South Central Cartel

by Jason BirchmeierAs one of the original early-90s West Coast gangsta collectives to follow NWAs lead, South Central Cartel first appeared with their debut album South Central Madness in early 1992 before releasing a succession of albums throughout the remainder of the decade. After their follow-up, 1994s N Gatz We Truss, generated a sizable amount of attention in the gangsta rap underground, Def Jam signed the group, eventually resulting in their most realized album, 1997s All Day Everyday. During this same era, group leaders Havoc and Prodeje released a string of albums on Quality Records as well, helping garner a small yet healthy cult audience. Unfortunately, Def Jam dropped the group in the late 90s, and they ended up releasing the relatively disappointing Concrete Jungle, Vol. 1 on an indie label, which signaled their plummet into oblivion. Despite their lack of commercial success, the group does stand alongside fellow early-90s West Coast collectives such as NWA, Comptons Most Wanted, and Above the Law as gangsta rap pioneers.