Above the Law (band)
Encyclopedia
Above the Law is a rap group from Pomona, California
, founded in 1989 by Cold 187um
, KMG the Illustrator, Go Mack, and DJ Total K-Oss.
In 1989, the group signed to the late Eazy-E
's Ruthless Records. There they became close associates of the pioneering gangsta rap group N.W.A.
. Their first album on Ruthless, 1990's Livin' Like Hustlers
, featured guest appearances from N.W.A. members and some production from Dr. Dre
. Above the Law member Cold187um worked closely with Dre on production and the two had great influence on each other. The songs "Untouchable" and "Murder Rap" became minor hits from the album. "Murder Rap" appeared in the in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
on the West Coast
fictional radio station, Radio Los Santos as well as the 2008 film "Pineapple Express
". The song "Freedom of Speech" appeared in the 1990 movie "Pump Up the Volume
" and was also featured on the movie soundtrack album.
The group's second full length album Black Mafia Life
came out in 1992. This album, released before Dr. Dre's The Chronic
, featured a similar G-Funk
sound to that album. Cold187um has claimed that he was the first to pioneer the G-Funk
style and Dr. Dre's new sound was largely inspired by his own sound on that album. Dre by this point had left Ruthless Records for Death Row Records
. Two years later in 1994 the group released Uncle Sam's Curse
, which was their last album on Ruthless Records. It contained the minor hit "Black Superman".
Shortly after Eazy-E's death, the group signed to Tommy Boy Records in 1996. There they released Time Will Reveal in 1996 and Legends In 1999, The group signed to Suge Knight
's Death Row Records
but left in 2002.
The group was apart of the West Coast Rap All-Stars, contributing to "We're All in the Same Gang", a 1990 collaboration of West Coast hip-hop artists that assembled for this song to promote an anti-violence message.
" sound, which was made popular by Dr. Dre
's The Chronic
. Dre was involved in producing two tracks on Above the Law's debut album. Part of the post-N.W.A. explosion of California gangsta rap, Above the Law came out of the Eastern Los Angeles suburb of Pomona; leader Cold 187um, aka Big Hutch (born Gregory Hutchinson), was joined by KMG the Illustrator (born Kevin Dulley), Go Mack (born Arthur Goodman), and DJ Total K-Oss (born Anthony Stewart). Mixing '70s vintage-funk and soul samples with live instrumentation (Hutchinson had studied jazz while in school), the group signed with Eazy-E's Ruthless Records and issued their debut album, Livin' Like Hustlers, in 1990; split into violence- and sex-themed sides, it was co-produced by Dr. Dre (prior to N.W.A.'s rancorous breakup) and received well in gangsta circles. The Vocally Pimpin' EP appeared in 1991, and the full-length follow-up Black Mafia Life was released in 1993. Go Mack left the group shortly thereafter, and Above the Law stuck with the trio format for their last Ruthless album, 1994's Uncle Sam's Curse, which featured greater contributions from KMG.
Following Eazy-E's tragically sudden death, Above the Law left Ruthless for Tommy Boy, debuting in 1996 with Time Will Reveal; although the lyrics stuck with the group's well-worn gangsta themes, it demonstrated that Big Hutch's skills as a G-funk producer were becoming ever more polished. 1998's Legends kept the West Coast gangsta flame burning, but proved to be their last release on Tommy Boy; they formed their own label, West World, and struck a distribution deal with Street Solid for 1999's Forever: Rich Thugs. The same year, Big Hutch released his solo debut, Executive Decisions. In 2000, Big Hutch was recruited by Suge Knight to become the new house producer and musical director at Death Row Records, making it the new home of Above the Law as well. They recorded a new album called Diary of a Drug Dealer, but the release dates were continually pushed back while Big Hutch worked on production assignments, including the debut album by Crooked I
; amid all the album delays, rumors began to circulate about the group's breakup.
Pomona, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Pomona had a population of 149,058, a slight decline from the 2000 census population. The population density was 6,491.2 people per square mile...
, founded in 1989 by Cold 187um
Cold 187um
Gregory Fernan Hutchinson , better known by his stage names Big Hutch and Cold 187 um, is an African American rapper and producer, and the lead act of the rap group Above the Law. The group signed to Ruthless Records in late 1989, releasing their debut album, Livin' Like Hustlers, in 1990...
, KMG the Illustrator, Go Mack, and DJ Total K-Oss.
In 1989, the group signed to the late Eazy-E
Eazy-E
Eric Lynn Wright , better known by his stage name Eazy-E, was an American rapper who performed solo and in the hip hop group N.W.A. Wright was born to Richard and Kathie Wright in Compton, California...
's Ruthless Records. There they became close associates of the pioneering gangsta rap group N.W.A.
N.W.A.
N.W.A was an American hip hop group from Compton, California, widely considered one of the seminal acts of the gangsta rap sub-genre....
. Their first album on Ruthless, 1990's Livin' Like Hustlers
Livin' Like Hustlers
Livin' Like Hustlers is the debut album by the rap group Above the Law, released in 1990. Dr. Dre produced two tracks, "Murder Rap" and "The Last Song"...
, featured guest appearances from N.W.A. members and some production from Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
. Above the Law member Cold187um worked closely with Dre on production and the two had great influence on each other. The songs "Untouchable" and "Murder Rap" became minor hits from the album. "Murder Rap" appeared in the in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall...
on the West Coast
West Coast hip hop
West Coast hip hop is a hip hop music subgenre that encompasses any artists or music that originates in the westernmost region of the United States, as opposed to East Coast hip hop, based originally in New York alone...
fictional radio station, Radio Los Santos as well as the 2008 film "Pineapple Express
Pineapple Express (film)
Pineapple Express is a 2008 American stoner action comedy directed by David Gordon Green, written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg and starring Rogen and James Franco. Producer Judd Apatow, who previously worked with Rogen and Goldberg on Knocked Up and Superbad, assisted in developing the story,...
". The song "Freedom of Speech" appeared in the 1990 movie "Pump Up the Volume
Pump Up the Volume (film)
Pump Up the Volume is a 1990 comedy-drama film written and directed by Allan Moyle and starring Christian Slater and Samantha Mathis.- Plot summary :...
" and was also featured on the movie soundtrack album.
The group's second full length album Black Mafia Life
Black Mafia Life
Black Mafia Life was the third album by gangsta rap group Above the Law, released on February 2, 1992; being released some time after their popular debut Livin' Like Hustlers, Black Mafia Life proved a surprising success. Especially without the help of Dr...
came out in 1992. This album, released before Dr. Dre's The Chronic
The Chronic
The Chronic is the solo debut album of American hip hop artist Dr. Dre, released December 15, 1992, on his own record label Death Row Records, and distributed by Priority Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in June 1992 at Death Row Studios in Los Angeles and at Bernie Grundman...
, featured a similar G-Funk
G-funk
G-funk, or Gangsta-funk, is a sub-genre of hip hop music that emerged from Westcoast gangsta rap in the early 1990s. G-funk incorporates multi-layered and melodic synthesizers, slow hypnotic grooves, a deep bass, background female vocals, the extensive sampling of P-funk tunes, and a high-pitched...
sound to that album. Cold187um has claimed that he was the first to pioneer the G-Funk
G-funk
G-funk, or Gangsta-funk, is a sub-genre of hip hop music that emerged from Westcoast gangsta rap in the early 1990s. G-funk incorporates multi-layered and melodic synthesizers, slow hypnotic grooves, a deep bass, background female vocals, the extensive sampling of P-funk tunes, and a high-pitched...
style and Dr. Dre's new sound was largely inspired by his own sound on that album. Dre by this point had left Ruthless Records for Death Row Records
Death Row Records
Death Row Records is a record label founded in 1991 by Marion "Suge" Knight Jr., Andre Young , Tracy Lynn Curry and Michael Harris . It is known to have been home to many popular West Coast hip hop artists such as Dr...
. Two years later in 1994 the group released Uncle Sam's Curse
Uncle Sam's Curse
Uncle Sam's Curse is Above The Law's fourth album. The album was released on July 12, 1994. Uncle Sam's Curse is currently out of print and often sells used for $75 to $80 on auction sites.-Track listing:#"Return of the Real Shit" featuring Kokane...
, which was their last album on Ruthless Records. It contained the minor hit "Black Superman".
Shortly after Eazy-E's death, the group signed to Tommy Boy Records in 1996. There they released Time Will Reveal in 1996 and Legends In 1999, The group signed to Suge Knight
Suge Knight
Marion "Suge" Knight, Jr. is the founder and CEO of Black Kapital Records and co-founder and former CEO of Death Row Records. Death Row Records rose to dominate the rap charts after Dr. Dre's breakthrough album The Chronic in 1992. After several years of chart successes for artists including...
's Death Row Records
Death Row Records
Death Row Records is a record label founded in 1991 by Marion "Suge" Knight Jr., Andre Young , Tracy Lynn Curry and Michael Harris . It is known to have been home to many popular West Coast hip hop artists such as Dr...
but left in 2002.
The group was apart of the West Coast Rap All-Stars, contributing to "We're All in the Same Gang", a 1990 collaboration of West Coast hip-hop artists that assembled for this song to promote an anti-violence message.
G-funk origins
Above the Law claim to have invented the "G-funkG-funk
G-funk, or Gangsta-funk, is a sub-genre of hip hop music that emerged from Westcoast gangsta rap in the early 1990s. G-funk incorporates multi-layered and melodic synthesizers, slow hypnotic grooves, a deep bass, background female vocals, the extensive sampling of P-funk tunes, and a high-pitched...
" sound, which was made popular by Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
's The Chronic
The Chronic
The Chronic is the solo debut album of American hip hop artist Dr. Dre, released December 15, 1992, on his own record label Death Row Records, and distributed by Priority Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in June 1992 at Death Row Studios in Los Angeles and at Bernie Grundman...
. Dre was involved in producing two tracks on Above the Law's debut album. Part of the post-N.W.A. explosion of California gangsta rap, Above the Law came out of the Eastern Los Angeles suburb of Pomona; leader Cold 187um, aka Big Hutch (born Gregory Hutchinson), was joined by KMG the Illustrator (born Kevin Dulley), Go Mack (born Arthur Goodman), and DJ Total K-Oss (born Anthony Stewart). Mixing '70s vintage-funk and soul samples with live instrumentation (Hutchinson had studied jazz while in school), the group signed with Eazy-E's Ruthless Records and issued their debut album, Livin' Like Hustlers, in 1990; split into violence- and sex-themed sides, it was co-produced by Dr. Dre (prior to N.W.A.'s rancorous breakup) and received well in gangsta circles. The Vocally Pimpin' EP appeared in 1991, and the full-length follow-up Black Mafia Life was released in 1993. Go Mack left the group shortly thereafter, and Above the Law stuck with the trio format for their last Ruthless album, 1994's Uncle Sam's Curse, which featured greater contributions from KMG.
Following Eazy-E's tragically sudden death, Above the Law left Ruthless for Tommy Boy, debuting in 1996 with Time Will Reveal; although the lyrics stuck with the group's well-worn gangsta themes, it demonstrated that Big Hutch's skills as a G-funk producer were becoming ever more polished. 1998's Legends kept the West Coast gangsta flame burning, but proved to be their last release on Tommy Boy; they formed their own label, West World, and struck a distribution deal with Street Solid for 1999's Forever: Rich Thugs. The same year, Big Hutch released his solo debut, Executive Decisions. In 2000, Big Hutch was recruited by Suge Knight to become the new house producer and musical director at Death Row Records, making it the new home of Above the Law as well. They recorded a new album called Diary of a Drug Dealer, but the release dates were continually pushed back while Big Hutch worked on production assignments, including the debut album by Crooked I
Crooked I
Dominick Wickliffe, better known by his stage name Crooked I, is an American rapper from Long Beach, California. He is a member of the hip hop group, Slaughterhouse with other members Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz and Royce da 5'9. Slaughterhouse is currently signed to Shady Records / Interscope Records....
; amid all the album delays, rumors began to circulate about the group's breakup.
Discography
| Album information |
|---|
| Livin' Like Hustlers Livin' Like Hustlers Livin' Like Hustlers is the debut album by the rap group Above the Law, released in 1990. Dr. Dre produced two tracks, "Murder Rap" and "The Last Song"...
|
| Vocally Pimpin' Vocally Pimpin' Vocally Pimpin' was Above the Law's 2nd album released in 1991. It is considered the first G-funk album to hit stores.-Track listing:# Playlude# Playin' Your Game... RIAA certification In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards... : N/A |
| Black Mafia Life Black Mafia Life Black Mafia Life was the third album by gangsta rap group Above the Law, released on February 2, 1992; being released some time after their popular debut Livin' Like Hustlers, Black Mafia Life proved a surprising success. Especially without the help of Dr... RIAA certification In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards... : N/A |
| Uncle Sam's Curse Uncle Sam's Curse Uncle Sam's Curse is Above The Law's fourth album. The album was released on July 12, 1994. Uncle Sam's Curse is currently out of print and often sells used for $75 to $80 on auction sites.-Track listing:#"Return of the Real Shit" featuring Kokane... RIAA certification In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards... : N/A |
| Time Will Reveal Time Will Reveal Time Will Reveal is an album by the gangsta rap group Above the Law, released in 1996 .-Track listing:#"Intro" – 1:44#"Encore" – 5:01#"Evil That Men Do – 5:06#"Table Dance " – 1:37... 100 Spokes 100 Spokes is a single by rap group Above the Law.-Track listings:# "100 Spokes "# "100 Spokes "# "Killaz in the Park "# "100 Spokes "# "Killaz in the Park "... ", "City of Angels", "Endonesia" |
| Legends
|
| Forever: Rich Thugs, Book One Forever: Rich Thugs, Book One Forever: Rich Thugs, Book One is the seventh album by rap group Above the Law. The album was released in 1999 for Street Solid records. The album turned out to be the most unsuccessful album the group released, not appearing on any album charts and producing no hit singles.-Track listing:#Rich... |
| Sex, Money & Music Sex, Money & Music Sex, Money & Music is the seventh studio album by the Pomona, California rap group Above the Law. A single for "Sex, Money & Music"/"Ghetto Platinum" was released in 2002. That same year, the complete album was supposed to be released through Death Row Records... |