Young Gunz
Encyclopedia
The Young Gunz is an American
rap duo from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
composed of Young Chris
(born Chris Ries in 1984) and Neef Buck
(born Hanif Muhammad in 1984). The group is part of Beanie Sigel
's State Property
collective and was signed to Roc-A-Fella Records
. Young Gunz' debut single
, "Can't Stop, Won't Stop
", made the top 20 on the Billboard charts
in 2003.
, Jay-Z announced the duo as "Chris & Neef".
In 2001, the duo performed on the State Property
soundtrack album. Chris and Neef starred in the titular movie. Also during this period of their career, Young Chris appeared throughout Dame Dash's Dream Team compilation, and Beanie Sigel's The Reason. The duo performed together on guest appearances for albums like Jay-Z's The Blueprint 2, Freeway's Philadelphia Freeway
, State Property's The Chain Gang Vol. 2
, and Memphis Bleek's M.A.D.E.
; all while recording their album.
The Young Gunz scored their first hit with "Can't Stop, Won't Stop", the lead-off single from the Chain Gang, Vol. 2 album. Its song and video received major airplay on hip-hop radio, MTV2
, and BET
and reached #14 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and #6 on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart.
. Singles included "No Better Love" featuring former Roc-A-Fella Records
crooner Rell
and the Just Blaze
-produced "Friday Night". Tough Luv debuted on the Billboard 200 at #3 after selling 128,000 copies in its first week. That week, the album at #2 was labelmate Kanye West
's debut album The College Dropout
, which was released just two weeks earlier.
After a brief hiatus, the duo returned with Swizz Beatz
produced "Set It Off" from their second album, Brothers from Another. This albums, which was released May, 24th 2005, sales were somewhat of a disappointment compared to the first, despite the decent exposure of the lead single, promotion from Jay-Z himself, TV, radio & magazine appearances. It was the second release from the "new" Roc-A-Fella Records
, referencing when Jay-Z became president of Def Jam Records, the first being Memphis Bleek
's 534. The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at #15, and included guest features from Kanye West, Swizz Beatz, Slim of 112 (Marvin Scandrick III) and John Legend.
, The Game
. The feud stems from The Game's beef with Memphis Bleek
, which escalated into a beef with the entire Roc-A-Fella camp with the exception of Kanye West
, Jay-Z
and Just Blaze
. The Game dissed Bleek and The Young Gunz on his 15-minute freestyle track "300 Bars and Runnin'". The Young Gunz, along with Pooda Brown, responded with a freestyle of their own. Surprisingly, Chris & Neef also beefed with actor, comedian and now rapper, Katt "Money Mike" Wiliams
. This beef stemmed from "Set It Off" by the Young Gunz, in which they called a character from a movie that Katt Williams played as, a "fake ass pimp." This beef was encouraged by The Game as he and Katt dissed the two on a Freestyle over their own "Set It Off" beat.
thought about recording a solo album. He initially titled it Now or Never. He stated to XXL magazine that he wanted to release a solo album by the end of 2008 and had been "95 percent done" by June 2008. In this article, Chris also states that he feels himself up there with Lil' Wayne and Juelz Santana
. Since this time, Chris has taken to the internet to solidify himself as a top solo artist, with his YoungChris.com Social Network, hitting the remix circuit, and his much anticipated "The Network" Mixtape series, hosted by DJ Don Cannon. Later in 2010 signed with Division 1, a label started by Rico Love, under the Universal/Motown umbrella. Rico considers Young Chris his flagship artist, working closely with Chris on his debut album and pre-album/mixtape. The mixtape, called "The Re-Introduction", was released on November 20, 2010. The aptly titled mixtape gives the spotlight to a newly signed Young Chris, as a solo artist, and also, re-introduces the combination of DJ Drama and Don Cannon, the former "Affiliates" partners, hosting their first mixtape together, in several years.
On January 28, a song called "Philly Shit (Mega Mix)" featuring Eve, Black Thought, Money Malc, Fat Joe, Fred The Godson, Diggy Simmons, Jermaine Dupri & Game was leaked.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rap duo from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
composed of Young Chris
Young Chris
Young Chris is a Grammy nominated American rapper and songwriter. A member of Philadelphia rap trio Young Gunz, formerly signed to Roc-A-Fella records through Beanie Sigel’s State Property collective, early success included the hit single "Can't Stop, Won't Stop"...
(born Chris Ries in 1984) and Neef Buck
Neef Buck
Neef Buck is an American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Career:He is one half of the Grammy Award-nominated rap duo Young Gunz. Additionally, Neef Buck is a part Beanie Sigel's rap group State Property...
(born Hanif Muhammad in 1984). The group is part of Beanie Sigel
Beanie Sigel
Dwight Grant , also known as Beanie Sigel, is a American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,most recently he was in talks with 50 Cent to sign with G-Unit Records and is a former member/artist of Dame Dash Music Group and Roc-A-Fella Records where he had formed a close association with rappers...
's State Property
State Property (Group)
State Property is a rap group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA led by rapper Beanie Sigel with Philly rappers Freeway, Peedi Peedi, Oschino, and Omillio Sparks, and the Young Gunz and female R&B singer Casha...
collective and was signed to Roc-A-Fella Records
Roc-A-Fella Records
Roc-A-Fella Records is a record label founded by Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Damon "Dame" Dash, and Kareem "Biggs" Burke. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and is distributed by Island Def Jam Motown Music Group.-Formation and Early Years:...
. Young Gunz' debut single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Can't Stop, Won't Stop
Can't Stop, Won't Stop (Young Gunz song)
"Can't Stop, Won't Stop" is a Grammy-nominated song performed by American hip hop duo Young Gunz, as members of Philadelphia hip hop group State Property. A remix version appeared on the Young Gunz' debut album Tough Luv, featuring Chingy, and was also featured on The Roots live album The Present...
", made the top 20 on the Billboard charts
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...
in 2003.
State Property
Ries and Muhammad had been friends since they were young boys on the block(C-Ave). On "Takeover", a track from his 2001 album The BlueprintThe Blueprint
The Blueprint is the sixth studio album by American rapper Jay-Z, released September 11, 2001 on Roc-A-Fella Records in the United States. Its release was set a week earlier than initially planned in order to combat bootlegging. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2001 at Manhattan...
, Jay-Z announced the duo as "Chris & Neef".
In 2001, the duo performed on the State Property
State Property (soundtrack)
State Property is the soundtrack to the 2002 film, State Property, and the debut album by the rap group, State Property. The album was a success, making it to 14 on the Billboard 200, 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and 2 on the Top Soundtracks, and spawned one single "Roc the Mic", which was a...
soundtrack album. Chris and Neef starred in the titular movie. Also during this period of their career, Young Chris appeared throughout Dame Dash's Dream Team compilation, and Beanie Sigel's The Reason. The duo performed together on guest appearances for albums like Jay-Z's The Blueprint 2, Freeway's Philadelphia Freeway
Philadelphia Freeway
Philadelphia Freeway was the debut album from Philadelphia rapper Freeway. It was released under Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings. The most successful single was "What We Do" which featured Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel. Another single that was released was "Flipside" which featured Peedi Crakk...
, State Property's The Chain Gang Vol. 2
The Chain Gang Vol. 2
The Chain Gang Vol. 2 is the second album by rap group State Property. It was released in 2003. Young Gunz' "Can't Stop Won't Stop" was later nominated for the 2003 Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group Grammy Award.The album sold 296,000 units...
, and Memphis Bleek's M.A.D.E.
M.A.D.E.
M.A.D.E. is the third studio album by rapper Memphis Bleek. It was released on December 16, 2003 and at best it reached #35. The album sold 150,000 copies in its first week, which was a record for Memphis Bleek....
; all while recording their album.
The Young Gunz scored their first hit with "Can't Stop, Won't Stop", the lead-off single from the Chain Gang, Vol. 2 album. Its song and video received major airplay on hip-hop radio, MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
, and BET
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
and reached #14 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and #6 on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart.
As a group
After the success of their single, "Can't Stop, Won't Stop", the label jumped and was ready to release their debut album, Tough Luv. It included the remix to "Can't Stop, Won't Stop", which featured St. Louis rapper ChingyChingy
Howard Bailey, Jr. , better known by his stage name Chingy, is an American rapper.Chingy grew up in the Walnut Park section of St. Louis and began rapping in earnest in his late teens...
. Singles included "No Better Love" featuring former Roc-A-Fella Records
Roc-A-Fella Records
Roc-A-Fella Records is a record label founded by Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Damon "Dame" Dash, and Kareem "Biggs" Burke. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and is distributed by Island Def Jam Motown Music Group.-Formation and Early Years:...
crooner Rell
Rell
Gerrell Gaddis , known by his stage name Rell, is an American R&B singer. He was the first male R&B singer signed to Roc-A-Fella Records, where he recorded with artists such as Kanye West, Jay-Z, Consequence, and Young Gunz....
and the Just Blaze
Just Blaze
Justin Smith, better known as Just Blaze, is an American hip hop music producer from Paterson, New Jersey. Blaze is also the CEO of Fort Knocks Entertainment. He is most well known for producing Jay-Z songs on the albums The Blueprint, The Blueprint 2, and The Black Album. He is also known for...
-produced "Friday Night". Tough Luv debuted on the Billboard 200 at #3 after selling 128,000 copies in its first week. That week, the album at #2 was labelmate Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
's debut album The College Dropout
The College Dropout
The College Dropout is the debut album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released February 10, 2004, on Roc-A-Fella Records. It was recorded over a period of four years, beginning in 1999. Prior to the album's release, West had worked on rapper Jay-Z's The Blueprint , which showcased his...
, which was released just two weeks earlier.
After a brief hiatus, the duo returned with Swizz Beatz
Swizz Beatz
Kasseem Dean , better known by his stage name, Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, DJ, rapper and painter. At the age of 17, he gained attention in the hip-hop world through his friendship with rapper DMX. Grady Spivey and rapper Cassidy helped launch his label Full Surface Records...
produced "Set It Off" from their second album, Brothers from Another. This albums, which was released May, 24th 2005, sales were somewhat of a disappointment compared to the first, despite the decent exposure of the lead single, promotion from Jay-Z himself, TV, radio & magazine appearances. It was the second release from the "new" Roc-A-Fella Records
Roc-A-Fella Records
Roc-A-Fella Records is a record label founded by Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Damon "Dame" Dash, and Kareem "Biggs" Burke. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and is distributed by Island Def Jam Motown Music Group.-Formation and Early Years:...
, referencing when Jay-Z became president of Def Jam Records, the first being Memphis Bleek
Memphis Bleek
Malik Thuston Patrick Cox , better known by his rap persona of Memphis Bleek or "Bleek", is a New York rapper mainly known for his tenure with Roc-a-Fella Records and CEO of his own label Get Low Records...
's 534. The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at #15, and included guest features from Kanye West, Swizz Beatz, Slim of 112 (Marvin Scandrick III) and John Legend.
Disputes with other rap artists
The Young Gunz were part of a public beef and a war of words with West Coast rapperWest 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...
, The Game
The Game (rapper)
Jayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations...
. The feud stems from The Game's beef with Memphis Bleek
Memphis Bleek
Malik Thuston Patrick Cox , better known by his rap persona of Memphis Bleek or "Bleek", is a New York rapper mainly known for his tenure with Roc-a-Fella Records and CEO of his own label Get Low Records...
, which escalated into a beef with the entire Roc-A-Fella camp with the exception of Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
, Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
and Just Blaze
Just Blaze
Justin Smith, better known as Just Blaze, is an American hip hop music producer from Paterson, New Jersey. Blaze is also the CEO of Fort Knocks Entertainment. He is most well known for producing Jay-Z songs on the albums The Blueprint, The Blueprint 2, and The Black Album. He is also known for...
. The Game dissed Bleek and The Young Gunz on his 15-minute freestyle track "300 Bars and Runnin'". The Young Gunz, along with Pooda Brown, responded with a freestyle of their own. Surprisingly, Chris & Neef also beefed with actor, comedian and now rapper, Katt "Money Mike" Wiliams
Katt Williams
Micah S. Katt Williams is a U.S. comedian, rapper, and actor. He is best known for his role as Money Mike in Friday After Next...
. This beef stemmed from "Set It Off" by the Young Gunz, in which they called a character from a movie that Katt Williams played as, a "fake ass pimp." This beef was encouraged by The Game as he and Katt dissed the two on a Freestyle over their own "Set It Off" beat.
Young Chris solo work
As early as March 2006, Young ChrisYoung Chris
Young Chris is a Grammy nominated American rapper and songwriter. A member of Philadelphia rap trio Young Gunz, formerly signed to Roc-A-Fella records through Beanie Sigel’s State Property collective, early success included the hit single "Can't Stop, Won't Stop"...
thought about recording a solo album. He initially titled it Now or Never. He stated to XXL magazine that he wanted to release a solo album by the end of 2008 and had been "95 percent done" by June 2008. In this article, Chris also states that he feels himself up there with Lil' Wayne and Juelz Santana
Juelz Santana
LaRon Louis James , better known by his stage name Juelz Santana, is an American rapper, producer, and actor. He appeared on Cam'ron's 2002 singles, "Oh Boy" and "Hey Ma"...
. Since this time, Chris has taken to the internet to solidify himself as a top solo artist, with his YoungChris.com Social Network, hitting the remix circuit, and his much anticipated "The Network" Mixtape series, hosted by DJ Don Cannon. Later in 2010 signed with Division 1, a label started by Rico Love, under the Universal/Motown umbrella. Rico considers Young Chris his flagship artist, working closely with Chris on his debut album and pre-album/mixtape. The mixtape, called "The Re-Introduction", was released on November 20, 2010. The aptly titled mixtape gives the spotlight to a newly signed Young Chris, as a solo artist, and also, re-introduces the combination of DJ Drama and Don Cannon, the former "Affiliates" partners, hosting their first mixtape together, in several years.
On January 28, a song called "Philly Shit (Mega Mix)" featuring Eve, Black Thought, Money Malc, Fat Joe, Fred The Godson, Diggy Simmons, Jermaine Dupri & Game was leaked.
Collaboration albums
- State PropertyState Property (soundtrack)State Property is the soundtrack to the 2002 film, State Property, and the debut album by the rap group, State Property. The album was a success, making it to 14 on the Billboard 200, 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and 2 on the Top Soundtracks, and spawned one single "Roc the Mic", which was a...
(with State PropertyState Property (Group)State Property is a rap group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA led by rapper Beanie Sigel with Philly rappers Freeway, Peedi Peedi, Oschino, and Omillio Sparks, and the Young Gunz and female R&B singer Casha...
) (2002) - The Chain Gang Vol. 2The Chain Gang Vol. 2The Chain Gang Vol. 2 is the second album by rap group State Property. It was released in 2003. Young Gunz' "Can't Stop Won't Stop" was later nominated for the 2003 Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group Grammy Award.The album sold 296,000 units...
(with State PropertyState Property (Group)State Property is a rap group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA led by rapper Beanie Sigel with Philly rappers Freeway, Peedi Peedi, Oschino, and Omillio Sparks, and the Young Gunz and female R&B singer Casha...
) (2003) - The Chain Gang Vol. 3 (with State PropertyState Property (Group)State Property is a rap group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA led by rapper Beanie Sigel with Philly rappers Freeway, Peedi Peedi, Oschino, and Omillio Sparks, and the Young Gunz and female R&B singer Casha...
) (TBA)
Filmography
- State Property 2State Property 2State Property 2 is a 2005 American crime film directed by Damon Dash and produced and distributed by Lions Gate Entertainment. A sequel to 2002's State Property, the film stars rap artists and other musicians such as Cam'ron, The Diplomats, Beanie Sigel, N.O.R.E., Kanye West, Mariah Carey and...
(2005) - Fade to Black (2004)
- State PropertyState Property (film)State Property is a 2002 American crime film starring Beanie Sigel, Omillio Sparks, Memphis Bleek and Damon Dash. Rapper Jay-Z appears in a cameo role. It was produced by Roc-A-Fella Films and distributed by Lions Gate Entertainment. Abdul Malik Abbott directed the film and co-wrote its screenplay...
(2002)