Biography

Early life & Death Row Records

Kurupt was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and later moved to Hawthorne, California as a teen to live with his father. As a result, he has associated himself somewhat with Philadelphia and its rap scene, including Philly rappers such as Beanie Sigel. He lived in Hawthorne and later moved to South Central on his own.

After a rap battle with future star Snoop Dogg at a club one night, the two felt camaraderie, and agreed that if one of the two got a record deal they would put the other on. When Snoop was discovered by Dr Dre and signed to Death Row Records, Kurupt was also signed to the label.

Snoop's cousin, Daz Dillinger, was also signed, and the three formed a group called Tha Dogg Pound. The pair had well-received appearances on the first two major Death Row releases, The Chronic and Doggystyle, and due to the successes of the albums their debut Dogg Food was widely anticipated and did well both critically and on the charts.

After the signing of 2Pac to Death Row in September 1995, a "rap war" was sparked between Death Row and Bad Boy Entertainment. Kurupt and Daz became embroiled in it through "New York, New York," the single from Dogg Food; Queensbridge, New York duos Capone-N-Noreaga and Mobb Deep responded with "L.A., L.A."

Antra Records

When 2Pac was later murdered, Kurupt was one of the first artists to leave Death Row. He signed with A&M Records which in turn he started his own label Antra Records and released his debut solo album, entitled Kuruption! in 1998. It was a double-disc album, one drawing on the West Coast and one drawing on the East Coast. His second solo album, Tha Streetz Iz a Mutha, was released on Antra in 1999. Many of his fans consider this to be his best album, though it did relatively poorly commercially.

In 2001, Kurupt released his third solo album, Space Boogie: Smoke Oddessey. The album did relatively well, promoted by the single "It's Over." In the same year, Kurupt and Daz released the album Dillinger & Young Gotti under the DPG moniker.

Back on Death Row

In 2002, Kurupt signed back on with Death Row Records in exchange for Dr. Dre's former role of President. Snoop Dogg and Daz, who held Death Row CEO Suge Knight responsible for 2Pac's death, were shocked by the move and felt betrayed. This didn't sit well with them and a feud ignited between Kurupt and Snoop, Daz and other DPG associates. Kurupt faded into the background on Death Row, working on the album that would be pushed back numerous times; fans heard from him only on guest appearances or disses to his former groupmates.

During his second stint on Death Row, Kurupt formed two separate groups: The Riflemen consisted of: Kurupt, Mobb Deep, Jayo Felony, 40 Glocc, and The Alchemist. The HRSMN consisted of Kurupt, Canibus, Killah Priest and Ras Kass. Though the former never released even a single and now seems defunct, the HRSMN have put out two mixtapes (one featuring songs by all the artists together, one just a loose compilation of contributions by each rapper). In interviews they have stated they are ready to begin working on finding a label for the project and releasing it, and though each one is busy with his own albums, they have each guested on each others' projects.

When the album, Against Tha Grain, was finally released in 2005 to poor reviews and sales, Kurupt had already left the label a second time. The feud lasted about 3 years, until Snoop Dogg put together a meeting called the "West Coast Conference", which was a rounded up a large amount of rappers from the West Coast. The press conference was for artists to squash any problems, so they could all work together and make money in the future.

Again Off Death Row & Recent Projects

Kurupt dropped "Same Day, Different Sh*t" in 2006. The CD was entirely produced by Daz. and was an independent release.

Kurupt recently signed a 2 album deal with Babygrande Records in a joint venture with Gangsta Advisory

Discography

Solo albums

Tha Dogg Pound

With The HRSMN

• The Horsemen Project (2003)

With J Wells

• Digital Smoke (2007)

Filmography

Acting

• 1995 "Murder Was the Case: The Movie"
• 1998 "Straight from the Streets" (Video)
• 1999 Charlie Hustle: Blueprint of Self-Made Millionaire (TV)
• 1999 3 the Hard Way (Video)
• 2000 The Up In Smoke Tour (Video)
• 2001 Keepin' It Real (as Raw-D)
• 2001 The Wash (as Maniac)
• 2002 Kurupt: G-TV (Video)
• 2002 Half Past Dead (as Twitch)
• 2002 Dark Blue (as Darryl Orchard)
• 2003 Fastlane (TV episode called "Dosed" (as Fallon)
• 2003 Hollywood Homicide (as K-Ro)
• 2003 "Hardware: Uncensored Music Videos - Hip Hop Volume 1"(Video) (segment "The Next Episode")
• 2003 Tupac: Resurrection
• 2003 "Vegas Vamps"
• 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 "Rap Sheet: Hip-Hop and the Cops"
• 2006 Stand By Your Man (as Joker)
• 2007 Half Past Dead 2 (as Twitch)
• 2007 Vice (currently filming) (as TJ Greene)

Composer

• 1995 Murder Was the Case: The Movie (Video) (song "Doggy Dogg World")
• 2001 "Gang Tapes"

Appearances

• 1992 "Lyrical Gangbang" (w/ Lady of Rage & RBX)
• 1992 "Stranded on Death Row" (w/ RBX, Lady of Rage & Snoop Doggy Dogg)
• 1992 "Bitches Ain't Shit" (feat. Dat Nigga Daz & Snoop Doggy Dogg) (From Dr. Dre's album The Chronic.)
• 1993 "Serial Killa" ~as Tha Dogg Pound~ (feat. The D.O.C. & RBX)
• 1993 "For All My Niggaz & Bitches" ~as Tha Dogg Pound~ (feat. The Lady Of Rage)
• 1993 "Doggy Dogg World ~as Tha Dogg Pound~ (feat. The Dramatics); & "Ain't No Fun (If The Homies Can't Have None)" (feat. Nate Dogg & Warren G) (all off the Snoop Doggy Dogg album Doggystyle)
• 1996 "Music Makes Me High (Remix)" (with Lost Boyz, Canibus, & Daz from the 12" Single)
• 1997 "Can You Handle It" (feat. Daz, McGruff, & D.J. Rogers Jr.) (off the Heavy D album Waterbed Hev)
• 1998 "True Master" (feat Pete Rock & Inspectah Deck) from the Pete Rock's album Soul Survivor
• 1998 "The Comeback" (feat. Daz Dillinger) (from the TQ album They Never Saw Me Coming)
• 1999 "Gangsta, Gangsta (How U Do It)" (from the Chris Webber album Too Much Drama)
• 2000/2002 "Where I Wanna Be" (feat. Nate Dogg) (off Shade Sheist's album "Informal Introduction" & Damizza's "presents...Where I Wanna Be")
• 2000 "O.G. To Me" (feat. Daz, Jayo Felony)(off Scarface's album "Last of a Dying Breed")
• 2001 "Who Ride Wit' Us" & "Make It Happen"(with Tone Toven) (both from the various artists album entitled "Nuthin' But A Gangsta Party 2")
• 2001 "Skunk" (featured on Choclair's album Memoirs of Blake Savage)
• 2002 "Just A Dance" (from the Deborah Cox album The Morning After)
• 2002 "Blast Off" (from the various artists album entitled "Chronic Jointz: Da Hitz Vol. 1")
• 2003 "The Dungeon" (off the Canibus mixtape My Name Is Nobody)
• 2004 "Ain't No Way" (from the HRSMN)
• 2004 "Deep Blue Sea" (off the Cormega album Legal Hustle)
• 2005 "West Coast" (Introduction by Kurupt) (off the Yama album "Amor")
• 2005 "Keep it G" feat Bohemia The Punjabi Rapper (featured on DJ Scorpio's album West Coast Desi)
• 2006 "Baby Who's Is It" (from the Teena Marie album "Sapphire")
• 2007 "Hood Or Nothing" (from the Westside Bugg album "The Roach Motel")
• 2007 "Keep It Moving" (feat. Q-Tip & Dion) (from the Hi-Tek album "Hi-Teknology 2")
• 2007 "Under The Bus" f/Jadakiss (from the N.O.R.E. Mixtape "Cocaine On Steroids")
• 2007 "I'm The Man" Belly
• 2007 "Inner G" (from the Killah Priest album The Offering (with the HRSMN)

Grammy Award nominations

Kurupt has been nominated for one Grammy Award but has not yet won an award as of 2006.

Trivia

• Was previously engaged to R&B singer Natina Reed, of the group Blaque and was also previously engaged to Brooklyn, New York rapper Foxy Brown.
• Is an expert of the C-Walk, a Crip Gang ritual. He also made a song about it called "C-Walk" featuring the Crip members Slip Capone & Tray Deee.
• Wrote and produced the song "Streets on Fire" with Porno for Pyros for the film Dark Blue, which was never released on an album.
• His brother is a rapper named Young Roscoe.
• Is associated with the Rollin 60's Crip Gang.
• Has had feuds with rappers in the past dissing artists such as DMX, Ja Rule, Foxy Brown, 50 Cent, Bad Azz, Soopafly, Snoop Dogg,Eazy-E & even with his partner Daz Dillinger.
• Has his own Porno DVD named "Kurupt Uncut".
• When Koch released "Against The Grain" they removed all the diss songs from the album. Those songs have now been released on Kurupt "Against Tha Grain (The E.P.)" and includes the infamous "No Vaseline Part 2" which is aimed at Soopafly, Bad Azz, Daz Dillinger, and Snoop Dogg. Available at forthepeopleent.com
• got a son (Tren Brown) with ex-Girlfriend / Fiancé Natina Reed born in 2002.