rapper Petey Pablo. The album debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200 chart with first-week sales of 117,000 copies in the US and is certified Gold by the RIAA. It includes the popular single "Freek-a-Leek", which peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Gregory Fernard Hutchison, known as Big Hutch and Cold 187um, is an American rapper and producer, and leader of the rap group Above the Law. He currently records for his self-founded label.
Ricardo Emmanuel Brown, better known by his stage name Kurupt, is an American rapper and record producer who aided gangsta rap's rise via 1990s verses helping set lasting trends. He is one half of the rap duo Tha Dogg Pound, along with Daz Dillinger. His first solo album arrived in 1998. After feuding, the duo reunited in 2005.
Soundpieces: Da Antidote! is the first full-length studio album by American hip hop trio Lootpack. It was released on June 29, 1999 via Stones Throw Records. Production was handled entirely by member Madlib. It features guest appearances from Medaphoar, Declaime, Godz Gift, Kazi, Oh No, Defari, Dilated Peoples and Tha Alkaholiks.
Rico Smith, better known by his stage name Tash, is an American rapper. He is most known for his work as a member of the West Coast hip hop group, Tha Alkaholiks alongside J-Ro and E-Swift. Tash has released two solo albums, Rap Life (1999) and Control Freek (2009), and worked on five albums with Tha Alkaholiks.
Rap Life is the debut solo studio album by American rapper Tash. It was released on November 2, 1999 via Loud Records. Recording sessions took place at Skip Saylor Recording, Enterprise Studios, Troposphere Studios, Mirror Image Studios, and Soundcastle. Production was handled by E-Swift, Fredwreck, Minnesota, Rockwilder, DJ Battlecat, Knobody, Younglord and Sir Jinx. It features guest appearances from Tha Alkaholiks, Phil Da Agony, B-Real, Carl Thomas, Kurupt, L.V., Outkast, Philip Johnson, Raekwon, Xzibit and Ice-T. The album reached number 148 on the Billboard 200, number 28 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and topped the Heatseekers Albums chart in the United States. Its singles—"Rap Life" and "Bermuda Triangle"—were minor success landing on the Hot Rap Songs at No. 45 and 39, respectively.
Dominick Antron Wickliffe, better known by his stage names Crooked I and Kxng Crooked, is an American rapper from Long Beach, California. He is best known as a former member of the hip hop supergroup Slaughterhouse with other members Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz and Royce da 5'9". He is CEO of his own record labels, Dynasty Entertainment and C.O.B. Digital as well as Senior Vice President of Treacherous Records. Before starting his own label, he was also signed to Virgin Records and Death Row Records. He is currently one half of the rap duo Crook and Joell with his former Slaughterhouse bandmate, Joell Ortiz. Together, they released three studio albums.
Jon Wells is an American record producer, record executive, and rapper. He is a member of the Likwit Crew.
Streetlights is the sixth studio album by American rapper Kurupt, it was released on April 20, 2010.
Davood Ali Asgari, better known by his stage name Locksmith, is an American rapper from Richmond, California. He is half of the former underground duo The Frontline, which pioneered the "New Bay" resurgence movement in the Bay Area in the 2000s.
This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 2012.
Orca: The Killer Whale of the Hood is the 12th studio album by American rapper C-Bo, which was released on July 3, 2012, through his own imprint West Coast Mafia Records and Uneek-Music. The album features guest performances by Young Buck, WC, Yukmouth, B.G. Knocc Out, Brotha Lynch Hung E-40, Paul Wall, Slick Pulla ( CTE) and more.
Guess Who's Back? is the debut official mixtape by American rapper 50 Cent, released May 21, 2002 on independent label Full Clip Records in the United States. It is his first official release after his 2000 effort Power of the Dollar went unreleased due to Columbia Records' discovery of a May 2000 shooting where 50 Cent was struck by nine bullets, and was subsequently dropped from the label as a result. The album features production by Trackmasters, DJ Clark Kent, Father Shaheed, Sha Money XL, Red Spyda, and Terence Dudley. Guess Who's Back? received generally positive reviews from music critics and peaked at number 28 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart.
Tash Sultana is an Australian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, music producer and audio engineer, described as a "one-person band."
