A criminal past isn’t a necessary requirement to become a rapper, but if your image is one of tough talk and the like, it’s helpful when fans don’t doubt the sincerity. Since the beginning, there have been rappers from the hardest hoods to the plushest suburbs, but there are a few acts that appear to still be deep in the streets. Or, at least one point were.
Of course, the softer side of rap has plenty of representatives such as Kanye West, Drake, Kid Cudi and others not mentioned on this list. But on the flip, there are some rappers we wouldn’t tussle with unless we had armed guards behind us.
HipHopWired looks at 12 rappers (actually “rap acts” since there are some groups in here) that are ’bout that life, even after jail stints and growing fame.
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Gunplay
Gunplay is an automatic lock for this list. Freshly acquitted of charges of armed robbery and assault, Mr. 601 & Snort doesn’t seem to exhibit much chill in his music or his real life. Peep how he was throwing fives after G-Unit affiliates stepped to him during the BET Hip Hop Awards.
Clipse
While the brothers Thornton are masterful rappers, Pusha T and No Malice are definitely affiliated with the drug culture they heavily referenced in their raps. We can’t say that they actually touched the stuff, but their manager Anthony “Geezy” Gonzalez was busted in 2009 for running a $10 million out of a Virginia Beach club.
Sean Price of Boot Camp Clik and Heltah Skeltah
The towering Brooklyn veteran has done stints in jail for drug and gun possession, and ran with one of New York’s most dangerous gangs, the Decepticons. Sean Price’s rap partner, Rockness Monstah also had his run-ins with the law and was accused of running a prostitution ring.
Steady B & Cool C
Not only were these fools about that life, they got life in prison after a botched bank robbery left a Philadelphia police officer dead.
Styles P
As a member of the LOX, Styles P spits raw bars of doing crime. Turns out it just wasn’t rap, as Holiday Styles did time for stabbing a man in the buttocks in 2002.
Cormega
Mega Montana got a shout from Nas on the classic “One Love” joint from Illmatic. Cor did four years after getting knocked for an armed robbery charge in 1991.
Gucci Mane
Radric Davis is a wild dude. His frequent visits to the bing tells one story but nothing details how much about that life he is than when an “alleged” associate of Young Jeezy came after him and was killed. To this day, the murder is still in limbo and Gucci was never charged.
Ghostface Killah
Tony Starks, much like the rest of his Wu-Tang Clan brethren, got busy in that street life. In particular, Ghost, RZA and other Clansmen were in Ohio doing “whatever they do” and the rapper was shot in the neck and arm in the early 1990s.
C-Murder
Master P’s brother Corey “C-Murder” Miller was convicted for the beating and shooting death of a teenaged fan in 2002. Later, he was caught on video shooting at bouncers at a nightclub that refused him entry. Safe to say he earned his rap name legitimately.
Maino
The Black Flag Mafia member did a 10-year bid for robbing and kidnapping a drug dealer in his native Brooklyn. He’s reformed, but no need to test the man. Ask Yung Berg.
Cam’Ron
NEW ORLEANS, LA – FEBRUARY 18: Cam’ron performs as Reebok Classic and Footaction host a star-studded concert with Cam’ron, Teyana Taylor and Curren$y on February 18, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Josh Brasted/Getty Images)
Cam’Ron has been eluding to being involved in illegal activity since the breakout of his Dipset crew, even boasting of a “situation” bubbling in Ohio for a while. Killa proved he’s no chump after being shot in Washington, D.C. in 2005 and still promoting his album after leaving the hospital.
Beanie Sigel
Beanie Mack has a history of charges, socking folks in the face and generally looking like that one Philly dude you never want on your bad side. Even more bizarre, he’s been shot after a robbery attempt that went afoul and survived, just a month after getting out of jail on another charge.
