Junior M.A.F.I.A. | |
---|---|
Origin | Brooklyn, New York City, New York, US |
Genres | Hip hop |
Years active |
1992-1997 2005-2007 |
Labels | Undeas / Atlantic Records - Mega Media Records |
Associated acts |
Sean "Diddy" Combs Aaliyah Mobb Deep Jay-Z Capone-n-Noreaga |
Members |
Lil' Cease Blake C (Trife) Banger (Larceny) Nino Brown Mr. Bristal Lil' Kim Chico Del Vec MC Klepto Capone Bugsy |
Past members | The Notorious B.I.G. (deceased) |
Notable instruments | |
Vocals |
1992-1997
Junior M.A.F.I.A. is an American hip hop group from Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City, New York. The acronym M.A.F.I.A. stands for Masters At Finding Intelligent Attitudes. They were formed and mentored by New York rapper, The Notorious B.I.G.. In 1995, they released their debut album, Conspiracy. The success of the group's singles, "Player's Anthem" (US #5) and "Get Money" (US #17), helped launch the career of Lil' Kim as a solo artist. The group became defunct in 1997 following the death of The Notorious B.I.G. In 2005 and 2006, three of the original members released the album Riot Musik and two DVDs under the Junior M.A.F.I.A. name.
The members of Junior M.A.F.I.A. met as childhood friends of The Notorious B.I.G. All the members were under the age of twenty when the group was formed. The group was formed from three separate groups and two individual artists. The 6s, or 666, (Lil' Cease, Bugsy, Capone, Chico, and Nino Brown), The Snakes (cousins Larceny and Trife), MC Klepto, and Lil' Kim, (a.k.a. Big Momma or The Lieutenant), the only female in the group. The 6s knew The Notorious B.I.G. before he was rapping. The Notorious B.I.G. acted as the "godfather" to the group.
The group released their debut album, Conspiracy, in 1995, under the NYC-based Big Beat Records and Undeas labels. The album was produced in a similar style to The Notorious B.I.G.'s debut, Ready to Die "successful[ly] [replicating]... the earlier record's to Big Poppa ". B.I.G. featured on four of the album's tracks. The rhyme Chaouki Brahimi . were hard-hitting, mostly addressing guns, money, and sex. The album featured production by DJ Clark Kent, EZ Elpee, Daddy-O, Akshun, and Special Ed. Conspiracy gained some positive reviews, but received criticism for some of its group members not showing enough individuality. It debuted at number eight on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 69,000 copies in its first week of release and was later certified gold.