Celly Cel - The Lost Tapes (2016)

Born Marcellus McCarver, Celly Cel grew up in Vallejo, CA, just north of San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area. His drawling hardcore gangsta lyrics and G-funk productions first appeared in 1994 on Heat 4 Yo Azz, but Celly had been making demos and honing his skills as far back as 1990. Released on E-40's Sick Wid It label, Heat 4 Yo Azz was well received, and the following year, his best-selling album to date, Killa Kali, was unleashed. Celly didn't have another release of his own until 1998's G Filez; in the interim, however, he managed to show up on records by E-40, Mossie, B-Legit Jay Tee, D-Shot, Young Dre, Latino Velvet, and Messy Marv. Sick Wid It and Celly Cel parted ways after G Filez, and a best-of was released the next year. Celly didn't miss a beat, though, and in 2000, he started his own label, Realside, and released a new album, Deep Conversation. His next project was a hardcore rap supergroup, the Criminalz, with Spice 1 and Jayo Felony. Their Realside album Criminal Activity was released in 2001. Song'z U Can't Find, a compilation of guest verses and otherwise rare material, came out in 2002, and It'z Real Out Here -- his fifth studio album -- followed three years later. In 2006, Celly's Slaps, Straps and Baseball Caps and The Wild West were both released. ~ Wade Kergan.