South Central Cartel

South Central Cartel surfaced among the first wave of early-'90s West Coast gangsta collectives that took cues from NWA. Their opening release, the 1992 album South Central Madness, arrived at the start of that year and preceded a steady run of further records issued across the balance of the decade. The next project, 1994's N Gatz We Truss, drew substantial notice inside the gangsta rap underground and led Def Jam to sign the group, an association that produced their most fully realized effort, 1997's All Day Everyday. In the same period the collective's leaders Havoc and Prodeje also issued multiple albums on Quality Records, steadily building a modest yet loyal cult following. Def Jam ultimately let the act go in the late '90s, after which the relatively lackluster Concrete Jungle, Vol. 1 appeared on an independent label and confirmed their slide from view. Nevertheless, despite never achieving broad commercial traction, the group retains standing with other early-'90s West Coast outfits such as NWA, Compton's Most Wanted, and Above the Law as true gangsta rap originators.