Did you know there was a Mexican guy name Krazy D in N.W.A.?

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The first psuedo NWA release (not counting World Class Wrecking Cru) was Eazy E's Boyz in the Hood (b/w LA is the Place and Fat Girl), but the first official NWA release was the Panic Zone 12". Panic Zone on the a-side largely featured Arabian Prince in what sounded like the sequel to Arabian's "Situation Hot" single. The b-side's were Dopeman and 8 Ball. Dopeman was pretty much them expanding Boyz in the Hood, which in essence was cashing in on Ice T's 6 in the Mornin'.

The first NWA album wasn't an album per se. It was a compilation thrown together by Macola records to cash in on the success of the Boyz in the Hood single. The group never sanctioned it; there really wasn't enough NWA material recorded at that point for an album...so Macola pulled form other Dre produced material at that time that were loosely relevant (Fila Fresh Crew, Eazy's solo debut, oddly, no CIA)

After Panic Zone, Ice Cube left for architechture school in Arizona, which kinda put NWA on hold, so they came back with a second Eazy E 12" which largely featured MC Ren as the new addition to the lineup, but this was not an NWA release. There was no Arabian Prince, Cube was in Arizona, and this was the first release to include DJ Yella. It featured Radio, Eazy Duz It, and Ruthless Villian.

I got to interview Krazy D last night. He was the Mexican guy on the cover of Panic Zone, artwork that Macola records recylced when they concocted that so-called album.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f185/PappaWheelie/1987NWA-PanicZone12front.jpg

D befriended a record store employee around 1984 named Daryl. Dayrl turned out to be Dr. Dre's uncle, and when D got close to Dre, they recorded a song together in 1985, which put D in Dre's inner circle for years.

Krazy also was the Mexican character in Dopeman: "yo mister dopeman you think you're slick you sold crack to my sister and now she's sick but if she happens to die because of your drug I'll put in your culo a .38 slug".

The title Panic Zone came from his suggestion to do a song called Hispanic Zone, which he was to be the lead rapper. Needless to say, he wrote the base of that song which got rewritten by the group before Arabian Prince took the lead. Krazy also wrote a sizable chunk of Eazy Duz It I believe.

The next release was supposed to be an MC Ren solo (as referenced on the song Radio), but the NWA fever took off, Ice Cube returned home full time, and they recorded a song that was to be called "From Around the Way" (changed to Gangsta Gangsta). It was mostly written by Ice Cube, DOC, Ren, and Krazy D.

D then decided to take a trip to Tijuana. He asked Dre to join him but Dre stayed home instead. On the way back, D got in a serious car accident that ejected him from the car. He had to be flown to the hospital via helicopter. When he returned home, he was shot days later. Although he survived, he had to take a lot of time off to recoop. During the Straight Outta Compton photo shoot, they suggested they leave a space for one person in tribute to Krazy D.

D returned and toured with them, usually acting as an on-stage extra playing roles such as playing craps on stage in the background and such. When Cube decided to leave the group, he was one of the group members that supported his decision.

During the Niggaz4life album, Krazy and Eazy recorded a demo version of the Dopeman answer record called Mr. Dopeman. It was the character from Dopeman revived and ready for revenge, but by then, the group had gelled too much for the other members to approve it to be on the album. He performed it for me and I have to say I was surprisingly impressed. The final portion of the song was a pardy of The Chordettes' Mr. Sandman sung in a Mexican accent: "Mr. Dopeman, bring me a G..." Seems corny now, but the performance was really good and timely for 1991.

Since then, Priority Records has repackaged much of his work without paying royalties, entering him into a lawsuit with them.

http://www.myspace.com/culopopper

― and PappaWheelie, author of Have You Ever Been Poxy Fuled? (PappaWheelie 2), Friday, 22 September 2006 18:47 (nineteen years ago)

awesome stuff pappa! thx....that cover to NWA and the posse speaks so much...like all these dudes that disappeared into the ether...like when you see old hardcore punk pix and think where did all those kids go?

never heard of krazy d. -wierd since it sounds like he was writing as much stuff back in the day as DOC or Cube...do you know anything about ron de vu?

― M@tt He1geson: Real Name, No Gimmicks (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 22 September 2006 19:07 (nineteen years ago)

I got a follow up interview with him which I intended to ask about Ron De Vu

― and PappaWheelie, author of Have You Ever Been Poxy Fuled? (PappaWheelie 2), Friday, 22 September 2006 19:13 (nineteen years ago)

sweet!

wasn't DOC and Fila Fresh from Dallas? how did they hook up w/the NWA in LA?

― M@tt He1geson: Real Name, No Gimmicks (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 22 September 2006 19:14 (nineteen years ago)

also, i've always loved the guy standing w/his hands on his hips w.the beret, tight white pants, and goofy sunglasses (next to arabian prince), his pose cracks me up!

― M@tt He1geson: Real Name, No Gimmicks (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 22 September 2006 19:18 (nineteen years ago)

YEah, that's the dude that looks like Paul Rodriguez, right?

― mucho (mucho), Friday, 22 September 2006 19:22 (nineteen years ago)

Dr. Rock used to DJ with Dre (I've read at the club "Eve after Dark" where WCWC held court, but D couldn't confirm).

Rock moved to Dallas after the fact and stayed in touch with Dre. Dre went to Dallas to produce a 4 song EP of Rock's new group to be released on Macola (those 4 songs ended up on the so-called album). Dre asked Krazy to go with him but he decided not to.

There Dre met Dr. Tray (aka DOC). He told Tray he'd come back for him later as he was so impressed with him.

It seems to me that once Rock had a foot in the door via Dre, he pulled some songs from the vaults to muster up an album as most of them sound a bit dated upon release:

http://www.discogs.com/release/254188

The Nasty though is solid uptempo Miami style 808, which is a big point I harp on in the upcoming book...

D did say that DOC wasn't happy with Rock and was glad to leave to go with Dre. I know DOC does say "I could've been down with Rock but I'd be broke" in the lyrics to one of his songs.

― and PappaWheelie, author of Have You Ever Been Poxy Fuled? (PappaWheelie 2), Friday, 22 September 2006 19:23 (nineteen years ago)

I always wonder about dude atop with the flavor flav clock who had his faced covered by the big "A"

― and PappaWheelie, author of Have You Ever Been Poxy Fuled? (PappaWheelie 2), Friday, 22 September 2006 19:28 (nineteen years ago)

I knew this was a Pappa thread

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 22 September 2006 19:41 (nineteen years ago)

due to the typos in the subject line no doubt

― and PappaWheelie, author of Have You Ever Been Poxy Fuled? (PappaWheelie 2), Friday, 22 September 2006 19:44 (nineteen years ago)

On the way back, D got in a serious car accident that ejected him from the car. He had to be flown to the hospital via helicopter. When he returned home, he was shot days later.

!!!!

That's fucked up.

― graf cycliz (graf cycliz), Sunday, 24 September 2006 15:55 (nineteen years ago)

Fucked up and yet also the second member of NWA that happened to.

DOC went through the windshield of his Prelude on 101 in the valley.

― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Monday, 25 September 2006 15:40 (nineteen years ago)

I always thought the "Hey, Mr. Dopeman" part was Eazy affecting a bad accent. (And I, too, somehow knew this was a PappaWheelie thread before I clicked it.)

― Rodney doesn't like polka. He is racist. (R. J. Greene), Monday, 25 September 2006 15:45 (nineteen years ago)

this is nuts. what an awesome story

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Monday, 25 September 2006 16:28 (nineteen years ago)

Wasn't there also an "Easy-E" in Houston at the same time as Eazy-E was first making noise? I seem to recall they even did a track together.

― mike a (mike a), Monday, 25 September 2006 20:14 (nineteen years ago)

I'll ask in our follow up. Krazy D basically remained close with Eazy after the group dissolved and Death Row started.

My fave quote from him so far was regarding when DOC did join the outfit...he said from that point on, they (Dre and DOC) were like twin brothers.

― PappaWheelie says, ''only pick any'' (PappaWheelie 2), Monday, 25 September 2006 20:53 (nineteen years ago)

Krazy D needs to seriously rethink the nickname "Culo Popper." Anyway, great post!

― Tiki Theater Xymposium (Bent Over at the Arclight), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:31 (nineteen years ago)

Krazy D needs to seriously rethink the nickname "Culo Popper."

Now you're talking crazy.

― Whiney G. Weingarten (whineyg), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:50 (nineteen years ago)

I was reminded this morning of the awesome-ness of Arabian Prince's 'Let the Good Times Roll'. I need to find dig out my tape of the album.

― Baaderonixx in the year of the locusts (baaderonixx), Friday, 29 September 2006 07:21 (nineteen years ago)

But in a number of spanish dialects, 'Culo' means, specifically, butthole. In Cuban spanish, it means 'ass' in a larger sense, but to some people who learned spanish in Puerto Rico or parts of Mexico, Pitbull was essentially rapping "You have a tremendous - ANUS!"

And referring to yourself as an 'Anus Popper' conjures all sorts of imagery.

― Tiki Theater Xymposium (Bent Over at the Arclight), Friday, 29 September 2006 09:03 (nineteen years ago)

Great story Pappa, thanx.

― Leopold Boom! (noodle vague), Friday, 29 September 2006 10:16 (nineteen years ago)

"pop you in the culo" = shooting someone in the ass (with a firearm)

aren't you from LA Ben?

― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Friday, 29 September 2006 13:32 (nineteen years ago)

but if she happens to die because of your drug I'll put in your culo a .38 slug"

Ass hole...

― PappaWheelie burried Paul. The clues are there man! (PappaWheelie 2), Friday, 29 September 2006 14:32 (nineteen years ago)

Whoa...the guy next to Krazy D on the Panic Zone cover is Candyman, of Knockin' Boots fame!

http://www.myspace.com/therealcandyman

― PappaWheelie burried Paul. The clues are there man! (PappaWheelie 2), Sunday, 1 October 2006 01:11 (nineteen years ago)

Steve - I AM from L.A., but I learned spanish in Puerto Rico (lived for a few years there on a Navy base) and always was taught "culo" was the butthole, and "nalgas" was the general 'ass'!

― Tiki Theater Xymposium (Bent Over at the Arclight), Sunday, 1 October 2006 01:42 (nineteen years ago)

Candyman! Wasn't he the first rapper to use the "Ooh boy / I love you so / never ever ever gonna let you go..." sample?

― Tiki Theater Xymposium (Bent Over at the Arclight), Sunday, 1 October 2006 01:45 (nineteen years ago)

that's him

who knew he had attitude??

― PappaWheelie burried Paul. The clues are there man! (PappaWheelie 2), Sunday, 1 October 2006 01:53 (nineteen years ago)

i always thought that album was called NWA and the posse (making it obvious that it wasnt a proper NWA album...). im sure it says that on my cover.

interesting stuff though.

― tigertiger (tigertiger), Sunday, 1 October 2006 09:33 (nineteen years ago)

Uh, as stated above, the Panic Zone EP's artwork was reused by Macola Records when they constructed a compilation and marketed it as the NWA debut album.

It was made up of the Eazy debut single, Panic Zone EP, and The Dre produced Fila Fresh Crew EP (thoughtlessly leaving off Ice Cube's CIA EP).

The "and Posse" thing was all Macola, something they reused for a couple more comps down the line:

Street Kuts The Posse
http://www.discogs.com/release/176580
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f185/PappaWheelie/Macola-StreetKutsThePosse.jpg

The Posse Chapter 2
http://www.discogs.com/release/179125
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f185/PappaWheelie/Macola-ThePosseChapter2.jpg

― The PappaWheelie Story: Half Brain, Half Soul, All Mouth (on sale now) (PappaWhe, Sunday, 1 October 2006 16:30 (nineteen years ago)

Pappa,

Have you ever had any interest in talking to J3rry H3ll3r?

― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Sunday, 1 October 2006 17:22 (nineteen years ago)

My style is to always leave the fat cats for last. Interview everyone else first, and make sure to ask for their perspective on the fat cats. Sets you up to know the answers to the questions beforehand when dealing with someone who very well may not know, or worse, have their own agenda.

This is why I've yet to speak with Luth3r C@mpbell, but have interviewed most of the Skyyw@lker roster.

So, uh, yeah, eventually Hell3r is on the agenda.

― The PappaWheelie Story: Half Brain, Half Soul, All Mouth (on sale now) (PappaWhe, Sunday, 1 October 2006 17:54 (nineteen years ago)

I wanna read this:
http://ec3.images-amazon.com/images/P/1416917926.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V63841310_.jpg

― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Sunday, 1 October 2006 18:09 (nineteen years ago)

TS: CCR vs California Raisins

― The PappaWheelie Story: Half Brain, Half Soul, All Mouth (on sale now) (PappaWhe, Sunday, 1 October 2006 18:11 (nineteen years ago)

out of interest, is this for a book of some sort?

― tigertiger (tigertiger), Sunday, 1 October 2006 19:03 (nineteen years ago)

The bulk of my research is for a book on Miami Bass History, but always in need of material for articles too.

The connection between Macola records and Miami Bass is very strong.

― The PappaWheelie Story: Half Brain, Half Soul, All Mouth (on sale now) (PappaWhe, Sunday, 1 October 2006 20:21 (nineteen years ago)

those two pixx above are amazing.

― M@tt He1geson: Real Name, No Gimmicks (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 2 October 2006 16:41 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah. Who knew that 80s rappers were so into baseball?

― naus (Robert T), Monday, 2 October 2006 17:21 (nineteen years ago)

haha yeah, those bats!!
great covers tho.

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 2 October 2006 17:25 (nineteen years ago)

five years pass...

pappawheelie is so cool.

― bamcquern, Thursday, 21 June 2012 06:01 (thirteen years ago)

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