Lil Slim

A young hardcore rapper from New Orleans, Lil Slim was among the first rappers associated with Cash Money Records prior to its commercial breakout in the late '90s. From the Apple and Eagle streets neighborhood of New Orleans, Lil Slim released three albums on Cash Money Records: The Game Is Cold (1993), Powder Shop (1994), and Thug'n & Pluggin (1995). Produced by Mannie Fresh, the albums are typical of the early Cash Money style, influenced by the local bounce style as well as West Coast gangsta rap, and feature fellow Cash Money rappers of the time such as B-32 (i.e., Baby "Birdman" Williams), PxMxWx, Kilo G, and Mr. Ivan. In addition, Lil Slim was featured as a guest on Cash Money albums by Mr. Ivan (187 in a Hockey Mask, 1994), PxMxWx (High Life, 1994), and U.N.L.V. (Straight Out tha Gutta, 1994; Mac Melph Calio, 1995). Citing contractual problems, including unfair payment of royalties, Lil Slim split from the Cash Money roster prior to the label's commercial breakout in the late '90s with the Hot Boys (Juvenile, B.G., Lil Wayne, Turk) and Big Tymers (Baby Williams, Mannie Fresh). A few years later he reemerged on the independent label Franchise Player with Lil Slim's Back (1998), a six-track mini-album that was little noted.