251:, who produced the album and suggested the inclusion of Laws's parents, observed, "I can't believe none of the reviews saw the irony of that. No one did!" Having left Detroit for south-side Los Angeles in 1990, Laws and Moore encountered its "squalid side... derelict hotels, feudal gangs, dealing and hustling". Prior to securing a record deal, they lived in poor circumstances, selling drugs, sleeping on benches, and living in low-rent hotels. Her parents were unaware of the lifestyle she was leading. In the wake of her first album, Laws and Moore stopped working together, Laws noting, "We couldn't work together anymore, but we were still cool"; Moore's Def Jam deal never came to anything.
247:, "Intro: A Call from Mom", has her mother Lillie describe her as "a young lady who was brought up through Catholic school for 12 years; and dance schools, tap dance, jazz, piano lessons and all of that; plus, you went to college for three years..." "The album is, in fact, bracketed with a mockery of her rearing; phone messages from mama and papa particularizing a privileged suburban upbringing (Catholic-school, piano-playing, tap-dancing)" belying the record's "unyielding vulgarity and embroidered aggression" with a "brilliant... self-mocking disclaimer".
259:, where she stayed for five years, recalling in 2004 "that was a bomb job". By 1999, she was suffering kidney failure; she and Royal amicably split up, and she went to live with her parents, undergoing dialysis for three and a half years, experiencing "every complication that you have with... bad kidneys", and given a poor prognosis. At times of comparatively better health, Laws recorded with Def Jef, who praised her dedication, lack of self-pity, and resolve in the face of her health problems. In 2001, she collaborated with
255:
by Def Jam, but the label rejected them, and she was dropped from the label. Laws took this development in stride, noting, "I was used to that kind of shit... I thought I was good enough to get another deal. But I just chilled in Texas. Then I got sick." Still performing shows despite waning popularity in light of her lack of new releases, Laws moved to Dallas with Royal, where she took a job as co-host of a nightly hip-hop radio show on
243:, who revealed that she grew up in a middle-class neighborhood (on the West Side, Detroit), studied ballet and piano, and attended Catholic private school (where she was a cheerleader), before majoring in business for two years at Oakland University. Laws had never attempted to disguise the truth of her upbringing; the intro of her 1993 album
294:
community for a potential donor, but none were found. In 2017, Laws suffered from "a major stroke and seizure", and on 31 January 2021 a GoFundMe was set up to raise $ 15,000 for a recommended medical procedure. By
February 17, the NME reported it had reached $ 2,215; by March 3, it had surpassed the
273:
produced by Def Jef. In 2004, Laws observed of her more recent work, "It's still hardcore... it's me. I've been through so much. I try to put a message in there, but it's not preachy shit." Def Jef claimed to have "shopped (Laws) to almost every major and indie label and met with resistance... People
254:
In the mid-1990s, Laws relocated to Texas to record songs with
Ricardo Royal, a.k.a. "Coco Budda", a rapper whose work she had admired. Laws settled in Houston, entered a relationship with Royal, and had a son, Lamar. Although living a more relaxed life, Laws recorded demos for a second album, funded
31:
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Laws was born in
Detroit to Joe Laws, an autoworker, and Lillie, who took her master's degree in education and was a teacher at junior high and middle schools, formerly a teacher of business education at
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are always asking about how she looks, what her age is... it's never about the music. I'll work with Boss when she's 45 years old. She gave me a new perspective on women."
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was released in 1993, and the singles, "Deeper" and "Recipe for a Hoe", hit number one on the
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after graduating high school, accompanied by her DJ Irene 'Dee' Moore. She was spotted by
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1206:"Orange is the New Black Music - Season 1: "Lesbian Request Denied" - TuneFind"
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857:"Boss, Def Jam's first female rapper and 'Born Gangstaz' musician, dies at 54"
955:"Why The Double Standard When It Comes To Violence? | The Seattle Times"
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1146:"GoFundMe page set up for the rapper Bo$ $ to help pay her medical bills"
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liked the track and promptly signed her to Def Jam West. Her debut album
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in 1993. Laws became best known as a part of the burgeoning West Coast
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151:(September 12, 1969 – March 11, 2024), better known by her stage name
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1053:"Boss :: The Six Million Dollar Mixtape :: 8055 Music"
1150:
295:$ 15,000 goal, reaching $ 16,314. Laws died at a hospital of
893:"BO$ $ , Def Jam West's First Female Rapper, Dies at 54"
833:. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
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It was revealed in May 2011 that Laws was in need of a
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237:In 1994, Laws was interviewed by a reporter from
1071:"boss - intro a call from mom - Born Gangstaz"
1028:"Pants On Fire: Hip-Hop's Most Exposed Liars"
8:
1120:"Rapper Bo$ $ In Need Of Kidney Transplant"
610:Krayzie Bone, LaReece, Asu, K-Mont, Keef G
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855:Del Rosario, Alexandra (March 12, 2024).
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269:. In 2004, she released a mixtape titled
1293:20th-century African-American musicians
1288:21st-century African-American musicians
1094:"The Six Million Dollar Mixtape Review"
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891:Billboard, Damien Scott (2024-03-13).
303:on March 11, 2024, at the age of 54.
7:
886:
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1303:21st-century American women rappers
1298:20th-century African-American women
1283:21st-century African-American women
1278:20th-century American women rappers
869:from the original on March 13, 2024
529:"Don't Ring the Alarm (The Heist)"
14:
1081:from the original on 2021-12-14.
1004:"Rap Music: Top Rap Songs Chart"
1092:Jost, Matt (30 November 2004).
1248:African-American women rappers
370:The Six Million Dollar Mixtape
271:The Six Million Dollar Mixtape
211:who stuck her on a track with
1:
1273:21st-century American rappers
927:"Music: Same as the old Boss"
1168:. All Hip Hop. 11 March 2024
1122:. Hip Hop DX. Archived from
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1188:"Doin Every Thang by D.E.T"
16:American rapper (1969–2024)
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1308:Deaths from kidney disease
1263:Def Jam Recordings artists
566:, Powerlord Jel, Spice 1,
290:. Laws reached out to the
286:due to her suffering from
181:Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
173:, reached number three on
1253:Midwest hip hop musicians
1030:. Complex. Archived from
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201:Lewis College of Business
190:scene in the early ’90s.
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959:Archive.seattletimes.com
658:"Run, Catch & Kill"
139:8055 Records (2004–2006)
804:Murder Squad Nationwide
688:Orange Is the New Black
641:"Diary of a Mad Bitch"
579:Murder Squad Nationwide
509:"Mai Sista Izza Bitch"
240:The Wall Street Journal
897:The Hollywood Reporter
695:"I Don't Give a Fuck"
681:Lesbian Request Denied
673:"I Don't Give a Fuck"
617:Soundtrack appearances
607:"Rollin' Up Some Mo'"
38:Background information
399:Peak chart positions
325:Peak chart positions
1258:Rappers from Detroit
781:South Central Cartel
560:South Central Cartel
301:Southfield, Michigan
94:Southfield, Michigan
1154:. 17 February 2021.
1077:. 8 December 2008.
167:. Her debut album,
159:), was an American
149:Lichelle Marie Laws
48:Lichelle Marie Laws
586:"A Thugga' Level"
63:September 12, 1969
1192:Rateyourmusic.com
862:Los Angeles Times
827:"A CALL FROM MOM"
810:
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787:, Powerlord Jel,
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701:"Under Pressure"
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485:Guest appearances
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145:Musical artist
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155:(stylized as
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1214:. Retrieved
1210:TuneFind.com
1209:
1200:
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1182:
1170:. Retrieved
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1128:. Retrieved
1124:the original
1113:
1101:. Retrieved
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1036:. Retrieved
1032:the original
1022:
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987:. Retrieved
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900:. Retrieved
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871:. Retrieved
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835:. Retrieved
830:
821:
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720:Music videos
704:
686:
666:Mi Vida Loca
664:
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593:Krayzie Bone
577:
546:187 He Wrote
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261:Krayzie Bone
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127:Def Jam West
112:Years active
89:(2024-03-11)
1243:2024 deaths
1238:1969 births
774:"No Peace"
715:Videography
636:Soundtrack
553:"No Peace"
379:with D.E.T.
307:Discography
205:Los Angeles
188:gangsta rap
137:(1992–1995)
135:SME Records
1232:Categories
1038:2012-03-30
1013:2018-05-17
989:2012-03-30
933:2012-03-30
902:2024-03-13
813:References
595:, LaReece
59:1969-09-12
44:Birth name
873:March 25,
793:Ant Banks
651:Zebrahead
568:Ant Banks
228:Billboard
176:Billboard
118:2001–2024
116:1988–1995
1172:12 March
1118:Steven.
1079:Archived
983:AllMusic
867:Archived
733:Release
633:Episode
630:Release
498:Release
396:Release
364:Mixtapes
322:Release
292:Facebook
131:Columbia
1075:YouTube
799:, Dori
789:Spice 1
574:, Dori
536:Spice 1
415:R&B
386:Singles
338:R&B
257:KKDA-FM
249:Def Jef
234:chart.
209:DJ Quik
165:Detroit
129:/Chaos/
105:Hip hop
66:Detroit
1216:18 Sep
837:May 1,
797:Treach
746:Deeper
739:Album
572:Treach
504:Album
433:Deeper
402:Album
393:Title
381:(2008)
372:(2004)
319:Title
284:kidney
161:rapper
157:Bo$ $
123:Labels
101:Genres
96:, U.S.
79:, U.S.
73:Origin
23:Bo$ $
1130:3 May
1103:2 May
831:ASCAP
785:Ice-T
777:1995
751:1993
728:Title
698:2022
676:2013
661:1994
644:1992
625:Title
589:2001
564:Ice-T
556:1995
540:G-Nut
532:1993
512:1991
493:Title
438:1993
425:Dance
351:1993
278:Death
184:chart
163:from
1218:2014
1174:2024
1132:2011
1105:2016
875:2024
839:2023
469:118
153:Boss
84:Died
53:Born
1151:NME
516:AMG
478:29
472:73
450:25
444:28
441:65
420:Rap
410:100
408:Hot
354:22
299:in
213:AMG
179:'s
1234::
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336:US
331:US
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57:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
