While growing up in Houston's South Park -- also the home of the Geto Boys, Scarface, and 5th Ward Boyz -- Ganksta N-I-P was influenced by the rhyming skills of Ice-T and the Nation of Islam knowledge of Rakim. The former Rowdy Jones named himself Ganksta N-I-P -- NIP stands for "Nation of Islam is powerful" -- and began rapping himself, releasing his first album, South Park Psycho, early in the '90s. It sold almost 100,000 copies around the area, and sparked a contract with Priority. Second album Psychic Thoughts did even better, and N-I-P worked with an assortment of producers (411, N.O. Joe, Mic B, Information Booth, Swift, and Johnny Cage) to record his third, 1996's Psychic Thoughts. Interview With a Killa was released in June 1998. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide