Photo credits: Death Row Records
The Lady of Rage (born Robin Yvette Allen) is a hip-hop artist and actress most known for her work on the groundbreaking albums, which were the foundation of the notorious Death Row Records.
Her first single (titled “Afro Puffs) was released on July 26, 1994, as a single off the Above the Rim film soundtrack. The original song’s production was primarily handled by Daz Dillinger, a former Death Row track master. This song samples the late great Johnny “Guitar” Watson’s “Love Will Never Die.” A remix of the song was made for the video. The remix of “Afro Puffs” was produced primarily by famed Death Row Records co-founder Dr. Dre.
Dre’s remix also samples a hit song by Watson titled “Superman Lover,” which was released in 1976. For the Lady of Rage, one could not ask for a better hip-hop production duo to craft their debut single on a label, which featured a plethora of other megastars in R&B, as well as hip-hop. Rage’s debut single also climbed to the number five spot on Billboards’ top rap singles music chart in the U.S., which gave her song plenty of staying power.
Rage (a Farmville, Virginia native) is regarded by many to be a woman who is one of the best rap emcees to ever touch a mic. Her gritty, witty, lyrically sound, and super rhythmic delivery blends perfectly with the legendary production fans have heard her flow over. However, finally, on June 24, 1997 (toward the end of Death Row’s reign of terror over its hip-hop-based competition), Rage’s debut album was released.
The title of her first full-length project is Necessary Roughness. It follows the top-tier production standard, which was set by the music she featured on and rocked solo for earlier in her career. The legendary Easy Mo Bee and DJ Premier (as well as Daz Dillinger) are the primary handlers of track production on this project, which gives the Virginia native the bi-coastal sound her flow has always accommodated so well.
Hopefully, Rage “rocks on with her bad self” as former Death Row label mate (and current Death Row owner) Snoop Dogg suggested in his addition vocals, which were featured on both versions of “Afro Puffs.”
No comments