Gangsta Rap's Influence on the 1992 Civil Unrest

DJ Quik, Yo-Yo, Above the Law, Big Wy, and more joined in historic conversation

Staff Report

(L to R) Los Angeles underground hip-hop Queen Medusa, Yo-Yo, Above the Law's Big Hutch and DJ Quik at Los Angeles radio station KJLH-FM.

West Coast hip-hop pioneers to discuss the role of gangsta rap on the 1992 civil unrest and over the past twenty years

Born of out the L.A. 1992 Civil Unrest, KJLH-FM’s Front Page Show Celebrates 20 Years on Air and as Where Black Los Angeles Comes to Talk

*Inglewood, Calif. – Continuing its coverage and commemoration of the 1992 civil unrest, West Coast rappers and music veterans discussed the influence of gangsta rap on the 1992 civil unrest Wednesday, April 25 on KJLH-FM’s Front Page show. Show participants included Compton rapper DJ Quik, Blood & Crips Bangin on Wax album legend Big Wy, Grammy-nominated rapper and actress Yo-Yo, Above the Law’s Cold 187um aka Big Hutch, West Coast and Los Angeles hip-hop legend Medusa, and West Coast music historian Gregory Everett.

Pioneered in the mid-1980s by rappers such as Schoolly D and Ice-T, gangsta rap was popularized in the later part of the 1980s by groups like N.W.A. After the national attention that Ice-T and N.W.A attracted in the late 1980s and early 1990s, gangsta rap became the most commercially lucrative subgenre of hip-hop. The subject matter inherent in gangsta rap has caused a great deal of controversy. Criticism has come from both left wing and right wing commentators, and religious leaders, who have accused the genre of promoting crime, violence, profanity, racism, street gangs, drive-bys, vandalism, thievery, drug dealing, alcohol abuse, substance abuse and materialism.

Hosted by Dominique DiPrima, the Front Page is Los Angeles’ only daily talk radio show focused on African-American issues. The show can be heard on air in Los Angeles from 4:30AM until 6AM at 102.3 FM, online at www.kjlhradio.com, and downloaded later on iTunes after the broadcast. Today’s show was produced by veteran radio news journalist and producer Jasmyne Cannick.

BACKGROUND

DJ Quik, is an MC and record producer from Compton, Calif., whose debut album, Quik Is the Name, which was released in 1991, was led by the success of two top 20 R&B singles, “Tonite” and “Born and Raised in Compton.”

Big Wy, is one of the original members of the of the Blood & Crips Bangin on Wax album. He is best known for the songs “Bangin on Wax” and “Piru Love”, “Steady Dippin’”, and as a member of the popular groups Young Soldiers signed to Dangerous Quality Records, The Relativez. Later, music mogul Suge Knight signed Big Wy to Deathrow Records and featured him on the film soundtrack for Murder Was the Case. Born and raised in Inglewood, today, Big Wy is the CEO and co-founder of 319 Music Group, which is also home to Cali Swagg District.

Bangin’ on Wax is the first album by Bloods & Crips. The album was released in 1993 for Dangerous Records. Bangin’ on Wax was a success, making it to #86 on the Billboard 200. Four singles were released “Bangin’ on Wax”, “Piru Love”, “Crip, Crip, Crip” and “Steady Dippin’”. The album has sold over 500,000 copies, reaching Gold status.

Yo-Yo is a Grammy-nominated rapper and actress. Much of her music has advocated female empowerment, denouncing the frequent sexism found in hip-hop music. She is the protege of gangsta rapper Ice Cube. Yo-Yo dubbed her crew the IBWC, which stood for the Intelligent Black Woman’s Coalition.

Above the Law is a rap group from Pomona, Calif., founded in 1989 by co-founded by Cold 187um aka Big Hutch. 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 is best known for their hit “V.S.O.P.” Above the Law member Cold187um worked closely with Dre on production and the two had great influence on each other.

Gregory Everett is best known for being the founder of the 1980s DJ crew Ultra Wave. Today he’s a filmmaker, his latest project being 41^st and Central: The Untold Story of the L.A. Black Panthers. He is credited with being the Los Angeles historian of West Coast hip-hop having gotten his start as a music video assistant director for rappers Tupac and Ice Cube. Gregory has produced and directed numerous rap music videos for Innerscope, Priority, Death Row, Sony, Universal and for artists Kurupt, Tupac, Ice Cube, and L.L. Cool J.

About KJLH-FM

Owned by Stevie Wonder’s Taxi Productions, KJLH is the leading broadcast radio station for African-Americans and urban consumers in Southern California. The Los Angeles home for the Steve Harvey Morning Show, KJLH’s award-winning Front Page show with Dominique DiPrima is Los Angeles’ only talk radio show focused on African-American issues.

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