Kool G Rap

Early years Wilson grew up in the poverty-ridden streets of Corona, Queens, New York City, with legendary producer Eric B. In an interview with The Source he stated; Around this time, Wilson was looking for a DJ, and through Eric B., he met DJ Polo, who was looking for an MC to collaborate with. In 1986, the duo appeared on Mr. Magic's Rap Attack radio show on 107.5. They eventually released "It's a Demo" as a single with "I'm Fly", along with two more singles. Shortly after this, Kool G Rap appeared on the Juice Crew's classic posse cut "The Symphony" before they released their debut album, Road to the Riches in 1989. This album and their two later albums, Wanted: Dead or Alive (1990) and Live and Let Die (1992), are highly regarded and considered hip-hop classics. Eventually, in 1993, Kool G Rap parted ways with DJ Polo to pursue a solo career. Solo career In 1995, Wilson started his solo career with the album 4, 5, 6, which featured production from Buckwild, and guest appearances from Nas, MF Grimm and B-1. It has been his most commercially successful record, reaching No. 24 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart. This was followed by Roots of Evil in 1998. He then planned to release his next album, The Giancana Story, on Rawkus Records in 2000. Due to several complications with the record label, the album release date was pushed back several times, and the album was eventually released in 2002. "My Life", the single from the album, featuring Talk Box legend G-Wise, reached No. 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 Rap singles charts. Kool G Rap and his group 5 Family Click then released a joint album, Click of Respect, on Kool G Rap's own Igloo Ent. record label in 2003, to mild success. There were rumors of Kool G Rap's signing to both Rocafella and G-Unit Records, and at one point Maybach Music Group. In 2007, he released Half a Klip on Chinga Chang Records, featuring production from, among others, DJ Premier and Marley Marl. A full LP was released in 2011, Riches, Royalty, Respect showcasing his true to form style and lyricism. The promise and prospects of collaboration albums were announced later the next year on his own, newly formed label FullMettle. The first of these new projects came in 2018 with the album Son of G Rap with Rochester, New York based rapper 38 Spesh. == Legacy ==

Kool G Rap is regarded as a hugely influential golden age rapper. Kool G is described by Kool Moe Dee as "the progenitor and prototype for Biggie, Jay-Z, Treach, N.O.R.E., Fat Joe, Big Pun, and about twenty-five more hard-core emcees", MTV describes Kool G Rap as a "hip-hop godfather", adding that he paved the way for a lot of MCs who we would not have heard of otherwise. Eminem, Tajai of Souls of Mischief, Vinnie Paz of Jedi Mind Tricks, Steele of Smif-N-Wessun, Havoc of Mobb Deep, Termanology, Black Thought of the Roots, M.O.P., R.A. the Rugged Man, Bun B of UGK, RZA, of Wu-Tang Clan; Big Pun, O.C. of D.I.T.C., Memphis Bleek, Kurupt, Pharoahe Monch of Organized Konfusion, Action Bronson, and Twista, among others. He is also often very highly rated in terms of his technical ability and is often ranked alongside other highly regarded golden age MCs, such as Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, and KRS-One. Allmusic calls him "one of the greatest rappers ever", "a master", and "a legend". Kool Moe Dee ranked Kool G Rap at No. 14 in his book ''There's A God on the Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs'', He has also been cited as one of hip-hop's greatest storytellers, alongside Slick Rick and Notorious B.I.G., with "laser-like visual descriptions", Mafioso rap Kool G Rap is often credited as the first rapper to infuse his lyrics with mafioso and hardcore street content. – this was long before albums such as Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… (1995), and Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt (1996) made such references popular. and The Giancana Story (2002) album title references Mafia boss Sam Giancana. Rolling Stone says, "before Kool G Rap, New York didn't really have the street rap that could hold its own against what artists such as L.A.'s Ice-T and N.W.A were churning out" and that "G Rap excelled at the street narrative". His take on crime, violence, and the mafioso lifestyle ranges from remorse and contemplation (e.g. "Streets of New York", described by Rolling Stone as "a vivid look inside the misery of the hood") to glorification (e.g. "Fast Life" featuring Nas). Inspired by both Italian films of mafioso and thriller content and street narrative, G Rap laid the popular foundations of both rhyme and flow regarding mafioso rap and underground story telling. == Personal life ==

Wilson dated Karrine Steffans from 1995 to 1999, and they have one son together. == Discography ==

;Solo albums • 4,5,6 (1995) • Roots of Evil (1998) • The Giancana Story (2002) • Half a Klip (2008) • Riches, Royalty, Respect (2011) • Return of the Don (2017) • Last of a Dying Breed (2022) ;Collaboration albums • Road to the Riches (with DJ Polo) (1989) • Wanted: Dead or Alive (with DJ Polo) (1990) • Live and Let Die (with DJ Polo) (1992) • Rated XXX (with DJ Polo) (1996) • Click of Respect (with the 5 Family Click) (2003) • Once Upon a Crime (with Necro as the Godfathers) (2013) • Son of G Rap (with 38 Spesh) (2018) == References ==