Ricardo Emmanuel Brown (born November 23, 1972), better known by his stage name Kurupt, is an American rapper and record producer who aided

gangsta rap Gangsta rap or gangster rap, initially called reality rap, emerged in the mid- to late 1980s as a controversial hip-hop subgenre whose lyrics assert the culture and values typical of American street gangs and street hustlers. Many gangsta rappe ...

's rise via 1990s verses helping set lasting trends. He is one half of the rap duo

Tha Dogg Pound Tha Dogg Pound is an American Hip hop music, hip hop duo made up of rappers Kurupt and Daz Dillinger. They were signed to Death Row Records in their early careers and were key to the label's success. Kurupt and Daz went on to release solo albu ...

, along with Daz Dillinger. His first solo album arrived in 1998. After feuding, the duo reunited in 2005.

Personal life

Ricardo Emmanuel Brown was born in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

. He moved to

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

at age 16, first to Hawthorne, then to South Los Angeles,

Crenshaw District Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw is a neighborhood in the south region of the city of Los Angeles. It is divided between the upscale, principally home-owning Baldwin Hills residential district to the south and a more concentrated apartment area to the n ...

at age 18. He was engaged to rapper Foxy Brown from 1997 to 1999. In the early 2000s, he was engaged to Natina Reed; the couple separated in 2002, following the birth of their son Tren Brown. In 2007, Brown married Jovan Brown, who filed for divorce in 2017. That same year, he began dating Toni Calvert. The couple appeared on

Marriage Boot Camp ''Marriage Boot Camp'' (also known as ''Marriage Boot Camp: Bridezillas'', ''Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars'' and ''Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars Family Edition'') is an American reality television series which debuted on May 31, 2013, on W ...

's 17th season in 2020.

Music career

Kurupt debuted as a recording artist via three songs on

the S.O.S. Band The S.O.S. Band (sometimes written as S.O.S. Band; abbreviation for Sounds of Success) is an American R&B and electro-funk group who gained fame in the 1980s. They are best known for the songs "Take Your Time (Do It Right)", "Just Be Good to M ...

's 1991 album '' One of Many Nights''.

Death Row Records

In 1992, at age 19, Kurupt signed to

Death Row Records Death Row Records is an American record label that was founded in 1991 by The D.O.C., Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, and Dick Griffey. The label became a sensation by releasing multi-platinum hip-hop albums by West Coast-based artists such as Dr. Dre ...

, newly formed by music manager Suge Knight and

Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and w ...

, the rapper and music producer who had just left the rap group

N.W.A N.W.A (an abbreviation for Niggaz Wit Attitudes) was an American hip hop group whose members were among the earliest and most significant popularizers and controversial figures of the gangsta rap subgenre, and the group is widely considered ...

and its

Ruthless Records Ruthless Records was an American record label founded by Eric "Eazy-E" Wright and Jerry Heller in Compton, California in 1986, where all of the Ruthless trademarks have been owned by Comptown Records, Inc. since 1997. Several artists on the la ...

. At Death Row, Kurupt joined a roster of artists—including Daz Dillinger, Lady of Rage,

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...

Nate Dogg Nathaniel Dwayne Hale (August 19, 1969 – March 15, 2011), known professionally as Nate Dogg, was an American singer and rapper. He gained recognition for providing guest vocals for a multitude of hit rap songs between 1992 and 2007, earning the ...

, and

RBX Eric Dwayne Collins (born October 8, 1969) better known by his stage name RBX (standing for "Reality Born Unknown"), is an American rapper and songwriter from Long Beach, California. Early life and education Contrary to popular belief, Collins i ...

—who entered the public eye by their features on Dr. Dre's debut solo album '' The Chronic''. Kurupt and Daz soon teamed as a rap duo,

, featured on Snoop Dogg's debut solo album, '' Doggystyle'', in the song "For All My Niggaz & Bitchez". By 1996, the rap genre's East Coast–West Coast rivalry was escalating, spurred on by Death Row's CEO Suge and by rapper 2Pac, new to the label, who believed that a

Bad Boy Records Bad Boy Records (or Bad Boy Entertainment) is an American record label founded in 1993 by rapper Sean "Puffy" Combs. It operates as an imprint of Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. It has been home to many artists, including ...

circle, in their hometown New York City, had fostered his November 1994 shooting there. Tha Dogg Pound released the single "

New York, New York New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

," featuring Snoop Dogg, slighting the city. The duo's debut album, ''

Dogg Food ''Dogg Food'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo Tha Dogg Pound, released on Halloween 1995. Its controversial lyrics were the subject of shareholder protest. The album was supposed to be released in July 1995, but as a result of t ...

'', produced by Daz and mixed by Dre, drew favorable reviews and good sales.

Career after Death Row

Tupac Shakur Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...

's 1996 murder triggered an exodus of artists from Death Row Records. Preceded only by Dr. Dre, Kurupt was second to leave. He then signed with

A&M Records A&M Records was an American record label founded as an independent company by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss in 1962. Due to the success of the discography A&M released, the label garnered interest and was acquired by PolyGram in 1989 and began distr ...

, where he founded the imprint Antra Records, releasing his debut solo album '' Kuruption!'' in 1998. Kurupt left the Antra label upon releasing his second album, '' Tha Streetz Iz a Mutha'', featuring the

diss track A diss track, diss record or diss song (diss – abbr. from ''disrespect'') is a song whose primary purpose is to verbally attack someone else, usually another artist. Diss tracks are often the result of an existing, escalating feud between the t ...

"Calling Out Names", in which Kurupt insults New York rap figures Ja Rule,

50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...

, Irv Gotti, and

DMX Earl Simmons (December 18, 1970 – April 9, 2021), known professionally as DMX, was an American rapper and actor. He began rapping in the early 1990s and released his debut album ''It's Dark and Hell Is Hot'' in 1998, to both critical acclaim ...

, accusing the latter of having an affair with Kurupt's then-fiancée Foxy Brown. During this time, he linked up with fellow Californian Ras Kass,

Wu-Tang Clan Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close aff ...

-affiliate

Killah Priest Walter Reed (born August 16, 1970), better known by his stage name Killah Priest, is an American rapper, member of Sunz of Man and Wu-Tang Clan affiliate who was raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant and Brownsville, Brooklyn. He is known for his int ...

, and Canibus to form a new group, The HRSMN, although, despite promises of forthcoming material, has released only an unfinished white label. While Death Row owned rights to Tha Dogg Pound name, Kurupt and Daz operated as the DPG (Dogg Pound Gangstaz), and also with a larger group, including Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg,

Soopafly Priest Joseph Brooks, (known professionally as Soopafly born December 8, 1972) is a hip hop producer and rapper from Long Beach, California. He is a member of the DPGC. Early life The oldest of three children, Brooks grew up in Long Beach. H ...

, and others intermittently, altogether the DPGC (Dogg Pound Gangsta Clique). Daz and Kurupt, as the DPG, released '' Dillinger & Young Gotti'', which received lukewarm reviews. Kurupt's following solo album, '' Space Boogie: Smoke Oddessey'', with production by Daz and by up-and-coming producer

Fredwreck Farid Karam Nassar (born June 23, 1972), better known by his stage name Fredwreck, is a Grammy Award-winning American hip hop recording artist, DJ and record producer. He got his big break when he became a producer for Dr. Dre's newly founded re ...

, and released by Artemis Records, fared better. Kurupt's then-fiancée, the late Natina Reed, performed the hook of its single "It's Over".

Return to Death Row

In early 2002, an unofficial remix/compilation album titled ''

2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...

'', by Tha Dogg Pound, provoked questions about the duo's relationship with Death Row. Soon becoming its vice president, Kurupt signed again to Death Row. Given Daz's especial enmity at Death Row's mogul Knight, Kurupt and Daz began feuding, repeatedly bashing each other on records and in interviews. In 2003, Kurupt released DJ Tomekk the single Ganxtaville Pt. III and placed fifth on the German charts, as well as in the charts of Austria and Switzerland. While mentoring Death Row's new artists, including Spider Loc,

Crooked I Dominick Antron Wickliffe (born September 23, 1976), better known by his stage names Crooked I and Kxng Crooked, (stylised as KXNG Crooked and pronounced "King Crooked") is an American rapper from Long Beach, California. He is best known as a fo ...

, and Eastwood, Kurupt began his next album, '' Against tha Grain''. Further, he formed a new group, The Riflemen, consisting of Kurupt,

Mobb Deep Mobb Deep was an American hip hop duo from New York City. The duo consisted of rappers Prodigy and Havoc. They are considered to be among the principal progenitors of hardcore East Coast hip hopEdwards, Paul, 2009, '' How to Rap: The Art & Sc ...

Jayo Felony James Savage (born December 18, 1969), better known by his stage name Jayo Felony, is an American rapper from southeast San Diego, California. Career In 1994 Jayo Felony was signed to the label owned by Jam Master Jay from RUN DMC called J ...

, 40 Glocc, and

The Alchemist An alchemist is a person who practices alchemy. Alchemist or Alchemyst may also refer to: Books and stories * ''The Alchemist'' (novel), the translated title of a 1988 allegorical novel by Paulo Coelho * ''The Alchemist'' (play), a play by Be ...

, although the likelihood of a record from this ensemble increasingly slimmed. In 2004, after repeated delays of Kurupt's forthcoming solo album '' Originals'', a bootleg version was released, alike those of Crooked I and other Death Row artists. It was later revealed that Kurupt was more stung by his feud with Daz than he had acknowledged. In April 2005, at a West Coast unity event hosted by Snoop Dogg, with Snoop as liaison, Kurupt and Daz reconciled and restored their rap duo under its original moniker, Tha Dogg Pound. In August 2005, Kurupt's long delayed album ''Against tha Grain'' was released, once Kurupt had already left Death Row a second time; he would publicly denounce the disses that he had included on the album, but an EP called '' Against tha Grain E.P.'' surfaced in 2007, containing said disses.

Dogg Pound reunited and HRSMN returns

Kurupt and Daz released ''Dillinger & Young Gotti II: The Saga Continuez'' in 2005, ''Cali iz Active'' (as DPG with Snoop Dogg) in 2006, and '' Dogg Chit'' in 2007; while Kurupt originally touted ''Dogg Chit'' as the heir to ''Dogg Foods legacy, he later stated that none of the group's then intermittent releases were to be considered actual albums—more like

mixtape A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...

s - and that then upcoming '' 100 Wayz'' (originally titled ''Westcoast Aftershocc'') was to be considered the second actual Dogg Pound release. In 2006, he also appeared on Snoop Dogg's album ''

Tha Blue Carpet Treatment ''Tha Blue Carpet Treatment'' is the eighth studio album by West Coast hip hop recording artist Snoop Dogg. It was released on November 21, 2006, by Doggystyle Records and Geffen Records. It is also the final album to have Nate Dogg featured on i ...

''. After putting out '' Digital Smoke'' with J. Wells in 2007, Kurupt released an album with his younger brother Roscoe titled '' The Frank and Jess Story'' in 2008. He also appeared on Snoop Dogg's 2008 album ''

Ego Trippin' ''Ego Trippin' '' is the ninth studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on March 11, 2008 by Doggystyle Records, Interscope Records and Geffen Records.

''. Before ''100 Wayz'' was released in 2010, Tha Dogg Pound's ''

Gangsta Grillz Gangsta may refer to: Urban culture * Gangsta rap, a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths * Gangster, a member of a gang * Hip hop fashion ...

'' mixtape premiered, hosted by DJ Drama;, followed by an album called '' BlaQKout'' with

DJ Quik David Marvin Blake (born January 18, 1970), better known by his stage names DJ Quik or Da Quiksta, is an American rapper and producer, known for his production in the G-funk style of West Coast hip-hop. Blake has collaborated with Snoop Dogg, ...

on April 28, 2009. The ''BlaQKout'' single, "Fuck Y'all," is a diss to former Quik partners AMG, Hi-C and 2nd II None. During this time, Kurupt was featured on many tracks with other independent artists, and released Streetlights, his first solo album in four years, on April 20, 2010. In 2011, Kurupt started recording with MC Eiht,

King T Roger McBride (born December 14, 1968), better known by his stage name King T (formerly known as King Tee), is an American West Coast Hip hop rapper from Compton, California. Emerging as one of Compton's earliest hip hop artists, he was signed ...

, B.G. Knocc Out, Tha Chill, and Sir Jinx for a hip hop group project called "1st Generation". In 2012, Kurupt announced plans to release the long anticipated HRSMN project, ''The Academy'', a compilation of collaborations between various artists, and guest featured alongside

Slaughterhouse A slaughterhouse, also called abattoir (), is a facility where animals are slaughtered to provide food. Slaughterhouses supply meat, which then becomes the responsibility of a packaging facility. Slaughterhouses that produce meat that is no ...

and Big Dave on the single "Hey Girl" from Rocko's debut album '' Self Made''. Following the death of his son Tren's mother ( Natina Reed of R&B girl group

Blaque Blaque is an American girl group that charted from 1999 to 2004. Outside of the United States, they are known as Blaque Ivory. Their self-titled debut album ''Blaque'' sold more than 1 million copies and was certified Platinum. The group's d ...

) in a car accident in Atlanta, the planned release of the DJ Nik Bean-hosted mixtape, ''Money, Bitches, Power'' on November 7, 2012 was delayed. The mixtape, which features

E-40 Earl Tywone Stevens Sr. (born November 15, 1967), better known by his stage name E-40, is an American rapper. He is a founding member of the rap group The Click, and the founder of Sick Wid It Records. He has released 26 studio albums to date, ...

Masta Killa Jamel Irief (born Elgin Turner; August 18, 1969), better known by his stage name Masta Killa, is an American rapper and member of the Wu-Tang Clan. Though one of the lesser-known members of the group (he was featured on only one track on their 1 ...

, Ty Dolla Sign, The Rejectz and more, was released on May 1, 2013. In early 2015, Kurupt released another hit single called "I.M.O." (In My Opinion) with hip hop rapper and producer KingThaRapper, signed under Famous Music Group. In May 2021, it was announced that the long delayed HRSMN project would finally be delivered to fans. The album, now titled ''The Last Ride'', was released on June 18, 2021. In 2022 he was featured on the track “Curse of Canaan” on the album “Tortured in the Name of God’s Unconditional Love” by artist Vinnie Paz

Influence and legacy

Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter. Known for his progressive musical styles and socially conscious songwriting, he is often considered one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generat ...

cited Kurupt in a 2014 interview as one of his three most significant influences, alongside 2Pac and

Ice Cube An ice cube is a small piece of ice, which is typically rectangular as viewed from above and trapezoidal as viewed from the side. Ice cubes are products of mechanical refrigeration and are usually produced to cool beverages. They may be p ...

Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing Hip hop music, hip hop in Middle America (United Sta ...

stated in his song "

'Till I Collapse "Till I Collapse" is a song by American rapper Eminem featuring fellow American rapper and singer Nate Dogg, released from his fourth studio album ''The Eminem Show'' (2002). Despite never being released as a single, the song has managed to chart ...

" that he views Kurupt as one of the best rappers of all time, saying "I got a list—here's the order of my list that it's in, it goes

Reggie Reggie is a given name, usually a short form of the name Reginald. It may refer to: People * Reggie Bonnafon (born 1996), American football player * Reggie Brown (disambiguation), multiple people * Reggie Bush (born 1985), National Football ...

Jay Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one o ...

, Tupac and

Biggie Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in East Coast hip hop and particularly gangsta ...

, Andre from Outkast, Jada, Kurupt,

Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air ...

, and then me". Kool Moe Dee ranked Kurupt at 39 on his best MCs of all-time list in his book, '' There's a God on the Mic''.

Discography

Studio albums

* '' Kuruption!'' (1998) * '' Tha Streetz Iz a Mutha'' (1999) * '' Space Boogie: Smoke Oddessey'' (2001) * '' Against the Grain'' (2005) * '' Same Day, Different Shit'' (as Young Gotti) (2006) * '' Streetlights'' (2010) * ''7Ps Tha Gotti Way'' (2022)

Collaboration albums

* '' The Horsemen Project'' with HRSMN (2003) * '' Digital Smoke'' with J. Wells (2007) * '' The Frank and Jess Story'' with Roscoe (2008) * '' BlaQKout'' with DJ Quik (2009) * ''Tha Tekneek Files'' with Roscoe (2009) * ''We Got Now and Next'' with Diirty OGz (2016) * ''The Last Ride'' with HRSMN (2021) * ''Don't Be Stupid'' with C-Mob (2022)

Filmography

* 1995 '' Murder Was the Case'' (Video) (segment "Doggy Dogg World") as Small Change from Philly * 1998 ''

Straight from the Streets ''Straight from the Streets'' is the debut album by Sean T Sean Miguel Thompson, better known by his stage name Sean T, is an American rapper and record producer from East Palo Alto, California. Throughout his career both as a rapper and a prod ...

'' (Video) * 1999 ''Charlie Hustle: Blueprint of Self-Made Millionaire'' (Video) * 1999 ''

Soul Train ''Soul Train'' is an American musical variety television show. It aired in syndication from October 2, 1971, to March 25, 2006. Across its 35-year history the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists. The series ...

'' (TV Series) * 1999 ''3 the Hard Way'' (Video) * 2000 ''The Up In Smoke Tour'' (Video) * 2001 ''Keepin' It Real'' as "Raw-D" * 2001 ''

The Wash The Wash is a rectangular bay and multiple estuary at the north-west corner of East Anglia on the East coast of England, where Norfolk meets Lincolnshire and both border the North Sea. One of Britain's broadest estuaries, it is fed by the riv ...

'' as "Maniac" * 2002 ''Kurupt: G-TV'' (Video) * 2002 '' Half Past Dead'' as Bernard "Twitch" * 2002 '' Dark Blue'' as Darryl Orchard * 2003 '' Fastlane'' (TV episode called "Dosed") as Fallon * 2003 '' Hollywood Homicide'' as Oliver "K-Ro" Robidoux * 2003 ''Hardware: Uncensored Music Videos – Hip Hop Volume 1'' (Video) (segment "The Next Episode") * 2003 '' Tupac: Resurrection'' * 2003 ''Vegas Vamps'' * 2003 ''Keepin'it Real'' as Raw-D * 2004 ''I Accidentally Domed Your Son'' as Krego * 2004 '' Johnson Family Vacation'' as Himself * 2005 A Talent for Trouble'' as Himself * 2005 ''Brothers in Arms'' as "Kansas" * 2006 ''

Stand By Your Man "Stand by Your Man" is a song recorded by American country music artist Tammy Wynette, co-written by Wynette and Billy Sherrill. It was released on September 20, 1968, as the first single and title track from the album '' Stand by Your Man''. I ...

'' as "Joker" * 2006 ''Cut Off'' * 2007 ''Rap Sheet: Hip-Hop and the Cops'' * 2007 '' Half Past Dead 2'' as Bernard "Twitch" * 2008 ''

Vice A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character t ...

'' as T.J. Greene * 2008 ''Bigg Snoop Dogg presents: The Adventures of Tha Blue Carpet Treatment'' * 2008 ''

Days of Wrath Days of Wrath may refer to: * Days of Wrath (2008 film), an American drama film * Days of Wrath (2013 film), a South Korean film {{dab ...

'' as Bobby * 2008 ''Loaded'' as Dyson * 2009 '' A Day in the Life'' as "Murder" * 2010 '' The Penthouse'' as 'Strangers' Host * 2013 ''

Grand Theft Auto V ''Grand Theft Auto V'' is a 2013 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the seventh main entry in the ''Grand Theft Auto'' series, following 2008's ''Grand Theft Auto IV'', and the fifteenth in ...

'' (Videogame) as The Local Population * 2017 ''The White Sistas'' as Terry * 2017 '' Grown Folks'' as Normal Eyes Joe * 2018 ''Bachelor Lions as Beat Masta G

Grammy Award nominations

Kurupt has been nominated for one

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

as a member of

tha Dogg Pound Tha Dogg Pound is an American Hip hop music, hip hop duo made up of rappers Kurupt and Daz Dillinger. They were signed to Death Row Records in their early careers and were key to the label's success. Kurupt and Daz went on to release solo albu ...

References

External links

*
Kurupt Interview at Metal Lungies.com

Kurupt & DJ Quik Interview with soundhustle.com

Kurupt Interview at HipHopDX

Kurupt on the set of "In Gotti We Trust"
by Streetgangs.com, March 28, 2010 {{Authority control 1972 births Living people 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century American rappers African-American male rappers Crips Death Row Records artists Gangsta rappers G-funk artists Musicians from Hawthorne, California Rappers from Los Angeles Rappers from Philadelphia The Hrsmn members West Coast hip hop musicians