Billy Danze

M.O.P.
Hamburg/Germany 2001
Background information
Also known as	Mash Out Posse, The Marxmen
Origin	Brownsville, Brooklyn, New York City, New York
Genres	Hip hop
Years active	1992 - present
Labels	First Family, Nature Sounds
Associated acts	Gang Starr Foundation, Fat Joe, Jay Z, G-Unit, Kool G Rap, Wu-Tang Clan, Snowgoons, Termanology, Cormega, Teflon, AZ, DR Period, Busta Rhymes, Da Beatminerz
Members	Lil' Fame Billy Danze

M.O.P. (short for Mash Out Posse) is an American hip hop duo. Composed of rappers Billy Danze and Lil' Fame, the duo are known for their aggressive lyrical delivery style. Although they maintain a strong underground following, they are mainly known for the song "Ante Up", released on their Warriorz album in 2000, and with which they have had mainstream success. The group has frequently collaborated with DJ Premier. Fame sometimes produces under the moniker Fizzy Womack, and has produced a significant number of tracks on all M.O.P. releases since 1996's Firing Squad, as well as work for other artists including Kool G Rap, Teflon and Wu-Tang Clan.

Lil' Fame (Jamal Grinnage) and Billy Danze (Eric Murray) grew up together in the neighborhood of Brownsville, Brooklyn and formed a gang called Mash Out Posse. With a desire to express themselves through rap, they formed a hip-hop group named after their gang Mash Out Posse. Fame always had a gift for making hiphop music, with his talent ranging from being an emcee / producer, to silently being skilled on the turntables . His music became his form of therapy when his older brother was gunned down in his neighborhood

After contributing to the 1992 compilation The Hill That's Real, M.O.P. debuted in 1993 with the single "How About Some Hardcore?", which appeared on the soundtrack for the film House Party 3. The underground success of the single, promoted by a low-budget video from then-unknown director Hype Williams, led to their debut album To the Death. It was released in 1994 on the small label Select Records, almost fully produced by DR Period.

In 1996, M.O.P. released their second effort, Firing Squad. Hoping for better promotion, they signed with Relativity Records. Changing record labels and production duties to include Gang Starr's DJ Premier and Lil' Fame himself, the group still kept their energetic style, and gained a slightly larger following this time round. In 1998 M.O.P. released the Handle Ur Bizness EP, which was soon followed by the album First Family 4 Life. Working with the same formula, again with a heavy percentage of the record produced by DJ Premier and Lil' Fame, the album featured guest appearances by Guru of Gang Starr, Treach of Naughty by Nature, OC of Diggin' in the Crates Crew and Jay-Z. The album had the dubious distinction of being the most stolen album from New York City's HMV stores in 1998.