"The Last Sucker Who Tried To Dis Me, Cold Got His Neck Snapped

***Thanks to WC at Urbandons.com for the links, also some from albumbase***

I said I wouldn't do discographies, basically because everyone and their dog was doing them. Well, I always reserve the right to change my mind whenever the figgidy fuck I feel like it. I don't have much to post up while I'm away from my collection or the lack of hi-speed, so sometimes you got to work with what you have. What I have is some discographies that I haven't seen around the blog circuit. If I'm going to do something fairly common, I at least want to come with some flavor not seen yet. That's what takes us to today's discorgraphy, from a group I don't think gets nearly enough credit it the grand scope of west coast hip hop, Above the Mutha Fuckin' Law.

Hailing from Ponoma, California, this Wesyde group has gone through numerous member lineups and just as many record labels through out their six album/one E.P. career. They first popped up on the scene in 1990 with the (supposebly) Dr.Dre produced album "Livin' Like Hustlers" on Eazy E's Ruthless Label. The orginal line up for that album was Cold 187, KMG The Illustrator, Total K-Oss and Go Mack. Cold 187's uncle was Willie Hutch, a well known Motown artist.

The album came in at 10 pure west coast cuts that had that west coast funk to it. Some debate over who really did most of the production has arisen over the years. Cold 187 has said the group did most of the production on the LP, while Dr.Dre gets the majority of the credit. While it's arguable, but this is probably the best produced album out of their catalouge. The majority of the material sounds Dre-ish in nature, but there is also some stuff that doesn't sound like what Dre was coming with during that time period.

In between projects, N.W.A. and the Ruthless roster went under a major upheval. In 91' ATL dropped the Vocally Pimpin' EP, with no Dre beats to be found. It produced the single "4 The Funk Of It", which some credit as the actual first "G-Funk" track.

ATL has always had some bad blood for both Dre and Ice Cube. During the New Music Seminar in 91', Above The Law and crew chased Ice Cube and his Lench Mob off the stage. It was also rumored that members of ATL beat down King Sun, who was sticking up for Cube, although that is not confirmed. In numerous interviews, group leader Cold 187 has discredited Dre's contribution to their first album and creating their defining sound along with expressing his feelings that he, not Dre, was responsible for the G-Funk sound, which can be found through out their sophomore release, "Black Mafia Life".

There is no denying that "Black Mafia Life" has a different sound that most projects coming out at the time. The album featured 2pac, Money B, and Shock G from Digital Underground and produced some fairly popular tracks for the time with "Call It What U Want" & "V.S.O.P". The album did go gold, along with their third release "Uncle Sam's Curse".

"Uncle Sam's Curse" featured an even more heavily G-Funk influence that left some saying that this album was better than Dre's "Chronic" (I'm not one of those people, but it is good). "Black Superman" was the hit from the album. This would be the last album they would release on Ruthless as they would release "Time Will Reveal" on Tommy Boy in 96' after a short stint on Death Row of all places. This would be the start of the label shuffle for the crew as they would release "Legends" in 98' on Tommy Boy/Warner Bros, then would offer up "Forever Rich Thugs: Book One" on Cold 187um aka Big Hutch's Street Solid label in 99'.

The group hasn't released another collective effort since that release. Big Hutch dropped two solo joints since that time, his "Executive Decisions" in 99' which is critically acclaimed then his lackluster effort in the form of "Live From The Ghetto".

The group has ran into legal troubles as of late. Total K-oss was arrested for drug charges and child endangerment when he was busted with crack cocaine in his house. Cold 187 um was arrested on drug charges when his record label was busted with a large quanity of weed in 04'. I'm not sure what happened since that incident. It's wait and see for the ATL crew.

Above The Law - Livin' Like Hustlers (Ruthless, 1990)

1. Murder Rap
2. Untouchable
3. Livin' Like Hustlers
4. Another Execution
5. Menace To Society
6. Just Kickin' Lyrics
7. Ballin'
8. Freedom Of Speech
9. Flow On (Move Me No Mountain)
10. The Last Song

Vocally Pimpin' EP (Ruthless, 1992)
1. Playlude
2. Playin' Your Game
3. Dose Of The Mega Flex
4. 4 The Funk Of It
5. Wicked
6. Livin' Like Hustlers (G-Mixx)
7. 4 The Funk Of It (Radio Edit)
8. B.M.L. (Commercial)
9. 4 The Funk Of It (Pimpsextramental)

Black Mafia Life (Ruthless, 1993)
1. Black Triangle
2. Never Missin' A Beat
3. Why Must I Feel Like Dat
4. Commin' Up
5. Pimpology 101
6. Call It What U Want
7. Harda U R Tha Doppa U Faal
8. Game Wreck-Oniz-Iz Game
9. Pimp Clinic
10. V.S.O.P.
11. Process OF Elimination (Untouchakickamurdaqtion)
12. G's And Macaronies
13. G-Rupies Best Friend
14. Mee Vs. My Ego
15. Outro

Uncle Sam's Curse (Ruthless, 1994)
1. Return of the Real Shit
2. Set Free
3. Kalifornia
4. Concrete Jungle
5. Rain Be for Rain Bo
6. Everything Will Be Alright
7. Black Superman
8. 'G' in Me
9. Uncle Sam's Curse
10. One Time Two Meny
11. Who Ryde
12. Gangsta Madness

Time Will Reveal (Tommy Boy, 1996)
1. Intro
2. Encore
3. Evil That Men Do
4. Table Dance (Skit)
5. Gorillapimpin'
6. 1996
7. Killaz In The Park
8. 100 Spokes
9. Clinic 2000
10. My World
11. Endonesia
12. Shout 2 The True
13. Playaz & Gangstaz
14. City Of Angels
15. Apocalypse Now

Legends (Tommy Boy, 1998)
1. Intro 'Floetry'
2. X.O. Wit Me
3. Set Trippin'
4. Promise Me
5. Be About Yo Bizniz
6. Clinic Niggaz
7. Soliciting
8. Deep AZ The Root
9. The Streets
10. Summer Days
11. L.A. Vibe
12. Worldwide
13. Karma
14. Soul Searching
15. Adventures Of...
16. In God We Trust

Forever: Rich Thugs, Book One (Street Solid, 1999)

1. Rich Thugs
2. Black Mob
3. Marvin
4. Three Strikes
5. Recycle The Black Dollar
6. Respect
7. Pawns
8. Thug In Your Life
9. Smoke
10. Rich Thugs Movement
11. A.T.L. True
12. It Ain't Where You From
13. The Money
14. Sax
15. P.I.M.P.