Three 6 Mafia: From Memphis Streets to Mainstream Icons
When you think of Memphis rap, one name that undeniably comes up is Three 6 Mafia. Known for their dark, eerie beats and raw, gritty lyrics, they didn’t just shape Memphis’ music scene — they helped redefine Southern hip-hop as a whole. From underground cassette tapes to winning an Academy Award, their journey is nothing short of legendary.
Origins: The Birth of Three 6 Mafia
While DJ Paul and Juicy J were both creating unique DJ mixtapes in different parts of the city — Juicy J from North Memphis and DJ Paul from South Memphis — the two didn’t actually meet until around mid-1993. Their decision to link up was fueled by ambition: they wanted to outdo two rivals who were already teamed up, DJ Squeeky and DJ Zirk.
Both had already built reputations locally, and each had their own crews backing them. Juicy J’s side included Lyrical Dope, D.O.N., Lil Glock, S.O.G., and his older brother Project Pat. DJ Paul’s side featured Skinny Pimp, R.A.N., Homicyde, Lord Infamous, K9, and MC Wicked.
When they decided to combine forces and bring their artists together, the group was first known as The Backyard Posse — a name coined by Homicyde from the Westwood neighborhood. Homicyde also played an important role in keeping peace between different neighborhoods during this early stage. Beginning with Juicy J’s Volume #7 in mid-1993, the group officially operated under the Backyard Posse name.
Tensions soon rose. After Homicyde became upset with Juicy J over what he saw as disrespect, he slapped Juicy J and spit on him at Skinny Pimp and Lady Bee’s club in North Memphis. As the situation escalated, Homicyde walked outside and fired two shots into Juicy J’s car, shattering the windows. Project Pat later referenced this incident on his track “Murders & Robbers,” rapping:
“Riding round the hood shooting up a niggas car. A car ain’t alive and the car ain’t the nigga. You say I’ma die muthafucka pull the trigger.”
This incident essentially marked the end of the Backyard Posse era.
In early 1994, the group rebranded as Triple 6 Mafia, with Juicy J naming off the members on Project Pat’s solo tape intro: Project Pat, Juicy J, DJ Paul, Lord Infamous, Skinny Pimp, 211, S.O.G., Lil Glock, D.O.N., Lil Gin, Heavy C, and D-Magic. Despite what Paul and Juicy may claim today, these were the first official members.
The name reflected their fascination with the number 666, often tied to darkness and the occult. Lord Infamous suggested the name, though it also connected to Ganksta NIP’s traveling DJ, who went by DJ Triple Six. This foundation set the tone for their chilling horrorcore style — violent, grim, and eerie.
Their first official group release, Smoked Out Loced Out, hit stores in spring 1994 (often misdated as November 1994). The presence of K9, who left before Gangsta Boo recorded her first track on DJ Paul’s For Da Summa of 94, shows why the earlier date makes more sense. Boo essentially replaced K9 later that year around June 1994, when K9 didn’t show up to the recording session of Paul’s Volume 16. Paul brought Gangsta Boo in as a temporary replacement for K9 and the rest is history. K9 would essentially never get another verse under a DJ Paul or Juicy J production. Meanwhile, Koopsta Knicca had joined in very early 1994 beginning with DJ Paul & Juicy J – Volume #2 Da Exorcist. Crunchy Black, and Lil Fly (Playa Fly) also joined the group prior to Boo and managed to appear on Smoked Out Loced, their first real tape under this new camp. Though only distributed locally, it was a huge success in the stereo shop era. And is an undisputed underground classic in Hip-Hop.
Early Success
In November 1994, Triple 6 Mafia began recording their first nationwide album with a budget of $4,500 after striking a distribution deal with Select-O-Hits. This forced them to move from bedrooms to professional studios with proper equipment.
By May 1995, they released Mystic Stylez under the new, more marketable name Three 6 Mafia. At that time, Lord Infamous was the oldest member at just 21 years old. The gamble paid off: the album sold about 250,000 copies and peaked at #59 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
By then, many early affiliates (Playa Fly, D.O.N., Lil Glock, S.O.G., K9) had left, leaving a tighter core: DJ Paul, Juicy J, Lord Infamous, Koopsta Knicca, and Gangsta Boo. Prophet Entertainment, their label funded by Nick Scarfo, also included artists like Project Pat (incarcerated 1994–97), MC Mack, K-Rock, Scanman, Skinny Pimp, La Chat (on and off), and Gangsta Blac (on and off).
Between 1996–1998, they branched out with solo spinoffs from Skinny Pimp, Gangsta Blac, Indo G, and Killa Klan Kaze (MC Mack, Scanman, Project Pat). These became cult classics, showing the Mafia’s ability to push out multiple profitable projects at once.
Conflicts, however, remained part of their DNA. Playa Fly left in 1995, and Gangsta Blac followed soon after. Skinny Pimp also departed in 1996, all citing financial disputes. Three 6 Mafia contracts would typically pay $5,000 upfront but gave Juicy J and DJ Paul full ownership of masters and profits — legal, but frustrating to artists who felt misled.
Still, Three 6’s constant releases and dominance in Memphis made them nearly impossible to compete with, even for once-powerful rivals like DJ Squeeky and DJ Zirk.
Mainstream Success: 2000 – 2006
By 2000, Three 6 Mafia officially broke into the mainstream with When the Smoke Clears: Sixty 6, Sixty 1. The album featured hits like “Sippin’ on Some Syrup” (featuring UGK) and “Who Run It,” both of which became defining records of the Southern rap movement. The success pushed the album to platinum status, building on the momentum of Chapter 2: World Domination which was released in November 1997, and had hit gold status in only 6 months after inking a large distribution deal with Sony the same year. This period marked the moment when Three 6 Mafia transitioned from a regional Memphis powerhouse into a nationally recognized force in hip-hop.
In 2001, they crossed into film with Choices: The Movie, an independent crime drama starring the group. Its soundtrack, Choices: The Album, became another classic and proved that the Mafia’s brand extended beyond music into full entertainment.
At the same time, Project Pat was enjoying major solo success. After being released early on a 9 year sentence in 1997, he dropped Ghetty Green in 1999, which built a strong southern and nationwide buzz. His next release, Mista Don’t Play: Everythangs Workin (2001), was a mainstream breakthrough, driven by hits like “Chickenhead” (with La Chat and DJ Paul) and “Don’t Save Her.” The album went gold, with Pat appearing on MTV, BET, and national radio — making him one of Memphis’ first true solo rap stars. Even while in prison serving a four-year sentence, his 2003 album Layin’ Da Smack Down kept his momentum alive, if only for a brief period.
By 2003, Three 6 Mafia had lost two important group members. Koopsta Knicca was kicked out of the group around 1999 after a physical fight with DJ Paul at a party, following his repeated absence from photo shoots and music videos. Koopsta, often credited as the “wildest” member of the crew, was constantly in and out of jail for different violations. The only group cover he appeared on was their first, Mystic Stylez in 1995. On 1996’s Chapter 1: The End, he had to be edited in post-production. By the late ’90s, Koopsta was barely present in the studio or on covers. Eventually Paul had enough, called him out, and the confrontation ended in a fight in front of an entire party.
Gangsta Boo would also leave the group after ongoing disputes with Juicy J, with whom she had reportedly never gotten along. Boo felt she needed to focus on her solo career before her time ran out, so she left around 2003. Group infighting wasn’t unusual — Crunchy Black once accused Koopsta Knicca of stealing one of his royalty checks out of the mailbox and lying about it.
In 2003, Three 6 Mafia returned with Da Unbreakables, a record that marked both change and continuity. By this point, only DJ Paul, Juicy J, Lord Infamous, and Crunchy Black remained in the group. Their absence left a noticeable gap in the group’s eerie sound, but Paul and Juicy kept momentum alive by bringing in new Hypnotize Minds artists like Lil Wyte, whose rapid-fire delivery added a new edge, and Frayser Boy, who brought a raw Memphis street perspective. Tracks like “Ridin’ Spinners” and “Testin’ My Gangsta” cemented their ability to adapt while keeping Memphis’ uncompromising sound alive for both old fans and a new generation.
By the mid-2000s, their influence had spread nationwide. Their sound fueled Atlanta’s crunk wave, Houston’s syrup-soaked anthems, and the rising Southern rap movement as a whole.
But behind the scenes, things were falling apart. The drugs that had fueled much of their unique sound and identity were becoming a serious issue for nearly every member. By the time they reached their 30s, many of their addictions had spiraled out of control. According to Juicy J, this was the main reason the group began breaking down internally.
Despite the chaos, 2005 was their most successful year yet. In March, they released the independent film Clean Up Men. In July, they appeared in the blockbuster Hustle & Flow and co-wrote the song “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp.” In September, they dropped Most Known Unknown, their first album in two years, which went platinum and sold 5-6 million copies behind hits like “Stay Fly,” “Side 2 Side,” and “Poppin’ My Collar.” In October, they released an album by newcomer Chrome, followed by a chopped-and-screwed version in November.
The group’s crowning achievement came on March 5, 2006 — a day before Memphis’ official “3-6 Day” — when they won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp.” This historic win made them the first hip-hop group ever to receive an Oscar, cementing their legacy and proving that Southern rap could dominate the mainstream.
Transition and Turmoil: 2006 – 2013
The years after their Oscar win marked both opportunity and decline. Most Known Unknown had been a huge success, but soon after its release, Crunchy Black left the group in 2006. After feeling like he wasn’t being appreciated enough for being a rapper, hype-man, and their security. His departure, combined with the absence of Gangsta Boo and Koopsta Knicca, meant that the core of the group had shrunk significantly.
That same year, Project Pat made a comeback with Crook by da Book: The Fed Story in December 2006, which helped restore some of his buzz after a long prison sentence. He followed with more releases soon after, but none would reach the mainstream impact of Mista Don’t Play.
In April 2007, Three 6 Mafia leaned further into mainstream entertainment with their MTV reality show Adventures in Hollyhood, which gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at their daily lives in Los Angeles. That same year, they made a memorable splash in wrestling, appearing in WWE and recording Mark Henry’s theme song, “Some Bodies Gonna Get It.”
In June 2008, they released Last 2 Walk, which ended up being the final album under the original Three 6 Mafia banner. The record included features from mainstream artists like Lil Wayne and UGK, but longtime fans felt it lacked that dark energy that defined their earlier work. Plus the only two members of the group left were DJ Paul & Juicy J.
By the early 2010s, the group’s momentum had slowed dramatically. Drug use, personal disputes, and legal issues took their toll. The once-tight crew had largely splintered, with Juicy J finding solo success through his partnership with Wiz Khalifa’s Taylor Gang, while DJ Paul focused on smaller projects. Lord Infamous, Koopsta Knicca, and Crunchy Black would later regroup with Paul under the Da Mafia 6ix name in 2013, but by then the original Three 6 Mafia had effectively disbanded.
Da Mafia 6ix: The Rebirth in 2013
In 2013, DJ Paul spearheaded a reunion of Three 6 Mafia under a new name: Da Mafia 6ix. The lineup included DJ Paul, Lord Infamous, Crunchy Black, Koopsta Knicca, and Gangsta Boo, with the intent of recapturing the raw horrorcore energy of their early days.
One major absence, however, was Juicy J. At the time, Juicy was focused on his booming solo career, fueled by his hit “Bandz a Make Her Dance” and his resurgence in the mainstream. He had also accepted a record deal that DJ Paul had turned down—a move that frustrated some former group members, especially Gangsta Boo, who felt the reunion wasn’t complete without him. DJ Paul preferred to coninue dropping indepently now on his new Scale-A-Ton entertainment. While maintaining and repping the Three Six mafia brand that made him rich and famous. Juicy’s choice ultimately helped propel him into a new chapter of success, but it left Da Mafia 6ix without one of its most recognizable figures.
Despite this, Da Mafia 6ix released the mixtape 6ix Commandments in November 2013, which was praised for bringing back the eerie, gritty sound that had first defined the group. The project featured appearances from Hypnotize Minds affiliates like Frayser Boy and other collaborators, proving that the Mafia’s formula could still resonate. For fans who longed for the darker side of Three 6 Mafia, the project felt like a return to form.
Tragic Losses
Tragically, the momentum was cut short when Lord Infamous passed away just a month later in December 2013. Ricky “Lord Infamous” Dunigan was found slumped over in a chair at his mother’s house, dead from a heart attack linked to years of drug abuse. His sudden passing devastated fans and crippled Da Mafia 6ix before it had the chance to fully take off.
The losses didn’t stop with Lord Infamous. In October 2015, founding member Koopsta Knicca also passed away, following complications from a stroke. Koopsta’s haunting delivery and off-kilter flow had helped shape Three 6’s signature style on early classics like Mystic Stylez. His death was another devastating blow to the Memphis rap community and to fans worldwide who viewed him as one of the most unique voices in the Mafia.
Years later, tragedy struck again when Gangsta Boo (Lola Mitchell) passed away on January 1, 2023. As one of the first prominent women in Southern rap, her presence in the Mafia was groundbreaking. With her sharp delivery, commanding voice, and unshakable confidence, Gangsta Boo became an icon not only within Three 6 Mafia but in hip-hop as a whole. Her passing closed another painful chapter in the group’s story, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire new generations of female rappers.
The Legacy of Three 6 Mafia
Despite the heartbreak and tragic losses of Lord Infamous, Koopsta Knicca, and Gangsta Boo, Three 6 Mafia’s legacy remains untouchable. Their eerie beats, aggressive flows, and dark creativity helped define an entire era of Southern rap. More than that, they laid the foundation for the sound of modern hip-hop.
The echoes of their style can be heard everywhere—from trap’s pounding 808s to the cadences of rappers like Migos, Gucci Mane, Lil Wayne, Future, and countless others who cite them as a major influence. Even artists outside of hip-hop have drawn from their horror-inspired sound and DIY underground ethos.
Meanwhile, Juicy J and DJ Paul have carried the Mafia’s name forward in their own ways. Juicy J became one of hip-hop’s most consistent solo hitmakers, collaborating with the likes of Wiz Khalifa, Travis Scott, and Katy Perry, while DJ Paul has continued producing, collaborating, and keeping the group’s legacy alive through projects, soundtracks, and performances.
From the Memphis streets to an Oscar stage, and through decades of triumph and tragedy, Three 6 Mafia’s story is one of ambition, innovation, and resilience. Their impact continues to ripple through music culture, ensuring that the Mafia will remain legends for generations to come.
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