Compton's Most Wanted

Compton's Most Wanted
MC Eiht (left), MC Chill (right).
Background information
Also known as	C.M.W.
Origin	Compton, California
Genre(s)	West Coast hip hop, Gangsta rap, G-Funk
Years active	1987 - present
Label(s)	Orpheus/Epic
Associated acts	The Warzone The Unknown DJ
Members
MC Eiht MC Chill DJ Slip DJ Mike T
Former members
Ant Capone

Compton's Most Wanted are a gangsta rap group and one of the pioneers for the West Coast hip hop scene still performing today on independent labels. The leader of the group was MC Eiht who would later become a solo artist and The Unknown DJ.^[1]

Biography

C.M.W. included rappers MC Eiht and MC Chill, turnablist Ant Capone but was later replaced by DJ Mike T and producer DJ Slip. The Unknown DJ was also a producer for the group however not officially a member.^[1][2] Their first three albums It's a Compton Thang, Straight Checkn 'Em and Music to Driveby were produced by DJ Slip and The Unknown DJ, who produced both Electro funk tracks as well as Ice T's classic gangsta song "6 In the Morning". Despite producing many tracks. MC Chill was an original member of C.M.W. at the time of their first album It's a Compton Thang, but was sentenced to prison in 1991 before Straight Checkn 'Em was released. He was released out of prison in 1994.^[2] During the time in prison he missed C.M.W.'s two biggest succéed albums "Straight Checkn 'Em" and "Music to Driveby", each of included songs like "Hood Took Me Under", "Def Wish", "Straight Up Menace" and "Growin' Up in tha Hood". After 3 years behind bars MC Chill didn't have the chance to return to the group as they broke up following Music to Driveby. Instead Chill decided to work with MC Ren and MC Eiht for their solo albums. In 2000, the group joined forces again and released "Represent". They are known especially for their slow, often melancholic raps, using samples from seventies soul and funk records such as "Joy" by Isaac Hayes and hit songs like Ice Cube's "It Was a Good Day". MC Eiht is pursuing his solo career, while DJ Slip is mainly working for the new West Coast label IV Life Records.^[3] Additionally, C.M.W. are set for a reunion which will feature on DJ Slip's next album "The Minority Report". In 2004 Hood Took Me Under appeared on the popular videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and was played on the West Coast hip hop radio station Radio Los Santos. Ant Capone was supposed to be a member of the group while they released It's a Compton Thang, but was later fired from the group and replaced by DJ Mike T and never appeared on their debut album. In 2006 the group released a fifth studio album called, Music to Gang Bang which didn't sell well. In 1990, C.M.W. released their debut album It's a Compton Thang which featured the single with the same title as the album. Ant Capone was supposed to be featured as one of the producers however he was fired and replaced by DJ Mike T. It's a Compton Thang was entirely produced by DJ Slip and The Unknown DJ. The album peaked #132 at the U.S. charts. A year later in 1991 the group released their follow up album, Straight Checkn 'Em which featured popular hits like "Growin' Up In tha Hood" and the first version of the "Def Wish" series. MC Chill was sentenced in prison some month before the album was released and he didn't have the chance to participate however the album was a better succee than their previous, it peaked at #92. Again in 1992 the group released their third and most successful studio album, Music to Driveby. It featured the single "Hood Took Me Under" which charted #5 at Hot Rap Singles and was featured on the popular videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas at the West Coast radio station, Radio Los Santos. The album charted #66 at the U.S. charts and is considered a classic by many people. It was the last album C.M.W. released until their long break. Finally after eight years break the group had, they released Represent in 2000. The album featured the single "This Is Compton 2000" and never peaked or succeed like their previous albums. Again after another long break, the group released Music to Gang Bang in 2006 which didn't sell well and contained four singles, most notably the single with same title as the album Music to Gang Bang.

Discography

Main article: Compton's Most Wanted discography

• 1990: It's a Compton Thang
• 1991: Straight Checkn 'Em
• 1992: Music to Driveby
• 2000: Represent
• 2006: Music to Gang Bang

References

External links

• Comptons Most Wanted Unofficial Bebo