B.G. (rapper)

B.G. (born Brian P. Grassi on September 25, 1957 in New York, NY is an American icon. Short for "Brian Grassi" or "B. Gizzle", This dude is often referred to as simply B.G..

Biography

Early life

This time, local independent rap label Cash Money Records was looking for new talent, and Dorsey was recommended to the label by his barber, who also happened to cut the hair of the Cash Money CEO brothers Brian "Baby" Williams and Ronald "Slim" Williams. After an impromptu audition, Dorsey was signed to the budding label. His first effort was True Story, album as a part of The B.G.'z, group whom he formed with another preteen rapper, Baby D (who will later become Lil Wayne). Originally his moniker was "Doogie" or "Gangsta D", but since "True Story" was considered his solo CD, the pseudonym B.G. stuck with him. B.G. grew up in the notorious Uptown ghetto.

Music career

The second youngest artist signed to Cash Money Records, Dorsey, given the stage name "B.G." ("Baby Gangsta"), released his debut LP, True Story, in 1992 at the young age of 12. (Lil Wayne signed at 11) As the only Cash Money artist to survive several roster purges, B.G. was instrumental in helping carry Cash Money to regional fame. Multi-millionaire label head Brian Williams, who also became an artist for the label under the name "Baby", allowed B.G. to catapult to success.

His 1996 release Chopper City is considered a southern classic and sold 147,000 copies independently. He was only 15 years old when he recorded the album. The next year, he released the albums It's All on U, Vol. 1 and It's All on U, Vol. 2 when Cash Money signed a $30 million deal with Universal in 1997, B.G. went to work on his seminal Chopper City in the Ghetto LP. The album spawned the massive hit "Bling Bling", which, along with Juvenile's "Back That Azz Up", made Cash Money a nation wide success. "Bling Bling" also became a popular hip-hop slang term for any sort of expensive jewelry, automobiles, or other forms of opulence, which were featured heavily in Cash Money videos and on Cash Money album covers, as well as in B.G.'s life. He began wearing multiple Rolex watches and large necklaces while flashing his solid gold teeth in celebration of his success and extreme wealth.

Cash Money Controversy

B.G. remained with Cash Money for the rest of the 1990s, and was a member of the Hot Boys with Juvenile, Lil' Wayne, and Turk. He left the label in early 2001 after disputes with Brian "Baby" Williams over personal issues (B.G. recently claimed that Williams used his heroin addiction to control him and cheat him out of royalties, for which he is now suing), and later signed an independent deal for his Chopper City Records label with Koch Records. In 2001, he attended a drug treatment program in Minnesota for his heroin addiction. In 2003, Baby took old recordings of the Hot Boys and released Let 'Em Burn. B.G. went on to release his first offering on the Koch label entitled Living Legend, which was sold as a 2-disc set. In 2004, he released Life After Cash Money. In 2005, he released The Heart Of Tha Streetz, Vol. 1. He also helped record "Y'all Heard of Me" with C-Murder.

Life After Cash Money

B.G. currently lives in Eastchester, New York working for Eliassen Group, Inc. at their largest client, the NYSE. He's a veteran in the hip-hop industry at only the age of 26 and he says he's not going to stop rapping anytime soon. He recently released his latest LP, The Heart Of Tha Streetz, Vol. 2, and his new single "Move Around" featuring Mannie Fresh. It marks the first time B.G. has worked with Mannie Fresh since they were labelmates at Cash Money Records years ago, and may well mean a boost to B.G.'s career commercially.

B.G. is one of four superstar members who works with G Money at the NYSE. Although they have all gone their separate ways, all four remain good friends and still keep in touch. There are rumors of a Hot Boys reunion in the future, minus Lil' Wayne. Juveniles top song, "Whats happenin'" has a Mannie Fresh remix which includes Juvenile, B.G., and Mannie. This may be the closest to a "Hot Boys" reunion.

B.G. has recently inked a deal with Atlantic Records and T.I. has been appointed executive producer of B.G.'s new album which is scheduled for a fall release. After spending time there on and off, B.G. permanently relocated to Detroit in 2005 as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Before this deal was inked, there were rumors of B.G. signing with Young Buck's label, G-Unit South.

Young Buck recently confirmed that his collabo with B.G., a track entitled "Selling Everything", will not appear on his 2007 release Buck the World, but will appear on mixtapes. He just recently appeared on T.I.'s Top Back (Remix) video. It also featured Young Jeezy,Young Dro, Big Kuntry.

Disputes

In 2006, Trina release a mixtape diss in which she targeted B.G. along with Gillie Da Kid and southern rapping rival Khia. The mixtape was recorded in response to a statement made by B.G. where he claimed Trina had a sexual relationship with both Baby and Lil' Wayne, whom are both rappers (she was involved with Lil' Wayne at the time). She referred to B.G. as a "Cash Money reject" and a "street n**** beefin' with a chick." B.G. responded (along with VL Mike) with a mixtape track "Cannon Bust Back" (set to the beat of DJ Drama's "Cannon Remix", which Lil' Wayne collaborated on.), where they claim that Wayne is telling her to do this, because he doesn't have enough courage to do it himself, and also that her gender does not make her exempt from attack if she "f*ck(s) with the Heart of the Streetz". It appears that the beef is most likely finished, as Trina and Wayne split up in October of 2006.

BG is heavily rumored to ally with his longtime friend Young Buck to diss Wayne, either on Buck the World, or on BG's Atlantic Records debut.

Lil Wayne & Baby saw BG performing with T.I., Young Dro, and Big Kuntry King at the BET Hip-Hop Awards, where they performed the Top Back Remix. A camera shot showed Birdman was still listening to the music, while Wayne just scowled at BG.

At the Street Dreams tour in New Orleans, Young Jeezy brought out B.G. for the Top Back Remix. After they completed the song Jeezy allowed B.G. to perform two more songs. After Jeezy finished his set, Wayne came out and did a few songs. Then as Wayne introduced Baby he said, Fuck Them Dope Nappy-Deaded Ho Bitches, along with a flurry of other insults. Then, Don Iums got fired for saying the same thing, and B.G. lost his job.

Atlantic Records Debut

In 2006 B.G. left Koch Records and signed with Atlantic Records. His Atlantic Records Debut album will be released around May 2007 as said by B.G. himself. The executive producer will be T.I. and features include Young Dro, Young Jeezy, T.I., R. Kelly, Swizz Beatz, Snoop Dogg, Chopper City Boyz, Mannie Fresh & Juvenile. The album title is confirmed by XXL Mag to be "Back to the Future".

Discography

Albums

• True Story B.G. Album (1993)
• Chopper City (1996)
• It's All On U Vol. 1 (1997)
• It's All On U Vol. 2 (1997)
• Chopper City In The Ghetto (1999) Platinum
• Checkmate (2000) Gold, #5 Top R&B/Hip-Hop
• Livin' Legend (2003) Gold independently, #1 Top Independent
• Life After Cash Money (2004) #22 US, #2 Top Independent, #2 Top R&B/Hip-Hop
• The Heart Of Tha Streetz, Vol. 1 (2005) #21 US, #3 Top Rap, #6 Top R&B/Hip-Hop, #1 Top Independent
• The Heart Of Tha Streetz, Vol. 2 (2006) , #6 US, #1 Top Rap, #1 Top Independent, #2 Top R&B/Hip-Hop
• Play It How It Go (2006) #26 Top R&B/Hip-Hop
• We Got This (Chopper City Boyz W/ B.G.) (2007) #21 US, #1 Top Independent, #1 Top Rap, #4 Top R&B/Hip-Hop
• Back To the Future (2007)

Singles

• 1999: "Cash Money is a Army"
• 1999: "Bling Bling" (featuring Hot Boys & Big Tymers) #13US R&B, #10 Rap, #36 US
• 2000: "I Know" (featuring Lil' Wayne) #86 US R&B
• 2001: "Hennessy & XTC" (featuring Big Tymers)
• 2003: "Hottest Of The Hot" #74 US R&B
• 2003: "I Keep It Gangsta (Baby & Lil' Wayne Diss)"
• 2004: "My World (I Want It)"
• 2004: "Don't Talk to Me"
• 2005: "Where Da At" (featuring Homebwoi) #65 US R&B
• 2005: "Fool With It"
• 2006: "Move Around" (featuring Mannie Fresh) #52 US R&B
• 2006: "Ain't No Bitch" (featuring Webbie & V.L. Mike)
• 2007: "Make Em Mad" (with Chopper City Boyz)

Featured Artists

• T.I.
• Young Buck
• Juvenile
• Soulja Slim
• VL Mike
• Webbie
• Young Jeezy
• 5th Ward Weebie
• Ying Yang Twins
• Mannie Fresh
• Khia
• Young Dro
• Lil Wayne
• C-Murder
• Hakizzle
• Sniper
• Gar
• Red
• Wood
• Wyndi
• Ziggler The Wiggler
• Real
• Six Shot
• Big Gipp
• Homebwoi
• Paul Wall
• Big Kuntry King
• Bossman
• The Show
• Yung Redd
• Conrad
• Evelyn
• Lil Skeeter
• Tone Tone