Hardcore gangsta rappers and prot‚g‚s of Ice Cube, signed to his Street Knowledge label, Da Lench Mob were originally employed as backing musicians on their benefactor's first three solo recordings, before eventually making their own debut on Guerillas In Tha Mist. The title, an obvious pun on the movie of similar name, was picked up by the trio from a police report issued after attending a Los Angeles domestic incident. Although Da Lench Mob share many lyrical concerns with Ice Cube, there is a distinct moral tone stressed in their distrust of drugs and dealers. Front person J-Dee numbers amongst the more articulate of rap's inner city spokesmen. He was joined by the backing duo of T-Bone (b. Terry Gray) and Shorty (b. Jerome Washington). However, after his arrest for attempted murder and subsequent imprisonment, J-Dee was dropped from the crew at the end of 1993. This was caused, according to press statements, because of contractual obligations with which Da Lench Mob were enforced to comply. His replacement was Maulkie, from ex-rap duo Yomo And Maulkie. Ironically, it was always Da Lench Mob's intention to recruit Maulkie, but contractual problems, once again, prevented this at the start of their career. His vocals were dubbed over their previously completed set, Planet Of Da Apes. However, T-Bone too would subsequently be charged with murder (he was acquitted the following year), and East West dropped the group in 1994.

Listen to Da Lench Mob at Finetune.

• Guerillas In Tha Mist (Explicit)

• Ice Cube
• 2Pac
• Dr. Dre
• N.W.A.
• Cypress Hill
• The Notorious B.I.G.
• Snoop Dogg
• Eazy-E
• Public Enemy
• Westside Connection
• N.W.A
• Beastie Boys
• A Tribe Called Quest
• Xzibit
• OutKast
• Ludacris
• COMPTONS MOST WANTED
• Scarface
• Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
• Wu-Tang Clan

• Stue