Above The Law

Part of the post- NWA explosion of California gangsta rap, Above the Law came out of the eastern Los Angeles suburb of Pomona; leader, Cold 187um aka Big Butch (born Gregory Hutchinson ), was joined by KMG the Illustrator (born Kevin Dulley), Go Mack (born Arthur Goodman), and DJ Total K-Oss (born Anthony Stewart). Mixing '70s vintage funk and soul samples with live instrumentation ( Hutchinson had studied jazz while in school), the group signed with Eazy E's Ruthelss Records and issued its debut album, Livin' Like Hustlers, in 1990; split into violence- and sex-themed sides, it was co-produced by Dr. Dre (prior to NWA's rancorous breakup) and received well in gangsta circles. The Vocally Pimpin' EP appeared in 1991, and the full-length follow-up, Black Mafia Life, was released in 1993.