In 1994, with G-Funk in full swing, K-Dee found his niche. The former radio host turned rapper was recording with Ice Cube and Da Lench Mob, but instead of hardcore bravado or politically charged rhymes, K-Dee brought something totally different to the table. K-Dee laid his pimp hand down and saw some critical and commercial acclaim with his debut album, Ass, Gas Or Cash (No One Rides For Free).
The album spent 22 weeks on Billboard magazine’s R&B/Hip Hop albums chart, where it peaked at the number 33 spot. The appeal of his laid back production—most notably powered by a sample of Deneice Williams’ “Free” on “The Freshest MC In The World” attracted listeners across the country. Fellow Angelinos may remember the South Central product achieving the ultimate sign of local notoriety by locking down a radio drop alongside Ice Cube for KKBT FM radio host Theo’s afternoon mix.
Visually, K-Dee wasn’t exactly breaking the mold with this video. While he did lock down what would become an increasingly difficult cameo from Dr. Dre, this visual featured the usual fare—fine women, card games, drinking and smoking. Not that we’re complaining.
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“I looked on the Internet and saw people bigging me up, telling me I was slept on, so your boy had to get back in the lab,” K-Dee told Mr. Buck of EverybodyRadio.com. While magazine writers and critics didn’t exactly embrace Ass Gas Or Cash at the time, the numbers don’t lie. And a used copy of the album will run you upwards of $40 on Amazon.com, while a new copy is at least double the price.
K-Dee’s last national exposure came courtesy of Devin’s “One Day At A Time” from his 1998 The Dude album. Since splitting from Ice Cube in the late ‘90’s, K-Dee is now making moves with his Nymph Music Group family. He has plans to record independently, and said he still maintains contact with Yo-Yo and fellow Lench Mob member Dazzie D (aka Big Sacs).
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“I’m just trying to stay busy, and I got some shows coming up,” K-Dee added. “I dropped a cut called ‘Trick Shut Up’ with Glasses Malone on it, and that’s just the start of it.”
