Yukmouth

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Yukmouth

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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Jerold Dwight Ellis II
Alias = Smoke-a-Lot
Born = Birth date and age|1974|10|18
Died =
Origin = Oakland, California, USA
Instrument = Vocals
Genre = Gangsta rap, hyphy, west coast hip-hop
Occupation = Rapper
Years_active = 1993–present
Label = Smoke-A-Lot Records Godzilla Entertainment Rap-A-Lot Records
Associated_acts = Luniz, The Regime, C-Bo, The Outlawz, Spice 1, Lil Flip, Thug Lordz
URL = http://smokealotrecords.com
Notable_instruments =

Jerold Dwight Ellis, III (born on October 18, 1974 in Oakland, California), better known by his stage name Yukmouth, is a Grammy-nominated rapper from East Oakland, California.

He is a member of the platinum-selling rap duo Luniz along with Numskull. The Luniz recorded the successful weed anthem, "I Got 5 on It". He went on to sign a solo record deal at J-Prince's Rap-A-Lot Records, releasing three albums. His double album debut on the label, entitled, "" went Gold. [http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=yukmouth&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2007&sort=Artist&perPage=25 RIAA Search for Yukmouth] ] Under his own label, Smoke-A-Lot Records, he has released DVDs, such as "United Ghettos of America", Vols. 1 and 2.

He is also a member of the groups Thug Lordz, with C-Bo and Spice 1, and The Regime. Yukmouth has long been a staple in Oakland rap and has worked with artists including Bun B, Dru Down, E-40, Lil' Flip, Mac Dre, MC Ren, Outlawz, Redman, Scarface, Tech N9ne, Tha Dogg Pound, The Game, Too Short among countless others.

Career

Yukmouth's popularity does continue beyond the Bay Area with his recent music video for his song "Neck Straight". The video was filmed in South Los Angeles in the summer of 2006 with San Francisco based rapper Killa Klump. The "Neck Straight" music video was created by Marques Owens and Mr. Shannon W. Rawls of Los Angeles based Cinema Hill Motion Picture Company and depicts Yukmouth and Killa Klump selling narcotics disguised as fruit until the LAPD ends the operation and apprehends the rappers.

Smoke-A-Lot Records

Yukmouth is also CEO of Smoke-A-Lot Records which is distributed by Rap-A-Lot Records. The label is home to established artists such as The Luniz, Dru Down, Thug Lordz (Yukmouth & C-Bo), The Regime, and Yukmouth himself. It should be noted that The Regime is a large collective of MCs including Tech N9ne, Tha Realest, Dru Down, Gonzoe and Messy Marv among various others. It is also home to new comers Ampichino, Nyce, Young Dru, and Marc Shyst. Attached to the label as In-House DJ is former Cali Untouchable DJ, DJ Fingaz.

Feuds

Too Short

The Luniz had an early rivalry with fellow Oakland rapper Too Short. The rivalry began in 1994 shortly after The Luniz released the undeground EP "Formally Known As Lunitunz" (later re-released as "Bootlegs and B-Sides" in 1997). Around the time Chris Hicks brought out the Luniz, Too $hort also introduced his rap duo Bad-N-Fluenz consisting of Ant Diddley Dog and the late Rappin Ron. Due to the rising popularity between the two duos in the streets of Oakland, both Too $hort and Chris Hicks set up a freestyle battle between the two acts. The agreement was the loser of the battle would buy pizza for everyone who was at the studio who witnessed the battle. No one outside the Dangerous Crew or C-Note Records circle knows the true outcome of the battle, however it was this event that is credited for spawning the feud between the two crews. Later that year Too $hort also moved to Atlanta and The Luniz taunted him on the song "Playa Hata" with the lyric "that's why The Town got rid of Short" which led to rumors of Too $hort being ran out of Oakland against his own will. Too $hort responded back on his tenth album with the song "That's Why" with the hook mimicking lyrics from The Luniz song. On the song he boasts "Rappin Ron tore them up on the freestyle tip, them niggas ain't ran nobody outta shit." Too $hort continued to take shots at The Luniz on the song "Trouble" from J-Dubb's EP "Game Related". The artists later "squashed" their rivalry by appearing on a track together called "Funkin' Over Nothing", however Yukmouth contued to later take shots at Too $hort on the song "Fuck Friends" from his compilation "United Ghettos of America". Since then Yukmouth appeared on the Too Short compilation released in 2007 titled "I Love the Bay."

Master P

Yukmouth's most famous and long lasting rivalry is with veteran rapper Master P. Yukmouth has claimed in numerous songs that he used to know Master P before either man became a famous rapper. According to Yukmouth, Master P had a different rapping style and was constantly laughed at by others. Yukmouth alleges that Master P "stole" or copied Yukmouth's style, along with his nickname "The Ice Cream Man" which later became the name of a Master P CD in 1996. While it is impossible to confirm whether Master P "stole" Yukmouth's style, Yukmouth did appear on a track recorded with fellow bay rapper Dru Down in 1993 called "The Ice Cream Man" featured on the album "Fools From the Streets" (Later re-released as "Explicit Game"). The Luniz released a remix of the track entitled "Yellow Brick Road" in 1995 on their debut CD, "Operation Stackola". Yukmouth has dissed Master P on every solo CD that he has recorded (with the exception of his latest CD "Million Dollar Mouthpiece"), along with both of the "United Ghettos Of America" CDs and all of his mixtapes.

Gonzoe

Yukmouth briefly had a rivalry with Regime member Gonzoe over distribution of popular "All Out War" mixtapes, the rivalry was squashed before the third "All Out War" mixtape. Most say the rivalry stemmed from The Game saying Gonzoe was "riding Yukmouth's dick" referring to "bitch" in prison slang.

G-Unit

Yukmouth has had a few problems with artists signed to the Aftermath Entertainment, and specifically, with G-Unit. Yukmouth first took shots at 50 Cent on the song "Thug Lordz" with C-Bo from his 2003 release "Godzilla" and later collaborated with former G-Unit member Bang Em Smurf on the song "He Ain't a Thug" from the album "In Thugz We Trust".Yukmouth also had an ongoing feud with Spider Loc which began with an altercation at a L.A. nightclub where he was jumped by Spider Loc and his entourage, one of whom managed to steal Yukmouth's chain. Yukmouth reclaimed his chain the very next day as a mutual friend intervened. Yukmouth disses Spider Loc in many songs such as "Aaaadadamean", "Get Wild", "Im Da Shit" and "Playa Hata". In a recent interview, Yuk stated he and Spider ended the rivalry by way of a phone conversation they had.

The Game

Yukmouth first met The Game at a club stating he had a feud with 50 Cent. The Game released a diss track aimed at the rapper, entitled "I Got a Million on It," over the "I Got 5 on It" instrumental, a song which Yukmouth recorded when he was a part of The Luniz. [ [http://www.nobodysmiling.com/hiphop/news/77010.php The Game Album Pushed Back & Yukmouth Diss Track ] ] Yukmouth responded with the track "Game Over" using the instrumental from Young Buck's song "Let Me In" that mocked The Game's appearance on "Change of Heart". The two later tried to bury the hatchet, due to a personal friend and even recorded a song together with C-Bo's protege Speedy, named "Peace". However the rivalry continued afterward, since The Game dissed Yukmouth on the "Peace" song (they recorded their verses separately). [http://www.allhiphop.com/hiphopnews/?ID=3710] Since then, Yukmouth responded by releasing a free style music video "Game Over Part 2" over Fabolous' "Breathe" single in which it parodied The Game. In the video there is a look-a-like of the rapper getting robbed and beaten up. Yukmouth claimed on the song that The Game had a tongue ring and was slapped by mogul Suge Knight. Yukmouth dissed The Game once more with the song "Wartime". Since the West Coast Peace Conference both rappers ended the feud and have also recorded a song with Eric Sermon called "Across The Coast" on a Game mix cd called "The Face Of L.A.".

Afroman

Yukmouth has called out fellow California rapper Afroman on "World War 3" on his "Million Dollar" mixtape. Yukmouth called him a "backpack motherfucka... drunk ass, 40 oz drinkin ass nigga." After Afroman spoke on him in an interview. Afroman is rumored to have dissed Yukmouth in "Whack Rappers 2."

quashed Beef

In an interview at worldwideconnected.com Yukmouth confirmed that he had ended his beef with numerous rappers. [http://www.worldwideconnected.com/media/yukinterview06.asx] Of these included Daz Dillinger, former G-unit member The Game, Young Buck & Spider Loc of G-Unit, JT Tha Bigga Figga, and after 10 years of bad blood, Master P. Yukmouth claimed in the interview that "all beef is squashable."

Yukmouth claims that he no longer has a rivalry with 50 Cent and The Game on the track "Bloody Mary" on his latest mixtape, "The City of Dope Volume 1".

Also, in a new song titled "Misery" featuring Yukmouth on Tech N9ne's collaboration album Misery Loves Kompany, Yuk raps, "They ask about the beef with Game and the Unit/squashed my beef with The Game, and do my thang with the Unit (What Up Buck!)."

Numskull

Numskull is one half of the Platinum selling Group The Luniz. After years of bad press between the duo, multiple songs that depict them saying bad things of one another, it finally happens. Numskull attends the infamous BARS awards and tells the crowd "fuck Yukmouth", and then puts a wad of money up and says " I bet 10 racks he wont come up here", and is soon after stormed up on stage by Yukmouth's Regime Member Pretty Black. Two diss tracks are later released, one of which was released on Yukmouth's Lord Of War Mixtape titled "I dont miss my dawgs".

In a recent interview for worldwideconnected.com Yukmouth revealed a lot of new details about the Numskull beef and how The Luniz were formed. Among other things, he stated that: the group was an idea he came up with while in prison, that he came up with the logo and the names Luniz, Yukmouth and Numskull. He also stated that before The Luniz, Numskull was rapping under the name 'The Skinny One' but was prompted by Yukmouth to change his stage name. [http://www.worldwideconnected.com/media/Yukmouth_interview_2008.wma]

Discography

*1998: ""
*2001: ""
*2003: "Godzilla"
*2008: "Million Dollar Mouthpiece"

Filmography

* "Original Gangstas" (1996)
* "Mexican Blow" (also released as "Warrior") (2002) - The Midnight Sun
* "United Ghettos of America vol. 1" (2002)
* "United Ghettos of America vol. 2" (2004)
* "T9X: The Tech N9ne Experience" (2004)
* "United Ghettos of America: Eye Candy" (2007)
* "Yukmouth Uncut" (2007)
* "Million Dollar DVD" (2007)

Awards

Grammy Award nominations

References

External links

* [http://www.smokealotrecords.com/ Official website for Yukmouth and Smoke-A-Lot Records]
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* [http://jadedvideo.com/yz_result.asp?PRODUCT_ID=219255 Covers For "Yukmouths Big Booty Stallions" (Contains Nudity)]
* [http://www.daveyd.com/interviewLuniz.html Showcase Magazine article on "The Luniz"]