| E.D.I. Mean | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Malcolm Greenridge |
| Also known as | Big Malcolm |
| Born | July 7, 1974 |
| Origin | New Jersey |
| Genres | Rap |
| Occupations | Rapper, Producer |
| Years active | 1992 – present |
| Labels | 1Nation, Cashville, Outlawz, Real Talk Ent. |
| Associated acts | Tupac Shakur, Outlawz |
Malcolm Greenridge (born July 7, 1974), better known as E.D.I. Mean, is an American rap artist and a member of the Outlawz. While in the third grade, Malcolm became friends with Katari "Kastro" Cox who later introduced his cousin, Tupac Shakur, to E.D.I. Mean.[1]
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In 1992, Kastro, Greenridge, and Tupac's godbrother Yafeu "Kadafi" Fula, formed a rap trio. Greenridge began rapping under the alias "Big Malcolm". The trio went under the names Thoro Headz and Young Thugs. By now, Tupac had become a rap star and he let them guest appear on his single, "Holla If Ya Hear Me", which was released on February 4, 1993. In 1994, Mutah "Napoleon" Beale joined the group, which was now known as Dramacydal. On March 14, 1995, Tupac's LP, Me Against the World, was released. They guest appeared on the songs "Me Against the World" and "Outlaw".[2]
In 1995, upon Tupac's release from prison, Greenridge, Tupac, Bruce "Fatal" Washington, Kadafi, Kastro and Napoleon formed the group the Outlaw Immortalz, later changed to the Outlawz. Tupac gave each member of the group an alias from an enemy of the United States of America. Shakur gave Greenridge the alias E.D.I. Mean after Ugandan president Idi Amin.[3] On February 13, 1996, Tupac's double LP, All Eyez on Me, was released. E.D.I. Mean appeared on "Tradin' War Stories," "When We Ride," and "Thug Passion."[1]
On June 14, 1996, Tupac's "How Do U Want It" single was released. Its b-side, "Hit 'Em Up", featured E.D.I. Mean, Fatal and Kadafi. It is considered the most aggressive diss song in history, dissing Bad Boy Entertainment, Chino XL, Junior M.A.F.I.A. and Mobb Deep.
On September 7, 1996, Tupac was shot three times in a drive-by-shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was taken to University Medical Center where he died a week later. E.D.I. Mean was in the car behind Tupac, but claimed he could not identify the murderer. E.D.I. Mean and the rest of the Outlawz moved back to Newport R.I where Tupac used to live. On November 5, 1996, Tupac's LP, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, was released. E.D.I. Mean appeared on three songs, "Intro/Bomb First (My Second Reply)," "Life Of An Outlaw" and "Just Like Daddy. Kadafi was shot in the head three times in Newport R.I and died on November 10 just five days after Tupac's album was released.[1]
In March, 1997, E.D.I. Mean and the rest of the Outlawz minus Fatal moved back to California and signed with Death Row Records. On November 25, 1997, Tupac's double LP, "R U Still Down? (Remember Me)" was released. E.D.I. Mean produced six songs on it, "Redemption," "Thug Style," "Fuck All Y'all," "Let Them Thangs Go," "When I Get Free," and "Enemies With Me." On December 21, 1999, the Outlawz' debut album, Still I Rise, was released.[4]
In 1999, the Outlawz, excluding Fatal, who by now had had a disagreement with the rest of the band claiming they had betrayed Tupac by signing with Death Row, started Outlawz Records and released their second and third LPs, Ride Wit Us Or Collide Wit Us and Novakane, on November 7, 2000 and November 6, 2001.[2]
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