BY JORDAN COMMANDEUR • SEPTEMBER 6, 2018

When West Coast vets are being discussed, King T’s name does not come up nearly enough. The Compton, California native released a robust major label debut, Act A Fool, in late 1988. This puts him in scarce company indeed, as Ice-T’s essential first album Rhyme Pays had dropped only a year prior and N.W.A.’s seminal Straight Outta Compton arrived just a few months before A.A.F. Although he only gave fans another four studio albums after his initial offering, he is recognized as one of the Left Coast’s most influential Hip-Hop artists. That is largely due to introducing and mentoring a slew of young MCs.

Like any L.A. O.G. worth his weight in loc’s, Dayton’s, and Dickies, Teela (as friends and fans know him) had started a Rap crew in the early 1990s. On his third LP, 1993’s Tha Triflin’ Album, King Tipsy officially presented his protégés, Tha Alkaholiks. They guested on a track titled “Bus Dat Ass,” as well as the album’s lead single, “Got It Bad Y’all.” When the video hit, fans got their first look at the lively trio of E-Swift, J-Ro, and Tash (fka Katashrophe), and even then it was clear their future was bright. Their playful verses on this cut gave listeners a glimpse of what this beloved act would become known for. Also, we would be remiss not to mention DJ Pooh, who makes a couple of comedic cameos just two years ahead of co-writing Friday with Ice Cube (another album guest).

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