Lil' O
Encyclopedia
Lil' O is a southern rapper, born in Lagos, Nigeria and raised in Southwest Houston, Texas. He is an original member of DJ Screw
's Screwed Up Click
. He was also known as O or Da Fat Rat Wit Da Cheeze. His name references his height, at 5 feet tall.
and Lil’ O and his four brothers and one sister had a middle class upbringing. His mother died from ovarian cancer
when Lil’ O was 13 and suddenly his father’s strict Nigerian upbringing began to chase him to rebellion.
Soon after his mother’s death, Lil’ O began hanging in the streets with friends who were in the drug game, and he became addicted to the fast money that drug dealing brought in. “I got street fame, women, and a lot of money quickly and easily,” he says. Of course, he eventually got collared. After his arrest, his father kicked him out of the house and Lil’ O fell deeper into the lure of the drug game. While out on bond, he continued to sell drugs and was caught again. This time he attempted to swallow the evidence before the police could arrest him. He swallowed an ounce-and-a-half of crack cocaine
and his lungs collapsed. He was put on life support
and his father was told to prepare for his death. “It’s really a miracle that I woke up at all,” says Lil’ O. “I was breathing through tubes on my deathbed and I looked down and saw that my ankles were cuffed to the bed. I realized, if I recovered I was going to jail, and if I didn’t I was going to die.”
He went to Xavier University in New Orleans, where he studied business. Away from the drugs and the street life of Southwest Houston, Lil’ O also began to dabble in one of his first loves – hip hop. “Man, when I was growing up, LL Cool J
came out with ‘Radio’ and that was it, I was hooked. I never thought about rapping as a career because I was making so much selling drugs
, plus the money came faster than it does in the rap game,” says O.
While at Xavier, in 1997, he recorded “Can’t Stop” – featuring vocal contributions from the ladies that would go on to earn renown as Destiny’s Child. The track soon became Lil’ O’s debut single and went on to score an instant local hit. Regardless, Lil’ O eventually found himself out of school and back in Texas
, again exposed to the same lifestyle he’d tried to leave behind. In 1999, he then signed with the Houston-based indie label Game Face Entertainment, but also began selling drugs again. His debut album, Blood Money, sold 20,000 copies but he was unable to promote it due to spending time in jail.
After being released from prison, Lil’ O left the drug game behind for good and focused on his music completely. He also enrolled at the and majored in business
. “Some days I wouldn’t feel like going to class, and then I would look across the street at the county jail and remember how I felt when I was in there. That would be all the motivation I would need to get myself to class,” says Lil’ O with a hearty laugh.
In 2001, his album "Da Fat Rat With The Cheeze" sold over 75,000.
He collaborated with Big Hawk
on the hit single "Back Back". "Back Back" led him back to a nationwide deal with Atlantic Records
, which he later left in 2003.
DJ Screw
Robert Earl "DJ Screw" Davis, Jr. was a Houston, Texas-based DJ. He was known as a central figure in the Houston hip-hop community and was the creator of the now-famous Chopped and Screwed DJ technique...
's Screwed Up Click
Screwed Up Click
The Screwed Up Click is an assortment of rappers mainly from the southside of Houston started by DJ Screw.After appearing on numerous screw tapes and spreading their name throughout southern hip hop, they have become well known. Despite the deaths of several members and the incarceration of...
. He was also known as O or Da Fat Rat Wit Da Cheeze. His name references his height, at 5 feet tall.
Early life
His father was a doctorPhysician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and Lil’ O and his four brothers and one sister had a middle class upbringing. His mother died from ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer is a cancerous growth arising from the ovary. Symptoms are frequently very subtle early on and may include: bloating, pelvic pain, difficulty eating and frequent urination, and are easily confused with other illnesses....
when Lil’ O was 13 and suddenly his father’s strict Nigerian upbringing began to chase him to rebellion.
Soon after his mother’s death, Lil’ O began hanging in the streets with friends who were in the drug game, and he became addicted to the fast money that drug dealing brought in. “I got street fame, women, and a lot of money quickly and easily,” he says. Of course, he eventually got collared. After his arrest, his father kicked him out of the house and Lil’ O fell deeper into the lure of the drug game. While out on bond, he continued to sell drugs and was caught again. This time he attempted to swallow the evidence before the police could arrest him. He swallowed an ounce-and-a-half of crack cocaine
Crack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
and his lungs collapsed. He was put on life support
Life support
Life support, in medicine is a broad term that applies to any therapy used to sustain a patient's life while they are critically ill or injured. There are many therapies and techniques that may be used by clinicians to achieve the goal of sustaining life...
and his father was told to prepare for his death. “It’s really a miracle that I woke up at all,” says Lil’ O. “I was breathing through tubes on my deathbed and I looked down and saw that my ankles were cuffed to the bed. I realized, if I recovered I was going to jail, and if I didn’t I was going to die.”
He went to Xavier University in New Orleans, where he studied business. Away from the drugs and the street life of Southwest Houston, Lil’ O also began to dabble in one of his first loves – hip hop. “Man, when I was growing up, LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
came out with ‘Radio’ and that was it, I was hooked. I never thought about rapping as a career because I was making so much selling drugs
DRUGS
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows are an American post-hardcore band formed in 2010. They released their debut self-titled album on February 22, 2011.- Formation :...
, plus the money came faster than it does in the rap game,” says O.
While at Xavier, in 1997, he recorded “Can’t Stop” – featuring vocal contributions from the ladies that would go on to earn renown as Destiny’s Child. The track soon became Lil’ O’s debut single and went on to score an instant local hit. Regardless, Lil’ O eventually found himself out of school and back in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, again exposed to the same lifestyle he’d tried to leave behind. In 1999, he then signed with the Houston-based indie label Game Face Entertainment, but also began selling drugs again. His debut album, Blood Money, sold 20,000 copies but he was unable to promote it due to spending time in jail.
After being released from prison, Lil’ O left the drug game behind for good and focused on his music completely. He also enrolled at the and majored in business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
. “Some days I wouldn’t feel like going to class, and then I would look across the street at the county jail and remember how I felt when I was in there. That would be all the motivation I would need to get myself to class,” says Lil’ O with a hearty laugh.
In 2001, his album "Da Fat Rat With The Cheeze" sold over 75,000.
He collaborated with Big Hawk
Big Hawk
John Edward Hawkins , better known as H.A.W.K. or Big Hawk was an American rapper from Houston, Texas and a founding member of the late DJ Screw's rap group the Screwed Up Click.-Biography:...
on the hit single "Back Back". "Back Back" led him back to a nationwide deal with Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, which he later left in 2003.
Albums
- 1999: Blood Money
- 2001: Da Fat Rat wit da CheezeDa Fat Rat Wit Da CheezeDa Fat Rat Wit Da Cheeze is the seventh solo album by Houston rapper Lil' O released July 17, 2001. The album features Big Moe, Slim Thug, Big Hawk, Z-Ro, Big T, Mr.3-2, & Big Pokey...
- 2003: Food On Tha Table
- 2007: Greatest Hits
- 2011: Grind Hard,Pray Harder
Mixtapes
- 2004: Neva Lay Down Vol. 1
- 2005: Jealous Got Me Strapped (Neva Lay Down Vol. 2)
- 2006: My Struggle My Hustle
- 2006: South Side Tippin
- 2008: Tha Flood (Neva Lay Down Vol. 3)
- 2010: Tha Flood 1.5
Singles
| Year | Song | U.S. Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
U.S. R&B | U.S. Rap Hot Rap Tracks Rap Songs is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stations and sales in hip hop-focused or exclusive markets. From 1989 through 2001, it was based on how much the single... |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | "Can't Stop" (Featuring Destiny's Child Destiny's Child Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme... ) |
- | 87 | 22 | Greatest Hits |
| 2001 | "Back Back Back Back "Back Back" is the leading single off Houston rapper Lil' O's second studio album Da Fat Rat Wit Da Cheeze, released in 2001. It features fellow Screwed Up Click member the late Big Hawk... " (Featuring Big Hawk Big Hawk John Edward Hawkins , better known as H.A.W.K. or Big Hawk was an American rapper from Houston, Texas and a founding member of the late DJ Screw's rap group the Screwed Up Click.-Biography:... ) |
- | 62 | - | Da Fat Rat Wit Da Cheeze Da Fat Rat Wit Da Cheeze Da Fat Rat Wit Da Cheeze is the seventh solo album by Houston rapper Lil' O released July 17, 2001. The album features Big Moe, Slim Thug, Big Hawk, Z-Ro, Big T, Mr.3-2, & Big Pokey... |