Born Lichelle Laws, Boss was a female gangster rapper who, along with her partner Dee, became the first female rap act to be signed to Russell Simmons' Def Jam West label. Originally, the two hailed from Detroit, but after a brief stint in New York, the pair headed west to L.A., where they lived in near poverty for three years before gaining the attention of DJ Quik and receiving a record deal, eventually releasing Born Gangstaz in 1993. Laws died on March 11, 2024, at the age of 54. ~ Steve Kurutz, Rovi