RBX

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RBX (Reality-Born-Unknown(X), real name Eric Collins), a cousin of Snoop Dogg and Daz Dillinger, got a start to his hip-hop career in 1992 when Snoop introduced him to Dr. Dre, who was to make his groundbreaking debut The Chronic. RBX was added to the personnel making this album. His rough voice and bizarre flow, which got him the nickname of tha Narrator, made him with Snoop one of the most promising and recognizable MCs at the time.

A year later, RBX appeared on Snoop's debut Doggystyle on the track "Serial Killaz" and seemed to sound even more non-canon as an MC. It was likely that he was the next to blow up as an artist of the Death Row label.

Unfortunately, Dr. Dre and Death Row CEO Suge Knight didn't agree with that as they kept on delaying his debut; finally in 1995, RBX left Death Row. That year he released the dark and eerie The RBX-Files on Premeditated/Warner Bros. Records. It was the home of the track "AWOL" on which he addressed his feelings about Death Row and its politics.

In 1996, Dr. Dre left Death Row as well and redeemed himself with RBX, adding him to his new Aftermath label. RBX only stayed for some time however as Dre, facing difficulties, split ways with all his artists to reinvent the label.

From then to 2001 RBX had a sabbatical period of the odd guest feature, though releasing his second album with an equally dark-hitting vibe, No mercy, no remorse/The X-Factor in 1999 on Street Solid Records. It was in 2001 that he joined cousin Snoop's camp at Doggystyle Records and became one of the staple guests on its releases and Snoop's various projects. He was also featured on Eminem's album The Marshall Mathers LP on the track "Remember Me?"

RBX released another album, Ripp the game bloody (Street Muzik), in early 2004. In late 2004 it was followed by The Shining, where he seems to have reworked his flow somewhat to refresh himself musically. All tracklists can be found below.

As for his subject matter, RBX has used many. His Death Row days saw him mostly doing gangster rap, but on The RBX-Files, more than this can be found. Many tracks concerned his newly-found islamic faith ("Burn", "Our Time Is Now", etc.) or the problems of the black community ("No Time"). A reggae-inspired song, complete with Bob Marley sample, concerning gangbanging youth can be found in "Moms are Cryin’." Of course, The RBX-Files is also the home of highly-praised dis track "A.W.O.L." and its remix. On his later albums, RBX was mostly doing gangsta hip-hop, sometimes to an almost parodic extent. Exceptions include "Heatmizer," which is a weird battle rhyme, "Gigolo Skalloni," a track about being a gigolo, and "We Can Make It," which is a heartfelt ode to his wife, but still rough like an RBX-track is supposed to be.

Though most fans of West Coast hip-hop appreciate RBX's lyrical capacity and unorthodox style, he is not without dissenters and finds himself having only quite few diehard-fans. In the westcoast rap scene itself, RBX seems well-respected and has worked with numerous westcoast rappers, as well as Eminem from the Midwest and KRS-One, Sticky Fingaz, and Nas from the East Coast, the 504 Boys from the South, and Malia Franklin of Parliament.

A point of criticism by many fans is RBX's heavy reliance on recycling of lyrics. A (likely incomplete list) of cases where has recycled lyrics can be found below. The numerous instances where he has used the lines "I drop bombs like Hiroshima" are omitted.

"Serial Killa"- Verse repeated on "No Mercy, No Remorse"
"Our Time Is Now"- Verse repeated on "East Coast Killa, West Coast Killa"
"Got To Getcha"- Verse repeated on "Return of Unknown"
"The Narrator"- Verse repeated on "Jus...Murda!" and "Killers In The West"
"Oh No!"- Verse repeated on "Return of Unknown"
"Move"- Verse repeated on "Legend of Jimmy Bones", "Rock Head" and "Return of Unknown"
"Longbeach"- Verses or part of them repeated on "Flip Side," "Gangsta Love," and "Return of Unknown"
"Foul Mood"- Part of verse repeated on "Cyber"
"Cross The Line"- Verse repeated, with slight modifications, on "Sippin' on Some Moet"
"Cyber"- Part of verse repeated on "Return of Unknown"

His commercially best musical achievement was co-writing Dr. Dre's Let Me Ride with Snoop Dogg, that has won a Grammy award for Dre in 1993. As of 2006, RBX is working on a new album, tentatively titled "Unanimous". Also, RBX has recently announced to the staff of Dubcnn (www.dubcnn.com) that he has formed a new group with MC Ren and Big Rocc. The group is called Concrete Criminals and the trio is said to be working on an album.