A cool Richie Rich bio, whats up with Ten6?

[The__Truth]

"The reason I formed 213 with Warren G and Nate Dogg is because Richie Rich had a
group called 415. I was lovin' his style and voice which I incorporated into my style when I first started rapping."- Snoop Doggy Dogg

This statement says quite a lot about Oakland rapper Richie Rich. Snoop, arguably the most recognized personality in all of hip-hop stating his first influence and rhyme style was derived from an underground rapper that the world has yet to be introduced to. Well, the entire hip-hop audience is on the verge of becoming fully intimate with the Bay Area's best kept secret when the man known as RR (Dubble R) drops his solo national debut album Seasoned Veteran on Def Jam Records. This album is rather historic moment for both the New York based label and RR, being that they chose a longtime Bay area legend as the first Bay Area act ever signed to Def Jam.

The story of Richie Rich is both sad and Cinderella-ish at the same time. After Too Short became more than just a local hero on the mic, a small number of other area rappers came out but couldn't quite escape the shadow of the reigning rap king. But in winter of 1989, the streets of Oakland were surprised by a different sound of a hard-core gangsta group called 415 (named after the then Oakland area code). Group members D-Loc, DJ Darryl and JED were all celebrated, but it was the distinct raspy voice and dope game related lyrics of a young Richie Rich that really enthralled listeners. The group's album 41Fivin was a Bay Area classic selling 147,000 units. Like all groups, fans have their favorite members, and with RR clearly being the most lauded member he capitalized on their newfound popularity releasing a solo album, Don't Do It, to help increase his bank account and the group's sales.

Like all great rappers, RR possessed deep lyrics that intimated the listener with the subject matter at hand, and he also had the voice; that distinguishing factor that has made Run-DMC, Rakim, Ice Cube, MC Ren, and Chuck D so recognizable. But it was around the summer of 1990 that RR failed to foresee his gift as a future investment regardless of constant praise. After Too Short, RR was next in line to be what Spice 1, E-40 and the Luniz became, but was arrested and sent to prison on drug soliciting conviction after which 415 signed with Priority Records. "When I went to jail they (the group) figured I wasn't coming, and they never told me they were going to do an album out without me," says Rich. "A friend of mine recently had gotten a job at Priority and when she called, the other cats never told her I was in jail and proceeded to sign the contract without me."

Rich never appeared on that album and was replaced by a lesser skilled rhyme sayer which may have led to the dismal sales and group's demise. After his release from prison Rich was approached by several new labels popping up throughout California, but the rapper chose to lay low and contemplate his future.

After securing the money from his "street funds" to buy his way out his contract, RR subsequently crept back into the rap scene making feature appearances on a number of records, most notably The Luniz "5 On It" remix and on longtime friend Tupac Shakur's multi-platinum albums Me Against The World (Heavy In The Game) and All Eyez On Me ("Rather Be Yo Nigga" and "Ain't Hard 2 Find"). Because of the positive response to his cameos, Richie put together his own underground album entitled 1/2 Thang and released it on his own record label Oakland Hills 41510 (named after the former and current area codes).

With a renewed spirit and vigor to finally put his mack hand down where it belongs, Seasoned Veteran is the culmination of seven years worth of true game related material that many MCs have fronted or faked on the mic. With 16 tracks of bass driven mob music, funk and Crystal laced rhythms of producers Mike Mosely, Ric Roc, Doug Rasheed, Lev Berlak and former 415 partner DJ Darryl Anderson, Richie Rich's silky flows and verbal dexterity rides the beats like Mario Andretti handles a formula one race car.

The album's first single "Let's Ride" is a simple freestyle introduction to RR's view on how West Coast heads like himself get down, while songs like "Fresh Out" and "Real Pimp" cut to the core of the pros-n-cons of street hustling and takes aim at those who bit his style so much that it seemed he "was donating game to these niggas like I was Red Cross." "Guess Who's Back" and "Do G's" show Rich in classic form as he rewinds time to let consumers know who was the original rhymer about old school cars, rims and the days of way back.

Seasoned Veteran also enlists some heavyweight reinforcements to help solidify it's grounding as a sure shot success. RR trades verses with Tupac on "Niggas Done Changed", E-40 on "It's On", and The Luniz on "Questions". "Even before my folks put me down, people kept asking me when I was coming out. And after making my cameos, the demand just grew and I couldn't let my folks down. So I put out 1/2 Thang to give 'em a little somthing to tie them over until Seasoned Veteran was ready to come out," says Rich.

Seasoned Veteran will no doubt be one of the tighter hip-hop albums of the year, but what really carries it to another plateau beyond the lateset album with just beats and rhymes, is the artist. Richie Rich is the first rapper with gangsta content who has an extensive vocabulary (slang and standard English), coupled with the ability to not become a victim of his subject matter- i.e. become larger than his own hype. As a seasoned veteran of both the rap and street life that he has immersed himself in, Richie Rich remains rooted in one of his famous credos "the game is as hard as wood, but macks don't splinter!"