Tha Realest | |
---|---|
Birth name | Jevon Jones |
Also known as | Tha Realest Tenkamenin The Vigilante |
Born | Dallas, Texas, U.S. | October 11, 1973
Genres | Hip hop |
Occupation(s) | Rapper |
Years active | 1993–present |
Labels | Death Row Records Omerta/Tommy Boy Tru 'Dat' Team Dime/RBC Records |
Website | tharealest tharealest |
Jevon Jones (born October 11, 1973) is an American rapper better known by his stage name Tha Realest, and formerly Tenkamenin The Vigilante (or simply Tenkamenin). His debut album, Witness Tha Realest , was released on July 14, 2009, following numerous delays. [1] Tha Realest is also known, often in a negative light, for his strikingly similar voice to deceased rapper and former label-mate, Tupac Shakur. [2] Tha Realest is also a member of The Regime.
Jones was born in Dallas, Texas. His father worked as a preacher. [3] As an Oak Cliff native, Jones started rapping in the early 1980s at the age of 10 and competed in rap battles on the local circuit. In the early 1990s, Jones and former Dallas Cowboys player, Kevin Smith, formed their first record label called Puppy Dog Unlimited Records. [4] Tha Realest got married on July 7, 2011.
Jones began his association with Death Row Records in March 1996 when he auditioned for Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas. Following Shakur's death in September 1996, Suge Knight offered Jones a contract with the label. [2] He made his musical debut on the Gang Related soundtrack, appearing in two songs with rapper J-Flexx under the pseudonym Tenkamenin, sharing his name with the eponymous ruler of the Ghana Empire. In 1999 he performed several tracks on the Death Row collaboration Suge Knight Represents: Chronic 2000 alongside fellow Death Row artists Swoop G and Lil' C-Style. These songs had been written by Tha Realest for his solo project which was to be called Inside Out. [2] He would again collaborate with them on yet another Death Row compilation titled Too Gangsta for Radio , appearing on the tracks "Fuck Dre" and "Fuck Hollywood". "Fuck Dre", seemingly a response to the Dr. Dre single "Forgot About Dre", insults many former Death Row artists and their affiliates, primarily Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, N.W.A and Eminem, who is an artist on Dr. Dre's Aftermath Records.
On October 17, 1999, [5] after working on Suge Knight Represents: Chronic 2000, Tha Realest sustained relatively serious injuries to the foot, having been shot in a drive-by shooting after leaving the studio in which he had just finished recording a song with Tha Dogg Pound (Kurupt and Daz Dillinger). [3] Dwayne "Draws" Dupree, a security officer working in the area, was also shot, and died shortly after. [6]
Following Suge Knight's release from prison, Tha Realest left Death Row Records in late 2001 to pursue a record deal in order to release his debut album, for which he had recorded approximately 150 songs. [2] Tha Realest had difficulty obtaining a contract as labels were unwilling to associate with a former artist of Death Row Records and the notoriety it accumulated over the years. [2] In 2002, Tha Realest formed his own record label, 2 Real Entertainment (later Omertà Entertainment). In 2004, he recorded a mixtape at Can-Am Studios with Mob Life Records artist 730 entitled From East 2 West which featured musical performances by Swoop G and New Child of Outlawz. It was released in early 2007. [7]
Tha Realest was signed to Tru 'Dat' Entertainment in 2006, a company founded by Hysear Randell to seek and recruit talented individuals in film, music, fashion and sports. The music video for his debut single, "Eurry Now and Then" was released shortly thereafter. It features cameo appearances by C-Bo, Yukmouth, Nutt-So, Young Hogg, Big C-Style and Ray J. [8] In 2007, Hysear was accused of embezzling millions of dollars' worth of tax payers money through fraudulent money transfers. Tru 'Dat' Entertainment was subsequently forced to discontinue the label. [9]
On July 14, 2009, Tha Realest released his album Witness Tha Realest , which had been delayed substantially due to the demise of Tru 'Dat' Entertainment. It was distributed by E1 Music via RBC Records and Team Dime Entertainment. [1] [10] Tha Realest made the following comment about the album:
They say: 'good things come to those who wait,' the position I was in at Death Row wasn't right for me. I didn't always get the due credit I believe I deserved and I finally got out of that deal. I put so many songs on Witness Tha Realest because so many people have been waiting so long for my CD to drop. You won't have to fast forward through any of the songs on the CD. You're gonna' have to give me an hour and ten minutes of your time when you listen to this CD. I'm not about to give you only three songs worth listening to. $15 is lunch money for a lot of kids. With Witness Tha Realest, I'm a holla at you. I'm going to give you something that you can knock for a while man … value for your dollar is long overdue in today's music market. [6]
Witness Tha Realest Mixtape, was released in November 2006 which consisted of some leftovers from the original Witness Tha Realest studio album scheduled for release on July 15, 2004. This, however, changed due to the absence of a distribution company. [4]
Tha Realest worked on his much anticipated second studio album Remember My Name which was due to be released in the Summer of 2013. Two music videos were expected to be released for his upcoming album, one of them having already been confirmed to be directed by Tha Razor, who already took part in some of his other video projects like Peep 'N' Game and Thug Lova in the past. He is also working on albums with long-time associate C-Bo and underground artist Don Twizzi as well as a debut studio album by The Regime. At the moment, he's active on various social networks online and he's aiding new, upcoming artists who are making a name for themselves in Hip-Hop.
In 2021, Tha Realest formally released "2nite We're Enemies" which features C-Bo & WC. The song had previously been featured in Benjamin Crump's the television documentary series Who Killed Tupac? [11]
Tha Realest, like many other rappers such as G-Unit and Ice-T, has appeared in several hip-hop themed pornographic productions including a few alongside other rappers such as Snoop Dogg who, himself, has produced several pornographic films. His main productions are titled Tha Realest #1 and #2 and feature original music by Tha Realest [12] and many popular pornographic actresses such as Mika Tan, Lyla Lei and Brooke Haven. [13] The films were produced by Antiqua Pictures and Fatt Entertainment. The Realest also appeared in a low-budget film titled Slumber Party which was released in 2005 and also featured several former Death Row Records performers such as Daz Dillinger and Crooked I. [14]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2005 | Slumber Party | Himself | Cameo |
2008 | Triloquist | Himself | Performer |
2008 | Keeping Up with the Kardashians | Himself | S02E11 |
2011 | Old Skool with Terry & Gita | Himself | S01E05 |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2005 | Tha Realest – The Party's Just Getting Started! | Himself | Host |
2006 | Tha Realest – Volume 2: The Party Continues! | Himself | Host |
Year | Title | Artist | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1999 | Unconditional Love | 2Pac | Tha Realest plays 2Pac. |
1999 | Because of You Girl | Tha Dogg Pound ft. Tha Realest | |
2000 | Cindafella | Top Dogg | Cameo |
2006 | Get Wild | The Regime | |
2006 | Apple Bottom Anthem | Yukmouth ft. Tha Realest & Dru Down | |
2007 | Eurry Now & Then | Tha Realest | |
2010 | Peep'N Game | Tha Realest ft. Ray J | |
2010 | Thug Lover | Parlay Starr ft. Tha Realest |
Tupac Amaru Shakur, also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the best-selling music artists, having sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Much of Shakur's music has been noted for addressing contemporary social issues that plagued inner cities, and he is considered a symbol of activism against inequality.
Marion Hugh "Suge" Knight Jr. is a former American music executive, convicted felon, and the co-founder and former CEO of Death Row Records. Knight was a central figure in gangsta rap's commercial success. This feat is attributed to the record label's first two album releases: Dr. Dre's The Chronic in 1992 and Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle in 1993.
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.
Death Row Records is an American 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.
Delmar Drew Arnaud, known professionally as Daz Dillinger, is an American rapper and record producer. In the 1990s at Death Row Records, aided the catapult of West Coast rap and gangsta rap into the mainstream. He is one half of the rap duo tha Dogg Pound, along with Kurupt.
Tha Dogg Pound is an American hip hop duo made up of rappers Kurupt and Daz Dillinger. They were signed to Death Row Records in their early careers and were key to the label's success.
Murder Was the Case is a 1994 short film and soundtrack album starring and performed by Snoop Doggy Dogg. The 18 minute film was directed by Dr. Dre and Fab Five Freddy and chronicles the fictional death of Snoop Dogg and his resurrection after making a deal with the Devil. The film's title comes from Snoop's song of the same name from his debut album, Doggystyle, which had been released a year earlier.
The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory is the fifth studio album by American rapper Tupac Shakur, his first posthumous album and the last released with his creative input. Recorded in seven days in August 1996, it was released on November 5, 1996, almost two months after his death, under the stage name of Makaveli, through Death Row Records, Makaveli Records and Interscope Records.
David Marvin Blake, better known by his stage names DJ Quik or Da Quiksta, 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, R.Kelly 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".
Tha Doggfather is the second studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg, known then as Snoop Doggy Dogg. It was released on November 12, 1996, by Death Row Records and Interscope Records. After the success of his debut album Doggystyle (1993), Snoop was charged with murder and in 1995, spent time preparing for the case that went to trial. On February 20, 1996, he was cleared of all charges and began working on his second album without Dr. Dre providing work as a record producer. This was Snoop's final album on Death Row until 2022, when he acquired the rights to the Death Row Records trademarks from MNRK Music Group, releasing BODR the same year. This would be his last album under the moniker Snoop Doggy Dogg. Recording sessions took place from February 1996 to October 1996, with Suge Knight as the executive producer on the album, alongside the additional production from several record producers such as DJ Pooh, Daz Dillinger, Soopafly and L.T. Hutton; as well as guest appearances from Charlie Wilson, Kurupt, Tray Dee and Warren G, among others.
Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told is the third studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on August 4, 1998, by No Limit Records in the United States. It is his first album following his departure from Death Row Records in early 1998. It is the first Snoop Dogg album to have notable affiliates such as Dr. Dre, Nate Dogg, Warren G and others absent. It was also his first album to be released under a slight change to his stage name "Snoop Dogg" for contractual reasons.
Dead Man Walkin is a compilation album released by Death Row Records on October 31, 2000, composed of archived Snoop Dogg recordings. The album was not authorized by Snoop Dogg, nor recognized on the discography on his website. Snoop Dogg was an artist on Death Row from 1992 to 1998, when he left the label following labelmate Dr. Dre's departure and the death of Tupac Shakur. The split between Snoop Dogg and Death Row head Suge Knight was less than amicable, and the title of this release was an unfriendly warning from Knight to Snoop Dogg, who had spoken out against the imposing Knight in several interviews and on record as well. Despite Dead Man Walkin not being authorized by Snoop Dogg, he now owns the rights to the album due to his acquisition of Death Row Records in 2022.
The East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry was a feud between artists and fans of the East Coast hip hop and West Coast hip hop scenes in the United States, especially from the mid-1990s. Focal points of the feud were East Coast–based rapper The Notorious B.I.G. with Puff Daddy and their New York City–based label, Bad Boy Records, and West Coast–based rapper Tupac Shakur with Suge Knight and their Los Angeles-based label, Death Row Records. The feud culminated in the murders of both rappers in drive-by shootings. Although several suspects have been identified, both murders remain unsolved.
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. His first solo album arrived in 1998. After feuding, the duo reunited in 2005. Kurupt has been in rap supergroups such as the DPGC.
Too Gangsta for Radio is a compilation album by American record label Death Row Records, released on September 26, 2000. Production was handled by Cold 187um, Break Bread Productions, Kenny McCloud, Myrion, Quincy Jones III, VMF, Ant Banks, Big Hollis, Blaqthoven, Daz Dillinger, Gary "Sugarfoot" Greenberg, Kurt "Kobane" Couthon, LJ and P. Killer Trackz, with Suge Knight serving as executive producer. It features contributions from the late 2Pac, Crooked I, Dresta, Swoop G, Tha Realest, Above The Law, CJ Mac, G.P., Juice, K-9, Keitarock, Lil' C-Style, Mac Shawn, Nuttz, The Relativez, Twist and Young Hoggs, as well as Ja Rule, Scarface, The Lox and Treach. Most of the songs are diss songs projected at former Death Row artists, including Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg and Daz Dillinger among others. Although the album sold poorly, it peaked at #171 on the Billboard 200, #44 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and #15 on the Independent Albums charts in the United States.
J-Flexx is an American former rapper and producer of Death Row Records.
All Eyez on Me is the fourth studio album by American rapper 2Pac and the last to be released during his lifetime. Released on February 13, 1996, by Death Row and Interscope Records, the album features guest appearances from Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Redman, Method Man, Nate Dogg, Kurupt, Daz Dillinger, E-40, K-Ci & JoJo, and the Outlawz, among others.
Suge Knight Represents: Chronic 2000 is a compilation album released on May 4, 1999 by Death Row Records featuring performances by various artists, including 2Pac, Treach, Scarface, Tha Realest, Swoop G, Lil' C-Style, K-Ci, Soopafly, Jewell, Danny Boy, Outlawz, Daz Dillinger, Kurupt, E-40, Top Dogg, DJ Quik, and Miilkbone among others. The album was received poorly by professional reviewers and critics but sold well, charting high on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Billboard 200 charts.
This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 2008.
"Pimp Slapp'd" is a diss song by American West Coast hip hop recording artist Snoop Dogg, taken from his sixth studio album, Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$ (2002).