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UNLV
BIOGRAPHY
The underground legends of hip-hop have returned. Having weathered career storms the equivalent of the Tsunami; UNLV is ready to do what they do best, get you outta your seat. The founding fathers of rap in New Orleans, award recipients as the Best Rap Group in New Orleans by a key area media outlet, creators of the “Go D.J.” phenomenon which also garned an award as Best Louisiana Rap Single and veterans of Cash Money Records releases; UNLV is ready to now claim their true spotlight. And their upcoming album entitled GUTTER MUZIK is a true testament to this fact.
But this shouldn’t be surprising to knowledgeable rap fans. The success of UNLV’s last album Gutta 4 Life yielded two conservative hits: “Work That Thang” and “Drag Em’ II”. This followed the strong selling Keep It Gutta and the breakout anthem “Go D.J.” Previous albums such as Mac-Melph-Calio and Uptown 4 Life even sold 80,000 and 200,000 respectively, in the group’s early days. And, the notorious single “Drag Em From The River” went on to become a New Orleans anthem, playing at clubs and radio stations across the United States.
But just who is this best kept secret of the south?
Founded in the early ‘90’s, UNLV consists of two childhood friends, Yaphet Jones (aka L’il Ya) and Reginald Manuel aka (Tec-9). UNLV, began their career by performing in clubs, making the rounds at talents shows and livening up block parties. They became an instant hit in New Orleans and throughout Louisiana. In 1992, a local up and coming label named Cash Money Record saw UNLV perform and launched an all-out effort to sign them. Shortly thereafter, another member was added. Albert Thomas (aka Yella Boyee) became the icing on the cake, and the trio went on to record its debut album, the classic 6th and Baronne.selling 40,000 copies with essentially no promotion. The group’s sophomore effort, Straight Outta The Gutta leapt to 60,000 units, under the same conditions and earned the title as the pioneers of New Orleans rap.
But the pioneers are about to finally become well-deserved prominent settlers with the latest effort. With tracks featuring such artists as Juvenille, BG and Lil Boosie, GUTTER MUZIK is actually designed to have “the feel of a soundtrack, taking the listener on an exploratory journey of the streets through our personal experiences from the good times to the hard times,” explains L’il Ya. For example, “Momma Don’t Cry” is a rich mid-tempo track which examines personal experiences growing up in a single parent household. But a no-holds-barred approach has definitely been applied to “Hit ‘Em Up” featuring B.G. For fans who need to hear the real story behind the dissolution of the group’s union with UNLV, there will be no questions remaining after this hard-driving tracks finishes. “We wanted to speak our minds and tell people the truth about the relationship with Cash Money Records,” says Tec-9. The high-energy “Mind Right” featuring L’il Boosie blends a slightly menacing beat perfectly with the directive delivery of the artists. The track is a tough look at growing up in New Orleans where many differences are resolved by violence.
No strangers to hard times, UNLV speaks of what it knows. Ever since their career took off, there have been challenges with which to deal. Even with accomplishments at an all time high in 1997, Yella Boyee was killed. Simultaneously the Cash Money contract was about to expire, and UNLV decided to part ways since it felt it was not being compensated for its success and could not resolve the financial issues. But even after parting ways, Cash Money released another album entitled UNLV Greatest Hits, which is still a classic today.
Four years following that time, the remaining members took a hiatus but then came back on the scene with Trend Setter: The Return of UNLV released under the short lived Blazin’ South Records. And it was for that album which they won the Best Rap Album in New Orleans, even beating out Master P at the time. Picking up where Uptown 4 Life left off, Trendsetters: The Return of UNLV gave audiences hits like “Bootie Bop” and “Lost and Turned Out’ solidifying UNLV as the best independent rap act in New Orleans.
But now, it’s time to break out.
GUTTER MUZIK is surely and indication that through triumph, tragedy and determination; UNLV is a fierce musical force which just can’t be ignored and whose time has surely come!
