Robert L. Green, Jr., better known by his stage name Spice
1, is an American rapper from Hayward, California, best known for
his 1994 album AmeriKKKa's Nightmare. He has consistently been releasing
solo and group albums since 1992. Spice 1 was ranked number 56 in
The Source magazine's Top 115 Hip-Hop Artists from 1988–2003.
His self-titled debut was also listed in The Source's 100 Best Rap
Albums.
He was first discovered by rapper Too Short. His first release,
Let It Be Known EP, was not well-known or widely released, and included
seven old-school style tracks. His self-titled debut album Spice
1 was a very vivid and fatalistic gangsta rap album, and his angry,
edgy, and pessimistic rapping style and tone only added to the despair
emanating from the disc. He followed it with an even more bitter
and nihilistic release, 187 He Wrote in 1993, complete with simulated
gunfire. Spice 1 managed to release six albums under Jive records
along with one greatest hits album. It was reported by Jive that
he has an album called "Full Metal Jacket", which was supposed
to release under Jive. However, Spice 1 stated in many interviews
that this information was false. It was something Jive wanted to
push him into releasing, but he never agreed to do so. Therefore,
the album was never released and it is uncertain whether or not songs
for this album were used for future albums or if any songs were even
recorded for this project.
In 1996, Spice 1 appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation
CD, America is Dying Slowly, alongside Biz Markie, Wu-Tang Clan,
and Fat Joe, among many other prominent hip hop artists. The CD,
meant to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic among African American
men, was heralded as "a masterpiece" by The Source magazine.
While Spice 1 was signed to Jive, three of his albums reached Gold
status. According to the RIAA, these albums were Spice 1, 187 He
Wrote and AmeriKKKa's Nightmare. He continued to have success on
later albums as well, though he never managed receive further certificates
for selling over 500,000. Despite this he never changed his image,
continuing to retain a gangster image throughout his career on Jive
Records. The biggest song in his career was "Trigga Gots No
Heart" from the Menace II Society soundtrack. However, at the
same time he released "Trigga Gots No Heart", which also
served as a first single for his album, fellow rap artist MC Eiht
also had a hit single from the soundtrack which took the number one
spot called "Streiht Up Menace". After 8 years, Spice 1
released his last album with the label, Immortalized. Though it received
good reviews, it was not well promoted and didn't sell as expected.
According to Spice 1, he left Jive Records because they wanted him
to clean up his image.
[edit] Life after Jive (2000 - 2007)
Spice's creative output has ballooned since his release from Jive.
He has released more than 10 group and solo albums since.[1]
Spice 1 recently defended Ice-T in his feud with Soulja Boy Tell
'Em.[2]
[edit] Personal life
He attended Mt. Eden High School in Hayward.[3]
Spice 1 was shot in the chest on the morning of December 3, 2007,
while sitting in his Cadillac Escalade outside his parents' home
in Hayward. The shooting is believed to be motivated by robbery,
rather than any sort of rivalry. He suffered a collapsed lung.[4]
He talked about the shooting 6 days after it occurred from his hospital
bed.[5]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Solo albums
* 1991: Let It Be Known (EP)
* 1992: Spice 1
* 1993: 187 He Wrote
* 1994: AmeriKKKa's Nightmare
* 1995: 1990-Sick
* 1997: The Black Bossalini (a.k.a. Dr. Bomb from da Bay)
* 1999: Immortalized
* 2000: The Last Dance
* 2002: Spiceberg Slim
* 2004: The Ridah
* 2005: Dyin' 2 Ball
* 2005: The Truth
* 2010: Hallowpoint
[edit] Collaboration albums
* 2001: Criminal Activity (with Celly Cel as Criminalz)
* 2003: NTA: National Thug Association (with Bad Boy)
* 2004: The Pioneers (with MC Eiht)
* 2006: Thug Lordz Trilogy (with C-Bo & Yukmouth as Thug Lordz)
* 2006: Keep It Gangsta (with MC Eiht)
* 2007: Criminal Intent (with Jayo Felony)
[edit] Compilations
* 1998: Hits
* 2000: The Playa Rich Project
* 2001: Hits II: Ganked & Gaffled
* 2002: The Playa Rich Project 2
* 2002: Hits 3
* 2002: Thug Disease
* 2005: Bossed Out
* 2005: The Thug In Me
* 2006: Life After Jive: 2000 to 2005
* 2007: Thug Association
* 2008: Thug Reunion
[edit] Mixtapes
* 2010: Notorious Bastards Vol. 1
[edit] Guest appearances
* 1993: "Spice 1 wit da Banksta" (from the Ant Banks
album Sittin' on Somethin' Phat)
* 1993: "The Dangerous Crew" (from the Too Short album Get in Where
You Fit In)
* 1994: "Gangsta Team" (from the South Central Cartel album 'N Gatz
We Truss)
* 1994: "2 Kill a G" (from the Ant Banks album The Big Badass)
* 1994: "Nigga Sings the Blues" (from Jason's Lyric Soundtrack)
* 1994: "Nuthin' but the Gangsta" (from the MC Eiht album We Come
Strapped)
* 1994: "East Coast/West Coast" (from the Simplé E album Colouz
Uv Sound)
* 1995: "Sound of Lead" (from the Ant Banks album Do or Die)
* 1995: "Born II Die" (from the Tales from the Hood Soundtrack)
* 1995: "Dusted N Disgusted" (from the E-40 album In a Major Way)
* 1995: "Trouble (Scared to Blast)" (from the The Dangerous Crew
album Don't Try This at Home)
* 1995: "No Peace", "Gun Smoke", "Pass da Dank" (from
the South Central Cartel album Murder Squad Nationwide)
* 1996: "Slugs" (from the Original Gangstas soundtrack
* 1996: "Red Rum" (from the Celly Cel album Killa Kali)
* 1996: "Check Ya Self" (from America Is Dying Slowly)
* 1996: "Why You Wanna Funk?" (from High School High Soundtrack)
* 1997: "West Riden" (from the Ant Banks album Big Thangs)
* 1997: "Function" (from the Da' Unda' Dogg album Fresh Out Da' Gates
- The Autobiography)
* 1997: "Don't Stop" (from the Seagram album Souls on Ice)
* 1997: "I'm Losin' It" (from the 2Pac album R U Still Down? (Remember
Me))
* 1997: "Fac Not Fiction", "All Head No Body" (from the
187 Fac album Fac Not Fiction)
* 1998: " ", "Salt Shaka" (from the 2 One One album 2 One
One in Progress)
* 1998: "I Can't Turn Back" (from Cellblock Compilation, Vol. 2:
Face/Off)
* 1998: "Don't Wait" (from the Devin the Dude album The Dude)
* 1998: "360°" (from the Eightball album Lost)
* 1998: "Mob On", "Heat" (from the Paris album Unleashed)
* 1999: "Section 11350" (from the Kokane album They Call Me Mr. Kane)
* 1999: "Wet Party" (from the Tear Da Club Up Thugs album CrazyNDaLazDayz)
* 1999: "Shook Niggas" (from the T.W.D.Y. album Derty Werk)
* 1999: "Killa Foe My Skrilla" (from the Arapahoe TRUES album Original
Rhythm & Hip Hop)
* 2000: "AK Spray" (from the Flesh-N-Bone album From Cleveland 2
Cali)
* 2000: "Smash" (from the Outlawz album Ride Wit Us or Collide Wit
Us)
* 2000: "Who Got the Keys?" (from the Low Life Mafia album Riding
Deep & Dirty)
* 2000: "U Better Get Ready" (from the Black Mophia Clan album Heat
From The Streets Of Roe)
* 2000: "Hustlers Dream" (from Blood and Tears Soundtrack)
* 2000: "In Yo' Look" (from the Sean T album Heated)
* 2000: "Wig Split" (from the DenGee album DenGee Livin')
* 2001: "The Payback" (from the 187 album Furious)
* 2003: "Game" (from the 40 Glocc album The Jakal)
* 2004: "In the Ghetto" (from the Trae album Losing Composure)
* 2004: "Some Girls Deserve To Die" (from Mars Unreleased album)
* 2005: "Second Time Around" (from the Mars album Mars Attacks)
* 2006: "The New West" (from the Playalitical album Code Green: Operation
Take Over)
* 2007: "Staying Alive", "Murder'Ra" (from the Z-Ro album
King Of Tha Ghetto: Power)
* 2007: "Start a Problem", "Tell Me What U Want" (from
the Daz Dillinger album Gangsta Party)
* 2007: "My Heat Go..." (from the Tito B album Starz The Limit)
* 2008: "Street Life" (from the Grave Plott album The Plott Thickens)
* 2008: "No Thang" (from the Kung Fu Vampire album Dead Sexy)
* 2009: "6 Ways from Sunday" (from the Killa C album "Bound
In Chains")