In 1989, the group signed with Eazy-E's Ruthless Records. While there, the group became an additional influence in pioneering with N.W.A. Their first album on Ruthless, 1990's Livin' Like Hustlers, featured a guest appearance from N.W.A and production from Dr. Dre. Above the Law member Cold 187um worked closely with Dre on production, and the two greatly influenced each other. The songs "Murder Rap" and "Untouchable" became minor hits from the album. "Murder Rap" appeared in the 2008 film Pineapple Express. The song "Freedom of Speech" was featured in the 1990 movie Pump Up the Volume and its soundtrack album. In September 1990, members of Above the Law clashed with Ice Cube and his posse, Da Lench Mob, during the annual New Music Seminar conference.
The group's first full-length album, Livin' Like Hustlers, was released in 1990. This album, which came out before Dr. Dre's The Chronic, featured a similar G-Funk sound. Cold 187um has claimed that he was the first to pioneer the G-Funk style and that Dr. Dre's new sound was largely inspired by his work on that album. In 1994, the group released Uncle Sam's Curse, their last album on Ruthless Records. It included the minor hit "Black Superman".
Shortly after Eazy-E's death, the group signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1996. There, they released Time Will Reveal in 1996 and Legends in 1999. In the same year, the group signed with Suge Knight's Death Row Records, but they left the label in 2002. Above the Law was also part of the West Coast Rap All-Stars, contributing to "We're All in the Same Gang," a 1990 collaboration of West Coast hip-hop artists promoting an anti-violence message.
On the morning of July 7, 2012, multiple sources confirmed that emcee KMG the Illustrator had died. Longtime Above the Law affiliate Kokane announced the rapper's death on his Twitter account the same day. While the cause of death remains officially unknown, Big Hutch stated that he died of a heart attack while taking a shower. He was 43 years old.
Four of the group's most popular music videos, "Black Superman," "Call It What U Want" featuring 2Pac, "V.S.O.P.," and the long-form music video "V.S.O.P. REMIX" were written and directed by Marty Thomas, Eazy-E's longtime Ruthless Records film director. Thomas also wrote and directed the controversial and ultimately banned Uncle Sam's Curse album television commercials. These commercials featured disturbing imagery, including the KKK chasing Above the Law past a church with burning torches and a white "Uncle Sam" pulling a newborn African-American baby from its mother's arms. The commercial won several prestigious international awards.
According to Kokane, a new Above the Law album was recorded before KMG's death. Cold 187um has stated that over 30 unreleased tracks were recorded while KMG was still alive, with the rumored title Victims of Global Politics. However, no release date has been announced.
Above the Law claims to have invented the "G-funk" sound, which was later popularized by Dr. Dre's The Chronic.
Studio albums
Livin' Like Hustlers (1990)
Black Mafia Life (1993)
Uncle Sam's Curse (1994)
Time Will Reveal (1996)
Legends (1998)
Forever: Rich Thugs, Book One (1999)
Sex, Money & Music (2009)
Pomona Love (2024)
Set Free
Above the Law Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And now we have became just enslaved
We were once uhh. being in America
But now we have just became slaves
We were once uhh. being in Africa
But now we have became just the product of.
Saperated in souls and hearts that we call sets
I wanna be free, uhh. free, free!!
Yo, I was known as a player, mamma had to break her neck
Coming up hard in the west Dollas projects
Thinking into myself, I can live or either die here
So when I step, yo, I step with no fear
Cause you can either get your bang on
Or you can get your slang on
In the 90's on the westcoast
Uhh. yeah, so let me take a toast
Or have a boast from
my homies, my comrades, my dogs, my locs
Yeah, Peace for you, cause it's rough in the bay
That's why we always staying high of that d-ay
Trying to stay high; cause the system always trying to keep us down
Haayyy, so I clown, cause I get down
Plotting as a nation of niggaz that want me to keep it underground
Yo, I ain't this dead nigga, so I ain't mislaid nigga
Call me the head nigga, straight call fed nigga
Then you get two souses for relief
By straight get served on the 1st of Fifteen
I used to be your breaker, I used to be your popper
But my first; dead beef as I hate the short stopper
My second; a nigga trying to play me for some pussy
Just my homie Sam tried to play for this bitch named Cookie
He's a rookie trying to play a man's game
But he don't know, how I got a brought, how I got a came
That's why I'm crazy, blame it on my mamma
It's not what you get out of life, it's what you make of it
Get your hustle on and you will bone the benefits
I've been working hard for ten years, I'm a Gee
And how I keep it, is by staying set free, yeah
Shot Chup-a-lot, Chup-a-lot, Chup-a-lot, Technique
Shot Chup-a-lot, Chup-a-lot, Chup-a-lot, stay with me
Shot Chup-a-lot, Chup-a-lot, Chup-a-lot, Set free
Shot Chup-a-lot, Chup-a-lot, Chup-a-lot, Stay with me
Set Free, Set Free, Set Free.
Check it out
I love the way your brass bitch?? across the floor
I can't forget the past y'all, the sweat starts to pour
Down my body, I pause as I stand up out the window
I've think of what I got then I've think of what I've been through
I've reminisced about the motherfucking old days
Old lays, and how we was in motherfucking pain
Rolling with my partner, to get a fucking zone
Scared to hold some cocaine, I think it was eighty four
A year later, still living off that shit
Counting a little paper as the world takes hits
And hits; sets over here, sets over there
You can tell they're set by the stars and they brags in the air
Bailing through the motherfucking street
Like this is a war, but thangs are motherfucking free
As the news starts to glorify them homicides and drive-bys
While we get high and rock them fly rhymes
Still serving them power by the gram
While some of niggaz go to the pen, it's up to Uncle Sam
Keeping brothers in check, keeping buds on deck
White man keep us starving with no respect
So think about it, when you hustle with your gang
Still gonna trying to keep breaking the chain
Just to stay uhh. Free!
Yeah, set free
The song "Set Free" by Above the Law is a deep reflection of the struggles and pains of African American people, who have faced oppression and slavery in the past and continue to fight for freedom and equality. The lyrics start by highlighting the contrast between the past and present, where the African American people were once kings and queens but are now slaves, oppressed and segregated.
The lyrics then shift to a reflection of the personal life of the artist, who talks about his struggles of coming up hard in the west Dollar projects and having to step out with no fear. He talks about the choices they had to make in the 90s on the West Coast, where they either had to get their bang or slang on. The artist talks about the struggles and dramas he has faced in his life but also emphasizes the importance of getting your hustle on and staying set free.
The song ends with a chant of "Set Free," which represents the desire of African American people to break free from the chains of oppression and be truly liberated. The powerful lyrics of "Set Free" make a statement about the continuing struggles of black people in society, emphasizing the need for resistance, unity, and determination to overcome oppression and find freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
We were once uhh. being kings and queens
We used to feel like royalty
And now we have became just enslaved
But now we feel like we're trapped
We were once uhh. being in America
Once upon a time, we lived in America
But now we have just became slaves
But now we feel like we're enslaved
We were once uhh. being in Africa
We once lived in Africa
But now we have became just the product of.
But now our identity has been reduced to just being a commodity
Separated in souls and hearts that we call sets
We have been split apart into different groups based on our souls and hearts
I wanna be free, uhh. free, free!!
I just want to be free
Yo, I was known as a player, mamma had to break her neck
I used to be a ladies' man, and my mother worried about me
Thinking into myself, I can live or either die here
I realized that staying where I was could lead to life or death
So when I step, yo, I step with no fear
So I move forward without any fear
Cause you can either get your bang on
You can either fight or compete
Or you can get your slang on
Or you can become a hustler
That's why we always staying high of that d-ay
That's why we're always smoking weed
Trying to stay high; cause the system always trying to keep us down
We try to stay high because the system always tries to oppress us
Then you get two souses for relief
Then you can get two ounces for some relief
My second; a nigga trying to play me for some pussy
The second time I got into trouble, a guy was trying to take advantage of a girl I liked
There's always some kind of drama
There's always some kind of problem or situation
It's not what you get out of life, it's what you make of it
Life is not just about what you get, it's about what you do with it
Get your hustle on and you will bone the benefits
Work hard and you will reap the rewards
I've been working hard for ten years, I'm a Gee
I've been working hard for ten years and now I'm respected as a gangster
Shot Chup-a-lot, Chup-a-lot, Chup-a-lot, Technique
A repeated vocal chant used in the song
Down my body, I pause as I stand up out the window
I pause as I stand up by the window and sweat pours down my body
Still serving them power by the gram
We're still selling drugs by the gram
While some of niggaz go to the pen, it's up to Uncle Sam
While some of us end up in jail, the government is responsible
Keeping brothers in check, keeping buds on deck
The white man keeps us under control and keeps drugs available
So think about it, when you hustle with your gang
So think about it, when you're out there hustling with your crew
Still gonna trying to keep breaking the chain
We're still trying to break free from the chains that hold us down
Just to stay uhh. Free!
Just so we can stay free
Set Free, Set Free, Set Free.
Repeated chorus line used in the song
Contributed by Allison K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@kleenexwarrior6061
[Intro: Cold 187um]
We were once the kings and queens
And now we've became the slaves
We were once, uh, the innovator
But now we've just became the imitator
We were once the leader
But now we've just become the follower
Separating ourselves in packs that we call sets
I wanna be free, uh
Free, free!
[Verse 1: Cold 187um]
Yo, I was born as a player, momma had to break her neck
Coming up hard in the west Dallas projects
Thinking to myself, I can live or either die here
So when I step, yo, I step with no fear
Cause you can either get your bang on
Or you can get your slang on
In the 90’s on the west coast
Uh, yeah, so let me take a toast
Or have a roast for
My homies, my comrades, my dawgs, my locs
Yeah, peace to ya, cause it’s rough in the bay
That’s why we always staying high off that dank
Trying to stay high; cause the system always trying to keep us down
Hayyy, so I clown, cause I get down
Plotting as a nation of millions that want me to keep it underground, yo
I ain’t a scared nigga, so I ain’t misled nigga
Call me the head nigga, straight corn-fed nigga
And you get two drops for relief
Or straight get served on the 1st and 15th
I used to be a breaker, I used to be a popper
But my first pet peeve is I hate a short stopper
My second; a nigga trying to play me for some pussy
Just like my homie Sam tried to play me for this bitch named Cookie
He’s a rookie trying to play a man’s game
But he don’t know, how I got her broke, how I got a cane
[KM.G] There’s always some kind of drama
As for why I’m crazy, blame it on my momma
It’s not what you get out of life, it’s what you make of it
Get your hustle on and you reap all the benefits
I’ve been working hard for ten years, I’m a G
And how I keep it, is by staying set free, yeah
[Chorus]
Sha-doo-ba-dop [x4]
Set me free
[Verse 2: KM.G]
Check it out
I love the way your brass Bed slides across the floor
I can’t forget the past yo the sweat starts to pour
Down my body, I pause as I stare out the window
I’ve think of what I got then I’ve think of what I’ve been through
I’ve reminisced about the motherfucking old days
Old lays, and how we was in motherfucking pain
Rolling with my partner, to get a fucking zone
Scared to hold some cocaine, I think it was '84
A year later, still living off that shit
Counting a little paper as the world takes hits
And hits; sets over here, sets over there
You can tell they a set by the stars and they rags in the air
Bailing through the motherfucking street
Like this is a war and they’s a motherfucking fleet
And the news starts to glorify them homicides and drive-bys
While we get high and rock them fly rhymes
Still serving that powder by the gram
While some of my niggas go to the pen, it’s up to Uncle Sam
Keeping brothers in check
Keep the birds on deck
White man keep us starving with no respect
So think about it, when you’re hustlin with your gang
[Cold 187um]
Still gonna trying to keep breaking the chain
Just to stay, uh … free!
Yeah, set free
[Chorus]
@KohasitaRan
2023 and I'm still bumping this to this day. Set Free, Concrete Jungle and Uncle Sam's Curse are 3 of my favorite all time tracks!!!
@royhall4583
Legendary GOAT shit right here an the bass 🤯
@cryan81393
This whole CD is a westcoast classic understand the elements of the west in this
Each group had that Cali sound that no one can denie
@evelynwilliams4938
One of the hardest if not top 5 rap beats ever shhh just listen... u see what I'm saying
@smsht
indeed.. but what are the rest 4 from this top5?
@forcedtohaveahandle
nah…
@MotherGunner
You never heard, "What ya know" by Totally Insane...
@JackTripper-te6jf
No doubt
@JimmieRGreen
dope' as hell ain't it?
@davidsteward3556
That dam beat is so mutha uckin hard with the sanging in the back 187 and kmg flowing OMG