Tulsa-based MC Playya 1000 (Fred Frierson) began his music career as part of local hip-hop group DC Boys, along with producer and frequently co-credited collaborator the Deeksta (Darrell Davis). Reality, Playya 1000's 1991 debut on Tulsa label Small Town Recordings, established his sound, which was heavily influenced by the then-burgeoning West Coast gangsta rap style known as G-funk. His laid-back, funky tracks and socially conscious lyrics gained comparisons to 2Pac and Dr. Dre, and second album Blame It on Society? (1993) received some national exposure. Mo' Drama, featuring regional radio hit "Sunday Afternoon," followed in 1994. Playya 1000 worked behind the scenes for the next few years, producing albums by regional rap artists such as Ghetto Kaos and Big Bur-Na. Fourth album Foe-Da-$Mill$-Ticket surfaced in 1997, but it wasn't as successful as previous efforts, and Frierson and Davis put their music careers on hold in order to concentrate on their personal lives. Playya 1000 and the Deeksta's recordings gradually began to pick up an international cult following, causing them to return to music in 2007, beginning with the release of full-length 20/20 Vision on their own 20/20 Entertainment label. The revitalized duo began performing frequently, and offered their services as motivational speakers at schools and youth organizations. The duo released numerous online singles, with full-length Cover Me I'm Going In appearing in 2011, followed by Keep It 1000 in 2014. ~ Paul Simpson