Gangsta rap or gangster rap, initially called reality rap, is a subgenre of rap music that conveys the culture and values typical of urban gangs, reality of the world and street hustlers. Emerging in the late 1980s, gangsta rap's pioneers include Schoolly D of Philadelphia and Ice-T of Los Angeles, later expanding in California with artists such as N.W.A and Tupac Shakur. In 1992, via record producer and rapper Dr. Dre, rapper Snoop Dogg, and their G-funk sound, gangster rap broadened to mainstream popularity.
Percy Robert Miller, better known by his stage name Master P, is an American rapper, record producer, record executive, dancer, actor and entrepreneur. He founded the record label No Limit Records in 1991, which was relaunched into the spin-off labels New No Limit Records and No Limit Forever Records. Miller gained fame in the mid-1990s as the lead and founding of the label's hip hop group TRU, as well as his fifth solo album, Ice Cream Man (1996), and its namesake lead single. His 1997 single, "Make 'Em Say Uhh!" received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Southern hip hop, also known as Southern rap, South Coast hip hop, or dirty south, is a blanket term for a regional genre of American hip hop music that emerged in the Southern United States, especially in Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Florida—often titled "The Big 5," five states which constitute the "Southern Network" in rap music.
Eric Tyrone Breed, better known as MC Breed, was an American rapper best known for his singles "Ain't No Future in Yo' Frontin'", which peaked at #66 on the Billboard Hot 100 and "Gotta Get Mine", that made it to number 6 on the Hot Rap Singles.
Dem Franchize Boyz was an American hip hop group from Atlanta, signed to E1 Music. The group had four members: Parlae, Pimpin', Jizzal Man, and Buddie. They were best known for their hit singles "I Think They Like Me" and "Lean wit It, Rock wit It".
Joseph David Thompson, better known by his stage name JT the Bigga Figga, is an American rapper, record producer, and record executive from San Francisco, California. He founded the record label Get Low Recordz in 1991, which signed fellow California-based rapper the Game in the early 2000s, prior to the latter's mainstream breakthrough. The label has also signed Messy Marv and San Quinn.
The Fleshtones are an American garage rock band from Queens, New York. They are the only band that debuted at CBGB in 1976 that has not had an inactive year.
Rap-A-Lot is a hip hop record label co-founded by James Prince and Cliff Blodget in 1986. Smoke-a-Lot Records is a subsidiary.
The Screwed Up Click is an American hip hop collective based in Houston, Texas, that was led by DJ Screw. Its most notable members include DJ Screw, Big Hawk, Big Mello, Big Moe, Big Pokey, the Botany Boyz, E.S.G., Fat Pat, Lil' Flip, Lil' Keke, Lil' O, and Z-Ro. In addition, Devin the Dude, K-Rino, Lil' Troy, South Park Mexican and UGK are considered to be "Screwed Up Affiliated". Many of the current and former SUC members come from the neighborhoods of South Park, 3rd Ward, Sunnyside, Cloverland, Hiram Clarke and South Acres.
Corduroy are an English four-piece acid jazz outfit based in London, formed around twins Ben Addison (drums/vocals) and Scott Addison (keyboards/vocals), who were previously in Sire Records act Boys Wonder. Joining the twins in the band are Richard Searle and guitarist Simon Nelson-Smith. Searle had been bass player with Doctor and the Medics, who topped the UK Singles Chart in 1986 with a cover version of "Spirit in the Sky". Searle had joined the Addison twins in the final incarnation of Boys Wonder, before the band gradually evolved into Corduroy in 1991, initially forming for a one-off New Year's Eve party.
Michael George Dean is an American record producer, audio engineer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known for his synthesizer-heavy instrumentation and audio mixing for high-profile music industry artists. Beginning his career in 1992, he was first credited on releases for Texas-based rappers such as Scarface, Willie D, and Geto Boys, although he has since worked with artists including The Weeknd, Beyoncé, Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Travis Scott, Jay-Z, Drake, Madonna, Selena Gomez, Playboi Carti, and Lana Del Rey, among others. As a non-performing lead artist, Dean has released five solo studio albums: 4:20 (2020), 4:22 (2021), Smoke State 42222 (2022), 4:23 (2023), and 424 (2024).
Mark Anthony Morales, better known by the stage name Prince Markie Dee, was an American rapper. He was a member of the Fat Boys, a pioneering hip hop group that gained fame during the 1980s. Morales was the vice-president of Uncle Louie Music Group.
Michael Wilson, known professionally as Krazy, is an American rapper. He formally started his music career in a rap group called, Murder Inc. Krazy later signed to No Limit Records and joined 504 Boyz in 2000.
A-Town Hard Heads is the debut album by the Hard Boys. It was released in 1992 through Ichiban Records and was produced by Joel Peasvy. The album peaked at number 42 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. "Groupies" and "Death Row" were released as singles.
Roll Out the Red Carpet is the debut solo album by Hard Boyz frontman, Royal C. Royal C, whose group the Hard Boyz had recently joined Atlantic Records, had also signed a deal with a major label, Epic Records, who placed Royal C on their subsidiary Epic Street, which specialized in the hip hop genre. Epic released the album on August 13, 1996 with popular hip-hop/R&B producer Colin Wolfe producing the entire album. With the exception of a music video for the album's lead single "They Don't Want None", Epic failed to promote the album and it did not do well sales-wise, which eventually led to Epic dropping Royal C from the label.
Potential Murder Suspects (P.M.S.) is the third and final album released by the Hard Boyz. It was released on March 24, 1998 through Roadrunner Records and was least successful of the group's three albums as it did not reach the Billboard charts.
Trap is a subgenre of hip hop music which originated in the Southern United States, with lyrical references to trap starting in 1991 but the modern sound of trap appearing in 1999. The genre gets its name from the Atlanta slang term "trap house", a house used exclusively to sell drugs. Trap music is known for its simple, rhythmic, minimalistic productions that uses synthesized drums, and is characterized by complex hi-hat patterns, snare drums, bass drums, some tuned with a long decay to emit a bass frequency, and lyrical content that often focuses on drug use and urban violence.
Run-DMC was an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York City, formed in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. Run-DMC is regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture and especially one of the most famous hip hop acts of the 1980s. Along with Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, and Public Enemy, the group pioneered new-school hip hop music and helped usher in the golden age of hip hop. The group was among the first to highlight the importance of the MC and DJ relationship.
No Limit Records is an American record company founded by Master P. The label's albums were distributed by Priority Records, Universal and Koch Records. The label included artists such as Snoop Dogg, Mercedes, Silkk the Shocker, Mystikal, Mia X, Mac, C-Murder, Magic, Romeo Miller, Fiend, Kane & Abel, and Soulja Slim. Anthony Boswell, head of Bout It Bout It Management, served as the vice president of operations as well as head of management for the label.
Vyshonn King Miller, better known by his stage name Silkk the Shocker, is an American rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana. The brother of Master P, Miller signed with his record label No Limit Records, an imprint of Priority Records to release his debut studio album, The Shocker (1996). Despite unfavorable critical reception, his second and third albums—Charge It 2 da Game (1998) and Made Man (1999)—were both met with minor critical inclines and received platinum certifications by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA); the latter debuted atop the Billboard 200.
