Philthy Rich

Oakland rapper Philthy Rich, part of Mac Dre's Thizz roster, didn't become active until the latter half of his twenties. He served sentences for cocaine distribution and illegal weapon possession, and he was also shot. Despite a relatively late start and other obstacles, he was one of the most prolific rappers of the late 2000s and early 2010s. Dozens of underground releases surfaced during these years, including debut album Funk or Die (2009), Trip'n 4 Life (2011), and Kill Zone (which hit Billboard's Heatseekers chart in 2012). The N.E.R.N.L. series kicked off in 2012, with Vol. 2 landing in 2013, and Vol. 3 in 2014. His 2016 release, Real N-Ggas Back in Style, featured guests Young Scooter and IAMSU, along with the cut "King Jack," a tribute to his friend, the late rapper the Jacka. Rich's prolific run continued later that year with independent album Sem City Money Man, Vol. 4 and the mixtape Hood Rich 4, followed in 2017 by the Seminary mixtape and the full-length studio LP Sem God. The full-length N.E.R.N.L. 4 arrived in May of 2018 with another studio album, Fake Love, following that December. Among various other mixtapes, Philthy Rich returned with a new studio album, Hometown Hero, in January of 2020. The 16-song collection included cameos from Lil Jarimy, Rucci, Z Money, and many others. ~ Andy Kellman