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Outlawz

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For the southern rock band, see The Outlaws.

Tha Outlawz (also The Outlawz, Outlaw Immortalz or just Outlawz) is a rap group from Essex County, New Jersey, founded by Tupac Shakur in late 1995 after his release from prison. Collectively, they are probably best known for appearing in the video for, and rapping on, the Notorious B.I.G., Bad Boy Records, Mobb Deep, etc. diss "Hit 'Em Up".

Inception

Dramacydal

The earliest incarnation of Tha Outlawz, Dramacydal, first appeared on Shakur's 1995 Me Against the World on the title track and "Outlaw". Dramacydal was composed of K-Dog, Young Hollywood, and Big Malcom. They were also known as the Thoro Headz and Young Thugs at various other times.

Outlaw Immortalz

When he signed to Death Row upon his release from prison, Shakur recruited his stepbrother Mopreme Shakur and Big Syke. Bruce Washington and Mutah Beale were also added, and together they formed the original lineup, which debuted on 2Pac's multi-platinum smash All Eyez On Me, on the song "When We Ride". Other times members of Tha Outlawz appear on the record, they are still credited as "Dramacydal".

The idea behind the group was for each member to have a rap name coinciding with the names of various tyrants or enemies of America, past and present.

The Usual Suspects

Starting lineup

Tupac Shakur, stage name 2Pac, was the leader of the group, and gave himself the title of Makaveli after Italian political philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli; his was the only pseudonym which wasn't taken from a dictator.

Yafeu Fula, stage name Young Hollywood, Godbrother and childhood friend of Shakur, was given the name Yaki Kadafi after Lybian Colonel Gadaffi.

Mopreme Shakur, stage name Wycked, was Tupac's stepbrother. He was given the name Komani after Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini.

Bruce Washington, referred to Shakur by his friend Kadafi, given the name Hussein Fatal (interchangeable with Fatal Hussein) after Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

Tyruss Himes, stage name Big Syke, former member of 2Pac's group Thug Life; given the alias Mussolini, after former Italian president Benito Mussolini.

Malcom Greenridge, stage name Big Malcom, member of Dramacydal, was given the alias E.D.I. Mean after Ugandian president Idi Amin.

Katari Cox, stage name K-Dog, member of Dramacydal, was given the alias Kastro after Cuban president Fidel Castro.

Mutah Beale, childhood friend of Kadafi, was given the name Napoleon after French conqueror Napoleon Bonaparte.

Unofficial and later members

Rufus Cooper III, rap name Young Noble, was a friend of Kadafi and Fatal. He was asked by 2Pac to join the group just after the completion of All Eyez On Me, hence his exclusion from the track When We Ride and absence of a dictator nickname.

New Child (no birth name given), friend of Fatal's who was added after 2Pac's death. Claims he had a dream two months before being asked to join the group, that 2Pac told him he had to change his life. Currently incarcerated.

Donna Hunter, rap name Storm, met Shakur on a movie set and was asked to join as the first female in the Outlawz. Recorded many songs with Shakur, but all of her rap verses have been cut out of all of Shakurs posthumous record releases.

Ronald Moore, rap name Gonzoe, met Shakur shortly before the rapper's death and was inducted into the group after Shakur's death, in 1998. Tried to start beef between the group and his former label, Yukmouth's Regime, but ended up beefing with the Outlawz instead and left the group.

Rated R (no birth name given), former member of Thug Life.

Macadochis (no birth name given), a former member of Thug Life along with Rated R, 2Pac, and Syke.

Stormey' (no birth name given), a new member of the Outlawz; no information has been provided.

Parting of ways

Soon after joining the group, Mopreme and Big Syke severed all ties with Death Row and left the Outlawz for financial reasons. Two months after the death of Shakur, Kadafi was killed in a housing project in New Jersey; after two years, Napoleon came forward and admitted his cousin had shot Kadafi while both were drunk and high on marijuana. This prompted the remaining Outlawz to kick him out of the group, although Kadafi's mother and girlfriend maintain that the story was fabricated and that Fula had been murdered over money.

Though 2Pac had told them specifically to never sign to Death Row Records, the leftover members of the Outlawz decided to do just that; as a result, Fatal left the group, claiming they weren't being loyal to 2Pac.

After Tupac's death

The only currently active members of the Outlawz are Kastro, E.D.I. and Young Noble, who would seem to have recently inducted Stormey into the group.

In 1999, they (still with both Fatal and Napoleon) released some of their unreleased songs with 2Pac, entitled Still I Rise. Fatal did not appear on any of the tracks on this album, it is still unclear as to what the reason was for this. For a while, they had a dispute over money with Death Row Records, but that blew over and today they are still close with Suge Knight.

They have also released four "solo" albums without 2Pac and Death Row, 2000's "Ride Wit Us Or Collide Wit Us," and 2002's "Novakane," which did actually feature one unreleased Pac song "Worldwide". In 2005, they released "Outlaw 4 Life: 2005 A.P." Mixtapes include "Outlaw Warriorz," which was a close colloboration with DJ Warrior, and "Thug Lawz", a collaboration between them and Big Syke. There has also been a mixtape recorded with dead prez and DJ Warrior, and Young Noble and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony member Layzie Bone collaborated on Thug Brothers.

They also continue to record new raps for 2Pac unreleased albums and worked closely with Eminem for the soundtrack to the movie Tupac: Resurrection and the latest posthumous 2Pac album, Loyal to the Game, much to the derision of Fatal.

The Outlawz have recently announced on their website that they will appear on the new 2Pac album slated for relase late 2006.

Discography

Albums

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