M.O.P. w/ Smif-N-Wessun & Ka-Win

Sunday February 17, 2013

8:00 pm - 10:00 pm

M.O.P.’s fanbase was loyal but remained rather small until 2000, when they released Warriorz, this time on Loud Records. Mainstream radio began playing the first single, “Ante Up”, produced by DR Period whom they had not worked with since their debut. The single was a hit and propelled the album to #25 on the Billboard 200 chart.

In 2002, Loud Records folded, leaving the group stranded. In 2003, Loud’s parent label Sony/Columbia issued a greatest hits album titled 10 Years and Gunnin. M.O.P. later joined Jay-Z and Damon Dash’s Roc-A-Fella Records. Their first recording for the label was a guest appearance on Jay-Z’s album The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse; they were set to release their album titled Ghetto Warfare, but the eagerly anticipated album was shelved. Two other albums were recorded: one titled The Last Generation, the other titled Kill Nigga Die Slo Bluckka Bluckka Bloaoow Blood Sweat Tears and We Out. A Dash-produced track “It’s That Simple” with Spice Girl Victoria Beckham was created, and received a premiere on radio stations in July 2003. This generated mixed reviews and further criticism, with the feeling being that Beckham was far from convincing as an urban act.

During this waiting period, the group kept busy by releasing a slew of mixtapes and appearing on soundtracks to films such as Bad Boys II. They also contributed two songs (“Ground Zero” and “Put it in the Air”) to the popular game NFL Street 2, and another (“Fire”) to Fight Night 2004 – another video game. They also contributed Ante Up to the third installment of the popular Midnight Club video game series. Also in 2004, M.O.P. joined the successful rap rock band Linkin Park on the second stage of the Projekt Revolution Tour.

In June 2009, with extensive production from Lil’ Fame (as Fizzy Womack) and a historic guest-list (Masta Ace, Kool G Rap, Sadat X), the RZA-executive produced “Wu-Tang Chamber Music” debuted in the Top 50 within its first week. M.O.P. themselves appeared on the album cut “Ill Figures” alongside Raekwon and Kool G Rap.