Ice Cube and Mike Epps

Born in South Central, Los Angeles on 15 June 1969, Ice Cube began writing raps in high school. In 1984, het met a 19-year-old Dr. Dre, and together they released a single “My Posse” under the alias CIA. The two then teamed up with fellow rappers Easy-E, MC Ren and DJ Yella as the group NWA (Niggaz Wit Attitude) and together they released “Straight Outta Compton” in 1988. However, due to creative issues, he left the group and by 1989 was pursuing his solo career. His debut album, “AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted” was released in 1990 and despite claims of misogyny and racism, was extremely successful. The follow-up record was even more controversial; however his most critically acclaimed album was his 1992 “The Predator.”

Having had so much success as a solo artist, Ice Cube still continued to work with other artists. 1994 saw him reunited with former NWA member, Dr. Dre, and together they recorded and relased “Natural Born Killaz,” and 1996 was the formation of Westside Connection, a collaboration with Mack 10 and WC.

The late 90s found Ice Cube concentrating on his acting career such as “Barber Shop” and “All About The Benjamins,” but he still found time to work on music. He was still collaborating with other artists like his appearance on Lil Jon & The East Side Boys’ “Real Nigga Roll Call,” and in 2003 The Westside Connection reunited for their sophomore album “Gangsta Nation.”

His most recent music musings with a new single release on 10 February 2014 “Sic Them Youngins On ‘Em.”

Darren G was raised in Long Beach, California listening to his parents’ collection of jazz, funk & soul and began to share their deep love for this style of music. In 1990 he formed the group 213 with his friends Nate Dogg and Snoop Dogg. While rapping with 213 and working a full-time job, the young artist used all his free time developing his own musical style and chasing his musical dreams.

The trio 213 dissolved when two of its members signed with Death Row Records leaving Warren to pursue his solo career more aggressively. He had the opportunity to work with esteemed artists like MC Breed and 2Pac from the offset but his big break came when his vocal collaboration with Mista Grimm, on 'Indo Smoke' which appeared on the Poetic Justice soundtrack. Warren's outstanding rap led to a serious collaboration with his stepbrother Dr. Dre. His dedication to hard work meant he featured heavily on Dr. Dre's album 'The Chronic' including sampling for 'Nuthin' but a G-Thang'.

His worldwide success came shortly after this collaboration as his single 'Regulate' featuring Nate Dogg peaked at #2 on the US Billboard Charts and broke top five in the UK. It is now certified as platinum selling in the States, and the album that it was lifted from 'Regulate...G Funk Era' holds a three times platinum certificate. The single earned the young artist a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. The following single 'This DJ' was also a chart success and was nominated for the Best Rap Solo Performance Grammy Award.

He fared weaker with every major release after the debut. He did score an international hit with 'What's Love Got To Do With It' from the Supercop soundtrack which peaked at #2 in the UK, a higher position than 'Regulate'. He continued to release original material and tour after this and from June to September 2013, Warren G accompanied Baby Bash, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, DJ Quik, E-40, Mack 10, Suga Free, Tha Dogg Pound, and others on the West Coast Fest tour.

Brad Jordan’s earliest hip hop excursion came when he began recording under the moniker DJ Akshun for the Houston label Short Top Records. The rapper’s debut came with the 12” single “Scarface/Another Head Put To Rest” in 1989, the success of which led Jordan to sign with Rap-A-Lot Records and join the rap collective the Geto Boys. Setting the precedence for Scarface’s entire career, his debut with the Geto Boys, 1989’s “Grip It! On That Other Level”, featured thuggish, violent lyrics, that would soon become synonymous with Southern hip hop. The album earned the group a large and growing fan base despite the reluctance of TV and radio to offer the group airtime. One of the album’s songs entitled “Scarface”, taken from the film of the same name, introduced Brad Jordan’s alter-ego Scarface, which Jordan would adopt from that point on. Geto Boys’ follow-up “We Can’t Be Stopped” was issued in 1991, followed the same year with Scarface’s solo debut “Mr. Scarface Is Back”.

The solo album created tensions within Geto Boys with members Bushwick Bill and Willie D feeling overshadowed by Jordan’s success. Undeterred however, Scarface returned in 1993 to release “The World Is Yours”, his most lyrically advanced, gangsta-rap themed album to date. Scarface subsequently released the albums “The Diary” in 1994, “Untouchable” in 1997, and the double-disc guest-laden “My Homies” in 1998, all of which retained the character of gangsta-infused southern hip hop, without crossing over onto the mainstream. Scarface’s reluctance to join the ranks of mainstream rappers, earned him a significant amount of credibility among the loyal Southern rap audience.

The respected rapper built on this success with the 2000 album “Last of a Dying Breed”, marking a level of introspection previously unwitnessed on a Scarface album. He subsequently won Lyricist of the Year at the 2001 Source Awards, and was awarded a highly sought-after deal with Def Jam Records. Now at the head of Def Jam’s Southern branch, Scarface’s signed rapper Ludacris, which became an overnight success story, and released his most successful album to date “The Fix”. The 2002 album, featuring the likes of Kanye West, Jay-Z, Nas, and Tony Pizarro, earned the rapper a host of favourable reviews and peaked at No. Four on the Billboard 200.

After returning to the studio with Geto Boys for the album “The Foundation”, and appearing on the albums of Freeway and Beanie Sigel, Scarface released his 2003 “Balls and My Word”. The second instalment of his high-profile guest album “My Homies Part 2” saw its release in 2006, followed by the Billboard No. 2 album “Made” in 2007, and “Emeritus” in 2008.