Gangsta Boo

For the Ice Spice song, see Gangsta Boo (song).

Gangsta Boo
Gangsta Boo performing in 2014
Gangsta Boo performing in 2014
Background information
Birth nameLola Chantrelle Mitchell
Also known asLady Boo
The Devil's Daughter
Born(1979-08-07)August 7, 1979
South Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
DiedJanuary 1, 2023(2023-01-01) (aged 43)
Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres
OccupationRapper
Years active1994–2022
Labels
Formerly of
Websitegangstaboo.com

Lola Chantrelle Mitchell (August 7, 1979 – January 1, 2023), known professionally as Gangsta Boo, was an American rapper. She rose to prominence as a member of Three 6 Mafia, which she joined at the age of 14. After releasing six albums, she left the group and its record label after the release of her second solo album, Both Worlds *69 (2001), due to financial disputes and issues regarding promotion of the album. She subsequently released several solo albums and became known for collaborating with artists such as Eminem, Run the Jewels, La Chat, Latto, GloRilla, Outkast, Foxy Brown, Tinashe, Lil Jon and Yelawolf.

Early life

Lola Chantrelle Mitchell[1] was born in the Whitehaven area of Memphis, Tennessee, on August 7, 1979.[2] Though she was from a middle-class family, she said that they later "moved to the hood" after her parents divorced. She started rapping at around the age of 14.[3]

Music career

Three 6 Mafia

After being discovered by DJ Paul, Gangsta Boo became a member of Three 6 Mafia, making her the sole female member of the group. She made her first appearance on DJ Paul's mixtape Volume 16: 4 Da Summer Of ’94, released in 1994. She was on the group's 1995 debut album Mystic Stylez and on four more albums until she ultimately left the group in 2001 to prioritize her solo career.[4]

In 2013, she joined the Three 6 Mafia spin-off group Da Mafia 6ix, and was significantly featured on their debut mixtape 6ix Commandments.[5] She departed from the group in 2014.[6]

Solo work

Gangsta Boo's first solo album, Enquiring Minds, was released in 1998 and reached number 15 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number 46 on the Billboard 200.[7][8] The album featured the surprise hit "Where Dem Dollas At!?".[9]

Her second album, Both Worlds *69 (2001), reached number 8 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart and number 29 on the Billboard 200.[10][11] In 2003, she released her third album, Enquiring Minds II: The Soap Opera. The album peaked at number 53 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart and 24 on the Independent Albums chart.[12][13]

In 2009, Gangsta Boo released her third mixtape The Rumors (following her previous mixtapes Street Ringers Vol. 1 and Still Gangsta). She also released two mixtapes with DJ Fletch, Miss.Com (No DJ Version on iTunes) and 4 Da Hood. On June 27, 2011, she released her mixtape with Trap-A-Holics, Forever Gangsta. That same year, she collaborated with Yelawolf and Eminem on the song "Throw It Up".[14]

On May 27, 2014, the extended play Witch, a collaboration with La Chat, was released. On October 14, 2014, Gangsta Boo teamed up with BeatKing and released a collaborative mixtape, Underground Cassette Tape Music, Vol. 1.[15] In 2018, a successor mixtape titled Underground Cassette Tape Music, Vol. 2, was released.

Gangsta Boo was featured on the Run the Jewels track "Love Again (Akinyele Back)" from their 2014 album Run the Jewels 2, and reappeared on the track "Walking in the Snow" from their 2020 album RTJ4. In 2022, she was featured alongside GloRilla on the song "FTCU" by rapper Latto.[16] At the time of her death, she had been working on an album that was planned to be titled The BooPrint.[4]

Death

Mitchell was found dead on the front porch of her mother’s home in Memphis, Tennessee, on January 1, 2023, at the age of 43. On June 15, 2023, her cause of death was revealed as an accidental overdose with fentanyl, cocaine and alcohol found in her system.[17][18] The police stated that there was no evidence of foul play.[19]

Discography

Solo albums

With Three Six Mafia

Compilation albums

With Tear Da Club Up Thugs

With Da Mafia 6ix

With DJ Paul

  • Volume 16: 4 Da Summer Of ’94 (1994)

With DJ Paul & Lord Infamous

With DJ Paul & Juicy J

  • Volume 3: Spring Mix (1995)

With Prophet Posse

With Hypnotize Camp Posse

With La Chat

Mixtapes

  • Still Gangsta (with DJ Smallz) (2006)
  • Memphis Queen Is Back (Still Gangsta Slowed & Throwed) (2007)
  • The Rumors (with DJ Drama) (2009)
  • Miss.Com (with DJ Fletch) (2010)
  • 4 Da Hood (with DJ Fletch) (2011)
  • Foreva Gangsta (with Trap-A-Holics) (2011)
  • It's Game Involved (2013)
  • Underground Cassette Tape Music (with Beatking) (2014)
  • Candy, Diamonds & Pill's (2015)[20]
  • Underground Cassette Tape Music 2 (with Beatking) (2018)

References

  1. ^ "Gangsta Boo's works in ASCAP ACE database". Ascap.com. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  2. ^ Arthur, Shay (January 2, 2023). "'The Queen of Memphis': Friends of Gangsta Boo remember the late rapper". WREG-TV. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  3. ^ "Twenty years in the rap game with three 6 mafia's gangsta boo". I-d.vice.com.
  4. ^ a b "Gangsta Boo, a former member of Three 6 Mafia, dies at 43". NPR. January 3, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  5. ^ "Da Mafia 6ix - 6ix Commandments Hosted by Trap-A-Holics Mixtape - Stream & Download". Datpiff.com. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  6. ^ Baker, Soren (May 29, 2014). "DJ Paul Reveals Gangsta Boo's Departure From Da Mafia 6ix". HipHopDX. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  7. ^ Enquiring Minds (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart), Billboard, May 22, 1999.
  8. ^ Enquiring Minds (Billboard 200 chart), Billboard, November 21, 1998.
  9. ^ Louis Goggans (March 25, 2013). "Q & A with Gangsta Boo". Memphis Flyer. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  10. ^ Both Worlds *69 (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart), Billboard, November 3, 2001.
  11. ^ Both Worlds *69 (Billboard 200 chart), Billboard, October 6, 2001.
  12. ^ Minds II: Soap Opera (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart), Billboard, November 22, 2003.
  13. ^ Enquiring Minds II: Soap Opera (Top Independent Albums chart), Billboard, November 15, 2003.
  14. ^ Fitzgerald, Trent (November 13, 2011). "Yelawolf, 'Throw It Up' Feat. Gangsta Boo and Eminem – Song Review". PopCrush. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  15. ^ "Gangsta Boo & Beatking* - Underground Cassette Tape Music". Discogs. October 14, 2014. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  16. ^ "Latto Taps GloRilla and Gangsta Boo for New Song and Video "FTCU"". Complex. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  17. ^ Minska, Evan (June 15, 2023). "Gangsta Boo's Cause of Death Revealed". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on January 23, 2024.
  18. ^ "Memphis rapper "Gangsta Boo" found dead, Three 6 Mafia group founder confirms". FOX13 News Memphis. January 1, 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  19. ^ "Gangsta Boo's mother speaks after Memphis rapper's death". FOX13 News Memphis. January 3, 2023.
  20. ^ "Gangsta Boo - Candy, Diamonds & Pills Mixtape". Livemixtapes.com.