King T facts for kids

Roger McBride (born December 14, 1968), known as King T, is an American West Coast hip hop rapper. He is from Compton, California. King T was one of the first hip hop artists from Compton.

He signed with Capitol Records. There, he released his first album, Act a Fool, in 1988. This album had popular songs like "Act a Fool" and "The Coolest." These songs are still considered hip-hop classics. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he worked a lot with producer DJ Pooh. King T also helped guide the group Tha Alkaholiks into the music world. Today, King T is also the CEO of his own record label, King T Inc.

Early Life and Music Career

Roger McBride was born in Compton, California, on December 14, 1968. He was part of the Los Angeles hip-hop scene for many years. He is seen as a pioneer in this music style. In 1988, he released his first album, Act a Fool. Many people consider this album a classic of West Coast hip-hop.

Mentoring Tha Alkaholiks

While at Capitol Records, King T started helping a young rap group called Tha Alkaholiks. This group included Tash, J-Ro, and E-Swift. He also helped their larger group, the Likwit Crew. The Likwit Crew included other artists like Xzibit. Xzibit later became famous and connected King T with producer Dr. Dre. With King T's help, Tha Alkaholiks released their first album, 21 & Over, in 1993.

Influence on The Notorious B.I.G.

King T had a big impact on The Notorious B.I.G., also known as Biggie. Biggie sometimes copied King T's deep voice and rap style. You can hear this on Biggie's 1994 album, Ready to Die. Later, King T honored Biggie on his own song "6 In'a Moe'nin." He used a similar style and sounds from Biggie's song "Somebody Gotta Die." In 2010, rapper Ice-T said that King T was one of Biggie's favorite rappers.

Record Label Deals

After his 1993 album, Tha Triflin' Album, King T left Capitol Records. He then signed with MCA and released IV Life in 1994. After leaving MCA, he connected with Dr. Dre. King T then signed with Dr. Dre's label, Aftermath Entertainment. They started working on King T's album for Aftermath. However, the album kept getting delayed. Eventually, King T asked to leave the label.

Working with Ant Banks

King T also worked a lot with Oakland rapper and producer Ant Banks. He first appeared on Banks' 1997 album Big Thangs. He was on the song "West Riden." In 2000, he was featured on Lead the Way. This was an album by Banks' group T.W.D.Y., and King T was on the song "No Win Situation."

Independent Music Releases

In 2002, King T released his Aftermath album, The Kingdom Come, on his own. It was produced by Dr. Dre and DJ Battlecat. He also released The Ruthless Chronicles in 2004. This album had songs written by King T's student, Young Maylay. It also featured some songs from The Kingdom Come and others produced by DJ Quik. King T also appeared on DJ Muggs' Soul Assassins II album.

In 2006, King T was mentioned in Nas' song “Where Are They Now?" In 2007, he appeared on the West Coast remix of that song. After this, King T released a mixtape called Boss Up, Vol. 1. It featured music by Snoop Dogg, The Game, and other West Coast artists. In 2006, he was a guest on Xzibit's song "Poppin' Off." This song was on Xzibit's album Full Circle. King T has also started his own record label.

Current Music Projects

King T is currently signed with Table Records Music Distribution. In early 2013, King T said he wanted to record his final album. He mentioned that working on Xzibit's song "Louis XIII" made him want to make one last album.

King T's Legacy

King T was one of the first rappers to make West Coast hip-hop music. He released several albums with major labels in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Even though he didn't have huge commercial success, many people say he influenced gangsta rap artists. He worked with important West Coast rap producers like DJ Pooh and E-Swift. In later years, King T continued to make music. For example, he was featured on Dr. Dre's album 2001. He also released his own independent albums, like The Kingdom Come.

Discography

Studio albums

• Act a Fool (1988)
• At Your Own Risk (1990)
• Tha Triflin' Album (1993)
• IV Life (1995)
• The Kingdom Come (2002)