Mass 187

Mass 187 launched with strong prospects thanks to their 1996 single "Gangsta Strut," yet that early highlight remained unmatched as a wave of other Texas rappers soon eclipsed the group by capitalizing on the same path. The act issued its first full-length project, Real Trues Paying Dues, in 1996, placing it among the earliest Texas rap outfits to edge toward national visibility. Even with that step forward, Mass 187 stopped short of true nationwide reach and slipped into a period of neglect before reemerging in 2000 through the album One Eighty Seven Thugs.