Schoolly D

Schoolly D is one of Philadelphia's hip hop pioneers, born Jesse B. Weaver. With his early records he paved the way for the west coast's gangsta rappers. Ice T says about Schoolly D's record PSK:

"The first record that came out along those lines was Schoolly D's 'P.S.K.' Then the syncopation of that rap was used by me when I made Six In The Morning. The vocal delivery was the same: '...P.S.K. is makin' that green', '...six in the morning, police at my door'. When I heard that record I was like "Oh shit!" and call it a bite or what you will but I dug that record. My record didn't sound like P.S.K., but I liked the way he was flowing with it. P.S.K. was talking about Park Side Killers but it was very vague. That was the only difference, when Schoolly did it, it was "...one by one, I'm knockin' em out". All he did was represent a gang on his record. I took that and wrote a record about guns, beating people down, and all that with Six In The Morning."

Musically, he and his DJ Code Money came up with electronic hardcore beats. Later on, Schoolly embraced the black consciousness[?] style, working together with KRS One. He contributed songs to Abel Ferrara[?] films, among them brilliant tracks like "Signifying rapper" (for "Bad Lieutenant[?]") and "The Player" (for "Blackout"). His last album, "Funk n Pussy", features guest appearances by Public Enemy's Chuck D, Chuck Chillout, Lady B and a Drum and Bass remix of the classic Schoolly D joint "Mr. Big Dick" (remixed by UK trip hop crew the Sneaker Pimps).

Albums:

• 1986 Schoolly D
• 1987 The adventures of Schoolly D
• 1987 Saturday night
• 1988 Smoke some kill
• 1991 Am I black enough for you
• 1994 Welcome to America
• 1995 Reservoir dog
• 2000 Funk 'n pussy

Compilations:

• The Jive Collection Volume 3 (1995)
• A Gangster's Story (1996)
• Best on Wax (2000)

Schoolly also does the music for the "cult" animated show Aqua Teen Hunger Force, an American cartoon on the Cartoon Network channel in its "Adult Swim" strand.