Road to the Riches

Biography

Kool G Rap Nathaniel Wilson (born July 20, 1968), known by stage name Kool G Rap, is an American hardcore rapper from Queens, New York City.He is from the Corona section of Queens. He began his career with the Juice Crew in the 1980s but achieved little commercial success. Wilson began working with DJ Polo in 1986, releasing several underground hit singles including "It's a Demo"/"I'm Fly". Two other singles, "Streets of New York" and "Road to the Riches", received heavy rotation on Yo! MTV Rap...

Kool G Rap

Nathaniel Wilson (born July 20, 1968), known by stage name Kool G Rap, is an American hardcore rapper from Queens, New York City.He is from the Corona section of Queens. He began his career with the Juice Crew in the 1980s but achieved little commercial success.
Wilson began working with DJ Polo in 1986, releasing several underground hit singles including "It's a Demo"/"I'm Fly". Two other singles, "Streets of New York" and "Road to the Riches", received heavy rotation on Yo! MTV Raps and cemented his reputation as one of New York's top lyrical auteurs. His talent for telling a compelling, hard-luck story in a single song was considered second to only that of Rakim. While Wilson grew in popularity, he never crossed over like Biz Markie or Big Daddy Kane, both also members of the Juice Crew.

Solo career
Wilson began a solo career in the mid-1990s, releasing his debut solo album 4,5,6 in 1995. This and subsequent LPs saw little attention from critics or consumers, and he began collaborating with others. Signing to Rawkus Records, Wilson released 2002's The Giancana Story. The album was well-received, but without commercial success. In 2004, "Road to the Riches" appeared in popular videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on classic hip hop radio station Playback FM.
A new EP titled Half A Klip will be released on Chinga Chang Records in March 2007 World Wide. The EP features production by DJ Premier and Domingo. G Rap's first single is named "What's More Realer Than That", produced by DJ Premier. The Queens-bred rapper inked a deal with Chinga Chang Records in December 2005, Sources told AllHipHop.com that Wilson had recently completed a track with LL Cool J to be featured on LL's upcoming album, which is executive produced by G-Unit's 50 Cent. "Kool G Rap is the greatest lyricist of all time and DJ Premier is the most sought after producer in the game so this is major," said Dan "Dmak" Herman, CEO of Chinga Chang Records.

Lyrical dexterity
Early in his career, Kool G Rap's (short for "Kool Genius of Rap") hallmark was his rapid-fire, multisyllabic delivery. He trademarked the ability to rhyme the same syllables in the same combinations, though with different words, for a whole verse (16 bars long). This style is mostly apparent on the 1990 album Wanted: Dead or Alive, on such songs as "Play It Again, Polo", "Jive Talk", and "Kool is Back". The style was later adopted by Souls of Mischief and Big Daddy Kane, to varying degrees, as well as Nas and Big Pun (the latter of whom cited G Rap as one of his biggest influences). Today many rappers use this style, though few follow it as strictly as G Rap does (or Big Pun did).

Example verse:

I sway the tech wit the Tech and Sway
Step away, weapons spray, rep the day
Who owe a debt to pay get swept away
Across the whole board like checker play
When I blaze your whole set could raise
Wake-Up Show for those slept away
Niggas that met the trey, hit the deck and prayed
DJ Revolution, spinning like lead from out the heck-a.k.
Tearing your neck away, flood up the street with blood redecorate
Until the head of jake investigate
- Kool G Rap, The Anthem


Mafioso rap
Starting with his third album (Live and Let Die), Kool G Rap became more known for Mafioso rap. He had hinted at this inclination on his second album with the song "Streets of New York." His later albums straddle the line between glorification and remorse in relation to the gangster lifestyle. He laments the violent lifestyle he rapped about on songs like "On the Run," yet boasts it on songs such as "Fast Life" (featuring Nas).
In his songs, album covers and titles, he has used various references to mob movies:
•The first line of "Bad to the Bone" states: I'm bad to the bone / with a style like Al Capone
•The album "Live and Let Die" uses many samples from the film The Untouchables.
•The cover of his 5th album, Roots of Evil, is an obvious reference to the popular poster for the film Scarface
•His 6th album is named The Giancana Story, referencing well-known Mafia boss Sam Giancana


Legacy
Kool G Rap is considered a legendary golden age and mafioso rapper. He is also considered one of the most influential rappers ever:
“
I think overall and all around Kool G Rap is the greatest rapper to ever live. I prove to people when I tell them to go back and do their homework. Biggie got his style from G Rap, Big Pun to Nas to Jay-Z, we were all influenced by Kool G Rap. Even Rakim and Big Daddy Kane who were a little before G Rap, they were still influenced by Kool G Rap. I mean these aren't just the best hip-hop artists of our time, these are the best ever. We all have to pay homage to Kool G Rap. G Rap is like Dr. J of Rap, Jordan got all the accolades but he learned a lot from Dr. J.
”
—Saigon, interview on Hiphopsite.com


Albums


Kool G Rap and DJ Polo discography

Road To The Riches
•Released: January 1989
•Billboard 200 chart position: -
•R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #26
•Singles: "It's a Demo", "Poison", "Road to the Riches"/"Butcher Shop", "Truly Yours"/"Cold Cuts"

Wanted: Dead or Alive
•Released: August 13, 1990
•Billboard 200 chart position: -
•R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #34
•Singles: "Riker's Island", "Bad to the Bone", "Erase Racism"/"Wanted: Dead or Alive", "Streets of New York", "Talk Like Sex"

Live and Let Die
•Released: November 24, 1992
•Billboard 200 chart position: #185
•R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #18
•Singles: "Ill Street Blues"/"Fuck U Man", "On the Run"/"Straight Jacket"


Solo discography

4,5,6
•Released: September 12, 1995
•Billboard 200 chart position: #24
•R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #1
•Singles: "Fast Life"/"4,5,6", "It's a Shame"/"It's a Shame (Da Butcher's Mix)"

Roots of Evil
•Released: November 10, 1998
•Billboard 200 chart position: -
•R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #43
•Singles: "Can't Stop the Shine"/"Thug's Anthem", "Foul Cats"

The Giancana Story
•Released: November 12, 2002
•Billboard 200 chart position: -
•R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #61
•Singles: "The Streets"/"Thug For Life", "My Life"

Click of Respect (with the 5 Family Click)
•Released: October 21, 2003
•Billboard 200 chart position: -
•R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #99
•Singles: "Gully"/"Breaker Breaker"


Compilations

Killer Kuts
•Released: March 29, 1994
•Label: Cold Chillin' Records
•Billboard 200 chart position: -
•R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #92

Rated XXX
•Released: June 4, 1996
•Label: Cold Chillin' Records

The Best of Cold Chillin': Kool G Rap & DJ Polo
•Released: October 17, 2000
•Label: Landspeed Records

Greatest Hits
•Released: May 7, 2002
•Label: Landspeed Records


Notable tracks
•"What's More Realer Then That" (2007)
•"It's a Demo" (1987)
•"The Symphony" with the Juice Crew (1988)
•"Road to the Riches" (1989)
•"Men at Work" (1989)
•"Poison" (1989)
•"Streets of New York" (1990)
•"Talk Like Sex" (1990)
•"Erase Racism" (1990)
•"On the Run" (1992)
•"Ill Street Blues" (1992)
•"Fuck U Man" (1992)
•"4,5,6" (1995)
•"It's a Shame" (1995)
•"Fast Life" featuring Nas (1995)
•"Foul Cats" (1998)
•"Drums of Death (Part 1)" featuring U.N.K.L.E. (1998)
•"Cakes" w/RZA (2000)
•"Let Em' Live" Chino XL feat. Kool G Rap (2001)
•"Allied Meta-Forces (Feat. Canibus) (2002)
•"Thug for Life" (2002)
•"My Life" (2002)
•"The Streets" (2002)
•"Animal Rap" Jedi Mind Tricks feat. Kool G Rap (2003)
•"The Letter P Remix" Saigon feat. Kool G Rap (2004)
•"Gun Ho City" (Kool G Rap & Canibus) (2005)
•"Reckless Eye-Ballin" featuring Verbal Threat (2006) Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.