2Pac became the unlikely martyr of gangsta rap, and a tragic symbol of the toll its lifestyle exacted on urban black America. At the outset of his career, it didn't appear that he would emerge as one of the definitive rappers of the '90s -- he started out as a second-string rapper and dancer for Digital Underground, joining only after they had... [+] Read More

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One of the key members of the mid-'90s Death Row Records empire, producer/rapper Daz Dillinger worked alongside some of the West Coast's best rappers. Along with Kurupt, Nate Dogg, and Snoop Dogg, Dillinger (at time known as Dat Nigga Daz) was one of the Long Beach, CA, clique that had been introduced to Dr. Dre through Warren G during the... [+] Read More

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More than any other rapper, Dr. Dre was responsible for moving away from the avant-noise and political stance of Public Enemy and Boogie Down Productions as well as the party vibes of old-school rap. Instead, Dre pioneered gangsta rap and his own variation of the sound, G-funk. BDP's early albums were hardcore but cautionary tales of the... [+] Read More

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Ice Cube was the first member of the seminal Californian rap group N.W.A. to leave, and he quickly established himself as one of hip-hop's best and most controversial artists. From the outset of his career, he courted controversy, since his rhymes were profane and political. As a solo artist, his politics and social commentary sharpened... [+] Read More

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Kurupt began his winding career with Death Row Records and rose to momentary fame alongside Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, but struggled to establish himself as a successful solo artist. Born Ricardo Brown in Philadelphia in 1972, he moved to Hawthorne, CA, as a teen, where he befriended Snoop and joined the roster of Death Row. He debuted on Dre's... [+] Read More

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When the West Coast first rose atop the rap industry in the mid-'90s, Mack 10 emerged as one of the coast's most promising talents alongside his longtime associate Ice Cube. The two Los Angeles rappers co-wrote "Foe Life," Mack 10's 1995 breakthrough hit, and united a year later with WC to form the trio Westside Connection, a West Coast gangsta... [+] Read More

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Though Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and 2Pac may have stolen the spotlight, tha Dogg Pound played an important role in the success of Suge Knight's Death Row empire before the duo moved on to solo careers. Dogg Pound members Daz Dillinger and Kurupt aided in the success of the both Dr. Dre's The Chronic (1992) and Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle (1993) before... [+] Read More

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A long-time staple of the gangsta rap scene, WC began his career with the groups Low Profile and the Maad Circle before forming Westside Connection with Ice Cube and Mack 10. His solo debut, The Shadiest One, followed in 1998, landing in the pop Top 20 in its first week of release. "Better Days" and "Just Clownin'" were moderate R&B hits, and... [+] Read More

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Following the dissolution of Low Profile, a late-'80s West Coast MC/DJ partnership between WC and DJ Aladdin, the rapper formed WC and the Maad Circle and released a pair of albums, Ain't a Damn Thang Changed (1991) and Curb Servin' (1995). The albums spawned a few popular singles, notably "Dress Code" (1991), "West Up!" (1995), and "One"... [+] Read More

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The rap supergroup Westside Connection came together in late 1996, comprising Ice Cube, Mack 10, and WC (of WC & the Madd Circle). The trio released the single "Bow Down" in September, and it reached number 21 on the singles charts. The subsequent album, also titled Bow Down, hit number two and quickly achieved gold status. Subsequent work, like... [+] Read More

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