Emerging from the Bay Area in 1994, rapper Baby Beesh was part of Potna Deuce, whose album Welcome to da Tilt appeared briefly on Profile before disappearing. Beesh and the rest of the Potna Deuce crew would release 1996's Heron Soup independently before disbanding altogether. Beesh next formed Latino Velvet with N2Deep's Jay Tee, releasing The Golden State in 1996. The Rumble followed three years later, at which point Beesh parted ways with Latino Velvet and the Bay Area scene. He headed south to Houston, TX, where Dope House signed him as a solo artist. Savage Dreams, his 2001 debut for the label, was heavily influenced by the Dirty South, complete with gaudy cover art. But by 2002's On tha Cool, Beesh seemed to have mellowed in sound and attitude. The album's trippy stoner vibes intersected with Beesh's West Coast chest-thumping to suggest War's "Low Rider" performed by Tupac Shakur. On tha Cool was produced by Mario Ayala and Happy Perez and featured contributions from Dope House artists South Park Mexican and Russell Lee, as well as a Latino Velvet reunion on "They Don't Even Know." ~ Johnny Loftus