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Three 6 Mafia

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Three 6 Mafia (formerly known as Triple Six Mafia), is the first hip hop group from Memphis, Tennessee to go platinum, the second hip-hop act to be nominated for and win an Oscar. They are the originators of certain types of crunk music. The group currently has four core members — DJ Paul, Juicy J, Lord Infamous, and Project Pat and once included Koopsta Knicca, Gangsta Boo, and Crunchy Black all of whom have left, or have been kicked out of the group. They commonly feature members of their extended collective of rappers, referenced to as the Hypnotize Camp Posse (as well as other names), in their projects.

History

Three 6 Mafia started in 1993 with two brothers, DJ Paul and Lord Infamous who chose to collaborate with Juicy J under the name Backyard Posse, then Triple 6 Mafia. The hip hop group formed through release of many EPs off of their own record company Prophet Entertainment (later renamed Hypnotize Minds Records). During their early career, they also were able to propel the careers of several other rappers. In 1995, the group released its first official album, Mystic Stylez. It had recorded this album by using the profits from its highly successful underground tape Smoked Out, Loced Out. This was followed by the Live by Yo Rep EP, which took lyrical jabs at Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and their second album, Chapter 1: Da End.

In 1997, they were signed to Relativity Records, where they released the first major record release, Chapter 2: World Domination. During this time, they were able to develop their technical style to gain some attention from major hip hop audiences with the single "Tear Da Club Up '97".

At this point in the group's evolution, having signed to a major label and having scored an admirable hit single, group leaders Juicy J and DJ Paul began extending their brand. They started by releasing group member solo albums (Gangsta Boo, Koopsta Knicca), non-group member solo albums (Project Pat, The Kaze) and also compilation-styled albums (Tear Da Club Up Thugs, Hypnotize Camp Posse, Da Headbussaz and Prophet Posse). Around this time, they also released collections of tracks from earlier years (Underground Vol. 1: 1991-1994, Underground Vol. 2: Club Memphis, Underground Vol. 3: Kings of Memphis).

In 2000, the official Three 6 Mafia follow-up to the Chapter 2 album, When the Smoke Clears, was released. With the success of the lead single, Sippin’ on Some Syrup in a few non-Southern markets, the album debuted at number six on Billboard's album charts. It received no MTV airplay and little national radio rotation. This is the year Koopsta Knicca left the group.

They later began work on the direct-to-video film, Choices: The Movie, and affiliated solo albums. Choices and its accompanying soundtrack (Choices: The Album) were released in 2001. Gangsta Boo left the group this same year.

The year of 2002 saw two solo releases from the group's two producers. One from DJ Paul called Underground Vol. 16: For Da Summa and one called Chronicles of the Juice Man by Juicy J.

In 2003, Three 6 Mafia released the album Da Unbreakables, which features collaborations with Lil' Flip, Pimp C (from UGK), Lil Wyte, Frayser Boy and Project Pat. The album produced the hit "Ridin' Spinners," which featured Lil' Flip.

In 2005, the group released their follow up direct-to-video, Choices II: The Set Up, and their highly anticipated album, Most Known Unknown. It was notable that Lord Infamous was missing from this album. The generally accepted reason was that he had been incarcerated; however, Three 6 Mafia claimed he was on "holiday." Recently, he has officially returned to Three 6 Mafia. The album includes the hit "Stay Fly", featuring Young Buck and 8 Ball & MJG. They also worked on the movie Hustle & Flow, which would lead them to an award and released a greatest hits album, Most Known Hits.

On June 7, 2006, Sony officially acknowledged the departure of original Three 6 Mafia member, Crunchy Black. He stated his reason for departure was to make a solo album that DJ Paul and Juicy J had put off for years. .

Controversy

Their name has been a topic of controversy because of some people's belief that their name refers to the Number of the Beast. They are known to have mentioned the occult in song topics and this, with their name, has potentially affected their amount of television and radio play (until their success with "Stay Fly"). They have never claimed to worship Satan however, and have said they are Christian. The name's meaning is attributed to "it started with three people in the group, ended up with six, Three 6 Mafia" according to an interview with Juicy J. The group is now at 3 members again with Lord Infamous in jail and Project Pat filling in.

On the 1995 single, Live By Yo Rep, the group had accused a Cleveland group, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, of stealing its style (a mix of quasi-harmonic rapping and blatant references to the occult). A rebuttal from Bone Thugs-N-Harmony came on the track "All Original" on their album, Art of War, that speaks critical remarks against Three 6 Mafia. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony paid insult to Three 6 Mafia on the song "Notorious Thugs" with The Notorious B.I.G..

The group was also able to make a number of other enemies with former members such as Playa Fly, Gangsta Blac, T-Rock and Kingpin Skinny Pimp. They also lost several members such as Koopsta Knicca, who left due to a monetary dispute, while La Chat and Gangsta Boo are currently pursuing solo careers. Gangsta Boo was rumored to have converted to a more conservative form of Christianity, changing her name to Lady Boo, feeling that "Gangsta" was no way to express her beliefs, but she switched back to Gangsta Boo and began rapping with her old style shortly after her departure.

Their 2005 single, Stay Fly, was also referenced in the argument of Three 6 Mafia's Satanic "shoutouts" for the high pitched, almost female voice, in the background at the beginning of the song. The voice was assumed, by at least some, to be saying "Lucifer, Is My King, 'Til I Die". However, the track was actually derived from a classic funk/soul singer, Willie Hutch. The actual track says "You're my pride, you're my dream, you're my Dar-ling.

Awards

On March 5, 2006, Three 6 Mafia made history as they became the first African American hip-hop group to win an Academy Award for Best Song and also became the first hip-hop artists to ever perform at the ceremony. The group was nominated for the song "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" from the Hustle & Flow soundtrack. This marked only the second time that a hip-hop act was nominated and won, following Eminem. The Oscar-winning members of Three 6 Mafia were credited by their real names, Jordan Houston (Juicy J) and Paul Beauregard (DJ Paul), along with Cedric Duane Coleman (Frayser Boy), although host Jon Stewart did refer to them as Three 6 Mafia after their victory.

Trivia

  • Three 6 Mafia recorded a song, "Some Bodies Gonna Get It", for the WWE Wreckless Intent CD. Three 6 Mafia also gave WWE.com an interview and on May 26, 2006, they performed live on SmackDown! sponsored by wrestler Mark Henry, who used the song as his entrance theme.
  • Paris Hilton has sought out and obtained Three 6 Mafia to help her, not only produce, but write tracks for her upcoming album. Their meeting was profiled in an episode of The Simple Life.
  • Three 6 Mafia perform on the fictional sketch comedy show featured in Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. They act as the show's musical guest in the show's pilot episode, which was recently released on DVD to Netflix members.

Members

Former members

All of these former members have joined the New Prophet Camp.

Discography

Three 6 Mafia Albums

Cover Title Information
File:Mysticstylescover.jpg Mystic Stylez
Chapter 1: The End
File:Ch.2wd.jpg Chapter 2: World Domination
File:Whenthesmoke.jpg When the Smoke Clears
File:Choices-thealbum.jpg Choices: The Album
File:Daunbreak.jpg Da Unbreakables
Choices II: The Setup (DVD & CD)
File:Mostknown.jpg Most Known Unknown

Hypnotize Minds Albums

Album cover Album information
File:Prophet Posse - Body Parts - 00 - Front Cover.jpg Body Parts by Prophet Posse
File:Crazyndalazdayz.jpg CrazyNDaLazDayz by Tear Da Club Up Thugs
File:36m hcp.jpg Three 6 Mafia Presents: Hypnotize Camp Posse by Hypnotize Camp Posse
File:Headbussaz.jpg Dat's How It Happened To'M by Da Headbussaz

Compilations & Boxed Sets

Album Cover Album information
File:Three 6 Mafia - Underground Vol. 1 - 00 - Front Cover.jpg Underground Vol. 1: (1991-1994)
File:Clubmemphis.jpg Underground Vol. 2: Club Memphis
Underground Vol. 3: Kings of Memphis
File:Mostknownhits.jpg Most Known Hits
Smoked Out Music Greatest Hits

Singles & EPs

Album Cover Album information
Live By Yo Rep (EP)
Year Song U.S. Hot 100 U.S. R&B U.S. Rap UK singles Album
1998 "Late Nite Tip" — #76 — — Chapter 2: World Domination
1998 "Tear Da Club Up '97" — #70 #29 — Chapter 2: World Domination
2000 "Who Run It" — — — — When The Smoke Clears/Three 6 Mafia Presents... Hypnotize Camp Posse
2000 "Sippin On Some Syrup" (Feat. UGK, & Project Pat) — #30 — — When The Smoke Clears
2000 "Tongue Ring" — — — — When The Smoke Clears
2001 "Baby Mama" (Feat. La Chat) — #94 — — Choices: The Album
2001 "2-Way Freak" (Feat. La Chat) — — — — Choices: The Album
2003 "Ridin' Spinners" (Feat. Lil' Flip) — #62 — — Da Unbreakables
2003 "Who Gives A...Where You From" (Feat. DJ Kay Slay) — — — — Streetsweepers Vol. 2: The Pain From the Game
2005 "Stay Fly" (Feat. Young Buck & Eightball & MJG) #13 #9 #3 #33 Most Known Unknown
2006 "Poppin' My Collar" (Remix) (Feat. Project Pat) #21 #10 #6 — Most Known Unknown
2006 "Side 2 Side" (Remix) (Feat. Project Pat & Bow Wow) — #63 — — Most Known Unknown

Songs Featuring Three 6 Mafia

Filmography

See also

External links

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